Q. How far will the Yardage Pro range? Why can't I range to a deer 400 yards away or why can I not range to the golf pin at 304 yards?
A. These are excellent questions and probably by far our most frequently asked questions. Unfortunately, a quick answer cannot be given.

First, let me explain the numbering scheme. The 400 in the name means the range finder will range to trees at 400 yards away. Trees are neither the best nor the worst targets for range finding.

There are many variables that contribute to the ranging performance:

1. Weather conditions - rain, dust, and high humidity will limit the ranging capabilities.
2. Lighting conditions - low light gives the best ranging conditions.
3. Target size - the bigger the target, the better chances of ranging to it.
4. Target reflectivity - Brighter targets, such as white, ranges great; black colored objects range poorly.
5. Target surface - The actual material of the target will affect the range performance - a flat, smooth sign is much easier to range than a matty haired animal.
6. Angle of Incidence - The angle at which the laser hits the target also makes a difference - the closer you are to reflecting the laser off the target at a 90 degree angle, the further you can range.
7. Hand steadiness - this factor will obviously vary from person to person. You think you have a steady hand? A fun trick I tried with coworkers some time ago involved holding a laser pen pointer steady on a wall 30 feet away. Try it! You will be surprised at the amount of movement. The laser is the same way. It illuminates a bigger spot than the pen pointer but you are ranging 1000 feet or more. It doesn't take much movement to have the laser on a different target than what you intend. This will become even more of a factor as people upgrade to longer ranging devices.

Realistically, you should expect to range to a deer no further than 275-300 yards with the Yardage Pro 400. A limp golf flag ranges only about 180 yards. Believe it or not, as you use your range finder more and more, you will learn subtle tricks to help you range further. You want to know some tricks? Well okay, here goes:

1. Know your targets, know your range finder. Only experience will help you here. It took you a while to learn to hunt and/or golf, it takes a little time to use the range finder optimally (fortunately, not nearly as long as the two previously mentioned feats).
2. Keep your range finder as steady as possible. Pretend you are taking a picture; use the same techniques for stabilizing your range finder as you would for stabilizing your camera. If you are having trouble and suspect hand tremor as a reason, then brace against a tree if one is available.
3. Do not attempt to range to an object with the sun directly behind it. The sun emits a lot of radiation at the wavelength of the laser. Minimize the bright conditions as much as possible. Never point the range finder directly at the sun.
4. Utilize the ZIP mode, which filters out ranges less than 120 yards.
5. If rain or dust is obscuring the target, use the RAIN mode.

Q. Are the range finders eye safe?
A. Absolutely, both the Yardage Pro 400 and 800 are well within the eye safety limits established by the FDA for Class I laser products. In fact, Bushnell considers eye safety so important that we test laser output power with the largest aperture (50mm) allowed by the FDA. Some laser manufacturers use a 7mm aperture to test the output power. Obviously, if the transmitter aperture is bigger than 7mm, only a percentage of the output power is collected in the 7mm aperture. If Bushnell tested its laser products with a 7mm aperture, only about 3% of the total power would be collected. We are very concerned with public safety and test only with the most conservative methods. Bear in mind that the CFR regulation allows the 7mm testing, it is up to the individual manufacturer to determine how safe his device will be. The testing with the 50 mm aperture allows the use of focusing optics around the range finder without fear of eye safety.

Q. What are the differences between the Yardage 400, Compact 600 and 800?
A.

1. The main difference is the ranging capabilities. The Yardage Pro 800 will range out twice as far as the 400. The Compact 600 will range one and a half times as far as the 400. This was accomplished not by increasing the output power - both the 400 and 800 output the exact same amount of laser power. To increase the effective ranging, we redesigned the receiver circuitry. The receiver in the Yardage Pro 800 is much more sensitive than the receiver in the Yardage Pro 400. The Compact 600 uses the same technology, but because of its size it only gains about half the yardage increase the 800 gets.
2. The Yardage Pro Compact 600 and the 800 also includes a SCAN mode, that will allow the ranges to constantly update as the unit is panned around and aimed at different objects. The Yardage Pro 400 would give a range to an object and then cease firing. The Compact 600 and 800 allows the user to range for about 10 seconds without depressing the fire button again. Some users like this feature as much as the additional ranging capability.
3. The Yardage Pro 800 has a 6X monocular to allow for better viewing in the distance. The Yardage Pro 400 and Compact 600 both have a 4X monocular.
4. The Yardage Pro 800 has a back light to allow for easier viewing of the LCD in dim lighting conditions. The back light comes on for 5 seconds after a range has been obtained.

Q. How accurate is the Yardage Pro 400/Compact 600/800?
A. The 400, Compact 600 and 800 models are accurate to within 1 yard. PRECISION will be displayed when this accuracy has been achieved. When you have precision displayed, you can actually step forward and back in small increments noting when the range changes, and you can obtain ranges as accurate to be within 1 foot. If PRECISION is not displayed, the accuracy is within 3 yards.

Q. When will the Yardage Pro 800, Compact 600 and the Yardage Pro Bow be available?
A. We started shipping Yardage Pro 800's in May of 1997; however the demand was so great, that many customers are still awaiting their units. Bushnell just came off backorder in March for this product, so the YP800 should now be readily available. The same situation will probably occur with the two new units for this year, the Yardage Pro Compact 600 and Yardage Pro Bow. We will keep you up to date when these units will readily be available.

Q. Are the range finders water proof?
A. No, they are quite water resistant, but not water proof. I feel comfortable using the unit in a light rain, but not a heavy down pour. Do not ever submerge the unit under water. Treat the unit much the same as you would a digital camera.

Q. Is it legal to use the range finder under USGA rules?
A. From our understanding of the rules, it is not legal to use the range finder during a tournament round, but they are allowable in practice rounds and in handicap rounds.

Q. Can I use my rangefinder on a course that doesn't have reflectors on the pins?
A. Reflectors are not required to use your rangefinder on golf courses. However, they will enhance the effectiveness of your Yardage Pro.

Q. What are the spots in my monocular?
A. You are actually viewing through an LCD (liquid crystal display). The spots you see are on the surface of the LCD, which in turn is magnified 14X. The LCDs are built in a clean room; however tiny unseen flaws (with the naked eye) do occur. Also during the installation into the monocular dust will sometimes settle on the surface and many times the dust then cannot be blown off the LCD. Bushnell is working feverishly on the quality of the LCD, but that technology is not mature enough to accommodate our requirements. The spots in no way affect the ranging performance of the device. We realize that our customers have come to expect immaculate optics from Bushnell and be assured that we are working toward that goal.

Q. What type of battery do the Yardage Pros use? How long will a battery last?
A. All the units are powered by one standard 9-volt alkaline battery. A fresh battery should give you 5,000 distances before replacing. But we recommend you replace the battery once a year whether you feel it needs it or not.

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