You want the higher yardage range finder so that you are able to actually range an animal. The listed yardage on rangefinders is for a reflective target, not for an animal. My Leica 1200 will range reflective targets at 1200 and beyond, but I have only been able to range deer to about 650 yards. Start with a 600 yard range finder and you will be lucky to range a deer at 300. I know, I had a Bushnell 600, and a Bushnell 1000, neither worked as well as the Leica. The Leica costs more, but consider that amount of money I wasted buying 2 Bushnells that did not work the way I want them to and I would have saved money had I just bought the Leica right away.
My opinion, save your money until you can afford a Leica.
huntin1