Whether you're shooting shotguns, rifles or bows, a good range finder is essential for calculating the distance to your target. I tested and ranked the best options for the money.
FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Vortex Optics - Razor HD 4000 Yards
Highlight: Can range farther than my 7mmMag can shoot.
Helpful review: I don't know anyone who needs to range an animal at 4000 yards for hunting, but if I ever need to, I have a unit that will do it now. Someone in real estate development or civil engineering may need this for planning roadways. But, this is an article for range finders for hunting, and we will stay there.
If I ever get to the point that I want to hunt long-range, this will be perfect. I think I have value for this much range to see what I thought was closer than it is and get an exact range. I did take this to the long-distance rifle range just to see what it would show me. I was able to range in the two-mile flag, and from what the range says, the Viper HD tells me it is on the money.
To range in this extreme distance, I had to screw this onto a tripod using the ¼ inch-threaded mount and not touch the controls after I set the target. Once the wiggle was gone, I could see the range of the flags and steel targets. One thing I think would be great for ultra-long-range shooting is a way to control and view the range finder on my phone, or a kind of a remote screen, so I do not have to touch the unit and start the wiggles again.
The range finder weighs less than the tabletop tripod, which is excellent for stability and even more admirable for a ranger I will carry; the less weight, the more I like it. I hauled this range finder on a coyote hunting trip with Joel and actually left the whiskey flask in the truck and took bullets this time. I set up the rangefinder and could zoom in and range on coyotes at 700 yards away.
Being able to range and find a target as tiny as a coyote that far away can tell me how excellent and clear the optics are on the Vortex Viper HD. I set my scope on the coyote, dialed in the crosshairs like I knew what I was doing, and let the lead fly. I would have guessed the distance wrong and missed the target if I had not had the rangefinder. At 700 yards away, the coyote did not make the report of the rifle when I missed the first shot, and the second one took him right through the shoulders.
UPDATE:
I watched a video on YouTube about a hunter and super shooter ranging Prairie Dogs at 1000 yards and popping them all day. Of course, that affected my ego, and I had to try that myself. When the tiny critters popped out of their holes to look around, I could range some of them at that distance, but most of the time, the picture stayed blurry.
I could measure the distance to the sagebrush in the area, and I was pretty sure because the sage was more prominent and darker than the background. Setting the rangefinder on the tripod, lying down all day to try and find one at range, and then transferring to a rifle is a great way to get a personal vendetta against rodents of all kinds.
I ended up ranging the local sagebrush and guessing the distance to Prairie Dogs as they came out to get a suntan. I adjusted by turrets and guesstimating dope and tried to start a count for the day. I came home with a count of one, and that was about 200 yards away. The one way out there lived to see another day. — Charles & Tina Collins
Get it from Amazon now: $399.00 & FREE Returns
2. Bushnell 4x21 - 600 Yards Hunting Laser Rangefinder
Highlight: Realtree camo pattern that matches my hunting jacket perfectly.
Helpful review: I don't know who paid whom for the matching camo pattern, but one of the two must have been a genius. This can lay on my jacket and form three feet away; it blends perfectly. Except for the Bushnell coin medallion thing, why they felt the need to put a shiny thing on this camo pattern is beyond me. They must not hunt turkeys.
Bushnell has been a hunting standard in Utah for as long as I can remember, and for good reason. Their stuff is made well, and everyone can afford it. This unit is no different; the outside materials are made from high-impact plastic. It reminds me of the old school desk phone plastic that can break a kitchen sink if swung hard enough.
The rangefinder works well and will come on screen instantly when I push the top button to show the distance. The four-power magnification is nice for getting closer to the target and ensuring I look at the right thing.
The range and distance information is the same as the rest of the herd of range finders, so it all works within a yard, as the paperwork says. I believe it. It was on for all of the flags I had ranged before.
UPDATE:
This says it needs a CR2 battery, but when I opened the battery door, it used a 9-volt battery instead. That is excellent news since I had one handy; this review would have curse words if I did not. I also have a spare CR2 battery for some review down the line. I like the 9-volt battery option. That must be how the unit gets such good performance, instant power, and range. It has more power to the internals to function as a Stogner. Carrying around a spare 9-volt battery is not as easy as the CR2 battery, but fitting one in my pocket is not hard.
This unit is a little bigger than some others—not too much bigger—but it takes up more space than my shirt pocket, where most of the other ones will fit between range sessions. It will fit in my cargo pockets or my hand warmer pockets on my jacket, so it is not the size of binoculars, just more significant than most. — Greg C. Moskowitz
Get it from Amazon now: $179.99 & FREE Returns
3. Gogogo Sport Vpro - 1000/1200 Yards Laser Rangefinder
Highlight: Slope measurements included in the viewfinder.
Helpful review: This rangefinder is one of the favorites of the golf community. When I take it to the range, it quickly becomes a favorite of all the shooters who have used it. This rangefinder allows shooters to set up a steel target at an accurate range to improve their efficiency. They can do all this at a price that most shooters can afford and keep for hunting season and making better kill shots.
What I like about this rangefinder at the gun range is the built-in magnets. They make a great way to secure the unit when not ranging. When I take this to the field, it fits in my cargo pants pockets. I have seen hunters with the rangefinder on the binocular straps; I may have to try that in the future.
I took this unit to the woods by the cabin in the Fishlake National Forest and ranged all the landmarks from the place I planned on setting up. I had my range card pretty set and felt ready to go. On the gun range, in the sunshine, ranging in small targets way out, there is a giant pain in the neck. But ranging in a flag on a metal target is made easy by using the Flag locator function built into rangefinders (that includes golf as one of the uses).
UPDATE:
I hauled this to the woods for deer season, and I have become a bigger fan than I was before. This is due mainly to the lightweight build of this machine. I could not feel it in my pocket as I hiked along. When I took it out to range an object, I was sure it was a deer; it was on the money every time.
I am still using the same battery that came in the box, and according to the battery meter, I will need battery replacements in three years. I was unsure how it would withstand abuse and weather until this trip. I discovered its ability to take a hit by having it fall out of my cargo pocket and right out of the door opening of the RZR. To ensure I did not miss the opportunity, the rear tires ran it over. The Vpro took it on the chin, and all that happened was that the skin was scratched up a bit.
Dropping it from my pocket into the trail allowed me to test its weather resistance because it fell right in the mud. That may be how the Vpro survived getting run over and pushed into the muddy trail. I dug the mud out of the lens, and it kept range finding the rest of the day and the rest of the trip after I cleaned it up at the cabin. — Joel Cruz
Get it from Amazon now: $129.98 & FREE Returns
4. TideWe - 1000 Yards Hunting Rangefinder
Highlight: Rechargeable Battery.
Helpful review: One of the things I dislike about field gear is the way they drain batteries. The need to put in new batteries and carry spare batteries may get me in such a dislike. With this rangefinder, that issue is gone and replaced with another one, remembering to charge the unit before pulling out all the hunting gear and finding out that I forgot a thing; damn the bad luck.
The TideWe comes with an actual belt pouch designed to carry the rangefinder. I do not have to bring it in my pocket or, like I said before, on my binoculars strap. For lack of a better word, the carry case or holster is made of high-density nylon. It comes in a cool assortment of camo to fit the surroundings. The holster has a top flap to secure the ranger and keep the tree branches and dirt out of the delicate parts.
This range finder has a feature I don't see often on them; it measures speed. The manufacturer says it measures the speed to the target. I don't know what that means or what it's good for, so I did not test it. The rest of the features are high speed and low drag, distance, angle, and scan like the other rangers that are worth the money.
This rangefinder does say it is waterproof according to the box but weather resistant according to the instructions. I am glad I read the instructions before I threw it in the sink to test the waterproof claim. The outside is made of rugged, heavy-duty plastics. It is also covered with rubber, a very grippy area to ensure I did not drop-test it until I meant to do so. The drop test worked pretty well, but this was a loaner for evaluation, so I did not go too crazy on the drop test. I dropped it from a rock outcrop about ten feet into the scrub oak and dirt below; it survived fine and kept working.
UPDATE:
This rangefinder started testing for the archery hunt in Utah in September, and by the end of the rifle hunt, it still did not need to be charged. This go-to proves the potency of the battery and the fact that I remembered to turn it off when I was done for the day. The wear and tear from hunting seasons were not dramatic; the outside of the unit looked nearly new, and the glass was still crisp and clear. The rubber grippy part did take a bit of damage as it is made to give way for grip and will not survive a spat with the scrub oak. — Dalton Stanwick
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
5. AOFAR HX-1200T - 1200 Yards Hunting Rangefinder
Highlight: AI technology is used to support bow hunting.
Helpful review: This thing fits my hand very well, and it fits my wife's hand even better. The ergonomics used in its design don't seem evident until it is held in my hand. Like all the others, the outside is well-made from heavy-duty plastic. Still, this one has the rubber grippy stuff underneath it and on top, not down the sides, so I think it will stand up to scrub oak better.
The box says it will range up to 1200 yards; according to my more expensive and go-to-bargain ranger finders, it is a little off, but not too much. The closer the range is, the more accurate it is. So if I needed to shoot at 1000 yards, this is not the one I would take, but I don't hunt at that range, and this one was used for archery anyway.
It is at close range for archery, is on the money, and is very efficient. The diopter will adjust 3*, so using it with glasses is very nice. The AI-assisted information delivery is excellent. For hunting from a tree stand, the AI will take the angle adjustments from my thinking and tell me where to aim.
UPDATE:
My archery buddy took this on his scouting trip to see which mega muley was going in the freezer this year, and he came back with a thin black line down the outer right edge of the picture. According to Jim, he did not practice a drop test for evaluation, so we emailed the company to see if there was anything that could be done. What was done by the company was that they sent me a new one that arrived in four days, and Jim was still able to get to the hunt. Happy Days came home with deer meat and a range finder that had no malfunctions this time. Maybe it was using the neck cord, or Jim was more steady than before; either way, it worked, and the company took care of customers in a hurry. — Wade Campbell
Get it from Amazon now: $134.99 & FREE Returns
6. WOSPORTS H111 - 800 Yards Bow Hunting Rangefinder
Highlight: Bow hunting mode.
Helpful review: This range finder is made specifically for bow hunting and has a range of 800 yards. I don't know who can shoot a creature at 800 yards with a bow, but I must admit, that is quite a magnificent deed. Like nearly all rangefinders, this one needs plenty of light to work correctly. When the light is low, the range is good to about 150 yards, which is good because more prolonged than that in low light should not be done anyway.
This rangefinder will sometimes find trees behind the target, so make sure you know the target it is looking at. If the deer seems about 5 yards away and this machine tells you it is 100 yards away, you must re-range that future supper feast.
My archery buddies are happy with this rangefinder but more happy with others we have tested. This may be due to the terrain we hunt in; I don't know. It seems to work just fine for me when I use it. The optics are clear, and the measurements show up quickly in the viewfinder.
The size is the same as the others and fits in pockets quickly enough. But to give an honest review, no one took it hunting this year; they left it home and took the others. I think the bowhunters did not trust the mistaken yardage for the close-up stuff, and no one ranges over 100 yards for archery, at least not around here.
UPDATE:
A young friend asked to use the H111 to hunt antelope in the West Desert. I can't think of a better way to test this rangefinder's 900-yard accuracy, so I sent it to him. He tells me that the long-distance markers he used to set up his range card were on the money. Maybe it was our environment, or we did something wrong when trying it out.
I did take this to the woods before I took it to the range to test, so I was too quick to give up on this rangefinder. Alan said he had zero problems and decided to keep it for his kit. Since he was the only one who made it work, it went home with him.
I heard from Alan two days after that night. He bagged an antelope early in the morning and was on his way home with it by noon. So, I guess it worked very well out to 400 yards anyway. — Cory Yeager
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
7. Gogogo Sport Vpro - 1000 Yards Laser Rangefinder
Highlight: Angle Range Compensation or ARC function.
Helpful review: This one was bought for some serious airsoft games. And by serious, I mean we actually go dirty playing this game made for much younger people. With the lack of power in the airsoft guns, I wanted and needed every bit of advantage I could muster. I also did not want to break the one I use for hunting, so I got one for this game at the price they asked. The games were on a weekend camp and hunting was very much fun. After the bruises healed, I liked it even more.
I used the angle compensator the most. The ranges were already set, but with the objects to hide behind and that they were trying to shoot us back, no one would stay out of range for too long.
The angle compensator may have given me an advantage, and knowing that I was on the edge of the range of the guys fighting uphill, I know, gave me an edge. The younger and more practiced other team had the clear advantage. In the end, everyone had a great time. The old guys did have some tricks up our sleeves that we sprung late at night. It seems some smoke tossed into the other guy's campsite will get a bunch of 20-somethings running through the woods in their skivvies; I love it when options present themselves.
To compensate for the smoke, I sent the opposing team's captain home with the rangefinder so they could pregame and have a better chance of winning the next event. He demonstrated the pain from an airsoft gun that can shoot full auto for the smoke-in-the-dark trick. I guess that is fair play.
I won't discuss the challenge of an old guy to a whiskey-drinking contest that no young person should ever attempt or have a full day to recover from afterward. All in all, a range finder, especially one with the angle compensator, may be a necessity for hunting other gamers on the airsoft range. It definitely will let the guys know when to engage next time or when not to waste ammo trying to shoot uphill and have the BBs fall short. — Joseph Gaither
Get it from Amazon now: $79.99 & FREE Return
8. TecTecTec ProWild - 540 Yards Hunting Rangefinder
Highlight: Fully coated 6x magnification optics.
Helpful review: This rangefinder performed fright on the money like all the other budget-friendly and expensive options. The most impressive feature is this level of optic clarity for the money.
The ProWild ranges up to 540 yards. This may be the only rangefinder that did not overstate its range ability. The one hang-up is the information is not illuminated, so this unit has to be used when the sun is fully up. It's not a big deal for hunting; that is when it is legal to shoot game animals anyway.
This unit went with a field that hunts with Black Powder in Utah. I am pretty sure the point of black powder hunting is to do it more like the olden days and not use electronic gadgets. He and I differ as he has a red dot optic on the inline rifle and now this range finder. Knowing the proper range is critical in shooting Black Power. I have not heard anything but praise for his distance accuracy, and he will be on the meat if he can find a place to bag a deer when the season opens.
The field reports returned to me are the ease of use and the clarity of the picture when looking through the eyepiece. Needless to say, I will not get this rangefinder back. Still, the trade will be some venison steaks in the freezer, so that is a great deal, especially since I don't have to drag the damn thing back to the truck.
UPDATE:
The range finder worked like a champ; he nailed an excellent two-point on opening day. The deer went downhill and was a clever critter in the bottom of the ditch. But knows where and how to hold the sight of the deer he dropped in its tracks. The one thing he and his son reported on was the unit's weight; they both say it felt as light as their gloves when they used it. I think the adrenalin of the opening day of black powder deer season may have added to the strength boost.
After having the rangefinder for over two months and using it all the time, the report is the optic is as clear today as it was the first time they turned it on, so the lens coating is well done. The magnification made a lot of difference when glassing for this deer. My buddy was using binoculars, and his son was using the rangefinder, which is how he spotted my venison steaks. — Nathan Green
Get it from Amazon now: $79.99 & FREE Returns
9. AOFAR HX-700N - 700 Yards Hunting Range Finder
Highlight: Easy to use continuous scan.
Helpful review: I was sent this rangefinder to review its merits as a hunting tool. I measured this against an expensive unit and an affordable unit. I found that the costly range finders may not be worth the money.
The main point that AOFAR holds is the ability to range to 700 yards. The hang-up with a 700-yard claim is accurately measured against itself. I used my expensive unit and car's odometer to see if all claims were correct. What I found is that the AOFAR is within feet of its accuracy.
The HX-700N is excellent for distance range due to its ability to use a fast setting. This is good for range on moving targets and keeps the yardage feedback nice and smooth. I used this feature to range against some horses running through a field that I was not hunting, by the way. It kept the targets in the field of view and sent the information back to me faster than I could read.
UPDATE:
I sent this with a neighbor for his elk hunt and wanted a good report. What I learned from his elk hunt was the ability to find elk with its six-power magnification and constant information feedback.
Randy told me he could call out distances to his Dad as the elk descended a hillside trail. When the elk reached the 400-yard mark, his Dad took the shot and dropped a nice 5-point bull elk. When they hunted and found the elk, the sun was barely high enough to shoot lawfully, and the range was accurate.
I once missed a deer due to this time of day and the shadows playing tricks on my distance guessing. After this embarrassing incident, I found that I was shooting under the deer, and he was only 70 yards away, or maybe less. When I put the crosshairs on him, I thought it was about 150 to 200 yards. — Tracy Duncan
Get it from Amazon now: $89.99 & FREE Returns
10. TecTecTec VPRO500 - 800 Yards High Precision Golf Rangefinder
Highlight: Information is accessible to read when viewing.
Helpful review: I don't have a hunting report for this one. It's not that it didn't work; the critters were not in the mood to come our way that weekend. Moreover, even thought this is a popular range finder among hunters, it was actually designed specifically for golf. So... I have a report from the range instead.
When I had this at the range, it was the range down by the cabin, the sheriff's department / Search and Rescue range. They had placed some flags out at 50-yard intervals on stakes for hunting season. The flags were the standard surveyor tape from Home Depot stapled to a wooden stake.
This rangefinder is made for golf as well. I put it in the pin-seeking mode, which worked like a champ. Having the rager lock onto the flag is pretty cool; I had not done that before and spent probably 15 minutes screwing around with that feature, like a kid with a new toy. In fact, I was not a kid with a new toy; I was an old guy with a new toy and a review to write, so it was a professional screw-off session.
The closer pins or flags seemed to be measured as further away than I knew they were. The search and rescue folks had staked me to the money, so I knew the rangefinder was off the mark. The farther pins were on the mark, just the ones under 100 yards, and that was weird.
UPDATE:
I went to the range close to my house to see if the pin finder was off or if something at that other range was the issue, and at this local range, it was sending the correct information. I think there may have been dust blowing down the range or some weeds I did not see, which may be an unknown reason for ranging the wrong distance. — Richard C. James
Get it from Amazon now: $89.99 & FREE Returns