Estimating distance without a range finder.

This is what we were taught in the Corps.

The length of a football field is 100 yards instead of meters, but it is a unit of measure most of you are familiar with. Estimate the number of football fields between you and the target for ranges up to 500 meters. Multiply the number of fields by 100 to determine the range in meters.

(b)For ranges between 500 and 1000 meters, pick a point halfway between you and the target. Determine the number of football fields7, multiply by 100, then double the mount to find the range to the target.

(c)In this example there are four to the halfway point, so multiply by 100 and double the amount and you will have the estimated range of 800 meters.

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The best way is with a MIL reticle on a FFP scope. You can easily make yourself a subtense "dope chart" for the size animal you're hunting.

The majority of my hunting scopes are Leupolds, they make it relatively easy to estimate distance using the duplex reticle and the magnification ring:

On scopes with this feature, the numbers facing forward show the scope's magnification settings. The numbers facing the back are for ranging and show the distances in yards, as shown in Figure C. To estimate range, follow these steps:
1. View the target through the scope.
2. When targeting an animal with a body that is 16 inches from backbone to brisket, adjust the power selector until that area of the animal's body fits between the center of the crosshair and the top of the lower heavy post.
3. Read the number on the power selector ring to determine the approximate distance in yards.

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PG 23: http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/leupold_vx_series.pdf

Last year a couple friends and I practiced this on TGTs out to 450yds and it actually worked pretty well. We took 19" steel plates and painted them to reflect 16". It also happens that the transition point on the lower post is a very, very, close 300yd hold for several of my rifles.

You can use the camera on an iPhone or iPad with the APP called Easy Measure.

If you hunt from a stand then it’s a simple matter of ranging around your stand and putting out stakes. Can even use paces if you don’t have a range finder.

Unless you are in a huge field you can get a known range to the end of the field or a tree line and then work backwards from there.

I've played golf for roughly 20 years and never used one for golf so I got pretty good at range estimation. That skill has translates over to hunting I guess. I can guess yardages out to roughly 450 yards and get them fairly close. Helps a whole lot during bow season.

I use a range finder and dial in my scope. If it's 250 yards and in I just hold on hair and drop the hammer. If it's over that the range finder and turrets get used.

I can estimate "real good". I have 4 distances I can judge. They are 1) Close, 2) Pretty Close, 3) Far, and 4) Too Fricken Far.

earlthegoat2 said:

If you hunt from a stand then it’s a simple matter of ranging around your stand and putting out stakes. Can even use paces if you don’t have a range finder.

Unless you are in a huge field you can get a known range to the end of the field or a tree line and then work backwards from there.

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My normal procedure for still hunting is once I sort out where I'll sit, I laser a couple terrain features and draw a quick "range card" with those distances.

Since mil ranging was already, I'll suggest a few other options below.

Estimate the distance that you know the target cannot be closer than, then estimate the distance that you know the target is not further then. Then you add the two and divide by two, it should get one in a good range at the middle point.

Or another option is if one has a topo map of the area with them and can read topo lines to pinpoint the shooter and target location and with the legend measure the distance, one can even get angle to the target based on topo lines.

As a surveyor for over 25 years, I learned to evaluate distances pretty well in all types of terrain. Most times my guestimates were within 25 feet unless the target was extremely up or down hill, then I would be off my more. Today I keep in practice on my hikes by estimating distances ahead of me, then pacing them out. Over time you can get fairly accurate.

This is not going to help others, but I've failed distance estimation class a few times. In every case, I shot over, estimating it too far.
After I got a rangefinder, on prairie dog trips, I'd range a few landmarks on the first day and that would get me started. After an hour or so shooting, you get pretty good at judging by the size of the target - I'd always try to stay at the same magnification on all rifles to be consistent with size appearance.
It seems to be a talent that erodes with non-use for me at least.

I still like flat-shooting cartridges and lengthy MBPR's. I set up a modest Grendel rifle for a 2800fps bullet. With a 36 yard zero, it's 1.1" high at 100 yards and drops only 3" below POA at 250 yards. Even at 275 yards, it's only 5" low. I set this up for my sons who are hunting for the first time and will close to 100 yards. Their range estimation does not need to be very precise. They'd have to be off by 275%, attempting to shoot at deer 275 yards away thinking that they're as close as 100 yards.

If I were to hunt with my magnum rifle with the same zero, it would be 2" high at 150 yards, but wouldn't drop 5" below the POA until it reached 350 yards. I'm not really interested in hunting game beyond 325 yards where it would only be 3" low. I'm more likely to use a 45 yard zero where this gun will shoot like a laser out to 250 yards.

Since this is the hunting section, I focused on what I thought was most meaningful with respect to that, but it doesn't mean I'm not interested in range estimation. The thing is, I start to get interested in range estimation when it's farther than 300 yards, and my targets aren't big game. Ranging smaller targets at 650 yards or 800 yards is quite a bit different than figuring if a deer is at 100 or 150 yards. For one thing, I'm not going to do it with my thumb.

Transits or today’s equivalent, theodolites will do it but not as easy as a cheap rangefinder.

A known size object and a known reticle works well too.

Practice guessing, while you have a range finder to tell you what it is exactly is a really good idea.

Not only will you have the areas you frequent embedded in your memory, you will also be gaining the experience of distance estimation.

Any reticle can work just remember you also need to note the magnification if it’s variable and the optic isn’t a first focal plane one.

If a fence was made consistently (post height and spacing), it can be used as a “standard” to learn your optics reticle.

All of my hunting has been in thick and uncivil places where a 100 yard shot is rare, usually I find I overestimate distances.

But then thick cover doesn’t lend itself to wide open critters with time to decide to shoot much less estimate distance.

This is what we were taught in the Corps.

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I never served, but did play and then coach football for 40 years. The length, and width of a football field is easy to visualize for me and this is what I've always done. I pick out an object that is 1 football field away, then another field, and another and so on.

The problem is that most modern rifles shoot flat enough to 300 yards that little or no holdover is really needed. And beyond 300 yards you really need a lot more accuracy than +/- 100 yards. Bullets drop so much beyond 300 that you need to estimate range within 20-25 yards in order to make good hits.

Out to 300 I don't really think about it for big game hunting. If I guess something is 200 or less I'll aim dead on. Anything I shoot will be within 1-2" of POA at 200, and even if I under estimate by 50 yards won't drop enough to miss at 250. If I think the game is closer to 300 I'll aim 2-3" high. Anything from 250-350 will still be hit in the kill zone.

Beyond about 300 I wouldn't shoot without an accurate rangefinder.

jmorris said:

A known size object

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That's what the army calls the "recognition method". I was never very good at it, but I did (still do) use the football field method to good effect.

Also of note, certain conditions and terrain can make objects appear closer than they actually are, like bright sunny days or when their's a ravine between you and the target. Conversely, rain, haze or twilight will have the opposite effect.

Old Orienteering trick that can work in hasty fashion.
Stick your arm out with index finger extended. Close one eye and set your index finger upon it. Don't move arm or finger, and focus using the other eye. Estimate the distance your finger apparently displaces on the target in feet. Multiply that distance by ten (this is from the ratio--75th percentile-- of the distance between the eyes and the length of eyes to end of arm).
Verify by ranging things at known distances, at the expected sight line. It can be scary close. With practice the error is about the amount of perceived distance shift. So, if your finger seems to move ten feet, the error is typically ±10' in distance.
This is handy (NPI) in that you can use your left hand out on the stock of the rifle and using a raised thumb. Which can be pretty quick to do.

You can use the cross hair on your scope. A whitetail eye is about an inch, an ear is about 3 inches. If your rectical covers an in at 100 yds and covers an eye your close to 100 yds. If it covers an ear close to 300.

1942bull said:

This is what we were taught in the Corps.

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We were also taught,
For the person untrained in range estimation, when looking over unknown terrain, and the area between the shooter and the target is visible, the shooter tends to over estimate the distance...,
When the shooter is looking over unknown terrain and area between the shoot and the target is not visible, the shooter tends to under estimate the distance.

I use iron sights and at best am only going out 100 yards...,

LD

I shot a bow for many years both compound and recurve and participated in various 3D tournaments with about 30 animals big & small set up at various distances. I learned to estimate distance by estimating the distance to a spot that was half way to the target and then doubling that distance. I always worked for me. The price for missing a target and seeing an arrow sail into the trees was about $5 so it was important to be accurate. At that time we were shooting aluminum arrows and they would really rattle when they hit the trees. Never recovered a straight one either.

Are we talking archery or rifle?

With my rifle, I use a 200 yard zero and that puts my round in the vitals from 10 yards to 300 yards. Past 300 yards I do not take those shots. Not practiced enough.

Range estimation with archery is very much an acquired skill that not everyone can get. I can't get it! I range trees or bushes around me to make rings of 20, 30, 40, 50 etc... That way I am not having to pull out the range finder for the shot time.

CapnMac said:

Old Orienteering trick that can work in hasty fashion.
Stick your arm out with index finger extended. Close one eye and set your index finger upon it. Don't move arm or finger, and focus using the other eye. Estimate the distance your finger apparently displaces on the target in feet. Multiply that distance by ten (this is from the ratio--75th percentile-- of the distance between the eyes and the length of eyes to end of arm).
Verify by ranging things at known distances, at the expected sight line. It can be scary close. With practice the error is about the amount of perceived distance shift. So, if your finger seems to move ten feet, the error is typically ±10' in distance.
This is handy (NPI) in that you can use your left hand out on the stock of the rifle and using a raised thumb. Which can be pretty quick to do.

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So, I just tried this on my backyard 3D deer target and it works! Thanks for the info. Just one point of note, do the calculation above and your result is in feet. For example, my deer target is about 34" chest to rump. I stood at my ten yard marker and using my right eye placed the left edge of my finger just touching the rump. Switched eyes and the left edge of my finger was on the chest. I moved to 20 yards and my finger moved about 2 body lengths.