Have a Meopta scope with the McWhorter reticle.

The information I received with the scope advises that at 14 X - the distance between the cross hair and next hash mark down is 1.6 MOA.



Is there a formula I can use to calculate the distance to a target if the target is 18" tall - which is approximately the measurement of a deer from backline to bottom of the brisket?

Thanks !

Can't think of a formula but if the chest of a deer fills the 1.6 MoA gap it will be over 1000 yards and too far away.

I do know that if your scope has the reticle in the second focal plane, such rangefinding only gets worse at lower powers.

One minute of angle is 1.05" at 100yds, 2.10" at 200yds, 3.15" at 300yds and at 1000yds is 10.5".
i.e. 10.5" divided by 1.05" = 10 x 100yds = 1000yds

On this basis 18" divided by (1.6MOA x 1.05") = 10.72 x 100yrds = 1072yds

Your deer is well out of range unless of course you have a good long range rig setup.

And, very few deer are at thick as 18" from backbone to brisket. For the typical whitetail it's more like 14", while a mule deer might run 16". An 18-incher is a very big deer.

Learn to judge distance, it will come very handy at hunting.