By Laurie Lee Dovey

Today, hunting optics are better than ever. That’s the good news. The bad news is determining which scope is best for you can be difficult. There’s very little difference between good and great scopes other than the price tag. And, performance features are not standard between manufacturers. However, many economical scopes provide everything many hunters need.

If you’re in the market for a new riflescope this year, define where and how you hunt, set a budget and plan to spend more than you want, and research all the options available to determine which scopes match your hunting needs. Because many innovations are proprietary to a specific company, if you don’t look at all the products on the market, you may miss out on features that provide huge benefits.

Once you determine which scopes suit your needs, take the time to compare models and define differences in performance and features. Doing so means getting the best bang for your buck at retail and the best performance for your dollar in the field.

SELECTING THE RIGHT DEER HUNTING SCOPE

Terrain: Define where the scope will be used. The swamps of North Carolina where hunting is close range, within 50 to 75 yards, presents the shooter with different needs than open plains of mule deer country. Further, hunters who target various terrains may need a different scope from those who hunt the same terrain each year.

Terrain affects the level of magnification needed. Less magnification allows the hunter to get on the target more quickly, while increased magnification increases potential shot precision but generally requires more time to set up the shot.

Lower magnifications appropriate for close-quarters hunting, when deer present quickly and move through the shooting window quickly. Hunters are afforded a level of shot precision but not so much magnification that deciphering where the gun is aimed is difficult or impossible.

Field of view is also affected. The field of view with a 3-9 x 40 scope, on low power, is 34 feet, while the field of view with a 1.5–4.5 jumps to 63 feet. That's three times the area that you can see with the lower power scope.

Field of view is critical to early-season hunters shooting in heavy foliage who need to shoot through specific holes in the foliage so they can watch the deer and see beyond the animal watch for openings.

Hunting Style: Stand hunters who are able to reach their hunting location by vehicle or minimal walking can select any scope. Size and weight don’t matter. However, if you’re stalking and traveling rugged terrain, you’re going to want to shave every ounce you can and will want a smaller profile scope.

Firearm: Understand what scope styles work best with your firearm. Mounting the scope is the biggest concern. For instance, short scopes can be difficult to mount on certain firearms. Additionally, depending on barrel taper, the scope height over bore is affected, which affects bullet flight.

Budget: Determine your scope budget then stretch is as much as you can. With optics, price generally is indicative of quality and features. Spending just a little more often means getting a lot more in terms of performance and durability.

Features: Research riflescope offerings and compare scopes in similar price categories. Study the marketplace, see what’s available and determine what feature combinations meet your needs and budget. Many of the most interesting innovation are also proprietary to the manufacturer. If you don’t look at all the models, you may miss out on a feature that provides great benefit. When selecting features, again considering how the scope will be used. For instance, although a thicker reticle is great for close-range hunting, it’s not the best choice on long-range targets.

5-STEP QUALITY SCOPE COMPARISON TEST

1. Look for scopes of similar objective size and magnification ranges so you’re comparing like models.
   
   
2. Set the scopes on a common magnification level. Using the highest number common to both scopes makes comparing a little faster and easier.
   
   
3. Study an object with a lot of detail through the center of the scope image. Tree bark is a good choice. Look at specific points of detail – the shadows on the bark or the texture of the bark.
   
   
4. Go back and forth between the scopes studying the same detail. Typically you’ll see some differences in the middle of the scope image, but the variances won’t be huge – at least if you’re comparing similarly priced scopes.
   
   
5. Put the center of the scope on the same object, but look around the edge of the scope image. Again, compare the scopes. This is where huge differences between good scopes and better scopes can be seen.