Ideal Scopes for Deer Hunting

Cal Sportsman ^ | 10/20/2015 | C Cocoles

[w1n1]

There are a multitude of Choices for Rifle Scopes for Hunting White-Tailed Deer

When is the last time you saw a deer rifle without a scope on it? I am betting it has been quite a few deer seasons ago. I think it has been 1970 since I saw a deer rifle in the woods using only open sights. I remember this because it was my first deer rifle, a Winchester Model 94 in 30-30. I bought the rifle at J.C. Penney for $66.

I killed my first buck with that rifle at a whopping range of 20 yards. I hardly needed an optical scope to make that shot. Truth is though in those days not one deer rifle in camp had a glass lens scope on it. That was long ago.

Those early deer hunting days were in Missouri when I was in college. By the time I moved to Mississippi in 1983, virtually every deer rifle I saw sported an optical scope of some description. Today a riflescope is considered essential, not a custom accessory or a luxury item. Everybody uses them.

One question arises though. Are most of the scopes on rifles used by deer hunters these days the right ones or the best choices? Is there really such a practical thing as an ideal scope for a deer rifle? Let’s examine these parameters to profile what the best recommendations are for an optical scope to mount on your deer rifle.

Keep in perspective too that the factory offerings and options for today’s riflescopes can be mind boggling and are getting more confusing all the time. The market is congested with many high quality scopes at some fairly reasonable prices, but there are also plenty of low quality scopes out there with dubious reputations for long lasting quality, optical clarity, waterproofing, and over all reliability. Read the rest of the story here.

[piroque]

A little common sense is uncommon here at times

[doghorse]

We have a buyer for our optics. I asked him basically the same thing. He told me to buy a Leupold VX-2 3X9X40MM. Its their part number 110797. Also, other than getting the Matte Finish, any addons or moving up from the VX-2 series to the VX-3, unless you are a real REAL serious shooter, are wasted money.

This replaced a Leupold Vari-X III 2.5X8 in I think 33MM that I bought in about 1985 that served me well.

[familyop]

Had a Nikon camera that was great. Nikon has a long history of consistent quality in optics.

[smokingfrog]

Vortex makes some pretty good stuff.

[MileHi]

I have a set of their binoculars. Very nice and clear for the money.

[Rockpile]

Tulsa flood.

Was at my grandparents when that Memorial Day weekend storm hit. IIRC, it was 14 inches of rain in one day. My grandad had moved their in 1927 and he thought all the construction in the low spots was pretty stupid.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

There was another Tulsa flood nine years later, same day, Memorial day! My brother got caught in it! We were living on HIGH GROUND then.

I remember the first Tulsa flood, 1957 I think before Keystone Dam was built.

There, you could spit or p**s in Joe and Mingo creek and you would have a flood on your hands!

[Terry L Smith]

Dear piroque,

re: “A little common sense is uncommon here at times “

How i learned the usage of a bolt-action rifle and scope, was part of the college class at a small SouthernCal Commcollege with the overview of hunting and conservation. You could acquire your hunting licenses, per season, by qualifying at the different ranges for the different firearms, rifle, shotgun, handgun, and bow and arrow - pre-mechanical bows.

Hmmm ... imagine that! A California Community College teaching folks firearm safety, conservation, little bit of hunting knowledge pass-on, and all for an actual credit towards the degree!!

[gundog]

...dear rifle...

Gotta love it.

[umgud]

Oooops

[BuckBagger]

Go with Nikon or Leupold...you can get em for under $200 here:
http://hubpages.com/sports/best-3-deer-rifle-scopes-for-the-cheap-hunter

[Lurker]

Thanks. I’m going out in about 3 weeks.

The rifle is a Savage 110 in .308 with a Nikon BDC. That Savage is one wicked accurate rifle. The whole rig was less than $450.

L

[roamer_1]

It kinda depends on the gun - for brush hunting, I still like open sites on a carbine - Winchester 30/30, or Marlin 45/70 - And normally, deer are bagged in brush land, either in brush, or small fields where open sights are plenty fine... Say 0-100 yards, with an avg of 50/75 yards. And in brush, that scope is just about worthless. If you can't get under 100 yards against a deer, you're doing something wrong.

For ridge-walking, or lookout, where one will have 100+ yards, avg 150/250 and farther, a Remington 700 300WinMag or 7mmMag with a Sheppard P1 scope... But generally, that isn't a deer situation (elk, sheep, goat, etc)... The 7mmMag is best for long shots against lightweight game (antelope, goat)...

But generally, It isn't worth packing a deer out of such a place - I'm getting old enough that beating brush for elk or not beating brush for deer just doesn't happen anymore - If it ain't spittin' distance to the truck, it had better be enough meat to be worth the pack-out. So about the only time I haul out the long guns anymore is for elk, at distance, from a lookout point, where the road is close. There, the scope is handy - otherwise, open sights, in the bottoms.