BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[jman474]

I was wondering what you guys use for scopes. I have a 2-7 power scope that is use for deer hunting i wanted to know if you guys thought it would be enough magnification for out in the prairie?

[Critter]

There is no need for you to buy a new scope just for antelope. All my deer/elk/antelope rifles carry a 3X9 except for one and that is a 3.5x10. You just need to know what your bullet drop is out to 300 or 400 yards and you should be set. You just need to know your range.

[WesternHunter]

I agree. I use a 6X fixed power Leupold scope for all my biggame hunting and that includes a pronghorn hunt most years. 6X for me is plenty of magnification for all biggame hunts. Even on paper targets that scope has proven plenty sufficient out to 500 yrds. Truthfully you really don't need much more than 4X or 5X for biggame.

[Ripstop]

Plenty enough scope for antelope.

[Hiker]

We use 3X9 and when hunting open country set them at 6-7.

[possum]

Personally i would go with something in the 3.5x10 or 4x12 , simply because if your reticle interferes with your taget it is hard to hit what you can't see. Just a personal opinion, i use a 6.5x20x50 because you can always go down but if you don't have it you can't go up if you need it.

[WesternHunter]

I'd say it's more of a preference rather than a need. Keep in mind also that a pronghorn has it's own natural cross-hair painted on it's broadside. That upper corner where the white fur meets the tan fur is exactly where the vitals are. You can see it with the naked eye from a few hundred yards away. You only use the scope to aim the rifle and nothing more.

[Alamosa]

Yup. Pretty good illustration of what WesternHunter said right here on the articles on this forum.



I've used a 4x scope and it has always been adequate for the shot itself.
At times I wish I had more magnification to see the cheekpatch more clearly.