question for Elk, Dear hunters

[savage2014]

Hi guys I just want to know what is the maximum scope magnification you use for hunting elk, dear, and similar sized game you hunt for?

And may I ask also ask the reason why you use/choose that scope magnification... thanks

[Robinhood]

It depends on how far you are comfortable taking a shot. Depending on the cartridge and projectile, most hunters are reluctant to take a shot over 300 yards due to drop and wind. In that range a maximum of 16X would be plenty sufficient. I will shoot out to 1000 with that mag but not at an animal.

[BlueDog]

My crotchety old man has shot untold numbers of game using a straight 6x Redfield on a beat up 6mm Remington. I've seen him knock down more than a few coyotes on a quarter mile fence line to say it was luck. He absolutely refuses to use a variable power scope. Try as I might to sway him he wouldn't have it. I even left my 3-9 on 6 power all season once to prove a point, but it didn't sink in. For me I keep my scope on lowest setting until I get to my stand as I have jumped quite a few deer on the way. Once there I'll generally crank it up. How far? Depends on the situation/stand. If I had my druthers I'd be overlooking a picked corn field with plenty of open terrain, and in that case I'd have my scope on full magnification. With my current setups that would be 9, 10, 12 or 14 power. (Personally, I wouldn't be afraid of more, but that as high as the respective scopes go.)

[D.ID]

6-24x50................but my closest shot is probably at least 300 yards out and more likely to 3-4 times that. A 4x or 6x is plenty for large game.......but I like more and think it's worth the trade off.......... Strictly tactics based decision.
I don't even want a close shot and actively try to avoid situations were speed would be critical.

[geargrinder]

Depends on the quality of the glass too. I can see stuff better at low magnification from a good scope than a high magnification in a crap scope.

[sageratslayer]

Out west, I hunt in deep dark woods in rain or snow storms for elk and warm and dry for deer... So I have a 7-08 lightweight hunter with a Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x36 and a 11FCNS in 308 with a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40. My shots are maybe 250 yards for deer season, and elk are maybe 150 max. I agree... get the best quality glass even if it means a step down in magnification. Good glass is good glass.

SRS

[Twinsen]

The furthest shot I've lined up was 500 yards, which was beyond the effective range of the 150gr bullets I use in my 308. On 10x, I could see he had antlers, which don't agree with my cow tags. Where I shoot, you can't see any further than that. I was using a 6-24x, but I ended up taking my first elk under 100 yards, so I swapped it for a 4-16x. 16x is a lot for 308 IMO.

[J.Baker]

Most hunters buy way more scope than they actually need. For starters, you shouldn't be using your rifle to grade/score animals, that's what binoculars and/or a spotting scope is for. Second, animals don't have tiny little 1" diameter bullseyes on them so you don't need high magnification to see your aim point. In my experience 9x is more than enough for hunting any medium or large sized game at any ethical/reasonable distance, and some would argue that even that's overkill. Personally I like a fixed 4x or 6x, or a variable 2-7x for my hunting rifles. A benefit of staying with the lower magnifications is that it will usually allow you to buy a better brand/model of scope for the same money as a cheaper brand/model with higher magnification - and trust me, a fixed 4x with high quality lenses will serve you much better than a variable high power scope with cheap lenses.

[clintsrv]

100% with Baker.

I've been hunting with a beat up VX-lll 3.5x10x50 for years now.
I find myself taking most shots at 3.5

[darkker]

Because I am in the desert, you don't get close to either of those animals.
I use 14 & 15X scopes, but mostly for the sake of spotting. I don't pack 20# of crap to spot, range, shoot. I just pack my rifle and a sharp knife.

Last several years, depending upon which rifle I use; I either have a Weaver Tactical #800363 or a Primary Arms FFP Mil/Mil.

[D.ID]

Places I go require a load of gear already. A spotting scope is not an option.
After diving in to a deep drainage to stalk an animal that was not what we thought it was (doe and branches bedded down) waisted all day hiking back out...... I went back to high power weapon optics .....allot of the does we see with a good ten power are actually pretty nice bucks at 24X.
In my terrain you can sometimes see for miles if you have good glass and enough magnification.

[rmdailey]

Where I hunt I'll have a 50yd shot one way and up to 200 the other. The furthest I'm shot a deer was at 178 paces. I have a 3-9x40mm scope. I leave it on three. For my the longest shot I quickly cranked the scope up without looking. After the shot I saw that I had it between 6-7x. I'm looking at a 4-16 Mil-Dot scope, just because I enjoy trying to hit non-living things at greater distances. But realistically 3-9 has as much power as anyone really needs for big game.

I don't even use BDC Reticles reticles for hunting. I sight my 30-06 in for MPBR (Maximum Point Blank Range). My bullet is 2in high at 100. 3" high at 175, Dead on at 225, and 3" low at 280. The kill zone on a whitetail is 8" so I hold on the shoulder. I'm not comfortable taking a shot much further than that anyway.

[stomp442]

All depends on where you are at and what you are hunting. Here in Arizona we have shots anywhere from 200-700 yards being the norm with shots well over 1000 easily done with the right equipment. I don't use anything less than an 18 power scope for any of my big game hunting rifles. Here in Az our Coues Deer are only about 100lbs on the hoof and they live in some pretty nasty country and you will use everybit of 18-24 power making a good shot across a canyon. The 6x on the low end works great on the 200 yard chip shots.

[tufrthnails]

4-12X40 walk in at 4 power. Setup in stand goes to 6 power. If I need more then that I got plenty of time to adjust the magnification. I opted for the 12 because I do have up to 700 yards shots available in Ky on the farms. I do not shoot at deer further then 400 yards, because that is the range I have found I can consistently shoot inside 5" ring with most winds. I have trouble reading shots further then that. Practice, Practice, Practice. That said I will pop a Yote if I see it all the way out. I longest yote kill for me was approx 550 yards. My range finder doesn't go that far, but my range card does!

[Haiku_Rodney]

I can't seem to sit still very long so I am always walking. My scopes are 3-9's and always keep them on 3. I use this power because I need the field of view. A lot of my shots are dependent on finding the animal fast is in the scope. I generally do not take long shots - usually no farther than 200 yards. At 200 yards 3 power will still let me put a bullet in the kill zone.

[Inebriated]

Longest shot I've been offered has been 250 yards. Most of my hunting is in the woods, but I also hunt fields. I'm not out west, so, I'll never likely see an animal 500+ yards away, unless I'm on a golf course. That said, most of my shots have been right at last light, and at 25-50 yard distances, so brightness is key for me, more than magnification.

So, while I've used a 3-9x40 ProStaff for quite some time, it's never left 3x in the field. It's too much scope. I just bought a 4x33 fixed Leupold FX-II for another rifle, and I love it. Very bright, light, and clear. I would like to grab a VX3 1.75-6x33 to replace the 3-9x at some point. The FX sits on a rifle with irons, and in a QD mount, so I don't need the low end. But since the 3-9x sits on a rifle that doesn't have irons, I would like a lower magnification range.

Just what I'm finding works for me.

[lrshooting]

What range? How are your eyes? What paticular animal? Elk vs deer is pretty big difference. For example, prairie dogs are going to take more power at 500+ then elk. I could kill an deer at 600 with a 10x scope easily. I could barely see a prairie dog with 10x if at all. Not that your asking about ground rats but still, its relevant. I think people need to test scopes rather than ask because its completely opinion.