Best Bow Hunting Rangefinders – Guide & Reviews

Even the most gifted hunter out there would want to have the best rangefinder for bow hunting at his disposal. Accurately estimating the distance to the target can make or unmake a shot. With the bow Hunting rangefinder, you can increase the chances of hitting your target.
There aren’t a lot of bow rangefinders in the market. There are only a handful of brands that you can trust.

But don’t let budget be the only factor to consider in shopping for a rangefinder. Consider other factors, too, such as ease of use, range, light gathering capability, and durability, among others.

I’ve picked five of the best rangefinders for bow hunting in the market that you can choose from.

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At a glance

Bushnell Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder
Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot
Brand
Bushnell
Color
Black
Material
Plastic
Sport Type
Hunting
Horizontal Distance
5 to 99 yards
Deer Ranging Performance
7-200 Yards
Tree Ranging Performance
7-600 Yards
Reflective Performance
7-850 Yards
Waterproof + Rainproof
ARC technology
4x Magnification
-
-
Bushnell Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder
Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot
Brand
Bushnell
Color
Black
Material
Plastic
Sport Type
Hunting
Horizontal Distance
5 to 99 yards
Deer Ranging Performance
7-200 Yards
Tree Ranging Performance
7-600 Yards
Reflective Performance
7-850 Yards
Waterproof + Rainproof
ARC technology
4x Magnification
-
-

Best Bow Hunting Rangefinders

1. Bushnell 202442 Best Bow hunting Rangefinder with Clear Shot

Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot

The Bushnell 202442 is certainly among the best bow hunting rangefinders. It’s accurate, easy to use, with a solid range of 850 yards, and HD quality clarity. And it’s not as expensive as other Bushnell rangefinders.

Accuracy

The range of this rangefinder is from 7 to 850 yards. Most of the reviews I have read indicate that its accuracy is spot on. Many satisfied reviewers say they don’t have to take multiple readings with this one. Simply put, it works.

Ease of Use

A lot of satisfied users also say that this rangefinder is very easy to use. There’s a single mode button that you will have to press for changing modes.

Then there are other buttons that you have to push to zoom in and out on a target. Most reviewers say that it doesn’t take a lot of effort to push the buttons. They also like the placement of the buttons.

But the main concern about this rangefinder is the difficulty in setting up, which requires calibrating its accurate shot system. The consensus is that setting up the rangefinder can be overwhelming especially for beginners.

This rangefinder is powered by a CR2 battery, which comes in the package. According to most reviews, this battery life can last for a long time.

Features

The Clear Shot feature is undoubtedly the main selling point of this rangefinder. With it, there’s no chance you would miss a shot due to an arrow clipping a tree branch, or hitting other obstructions.

However, some users are disappointed that this rangefinder is not fog-proof.

Bushnell Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder
Bushnell 202442 The Truth ARC 4x20mm Bowhunting Laser Rangefinder with Clear Shot, With one-button operation, it’s easy to use for bow hunting and rifle hunting, while the 4x magnification offers crystal-clear imagery every time.

2. Bushnell Laser Rangefinders Bone Collector Cam

Bushnell 4x21 Hunting Laser Rangefinder Bone Collector Edition in Realtree Xtra Camo

Bushnell is one of those few trusted brands of rangefinders, and this model shows you why. They are not always cheap, but the laser bone collector cam is worth all the extra money you will be spending on it.

Let’s just say that this is one of, if not the best, bow hunting rangefinder models today.

Design/Ease of Use

From a distance, this laser rangefinder looks like an impressive piece of equipment with an ergonomic design with a weather resistant finish. You might even think that it is bulky and heavy. But the surprising thing is that it weighs less than 10 ounces. It won’t add extra baggage to your bag at all.

With its vertical operation, this laser rangefinder allows for an easy and one-handed operation. Using it is very straightforward.

You simply aim at your target, and once you are set, you tap the single button. The said button is placed under the index finger when you hold this not-so-cheap archery rangefinder.

Moreover, it has a single 9-volt battery that Amazon.com reviewers say can last long. The only beef I have with this is that it can take a while for you to swap batteries when you are out there in the wild.

Range/Accuracy

This rangefinder has a range of 10-600 yards, it accurately ranges of plus/minus one yard. The capable rangefinder also offers 4x magnification for accurate readings like most modern rangefinders. Most comments on Amazon.com indicate that the accuracy of the rangefinder is spot on. I also like that it measures correct distance quickly and accurately. For most hunters, this is the only thing that matters.

Sale
Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Bone Collector
Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Bone Collector Cam_202208, Beautifully designed with durability built to last, Simple single button operation in a compact, lightweight housing.

3. Leupold Vendetta 2 Archery Rangefinders

Leupold Vendetta 2 Archery Rangefinder

The Leupold Vendetta 2 is another relatively expensive rangefinder that packs a lot of features among the best rangefinders for bow hunting.

Like the other Bushnell units, it may not be ideal for the budget-conscious but I can assure you that it provides value for money than the cheap rangefinders in the market.

Ease of Use

This is a relatively simple rangefinder that is getting a lot of positive reviews on Amazon.com. Its initial set-up can be a bit confusing for neophyte users, but those who’ve used a rangefinder before will have no problems assembling it.

There are two mounting options in this rangefinder—one for a crossbow, and another for a compound bow. There’s an external LED screen that displays distances, apart from an internal look through the display.

Features

This one is packed with features; something you can expect from high-end modern rangefinders. It has a one-touch continuous scan mode that you can activate with a press of a button, then holding the said button again for a couple of seconds to enter the scan mode.

With this scan mode feature, the Leupold archery rangefinder can show continuous range readings of a target or any object in the area you are target shooting for 40 seconds over a decent range.

The laser dot alignment, on the other hand, ensures that this gem of the best archery rangefinders is directly in line with the 20-yard pin.

Reviewers on Amazon.com highly recommend this quality rangefinder for several reasons. They say that it has an excellent design, with a user-friendly interface. It also minimizes the chances of animal alerting movement, and in turn, gives you higher hunting success rates.

Leupold Vendetta 2 Archery Rangefinder
Leupold Vendetta 2 Best Archery Rangefinder, Rangefinders for Bow hunting with angle range compensation and scan mode/scan feature, scan feature Universal Bow Mounting System - bow hunting reliable rangefinder easily adjusts for horizontal component distance and vertically, and the ball joint allows for further fine-tuning, Leupold Vendetta 2 Archery Rangefinder.

4. Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC 6 x 21mm Laser Rangefinder

Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC 6 x 21mm Laser Rangefinder

Bushnell will always figure prominently in any listing of the best rangefinders.

It again makes it to this list with this rangefinder offering 6x magnification and a maximum range of 5-1000 yards.

Design

The rangefinder is made from plastic, which is durable yet lightweight. There are some concerns on how the material holds up when it is wet, but many reviews say that it provides good gripping thanks to the stippled rubber incorporate in the design of this range finder.

Most users also say that this range finder is lightweight and compact for them. They also agree that the controls are very intuitive.

Features

This rangefinder is equipped with Bushnell’s ESP (Extreme Speed and Precision) technology. This means that the good rangefinder can read distances faster without compromising on accuracy.

It also has two modes—Bullseye and Brush. In the former, users can set the range finders to determine which of two objects are closer to them. The Brush mode, on the other hand, reports to the user which of two objects is the father when detected on a single reading.

This range finder is powered by a single CR2 battery.

This range finder, however, is far from being perfect. The most common complaint is the black LCD screen. While some reviewers say that they can read measurements on it, many still suggest that reading distances on it would be hard especially in low lighting conditions.

Bushnell Scout DX 1000 ARC 6 x 21mm Laser Rangefinder
Bushnell Laser Rangefinder, Rifle Mode feature allows you to set your holdover/ bullet-drop information for your rifle’s zero – select between 100, 150, 200 and 300-yard sight-in distances for deadly accurate information at the push of a button, fast measurement.

5. Halo X Ray Z6X 600 Laser Range Finder for Rifle Hunting

Halo X Ray Z6X 600 Laser Range Finder

The Halo X Ray is a rangefinder with a rather limited maximum range of 600 yards and a pedestrian 6x magnification.

It’s a water-resistant rangefinder and capable of reading distances in both meters and yards. It’s a good choice if you’re on a limited budget as it is a bit on the low end as far as pricing is concerned.

Ease of Use

The rangefinder is light and compact. It is slightly bigger than a pack of cigarettes so you’ll get an idea of how small it is. There’s enough rubber on the buttons as well as the handling area so this one is very easy to hold on to.

There is a lanyard included in the package as well as a nice case and a belt loop on the back. This unit is powered by a CR2 battery, which is also included in the package.

I have to advise you to buy a spare CR2 battery though as you don’t want to get caught with a dead battery in the wild. It’s something you can’t buy at a convenience store when you are in a rural area.

Accuracy

There are some mixed reviews on the accuracy of this rangefinder. Some say it is accurate; others bash it for being inconsistent. But the consensus is that you will have to take some time to practice using it, and this should improve the accuracy of the unit.

Overall, this is a decent rangefinder that I can recommend to those who are on a budget.

Halo X Ray Z6X 600 Laser Range Finder
Halo X Ray Z6X 600 Laser Range Finder, It is water resistant, comes with nylon pouch and one year warranty on its waterproof design. The Z6X is capable of measuring exact distance in both yards and meters. The unit uses a CR2 lithium battery (not included). It is the perfect tool for both bow and rifle hunting.

Final Verdict

When shopping for a rangefinder, the budget should not only be your consideration. There are other factors that you will have to consider such as ease of use, size/weight, and accuracy.

I’ve picked these five rangefinders because all of them are easy to use and handy. There are a few models in this list that aren’t really accurate, but you could get more accurate results with them if you practice operating them more frequently.

I am confident that any of these models can be considered as the best rangefinder for bow hunting in 2021.

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