I have been yakking with some buddies about deer rifle scopes. Most have 3-9x, some have even greater power. I have a 4x, but want to go even lower and am seriously considering either a Leupold "HOG" , or a Leupold Muzzle Loader/Shotgun scope for my 30-06. Quick shots with low power and dial it up for 100-200 yd shots from a stand. All my deer have been taken at 20-50 Yards. I just do not see the need for a high mag scope. (What got me on this was a video in Africa. The sport used a 1-6x Leupold for dangerous game in the brush.) Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Rifle Scope For Wooded Areas
- Thread starter Sea Buck
- Start date
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
That's a very personal decision. I've never used less than a 3-9x on a deer gun and I almost always have it set at 5 when I hunt. My current deer scope is a 4-20x Minox.
I hunt wooded areas and most shots are under 50 yards. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of deer that I've killed at over 50 yards, out of dozens total.
Target acquisition issues are a result of improper technique. If you are looking at the target and you bring the scope to your eye, you will still be looking at the target except through the scope. Problems come from bringing your eye to the scope instead of the scope to your eye.
But, as I said, it's a personal choice. I see no reason to be under 4x, certainly not 1x. A high max is lot more important to me than a low min.
I hunt wooded areas and most shots are under 50 yards. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of deer that I've killed at over 50 yards, out of dozens total.
Target acquisition issues are a result of improper technique. If you are looking at the target and you bring the scope to your eye, you will still be looking at the target except through the scope. Problems come from bringing your eye to the scope instead of the scope to your eye.
But, as I said, it's a personal choice. I see no reason to be under 4x, certainly not 1x. A high max is lot more important to me than a low min.
I agree with you 100%. I've always felt 4X was way too much for woods hunting. I'm a recent convert to the 1-4X scopes since I started using them on my AR's. I've found that on 1X they are far faster than irons or dot sights. Especially in low light situations in wooded hunting areas. 4X is enough for big game out to 300-400 yards. Probably not varmints, but plenty for big game.
I've always preferred the 2-7X scopes over even the 3-9X versions, but the difference between 1X and 2X is remarkable for fast shooting.
In 40 years of hunting I can't recall moving any of my variables off the lowest setting. Even on some 200 yard shots 2.5X worked just fine.
I'm still using 2-7X's and 3-9X's on my big game rifles, but will be putting this on one of them for this fall. Have them on 2 AR's and love them.
http://swfa.com/Leupold-1-4x20-VX-1-Hog-Scope-P51848.aspx
I've always preferred the 2-7X scopes over even the 3-9X versions, but the difference between 1X and 2X is remarkable for fast shooting.
In 40 years of hunting I can't recall moving any of my variables off the lowest setting. Even on some 200 yard shots 2.5X worked just fine.
I'm still using 2-7X's and 3-9X's on my big game rifles, but will be putting this on one of them for this fall. Have them on 2 AR's and love them.
http://swfa.com/Leupold-1-4x20-VX-1-Hog-Scope-P51848.aspx
Blindstitch
New member
I always use a 3x9 set to 6 on see through scope mounts. With the see through I have quick target acquisition and can use iron sights if needed.
I don't think I've ever shot a deer over 25 yards but I still like the 3x9. 1x6 may work fine for you but some of the reasons people use lower powered scopes is because they don't have irons on their rifle.
I don't think I've ever shot a deer over 25 yards but I still like the 3x9. 1x6 may work fine for you but some of the reasons people use lower powered scopes is because they don't have irons on their rifle.
mapsjanhere
New member
I use a 1-4 Zeiss on my stalking rifle. If you can afford it, the Swarowski Z6 line has a 1.7-10 scope that covers both the near and the long distance range for hunting.
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FWIW, I've been hunting Maine for quite a few years (since 1967), and for my scoped rifles I've never needed more than a 2x or 3x scope.
Even my low-powered variables (1x-3x, 1x-4x, etc) are usually set on 2x, unless a long shot presents itself.
I don't however, sit on the edge of huge fields or rights-of-way through the woods - I mostly hunt buck bedrooms, black cedar swamps, and other areas where 50 yds is a really long shot.
I mostly can see any further, due to trees, etc.
What more important than the power, is to have a prominent reticle, like a 4-Plex, or post & crosshair.
I've been using IR (illuminated reticle) scopes since they were introduced, as they're much better for fast shots in a close, brushy and/or dark area.
My current IR scope, a 1.75x-4x Trijicon Accupoint Safari, uses no batteries.
I have, however, made a 200yd (paced) shot at a deer, a ways down a tote road - NP @ 3x.
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FWIW, I've been hunting Maine for quite a few years (since 1967), and for my scoped rifles I've never needed more than a 2x or 3x scope.
Even my low-powered variables (1x-3x, 1x-4x, etc) are usually set on 2x, unless a long shot presents itself.
I don't however, sit on the edge of huge fields or rights-of-way through the woods - I mostly hunt buck bedrooms, black cedar swamps, and other areas where 50 yds is a really long shot.
I mostly can see any further, due to trees, etc.
What more important than the power, is to have a prominent reticle, like a 4-Plex, or post & crosshair.
I've been using IR (illuminated reticle) scopes since they were introduced, as they're much better for fast shots in a close, brushy and/or dark area.
My current IR scope, a 1.75x-4x Trijicon Accupoint Safari, uses no batteries.
I have, however, made a 200yd (paced) shot at a deer, a ways down a tote road - NP @ 3x.
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nc-oldfart
New member
I have use an old 2.5-10 x40mm bushnell on a 308 for some 36 years as my creek bottom ,thick woods rifles.
I have shot deer at 20 feet almost straight down under my stand to 150 yards down and across a creek. The low power setting is where it stays waiting for a deer but the 10 power setting can let me pick a shoot thru the brush at time. I also have enough lens to see at edge of legal light at mid power setting. I have also walked out of the bottoms , stepped up to the edge of a road and see a nice deer at some distance and have enough scope to set down and take a shot.
I have shot deer at 20 feet almost straight down under my stand to 150 yards down and across a creek. The low power setting is where it stays waiting for a deer but the 10 power setting can let me pick a shoot thru the brush at time. I also have enough lens to see at edge of legal light at mid power setting. I have also walked out of the bottoms , stepped up to the edge of a road and see a nice deer at some distance and have enough scope to set down and take a shot.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I discovered one last-day-of-season that a variable set down at 3X was plenty good for a buck at 350 yards. I discovered in the Appalachicola River bottoms that 4X was way too much scope for a hog at ten feet.
For a dedicated rifle set up for woods/timber, I'd go with one-to-something low-power scope.
For a dedicated rifle set up for woods/timber, I'd go with one-to-something low-power scope.
nc-oldfart
New member
So you discovered that a 3power is enough for 350 yards. But not always very practical. First you would need good bino's help to besure its worthy to take. Not a butt head when you think its a doe and a certain amount of luck is needed to make a quality quick kill shot.
If your buying a scope you might as well buy a scope that covers both ends of your needed. Besides as you eye get older a fixed power scope may not get along well and a good scope does not tend to go bad on its own.
If your buying a scope you might as well buy a scope that covers both ends of your needed. Besides as you eye get older a fixed power scope may not get along well and a good scope does not tend to go bad on its own.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Heh. My nekkid eyebone was plenty good on that 350-yard buck--but I always use binocs when scouting for Bambi. And I get really bent out of shape if I see somebody using their scope instead of binocs. Quelle bummer!
Me'n scopes still get along okay, variable or fixed. 80 years haven't affected that.
Me'n scopes still get along okay, variable or fixed. 80 years haven't affected that.
In VT the law requires the deer to have at least one 1" tine on it's forked antler.
Of course I can hit a deer or a smaller target with irons however if you want to get something a scope that can see well is an advantage.
I shoot my hunting rifles far more at the range than in the field. Wish there was more hunting but I still like to shoot them.
The last scope I bought was a 4.5-14X for a 7mm magnum. I have a 2-7 on my 99F .358.
From top to bottom: 2-7 Kahles, 3-9 Leupold, 2-7 Leupold, 2.5-8 Conquest.
Of course I can hit a deer or a smaller target with irons however if you want to get something a scope that can see well is an advantage.
I shoot my hunting rifles far more at the range than in the field. Wish there was more hunting but I still like to shoot them.
The last scope I bought was a 4.5-14X for a 7mm magnum. I have a 2-7 on my 99F .358.
From top to bottom: 2-7 Kahles, 3-9 Leupold, 2-7 Leupold, 2.5-8 Conquest.
FrankenMauser
New member
With the exception of some long range shots on Pronghorn (the exception, even for Pronghorn), all of my big game tags have been filled at ranges that wouldn't justify more than 4x. Even then, I'm using head shots as the justification for 4x. If I took body shots more often, 1.5x or 2x would be just fine.
If I was hunting in an area where the average shot was 50-100 yards, and very rarely 100-200 yards, I'd probably stick with iron sights.
If I really wanted an optic, it'd be a red dot with no notable magnification (such as the "1.07x" of my Burris FFIII), or something like a Leupold 1.5-4x.
I have plenty of 3-9s and 3.5-10s, a 4-12x, and even a 6.5-20x scope, all on hunting rifles. But, I rarely hunt with them set to more than minimum magnification. Most of the time, the magnification isn't turned up unless I'm punching paper. ...And I'm not hunting back east. I'm hunting the mountains and wide open spaces out west.
I can count the shots I've taken at more than 6x, on big game, on two fingers. And the only reason I had the magnification cranked up to where I did (10x), was because I needed to absolutely verify that the doe antelope I was about to give a "canoe head" did not have a cheek patch of any kind.
If I was hunting in an area where the average shot was 50-100 yards, and very rarely 100-200 yards, I'd probably stick with iron sights.
If I really wanted an optic, it'd be a red dot with no notable magnification (such as the "1.07x" of my Burris FFIII), or something like a Leupold 1.5-4x.
I have plenty of 3-9s and 3.5-10s, a 4-12x, and even a 6.5-20x scope, all on hunting rifles. But, I rarely hunt with them set to more than minimum magnification. Most of the time, the magnification isn't turned up unless I'm punching paper. ...And I'm not hunting back east. I'm hunting the mountains and wide open spaces out west.
I can count the shots I've taken at more than 6x, on big game, on two fingers. And the only reason I had the magnification cranked up to where I did (10x), was because I needed to absolutely verify that the doe antelope I was about to give a "canoe head" did not have a cheek patch of any kind.
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I am very fond of low power Post & crosswire scopes for woods hunting. And being old, tend to favor old Weavers that have worked well for me for many years. I have 1.5, 2.5, 3, & 4x models, and even a nice 2-7x with the post.
Not the best choice for woodchucks and very small critters, but very fast and accurate on bigger things.
The one thing about a variable, you have to be "focused" about how you use it. Unless you are compulsive about always turning it down, there will come a time when the gremlins set it on high when you really want it on low!
I grew up hunting in the Adirondacks and New England. 100yd+ shots are possible, but not the usual, unless you hunt pole lines and such.
Not the best choice for woodchucks and very small critters, but very fast and accurate on bigger things.
The one thing about a variable, you have to be "focused" about how you use it. Unless you are compulsive about always turning it down, there will come a time when the gremlins set it on high when you really want it on low!
I grew up hunting in the Adirondacks and New England. 100yd+ shots are possible, but not the usual, unless you hunt pole lines and such.
You don't see the need for a high mag scope because there is no need for a high max scope. A 1.5-4.5 would be plenty for your style of hunting. At short range a low low is much more important than a high high. A low magnification is faster to acquire the target and even a 1.5 is plenty of magnification for a deer 50 yards away.