Gauging the range - how to figure out distance when hunting

I have often struggled over the years to accurately gauge the distance to a quarry target just using the naked eye. I have had differing advice from different sources; but when you shoot in varied countryside it can be a challenge. Gauging the distance when you have lots of hedgerows or you're in woodland is very different to when you have miles of flat land with nothing in sight except maybe the odd pylon, or when you have hills and hollows that change the dynamic of your view in a way that can trick the eye.

Whether you're tracking deer or waiting for a rabbit to pop out, having a good estimate of the distance to your target (and understanding the maximum range and performance capabilities of both the rifle and ammunition that you are using); can make all the difference in getting a successful shot.

If you're a person that loves maths and science equations, you can always try figuring it out using the techniques suggested by the British Ecological Society (see the images above), or by using the subtending technique which uses basic trigonometry to help you calculate the distance of your quarry using references like a tree to compare angles and some other weird maths to figure out how far away your quarry is.

Well, they say basic trigonometry but there's nothing basic about it to me!

So, if you're like me and the thought of that makes your brain want to explode, maybe try one of the suggestions below.

Ground judging is a technique that involves using familiar landmarks to judge distance. For instance, using a fence line that has 3 metre long sections, if your quarry is 20 fence posts away from you, that means it's approximately 60 metres away. This is a popular technique with hunters from what I have researched, and the conversations I've had. However, I feel like this would only be good for me if I am extremely familiar with the grounds.

What some folks do is use cut outs of the quarry placed at different distances, to get used to what that quarry looks like through the scope until they start to feel 99% confident in their eye-only ranging. I love this idea - I effectively use this technique of 'quarry only', understanding what my quarry looks like through the scope (with no zoom) through experience of testing myself by guessing, then double checking the distance with my rangefinder.

I tend to only shoot deer no further than approx. 100 yards, so after 5 years of deer stalking I have a very good idea of what the different distances look like for the 3 species I shoot (Muntjac, Chinese Water Deer and Roe). However, as I have recently started shooting hares which is a completely new quarry for me, I will need more practice on getting used to the size of this quarry at different distances through the scope (I'm using a .22 rimfire, so this could be anywhere between 30 yards and 80 yards). And more practice will make me a better hunter, ensuring my shots are going to be bang on target, harvesting my quarry as ethically as possible.

Rangefinders are something that I started using around 2 years ago. I loved having my thermal rangefinder (Hikmicro Condor), to double check that I got the distance right, especially at night when there is no chance of being able to see anything to use as a reference for distance.

However I've recently swapped the HikMicro Condor for the Hikmicro Falcon FQ35, which doesn't have a built in rangefinder; because after several years practice I feel more confident in gauging distance by eye; especially on those quarry I am spending a lot of time shooting. It has a much clearer picture through brush and harvested crop, which I have discovered I needed more. Plus I have the Alpex 4K and the Aplex Lite, both of which have built in range finders for those night time hunts if I ever need it.

Whichever technique I end up using to get there, the goal is to challenge myself as a hunter and get better and better at gauging distance by eye only - this will also help me when it comes to shooting birds mid-flight, which you can't use rangefinder technology for. So at night, I try to use the picture-in-picture mode to gauge my ability to take that shot as opposed to using the rangefinder in the scope.

Which technique do you prefer to use? Do you have any other suggestions or tips for me and other readers? Stick it in the comments below! And whatever you decide on, make sure it's what works best for you.

Good luck and happy hunting!