Ideal predator calling scope.

jim62

New member
If you could only have one scope in your calling rig, what woukd tge soecs be?
Not looking for brands, just specs.
Magnification, reticle design focus adjustment ,etc.

I will start it off..
I like a 3.5-10x
Dont need AO turrets or any otger do-dads.
I like a good, bold Duplex and really good glass with accurate reliable adjustments.

On top of an accurate rifke that shoots flat, I figure such a scope will do 95% of anything on yotes out to 500 yards or so..

 
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For me I want a low bottom end. 2x fits that pretty good. I also want a decent amount of upper end in case one hangs up 10 to 12x. An illuminated reticle is handy at night or low light.
I know you didn't ask brands but I just bought a Leopold VX6 2-12 LR reticle with fire dot and it is as close to perfect calling scope as I have ever found and crystal clear glass.
 
I might be old fashion but the basic Leupold VX3i 3.5-10x40, 2-10x38 Weaver, 3-9x40 Nikon Monarch, 3-9x40 Bushnell 4200....all with standard plex/duplex. I use all of those and never intend to chage.

If i had to pick one out of all of those it would be my newest addition 3.5-10x40 Leupold VX3i. Im really impressed with this scope so far.
 
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Originally Posted By: riverhunter55For me I want a low bottom end. 2x fits that pretty good. I also want a decent amount of upper end in case one hangs up 10 to 12x. An illuminated reticle is handy at night or low light.
I know you didn't ask brands but I just bought a Leopold VX6 2-12 LR reticle with fire dot and it is as close to perfect calling scope as I have ever found and crystal clear glass.

That just about sums it up perfectly. A good field of view is a nice attribute as well.
 
Originally Posted By: Catdog1I might be old fashion but the basic Leupold VX3i 3.5-10x40, 2-10x38 Weaver, 3-9x40 Nikon Monarch, 3-9x40 Bushnell 4200....all with standard plex/duplex. I use all of those and never intend to chage.

If i had to pick one out of all of those it would be my newest addition 3.5-10x40 Leupold VX3i. Im really impressed with this scope so far.

Thats kind of where I am at present.
 
3-9 power scopes have worked well for me. i have strayed a time or 2 or more to higher magnifications, but seems like those scopes always leave me and i end up back at 3-9.
 
I have used 3.5-10 most because the low end allows me to acquire sight on the close ones and 10 is sufficient for hangups or sighting in.
Now with the new 5x and 6x scopes I have enjoyed a 3-15 very much. Even better it came from warranty replacement on a 3.5-10.
 
I have a 3 X 9 on my bolt gun and went with a Burris AR-332 prism sight on my AR. The more I use the prism scope the more I like it. It works extremely well for shots at 200yds or less. It is small, compact and very light lending to quick target acquisition.

Mort98
 
My farthest shot is no more than 150 yards, so a 1.5-5 fits perfectly for me. The Rimfire 2-7x32mm is one of my most favorites specially for coyote hunting.
 
My calling rifle has a 3-10 and I like it quite well. I'd say for all but the thickest cover, something like a 2-7 or 3-9 is adequate.
 
A coyote isn't very large to begin with and at 500 yards it's pretty small, so having a thin/small/benchrest reticle might be a good choice. A 2" red dot covers the entire shoulder area of a pretty big coyote at 500 yards. Anything works well at 150 yards or less.
 
Funny, I think of a coyote as a large target and a 300 yard shot a failed calling stand.

I love my 1-4 scopes on my combo guns and all are more than capable on 300 yard shots. I just returned from the PM hunt and shot my 25-204 bolt action with a 1-4x20mm Leupold and it was a great scope for the hunt, my closest shop was 10 yards and my longest 40 yards, I gave all the long shots to my nephew with his 2.5x10 on his 22-250, his longest at 276 yard which would have been more that doable with the 1-4.

My all time favorite for calling coyotes with a bolt action is the 1.5-6x40mm I have them in B&L, Burris, Sightron and Alpen. The 1-4 on the 25-205 is my deer rifle that I decided to put some time behind as the furs at the PM Hunt weren't going to be useable.

I find FOV much more valuble on a calling rifle than X's. Way too many moving/charging coyotes under 50 yards than over. Out f 10 coyotes killed at the PM hunt only two were over 50 yards.
 
Good points AWS. FOV is important; and so is getting them close so you have less chance to screw up.
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Of the 11 coyotes we killed last week in Nevada, the longest was at 208 (my longest shot on a coyote in more than 15 years of calling). Three of ours were killed over 100 yards (112, 162, and 208). The rest were closer, some much closer and could have been shotgunned. At least three were running shots where FOV was more useful than high magnification.
 
2-7 is the ideal to me. Alternatively, 1-4.... I found I keep the 1-4 at around 2 x most of the time.... Now I run 2.5-10, but that is primarily because I also hunt jack rabbits with any gun I own.
 
2.5X - 8x is the perfect magnification range for me. I usually set it at 3x as field of view is more important to me than magnification. A long shot for me would be 100 yds. Most are 50yds and less.
 
Just got a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24. I think I'm going to really like this scope. Definitely like the power range. Haven't had time to play with the turrets yet to see how it tracks but I believe it's going to be a winner. I like the 1 moa dot a lot better than I thought. It's illuminated which I like but probably won't use. The glass is etched and I like that. Hopefully will get to see how it performs shortly..
 
How is it for fish eye? I've heard a lot of guys complain about there being a lot of fish on the 1-6 strike eagles.
 
Originally Posted By: MPFDHow is it for fish eye? I've heard a lot of guys complain about there being a lot of fish on the 1-6 strike eagles. As far as the fish eye I don't see it. It is very clear from 1-8 power. I really like the scope and the places I hunt are thickets so most of the time it will be on 1X. When I hunt the pastures I may turn up the power.
 
Originally Posted By: jim62If you could only have one scope in your calling rig, what woukd tge soecs be?
Not looking for brands, just specs.
Magnification, reticle design focus adjustment ,etc.

I will start it off..
I like a 3.5-10x
Dont need AO turrets or any otger do-dads.
I like a good, bold Duplex and really good glass with accurate reliable adjustments.

On top of an accurate rifke that shoots flat, I figure such a scope will do 95% of anything on yotes out to 500 yards or so..

I'll sidestep your no brand request & just state my #1 coyote rig has a Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x32 with the IHR illuminated reticle.

My #2 gun has one as well......
smile.gif
 
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