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Going to SA in the Limpopo region in august on a 2 on 1 safari, and was wondering if taking bino's and a rangefinder would be recommended, or put my trust in the PH for yardage? Thoughts? Meat Eater. | ||
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bino yes - rangfinder - no - | |||
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What Butch said. MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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I took both and I’m glad I did. I don’t like guessing. | |||
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What Mark said. | |||
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I would ask your PH his recommendation, depending on terrain you may not be taking any shots over a given distance limiting the need for a range finder. As well I can tell you when I was in the East Cape 3 weeks ago 3 of the 4 PHs we had for our group had their own rangefinder, certainly no need to pack what is already there. The main vice of capitalism is the uneven distribution of prosperity. The main vice of socialism is the even distribution of misery. -- Winston Churchill | |||
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I use my rangefinder as my bino's. I also take two rangefinders. I let the PH use the less expensive one. The best PH's sometimes estimate the yardage wrong. A 50 yard difference can be a lot on a small animal in cover. I like my rangefinder. The PH almost always spots the game before I do. I know your not suppose to use the scope as bino's but I have trouble shooting with bino's, can't seem find the trigger. SCI lifer NRA Patron DRSS DSC | |||
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The older I get the more I appreciate my "toys" . A compact rangefinder isn't much "excess weight" to carry. Good Binos--a must. DuggaBoye-O NRA-Life Whittington-Life TSRA-Life DRSS DSC HSC SCI | |||
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+1 Binos on Safari are worth their weight in gold. ______________________ Age and Treachery Will Always Overcome Youth and Skill | |||
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If nothing else, you can use the rangefinder after the shot to answer the inevitable AR request for more information (shot distance, angle, bullet performance, etc.) when you post your glowing hunt report here!  In all seriousness, I found the binocular indispensable, and a rangefinder very handy (though perhaps not critical) in both Namibia and South Africa. Of course, both of these hunts were primarily in pretty open terrain, where longer shots were more likely. _____________________ A successful man is one who earns more money than his wife can spend. | |||
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I was going to agree with what Butch said until I read Mark's response. Now I believe Mark is giving you the best advise. "There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark | |||
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I took both bino's and a range finder, the range finder never left my room but the bino's were invaluable. | |||
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Based on my experience I would say bino's - absolutely, rangefinder - maybe. If you are hunting with a good PH he should be able to give you a fairly accurate range estimate. Occasionally, especially on a ranch hunt, you may have more of a guide than a PH. He may not be very good at estimating range. One of the small units that fit in your shirt pocket may not be a bad idea. | |||
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I learned a little trick while bowhunting last year. If you own a pocket size rangefinder – tie its neck strap to the bottom of your bino’s neck strap. You will be able to put the rangefinder in your pocket without getting in your way or feeling like your carrying one. When you need it, you’ll be able to pull it out. It works great and doesn’t get in the way. Plus you’ll never loose your rangefinder. | |||
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Both, and put your money into the binox. Your eyes aren't good enough to follow where the tracker and PH are scanning / looking. Plus, if they speak "African" you'll be clueless. With a good 8- or 10-x you have a chance to aim at the same area they have in mind and have some fun finding stuff on your own. Of course, I was GREAT at finding cactus "animals". _______________________ | |||
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Buy the Geovids. | |||
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Take them both if you have them. If you insist on leaving one home, definitely take the binoculars. The best investment I ever made was the new Leica Geovid binoculars with a built in rangefinder. They are expensive but have become my most important toy!!! Sell a "safe queen" and get a pair. That's what I did. | |||
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Just back from Limpopo ( north near the river ) 8x32 binos were more than enough and no long range shots required. My PH had rangefinder. | |||
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I just returned, and on every animal I had the yardage it was a one shot kill. Without it...well, let's just say I missed a Croc of a lifetime. I always take both bino's and rangefinder. It has assisted me in taking ethical long range shots. LDK Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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I take both, but if I could only have one or the other, I would definitely opt for the rangefinder. My Leica CRF 1200 has a 7 power monocular for optics, and will bring things closer in a pinch. Knowing the distance to the target is an important element in precise shot placement with any rifle, and absolutely crucial beyond 150 yards with a Sharps. | |||
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You may be sorry if you leave the range finder behind. You won't be sorry if you take both. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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No question, take both! The range finder doesn't take up that much space or weight. Learn from Yesterday Live in Today Live for Tomorrow! | |||
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Given a choice between the two I'd take my best binoculars. One argument for taking a rangefinder is that even though your PH should be able to estimate range, it's also nice, given time, to know what the range actually is. Another argument is that when I'm in unfamiliar country where the size of common features like vegetation is relatively unknown a rangefinder is useful not only to tell precise distances to a given object but also to estimate the relative size of common features. For example, brush in some areas may average 10 ft. tall whereas similar brush in other areas may be 15 ft. tall. That difference may affect my estimate of range by 1/3, however if I can shoot a few ranges to common objects I can learn to estimate reasonable ranges in that specific area bssed on the comparative size of similar objects elsewhere. That is particularly useful in a blind or stand, but can in some cases be applied to spot-&-stalk hunts. "No game is dangerous unless a man is close up" Teddy Roosevelt 1885. | |||
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I didn't take either to Namibia last year and I still regret not having the binoculars. My PH had a range finder and when he said "302 yards, take it" it worked. Frank "I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953 NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite | |||
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Binos in the bushveldt of limpopo are great if not a neccessity. Take good ones and let your PH use them if his are not as good.(even some of the good ones don't have good ones) Having hunted this area quite a bit I never felt the need for a range finder. In more open country like the cape or especially hunting lechwe @ blue lagoon (zambia) my PH misjudged the distance by one half.(400 plus yards and he guessed 225) This man is a great PH but sometimes, and this was one of those, a rangefinder is a MAJOR help. Or @ least would have been. Just my eperience, Adrian | |||
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I always take binoculars and an extra pair for either the PH or head tracker. Theirs never seem to be as good as mine and I want them to see as good, if not better, than I do. Also gives me a back up pair if something should happen to mine. I also take a range finder, but rarely need to use it. Seems like time or situation generally doesn't warrant one. But I do take one. Best hunting, D. Nelson | |||
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I left my binos home when I hunted Limpopo in March and did not miss them. I had my 7x Leica range finder and that worked great. My longest shot was 180 yards. Not much need for binos when you have limited sight distances. Ask your PH/outfitter what the distances will be for spotting game. If the distances are longer, binos may be handy to have. I didn't miss having them hanging around my neck. | |||
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I'll be taking my 4x Swarovski rangefinder on my next safari. | |||
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I think I agree with Adrian, and for the same reasons. I actually didn't use my binos very much but I sure wished for a range finder a couple of times. I think it would have saved a lot of tracking after a wounded springbuck. kh | |||
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I just don't find myself taking a lot of shots beyond 200 yards in Africa...for that matter...I don't take a lot of shots beyond 200 yards period. I would not bother with them. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Good quality bino' - at least 8x42 in the bush and 10x42 in open open areas Dream it...Discover it...Experience it... Patrick Reynecke Outfitter and Professional Hunter Bushwack Safaris Box 1736 Rustenburg 0300 North West Province South Africa www.bushwacksafaris.co.za Cell: +27 82 773 4099 Email: bushwacksafaris@vodamail.co.za | |||
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For what it's worth, I've carried a rangefinder to four continents and I've not used it yet. Always buy the best binos and scopes you can afford. On two occasions in the past year, I've taken once in a lifetime trophies in extremely low light because I've used the best optics available. Will J. Parks, III | |||
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In safari I try to keep track of everything I can. One of these things is at which distance all trophies were taken. Some times I take it after trophy is down. It has help me a lot to find out really at what distance I am shooting. | |||
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I just took my 8x32 leicas and left the range finder at home and that worked out perfect for me. | |||
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You should not have a problem with closing the distance to under 200yds... Keep on the wind and just make the shot... I also have some built in help, like 3inches high at 100yds...Will put you dead on to at least 250yds. Shoot some long shots to see how your gun handles it... No surprises... Have a great safari... Mike | |||
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Take up elephant hunting, no need for a rangefinder.  Mike | |||
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Like I need another hobby MJ. retreever, I zero at 200 yards. Figure this will do well out to 250 for point of aim. Only four more weeks before we leave. Meat Eater. | |||
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You have almost answered your own question. Now ask yourself if you are willing or able to shoot 250 yards. If the answer is yes, take the rangefinder. 250 can look a lot like 200 or 300 in different terrain. Take them! You don't have to use them, but you can't use them if you don't take them. | |||
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