I've never used a rangefinder for hunting in Africa. But there have been occasions when it might have been fun. Do rangefinders potentially spook an animal from a blast of 'red light', or freeze an animal? Or is the rangefinder without any affect whatever?

There is no "red light". On my safari, my PH used a rangefinder/bino setup all the time.

Worked great.

I know of no range finders on the market today that produce a blast of "red light"???? I have had the opportunity to use most all the rangefinders on the market and would not be without one or make sure my PH/guide had it available.

Rangefinders are silent operating so no spooking of game should result from their use.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

thanks, maybe I'll try one of the '600's. I've heard that one needs more for less.

I have the Zeiss Victory with built in range finder...never spooked an animal yet - and I have often used it when up close to an animal we were not going to shoot, like elephant just to show a client how close one can actually get and also what self defence range really looks like! And of course for bow hunts (where it is essential). So near or far...never seen an animal from ele and buff down to dik dik and springbok ever notice the laser...

Like other posters I've never noticed any effect of a range finder on any animal! They all seem to be totally unaware of the operation of the range finders that I've used.

Range finders are often totally useless for far shots! The old saying that "You get what you pay for" is often not entirely true in range finders. If you do not know exactly what you want and pay to little you are likely to end up with a useless gadget that is worth squat! I'll attempt to explain: For almost any modern rifle that is properly sighted shots at, say just for example, 200 yards does not present much difficulty for most animals. What I mean is that the bullet drop/rise is all within the "death zone" vertical size of many animals. It is only on rally far shots, say just for example 350 yards and more, where for most modern rifles you will have to compensate for the bullet drop/rise.

Now, many of the "600" yards range finders will tell you with great accuracy the distance to a store of farm shed up to 599 yards! Take one long step closer and it reads 598 yards. Another long step, and you get a reading 597 yards. Extremely accurate! Yes, on a farm shed! Accurate as you may wish for if you want to shoot at a farm shed.

Only problem is if you try to get the distance of, say for example a springbuck or any of the smaller open country plains game species, that is well beyond your safe "aim where you want to hit" 200 yards distance. You will simply not get a reading! The "target area" of the animal from which the laser beam must reflect is simply to small to get any distance reading.

I have tried many, very many, times to range springbuck standing in short grassveld at distances ranging from 200 to 400 and more yards. My old "600 yards" model range finder [of a good quality brand] could reliably range a broadside standing springbuck up to about 250 yards. A springbuck looking directly at me can only be ranged up to about 200 yards. Beyond 300 yards I've yet to get any reading on a springbuck! Yet the same rangefinder works quite well on a domestic cow at about 350 yards! And it also works very well on a farm shed at about 600 yards! It is not only the theoretical "maximum range" that counts, but the "laser target size" is also a factor in the usability of range finders at longer distances!

I now use [thanks to the generocity of ChetNC] a Nickon Prostaff 550 that actually works on springbuck up to the range that I feel comfortable to shoot at one! There are for sure other quality range finders that will do the trick.

My advice: Make sure that you spend enough $$ to get one that works for your particular application - otherwise you will not get what you have paid for! Actually that's not true: You will get what you have paid for, but as you have not paid enough to get the job that you require done, it will be money down the drain! But forget the money down the drain, think of the safari gone sour as you were hoping to shoot springbuck at 350 to 400 yards, at which type of distances you do need a quite accurate range to compensate for bullet drop! For that in turn you need a range finder that can get a sufficient "reflection" of the animal that you wish to shoot at that type of distance.

Very few hunters - even experienced grassveld specialist PH's - can judge distance accurately enough in the 350 to 450 yards plus range to take safe sure killing shots at springbuck at these ranges. Particularly if you have just crawled for 300 or so yards to get to withing 500 yards of a springbuck. With your head raised just enough to get your eyes above grasstop level in level terrain it is just impossible to judge distance accurately enough! For any shot at smaller animals beyond about 200 yards you need a quality rangefinder!

They all work very well at "elephant flight or fight distances" like Ganyana uses his for at times! But for long shots at small animals you must do your homework well before you spend, or waste, any money on a range finder!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

My thinking is the 'negative effect' from the rangefinder comes from the possible noise and movement that comes from getting it up and in position to use. the other negative is you are ranefinding rather than shooting. Game of trophy size did not get that way by standing in the open waiting to get shot. I try to prerange an area when I am hunting (stationary) so I know the approximate range when the game appears.

Never had a problem spooking an animal by using a range finder, ever.

Andrew +1

I use a Leica, and find as with Andrew, that any small antelope beyond 200-250m almost impossible to range in open grass (prairie)

I generally try and get a fix on a nearby large bush or a tree where this is possible and work from there.

I have never spooked an animal with the various rangefinders I have played with.

I use a Leica Geovid and have never had any ill effects on animals of the use. However, I have to say that if you use the rangefinder regularly and learn what type of objcts it will identify you can become very accurate on any type of animal at long ranges given your rangefinder is a very good one, Leica, Swarovski or Ziess are the best in my oppinion.

I utilize my Leicas for prarrie dog hunting and regulary shoot dogs in excess of 600 yards. The Leicas in good conditions will pick up ranges on standing prarrie dogs at virtually any range the Leicas can detect 1000+ yds. The problem with small objects and less expensive rangefinders is is the divergence of the beam. The further the distance the wider the divergence which makes it more difficult for the beam to pick up small objects. For instance the beam of a lower priced rangefinder my have a diameter of (this is purely hypothetical and used to make a point) 8 foot at 600 yards whereas the high priced units I listed above may have a beam diameter of 1 foot. Rangefinders are, in my oppinion, the same as any other optic, in that you get what you pay for. If you want a rangefinder that works on small objects at longe range purchase the higest end unit you can afford. Another factor in the ablility to range small 0bjects is that the unit must have a tightly collimated beam that holds its focus. This along with small beam divergence is the main factors in the ablility of your rangefinder to pick up samll objects at distance. Unfortunately these two features are not availible from rangefinders in the sub $1000 category. This is why these rangefinders are such a large leap in $$ over the Nikons, Bushnell, and Leupolds. The difference in performance is relative to the price of the unit.