Deer hunts with gun or bow. Turkey hunts. Upland adventures. Whatever the goal, fire up the HuntStand Hunting app Distance Measurement tool to make the most of your scouting and hunting.
Even after more hunting seasons under my belt than I’d like to admit, I still find it difficult to sleep the night before the annual deer opener. The anticipation overwhelms me with visions of big bucks and the potential to put my tag on a jaw-dropping trophy. To burn up my nervous energy, I usually analyze and then overanalyze every piece of gear and hunt detail possible.
First on my pre-hunt list is checking my HuntStand app for wind direction and any predicted wind and weather changes during my hunt times the next morning. Finding the perfect location to set up for a shot can be the most important consideration of the trip. With knowledge of the wind direction, feeding and bedding areas, and potential deer travel routes I can usually pinpoint the best place to get positioned to catch a big buck flat-footed during daylight hours.
Crazy-accurate wind and weather forecasts are some obvious benefits of the HuntStand app, but there are many more app features that help me realize consistent success. To help prepare for both archery and rifle hunts, I’ve started using the app’s handy Distance Measurement tool; here are some examples of how it could work for you.
Recently, while hunting a natural funnel between two wetlands, I opened my HuntStand app and used the Distance Measurement tool to ensure I was downwind of a suspected deer bedding area, and also, that I was maximizing my field of view. I found that my shooting lane down the funnel was close to 300 yards. The flat ground and a cleared fenceline made the decision to set up there easy. I was able to sit back in some tall grass along one wetland and watch the open funnel cutting through the dense willows. From where I sat, the Distance Measurement tool told me the distance to the first trees was exactly 75 yards. The tool also told me that a good game trail cut the funnel near its center, right at 178 yards, and the funnel’s far end was just shy of 300 yards.
A few hours later a beautiful 10-point buck appeared in my funnel, carefully poking his nose out of the bush to check his surroundings. The buck was standing on the previously mentioned game trail. There was no need for me to lift a rangefinder, or make any movements that could send the buck back into cover. I simply waited for the cautious but unaware deer to take one more step, placed my crosshair on its vitals and gently squeezed the trigger. The tall-antlered buck didn’t make it 25 yards before falling to the ground.
The Distance Measurement tool has also become an effective preseason scouting device; I use it regularly when researching new stand locations for upcoming bowhunts, while in the comfort of my home office. Game trails, field edges, and other natural landmarks are all clearly visible using HuntSTand’s detailed satellite aerial view mapping layer; then it’s simply a matter of dropping a few pins to measure distances between these locales and any projected stand or blind location. So not only can I map out the best and smartest stand locations, I feel I make better decisions from a “big picture” aerial view, versus considering the scene only at ground level.
Late last fall, the Distance Measurement tool was instrumental in the harvest of a mature buck with one of my buddies on the trigger. The story began when we ranged a big buck that was a bit too far for a good shot; using the measuring tool we found a nearby ridge that, if the buck remained in position, would put us at a comfortable shooting distance. Staying concealed, we snuck into position by crawling to the top of the ridge, then again found our target buck. Luckily, he was going nowhere fast. The deer had no idea we were there, and a single shot anchored him right where we had originally spotted him. The old deer thought he was safe and secure in the wide-open ground where he could easily detect danger for hundreds of yards. But after a little planning and measuring, we were more than he could handle.
I’ve even used the measuring feature for success on upland bird hunts. It’s allowed me to gain access to an exact hotspot location, when returning the following day. In one case, I simply measured the distance from my access point in the morning, to where I’d glimpsed a large group of birds feeding. In this situation, a direction combined with a precise measurement and a waypoint, had put me back on the “X” when precision counted big.
The more you use the Measure Distance tool, the more you will find ways to put it to work in the field. The application of known distance is a game-changer in many ways and for many types of hunts and species, but the best way to find out is to use it yourself, and often. Soon, you’ll be measuring your own success.
