F.I.R.E Week 10: Using a Laser Rangefinder Effectively

Know the Distance or Miss With Confidence

Let me say this plain:
If you are guessing the range, you are guessing the result. And no, being a good guesser does not count as a skill in this game.

A rangefinder is not a novelty. It is not a last-minute magic wand you wave before pulling the trigger. It is your recon unit. Your best friend in the field. Your lifeline when the deer is bedded in a sea of "Is that 300 or 460?"

Most guys only grab it after they have already decided to shoot. By then, you have rushed, you are shaky, and now you are trying to laser a target behind some grass, while also calculating dope and thinking about lunch.

At Carnimore, we treat ranging like preparation, not panic. Let’s talk about how to actually use that thing the right way.

First Range = Right Range

Your rangefinder will always give you a number. Does not mean it is the right number.

Did you hit the deer? The branch in front of it? The juniper behind it? The heat mirage floating somewhere in between?

If you are just clicking and hoping, you might as well shake a Magic 8 Ball and read "Ask again later."

Do Not Range Like a Tourist

Biggest mistake I see? Guys ranging one-handed like they are at a golf tournament or sightseeing at the Grand Canyon.

Look — ranging at 120 yards on a standing cow elk? Fine, knock yourself out.

But if you are trying to get a solid read at 480 on a Coues bedded in the shade of a rock pile, wobbling around with one hand is going to give you a number — just probably not a helpful one.

Here is how to clean it up:

Use two hands. Lock it to your chest or rest on your pack.
Elbows on knees, tripod, rock — whatever is stable.
Exhale before clicking. Same breathing as trigger control.
If you have a tripod adapter, use it. Makes a world of difference.

Pro tip: I use my tripod glassing setup whenever I can. That way, the rangefinder does not just spit out guesses — it spits out truth.

The "2,000-Yard Rangefinder" Myth

Every rangefinder box says "ranges out to 2,000+ yards." Yeah.
On reflective targets.
In perfect light.
While riding a unicorn.

In the real world:

Deer-sized animals: 600–800 yards if your glass is good
Bigger stuff (elk, moose, bison): 800–1200
Trees and rocks: Easy to range, but not your target (hopefully)

Helpful Hack:
Most modern rangefinders have targeting modes:

First target mode helps in open terrain, giving you what is closest.
Last target mode is great when there is grass or brush — it skips the fluff and hits the hard return.

I use a rangefinding bino with scan mode. Hold the button down and it sweeps a 3D picture of the terrain. Super helpful when a buck is half tucked behind a palo verde, trying to play hide-and-seek.

Fog, Rain, and Mirage — The Holy Trinity of Rangefinder Chaos

You know what does not love weather? Budget optics and lasers.

In fog or rain:

Aim for hard edges — rocks, dark logs, stumps.
If the readout blinks or changes every second, do not trust it.

In heat mirage:

Click twice. Or three times.
If you are getting a 6-yard difference each time, you are ranging thermal ghosts.

Moral of the story: do not trust the first number that pops up when the atmosphere is acting weird. Slow down. Confirm.

Range Before You Ever See an Animal

This might be the most underrated trick in the book: pre-range your terrain.

From your glassing position:

Pick out features — big rock, tree line, saddle, cliff edge.
Tag distances in your brain: "The shale patch is 382. The saddle is 510."
Build a mental map before the deer even walks out.

Then when a buck shows up, you are not starting from scratch. You already know the bracket, and you are working smarter.

This is how long-range shooters hunt with confidence — not caffeine and chaos.

Real-World Screw-Up (So You Do Not Have To)

North Rim, a few years back. My buddy had a bison tag. Big deal. We get set up early — picture-perfect setup, glassing a cut near the power line.

A coyote walks right through our lane. We had ranged the tree the night before — 350 yards. Seemed like a good reference. My buddy dials, settles, sends it. Clean miss, high.

Turns out, I had clipped a berm behind the tree the first time we ranged. Real distance? 312 yards. Not even close.

Coyote ran off laughing. We laughed too, but only because it was not the bison.

Lesson learned: range the actual object. Confirm it. Twice. Egos recover. Tags do not.

Joel’s Rangefinder Protocol

Want to range like a professional, not a panicked tourist? Here is how:

Stabilize before you click
Build your terrain map early
Range more than once if things look off
Prioritize clarity over speed
Practice before your hunt — not during

Do Not Cheap Out: What to Look For

A good rangefinder is an investment. You are not buying a toy. You are buying a tool that decides whether you make meat or tell a story about "that one time I almost got him."

Here is what I look for:

Angle compensation (a must in steep country)
Last target / brush filter
Scan mode
Tripod compatibility
Weather resistance
Proven performance, not just marketing nonsense

Mine rides in my bino harness, not buried in my pack. If it is not instantly accessible, it might as well be in the truck.

Final Thoughts from Joel

Rangefinding is not a side gig. It is part of the shot process every time.

Use it like your hunt depends on it — because it does.
The animal deserves a clean hit. You deserve a clean story.
But you do not get either by guessing.

Next week, we are talking angle compensation and ballistics, because your bullet does not fly flat and the earth is not always level.

Until then, do not guess. Do not hope.
Click. Confirm. Kill clean.

– Joel