Where is the pop-up blind, the coffee pot, the satellite up-link, the hub-caps and the wheel barrow to carry out the deer with? (and carry the rifle in)
I live in Wyoming and I have killed more antelope then I can count. More deer then antelope, and a whole lot of elk too.
I never had a problem shooting them at close range with my scope simply set at 3X or 4X (which is how you should ALWAYS set when hunting because you always have time to crank up, but sometimes no time to crank down)
The closest shot I ever made in my life on a game animal was 8 years ago when I blew hair off an antelope with my 9.3X74R Ruger #1. Range of that shot was about 14-16 inches.
Actually I prefer a fixed 4X or 3X for all my big game hunting. The only thing I ever find a use for with high magnifications is zeroing, testing loads and prairie dog shooting.
dhdallas, I think you may find it best to re-think what you believe about western hunting. Not that you can't use that rifle because you certainly can, but if you come out here a lot you will find that a lighter handier rifle is FAR better for making meat then a target rifle is. You need to get on target quickly many times, and you need to carry the rifle for hours or days to be ready for a shot in just 1-5 seconds.
I mean no offense, but those kind of rifles are what I see being brought out to hunt elk antelope and deer all the time from back east, and almost none of those hunters who live here use them. You have read the stuff written in the gun rags,
and the whole mission of those articles is to sell you things, not give you good advice.
Here is one of the antelope I killed this year. Iron sights. 177 yards from prone. Rifle weighs 6 pounds 7 Onces.
2018 #1 Ant. Buck by
Steve Zihn, on Flickr
If you'd like to talk about hunting in the Western states I'd be happy to help. PM me if you want, and I may be able to give you some good advice not only about gear, but also about places to hunt.