As I get things ready for spring bear, turkey season, and all of my other spring hunting prep, I always evaluate my gear and determine if what I have works or if I need to make an upgrade... Well this year was the year I decided it was time to upgrade my range finder. As I have been happy with all of my Hawke Optics products I thought I would give their new Laser Range Finder a shot to see how I liked it.
I picked up the LRF Hunter 600 which ranges out to 600 meters or around 650 yards. Hawke has two models (Hunter and Professional) which come in a few different options/ranges. The Hunter comes in either a 400 meter or 600 meter version, while the Professional model comes in 400, 600, or 900 meter version. The Hunter, which is a smaller model, measures out at 3 inches tall, 1.65 inches wide, and 3.8 inches long. Below is a graph with the details on the size and features of the Hunter LRF:
I have been testing/using this rangefinder for 6 months now and have been very satisfied with it! When using the LRF Hunter 600, I have loved how fast it recognizes and display's the distance. A quick response is essential to me in a hunting situation as we all know a hunt can be determined in a mater of seconds. One feature that I truly loved while using the LRF Hunter 600 is the Hunt mode which measures the distance between you and the target while ignoring interference with long grass or brush. This is huge for us hunters as we know many of our targets are not standing in a clearing when a shot is presented. This is great as I have had a lot of trouble with previous range finders (Leupold, Nikon, and Bushnell) with picking up various readings when my target is near brush or tall grass. I am looking forward to this year's antelope hunt as I missed an opportunity last year because I couldn't get an accurate reading on a bedded antelope.
The display also has a feature I want to explain which helps show the quality of the LRF Hunter 600. The icon that looks like a wine glass is the Target Quality Indicator. This shows you how certain the reading you are getting is accurate. I have loved this as I have usually gotten in a habit of taking two or three readings to make sure my range finder was accurate. Now with this indicator, I can trust the reading displayed and move forward.
The display also has a feature I want to explain which helps show the quality of the LRF Hunter 600. The icon that looks like a wine glass is the Target Quality Indicator. This shows you how certain the reading you are getting is accurate. I have loved this as I have usually gotten in a habit of taking two or three readings to make sure my range finder was accurate. Now with this indicator, I can trust the reading displayed and move forward.
I created a survey on social media and asked many hunters what features they looked for when purchasing a rangefinder. One of the items that came up often was a red display for low light situations. With the LRF Hunter 600, as well as all of the other Hawke rangefinders, the display is a black digital display. I must not have had as much problem as some hunters in regards to needing a red display, yet I can see how the red display could make it easier in those low light situations. I have found a easy solution if you can't read your display which some may find dumb yet it works for me. After I ranged my target, I flip my range finder around and breath softly on the front glass. Once I look back to the display after doing that, the reading is displayed against a foggy screen and is as clear as black writing on white paper... I know that is not the best solution, yet it has worked for me.
I tested the LRF Hunter 600 in lots of environments, against various targets, and in many different weather conditions and have never had any issues with it. For the six months that I have been using the LRF Hunter 600, it has been extremely consistent in its readings and has been very reliable. I like having a range finder that I can use both while archery hunting in close yardage, which needs to be consistent and accurate, as well as in rifle hunting and shooting to reach out to the 600 yard range. For me that is more than long enough with my rifle so if my rangefinder won't pick it up, then I know it is WAY out of my range for a shot.
If I were to give this rangefinder a score out of 1-10, 10 being perfect, I would give it a 9 out of 10. In the survey I previously mentioned, many hunters brought up items such as size, feel, consistency, price, weight, and warranty which I feel the Hawke LRF 600 would get a 10/10 on. I like it's design, feel, consistency, magnification, clarity (which is consistent with all of my other Hawke products), size, weight, and the display. The only change I would make, would be a red display for low light conditions, yet for me that is not even that big of a factor. With the LRF Hunter 600 coming in at $189.99, Hawke has once again come in on the lower end of the pricing for their products of similar logistics, while providing such a product with exceptional quality! As I said earlier, I chose this range finder because I have been a fan of Hawke Optics products, and as expected, this one has once again met and exceeded my expectations. If you are in the market for a rangefinder, be sure to check out Hawke Optics and give them a consideration! Whether you choose the LRF Hunter, or the LRF Professional, the quality of their optics is great, and their two year warranty on their range finder is amazing!
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