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# The rangefinder mode every bowhunter should use
- URL: https://big-buck-journal.ghost.io/the-rangefinder-mode-every-bowhunter-should-use/
- Published: 2026-10-22T17:37:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-22T17:37:00.000Z
- Author: Dale Richey

The hunter who sees him first usually gets the chance. 

![Big Buck Journal](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/bda7b12e-9dc4-4b8e-b592-b9edddcfc7d1/BBJ_Logo2-removebg-preview.png?t=1780529087) 

The buck, the why, and the gear 

The Setup 

Glass More, Walk Less During the Rut 

Bucks are on their feet more right now, and plenty of them move in daylight. The hunters who see them first are usually the ones sitting still and glassing, not walking around looking. 

This week’s gear notes come from Vortex, a Wisconsin optics company known for its no-questions-asked lifetime warranty. Let’s get into it. 

Glass 

Pick Apart the Edges 

Don’t look for a whole deer. Look for pieces of one: an ear flick, the white of a throat patch, a flat back in a stand of upright trees. 

Sweep the edges slowly and overlap each pass. Glass hardest at first and last light, when bucks are most likely on their feet. 

![Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 binoculars](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/6e/8c6e93d4-78db-4e2a-9e0f-2b8581640c45/content/images/2026/10/image-14.png) 

Gear note 

Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 

HD glass in a 21-ounce body, with a GlassPak chest harness included in the box. 

$329.99 [Check price](https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-diamondback-hd-10x42-binocular.html?ref=big-buck-journal.ghost.io) 

Range 

Know Your Numbers Before He Shows 

Once you’re settled in the stand, range a few landmarks: a tree, a rock, the edge of a shooting lane. When a buck steps out, you already know the yardage and don’t have to move. 

From a treestand, go by the angle-compensated reading. The straight-line distance to a deer below you is longer than the shot you’re actually taking with your bow. 

![Vortex Crossfire HD 1400 rangefinder](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/6e/8c6e93d4-78db-4e2a-9e0f-2b8581640c45/content/images/2026/10/image-15.png) 

Gear note 

Vortex Crossfire HD 1400 Rangefinder 

Angle-compensated ranging for treestand shots, out to 750 yards on deer, and it weighs 4.8 ounces. 

$289.99 [Check price](https://vortexoptics.com/crossfire-hd-1400-laser-rangefinder.html?ref=big-buck-journal.ghost.io) 

Carry 

Keep Your Glass on Your Chest 

Binoculars only help if they’re out when you need them. Around your neck they bounce on the walk in, so most guys end up leaving them in the pack. 

A chest harness keeps them quiet, protected, and right where your hands are. 

![Vortex GlassPak binocular harness](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/6e/8c6e93d4-78db-4e2a-9e0f-2b8581640c45/content/images/2026/10/image-16.png) 

Gear note 

Vortex GlassPak Binocular Harness 

Fits most full-size binoculars, with side pockets for calls and a zippered back pocket. Already comes with the Diamondback HD. 

$34.99 [Check price](https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-glasspak-binocular-harness.html?ref=big-buck-journal.ghost.io) 

Dale’s Take 

“During the rut, the buck you see first is the buck you get a chance at. Sit still, glass more, and let him show you where he’s headed.” 

Do you glass from the stand, or leave the binoculars at home? Hit reply and tell me. 

Glass first. Then move. 

![Dale Richey headshot](https://beehiiv-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset/file/6d6f9854-bed6-4fa7-a9a2-aa4ab9e4b9ea/BBJ-AuthorHeadshot__2_.png?t=1780581127) 

Dale Richey 

Big Buck Journal 

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