Rangefinder marks on bow?

[marklart]

I've seen compound bow sights with a dot you put on the belly of a deer, and different colored dots you put on its back, depending on how far away it is.  The colored dots correspond to the bow's sight pins.  Has anyone tried putting similar dots on the front of the riser (facing you when you shoot)?  Seems like a quick and easy way to pin point distance, without having to use a range finder.  You could even do one on the opposite side of the riser for elk, since they are larger.  Even though I'm an instinctive shooter, I would find it helpful to know without doubt the distance I'm shooting +- 1-2 yds (especially on longer shots), without having to use a hand held rangefinder, and if time permits.

[McDave]

It would certainly be possible to put dots on the riser of the bow to aid in estimating distances, similar to the parallel lines found in some binoculars.  While I have shot and hunted with many different traditional archers, I have never known anyone to do that, perhaps because of the ranges we typically hunt, compared with the relatively longer ranges of other weapons.

I limit my hunting shots to 15-25 yards.  It is fairly easy to learn to estimate distances within that range, and you really don't have to estimate the distances that accurately within that range to put an arrow in the kill zone, assuming your shooting skills are adequate.  For example, I have a 20 yard crawl on my hunting bow, and if I shoot all shots point on from 15-25 yards, the arrows will all land in the kill zone.  Now I don't do that, since I know the difference between 15 and 25 yards, so I place my arrow point about 2” higher than the spot I want to hit for a 25 yard shot, and 2” lower for a 15 yard shot.

With instinctive shooting, it is important not to clutter your mind with too many facts, and I would imagine it would do most of the instinctive shooters I know more harm than good to estimate distances at normal trad hunting ranges.  Particularly my mentor, Rick Welch, whose motto is “How far is it?  Don't know, don't care.”

[Terry Green]

 “How far is it?  Don't know, don't care.”

Amen.

[Bowguy67]

What you are saying is not necessary if you shoot close and def gonna be inaccurate unless you shoot exactly the same size or should I say measurement animals every time.

[marklart]

Thanks for the input.  It seems that most misses are due to range estimation errors, especially at longer ranges past 20 yds, so I thought this might be a way to help mitigate that.  But the point about "cluttering the mind" while instinctive shooting is a valid one.

[Roy from Pa]

But the point about "cluttering the mind" while instinctive shooting is a valid one.

Yes it is.

[mike g]

Marklart....
    Your brain is a great computer, Rang finder....
To practice distance, I used to go to a range and I would go to the 50 yd target....
    I'd walk up to it and my first shot might be 5/7 yds, Take a shot and then turn around and walk a few paces, Shoot again, Continue as far as you like, I'd do it all the way to the 50yds....
   After a while your Brain becomes a great range finder....
I called this practice, Draw Back....
   Another thing that helped me judge distance was Golf, I was pretty good at my short game, Inside 100yds, I never used a range finder..