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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.
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.
Which is great but I’m talking “on the fly”.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.
This is what we were taught in the Corps.
A known size object
This is what we were taught in the Corps.
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.
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.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.