Each and every time you take a shot, whether at game or a 3-D target, you'll make a number of important decisions. But none is more important than your decision about the target's distance. Most of today's serious bowhunters carry a laser rangefinder, but there are situations when there just isn't enough time to use it. When you find yourself unable to use your rangefinder, you'll have to estimate distance the old-fashioned way -- or hold your fire.

Laser rangefinders are great, but if you bowhunt long enough, you're going to find yourself in a situation that demands an accurate, on-the-fly yardage estimate. Although the author didn't have time to use his rangefinder on this bear, he felt confident enough in his ranging ability to seize the opportunity.

Most of us who were bowhunting before the advent of the rangefinder are still able to judge yardage fairly well, at least under ideal circumstances. But throw in some limited visibility or challenging topography and we have a tough time. So, in this month's column, I've identified the five most difficult range estimation conditions and how to overcome them.

Low Light, Drizzle, Fog And Snow
When visibility is poor, we tend to overestimate distance. This is a very common situation in the whitetail woods, where shots often occur in thick cover or under a heavy leaf canopy before the sun rises or after it sets. A friend of mine shot over the top of a giant buck recently when it materialized in the fog. He later determined it was 10 yards closer than he had estimated.

It's especially important to learn to how to judge the range when visibility is poor, because you may find your rangefinder is useless, either because the readout isn't visible in low light or because its laser beam won't penetrate the rain and fog.

Just remember that if you're struggling to see the target, it's probably closer than it appears. You can learn your tendencies by spending several late afternoons on the range, shooting at unknown distances.

Shooting Across A Canyon
Bowhunters tend to look at the ground for intermediate range references when determining the distance to a target. The more ground between themselves and the target, the farther the shot appears to be. This natural tendency works fine until the ground falls away and leaves you looking across a chasm. Under these conditions, you'll see much more ground (down and then back up) than you are used to seeing for a shot of that distance.

Until you understand this phenomenon, you'll tend to overestimate the range and shoot high. I've found that when the depression between the target and me is slight, the error is minimal. But, when the dip turns into a chasm and I'm looking across open air, my estimate tends to be long by as much as 20 percent. A 40-yard shot will appear to be nearly 50 yards.