What scope is the best for predator hunting?

AWS

Retired PM Staff
When I started predator hunting there was a very limited selection of scopes, my 223 was topped with a Weaver K-4 with plain crosshairs. My 222 Rem wore a weaver K-3. I killed a lot of fox with those rigs.

I look at what is available today, LVPO's, LR scopes, FFP, SFP, Night Vision, Thermal vision, Christmas tree reticles, BDC, pretty much whatever you want you can get and prices that range from a hundred dollars to thousands. Pretty intimidating.

How you hunt and where you hunt will have a lot to do with what glass your rifle will wear.

Does your predator rifle have to double as a colony varmint rifle or your big game rifle.

Open country where you feel that most of your shots will be beyond 300 yards

Close in where a 300 yard shot will be long and rare.

These last two can exist together and is where your hunting style will come into play. Do you pick a hillside overlooking large open areas or head down into the thick stuff or close cover.

FFP or SFP I personally think that FFP scope should be strictly for those that expect all their shots to be long. With this in mind turrets and parallax adjustment needs to be reliable and spending more money for known reliability. SFP scopes will work here also, when you need the long-range capabilities, you will more than likely be on the highest power and again paying for reliability is foremost.

For those that think most of their shots will be from 50 -300 yards with an occasional longer on I find that a BDC reticle on a medium power variable can do the trick. The newer 6x variables work well with my favorite range is 2-12 but the 3-9 will cover it well and even some of the fixed 6's will do the trick. Why the BDC, as the coyote/predator gets closer movement will give you away and spoil a shot. Having to reach up and make scope adjustments is one more chance to give you away. I try and keep my scopes on the lowest power, if they show up closer than expected your in fine shape with no adjustments needed if they are out that far to need more magnification there is usually time to turn the power ring up without spooking them.

For those that like them in close, low power variables are the cat's butt. When you expect them under 50 yards, large FOV's promote fast target acquisition along with bold reticles. Again, I keep them on the lowest power, you can easily kill a coyote sized target to 150 on 1x or 1.5x beyond that you more than likely have time to turn up the power.

Cost of scopes if you're not turning turrets or adjusting parallax you can get away with a scope for a lot less money. Glass has come a long way over the years today a $100 dollar scope can be as clear as a high end scope in the past.

I shoot a few scopes in the $100 - $200 range, they kill predators just fine, they are quite clear and hold zero. Most of my scopes are in the $200-$500 range.

My personal choices are:

Open country, 2-12x40 and 2.5-10x40

Closer in. 1.5-6x40 and I just set up a little bolt action with a 1.5-4x20 for the light weight.

For close in stuff I shoot combo guns with 1-4x20 scopes

Good luck this season
 
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I have similar set ups to yours.

Close in for hunting woods or smaller brushy areas, 1.5-5 is my preference, but one rifle I use for this has a 3-9. Keeping them on the lowest setting is the key and I prefer a German 4 reticle. The bigger FOV and the thick reticle helps get on them in brush and track movers.

When I’m covering a bigger opening or along a hay field, 3.5-10 is plenty and standard duplex works fine.

All of my varmint rifles are 4.5-14 or 6.5-20 to crank it up on the smaller targets. Really helps on dial in on groundhogs in taller grass or rock piles.

I like and use Leupold.
 

Everybody has their idea of "best", but since you asked.....

My choice is the Nightforce 2.5-10x32.

Magnification: 2.5-10x
Objective Diameter: 32mm
Exit Pupil Diameter: 2.5x: 13.3 mm/10x: 3.3 mm
Field Of View: 2.5x: 44 ft/10x: 11 ft
Eye Relief: 3.7in (95mm)
Internal Adjustment Range: 100moa elev. 100moa wind.
Click Value: .250moa (1/4 moa)
Tube Diameter: 30mm (1.18in)
Ocular Diameter: 33mm
Mounting Length: 5.7in
Weight: 19oz
Overall Length: 12in


A rock solid mounting system is as important, if not more so, than the scope on top.

No biggie if it goes teets up when you never leave your county, different program when you travel.

KMCJgFU.jpg
 
Fits my parameters, min of a 40' FOV on the bottom end. Anything else is up to you. As far as traveling again what works for you. I hunt up to five states a year, last year killed coyotes in three and will more than likely do the same this year. My rifles travel hard, the last three years mostly strapped across the back of my MC, only one failed scope in 50 yrs and that was a used Leupold VariX-II on a lightweight 35 Whelen many years ago, Leupold fixed it and it is on a combo gun now.

I could never justify the cost of a NF as many of the features are worthless to me. That looks like a nice rig.

Where in WI are you, I used to hunt fox, squirrels and grouse in the coolie country south of La Crosse back in the 1960's.
 
I realize most won't spring for a Nightforce, however you asked for opinions of best.

I've killed them with $100 scopes too.

I'm not sure what "features" you're alluding to that you can do w/o.

A rock solid build, absolutely no wandering zero, and perfect return to zero if/when dialing is hardly a "feature" to scoff at.

Not everyone's goal is to see how close you can call one in, and not everyone hunts tight quarters all the time, as shown from my Montana pic. I'm not traveling 1500 mile and trust my hunt to a blister pack Bushnell.

I'm dead center between Madison and Prairie Du Chien, an hour either direction.
 
I respect your opinion, it is a nice rig.

"How you hunt and where you hunt will have a lot to do with what glass your rifle will wear."(AWS)

"What Features",

Rock solid dialing, I have a BDC on my open country scope it will get me to 500 yards , never have to touch the scope and yes I do take it to the range and check my holds. The only time my rifle gets dialed is sighting it in. As far as always being in the thick stuff, it is my favorite kind of hunting, up close and personal is a rush. That said I will hunt open country but if I have to take over a 300 yards shot I figure I screwed up the stand and would rather pass on it and come back another time and do it right. I can hold on fur to 300 yrds and even a duplex works fine out there.

High end glass, predators are big, I can see higher end optic for GS and PD's halfway across the county, coyotes are big you can see them out there quite a ways with lesser glass. and like I said glass has come a long way, even very low end scopes like a($90) Weaver 1-4x24mm scope I tested had glass we would have died for 50 yrs ago and the cheap little Konus($139) 1.5-6x44 on my AR is bright and clear.

Weaver 1-4x24
X5aAGk.jpg


Konus Pro 1.5-6x44
wZlF4l.jpg


My goto guns have proven optics on them, scopes from Burris, Sightron, Leupold, Meopta work well. They just aren't over the top expensive.

From the write ups here and other sites a newbie would get the impression that you can't harvest a coyote unless you have a high-end rifle and at least $1500. worth of scope on it. Most called coyotes are killed under 300 yards and a Savage Axis and a Leupold Freedom 3-9 will get the job done reliably. My old Rem 600 in 223 with a Weaver K-4 killed a lot of predators from WI to MT until the barrel was toast with nary a hiccup, with your thinking I never should have gotten out of Ozaukee County without it failing.

A scope is just a sighting device as long as it will keep the crosshairs in the same place it will kill critters.

Last PM convention I shot this in the Egg Shoot, Champions division and made it to the third round, 50+ year old B&L Balvar 8 and on the way back to camp from the shoot stopped and killed a coyote with it. I drove nearly a thousand miles and entered a competition with the scope and killed coyotes. I bought two of these scopes for $60/2. Heck it doesn't even have turrets.
uT9GMx.jpg


Drove from WA to WI and relied on a Weaver V-3, absolutely reliable.
mCKiXK.jpg


The list could go on and on about drive back and forth across the country and relying on under $300 scopes to get the job done and they do.


 
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Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeI was going to add to the list,but after reading through the thread, "high end" scopes need not apply ? Sure seems that way ??
Start a thread about the best predator scope, then chastise anyone's choice that doesn't meet their criteria or approval......
 
I look at the weight of scopes just as much as the glass and eye relief. I don't like heavy scopes on my calling rigs. It's hard to put a 28oz scope on a rifle I have to carry around. I walk a lot.
I also don't twist knobs on them. I'm not sure how people have time for it.
Night force is great for twisting knobs but for my style of hunting, I don't think the juice is worth the squeeze.
I have to say Leupold wins hands down in the weight department.
That being said I have several different scopes. I have Vortex, Burris, Leupold, Athlon and a few others. My main calling rigs have a Leupold freedom just for the weight savings.

Just to add. I don't own any Night force scopes.
It's always been hard for me to justify the price. The most I've ever paid for a scope is I believe around $400. Maybe I'm missing out and if somebody wants to send me a night force to try out I'm very open to the idea;)
 
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Never once chastised your choice in a coyote hunting scope, I even agreed that it fits in MY ideals of the perfect coyote scope and said it was a nice rig. Plus, all I did was tell you what feature of your choice I didn't need or feel are needed, you asked.

What I disagree with is the premise that you have to spend big bucks to have a reliable coyote hunting scope.

This was never aimed at the experienced coyote hunter, you already know what works for you. This was meant to help the new guys that are always asking "what scope to buy". For a new hunter he would be far better off putting a
 
I think people tend to read what they want to see. I didn't mention how you hunt only distances you expect to encounter.

Very first part of this discussion.

"FFP or SFP I personally think that FFP scope should be strictly for those that expect all their shots to be long. With this in mind turrets and parallax adjustment needs to be reliable and spending more money for known reliability. SFP scopes will work here also, when you need the long-range capabilities, you will more than likely be on the highest power and again paying for reliability is foremost". (AWS)

Again the very first part of the post.

"Cost of scopes if you're not turning turrets or adjusting parallax you can get away with a scope for a lot less money. Glass has come a long way over the years today a $100 dollar scope can be as clear as a high end scope in the past." (AWS)



 
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With optics, more money buys you more time, as in the ability to see better in low light conditions.

Depending on how and where a person hunts, one scope might work better than another.

Here in the wide open West, the day gets bright quickly, and stays brighter later, than, say, Central Wisconsin, in the tall timber under a heavy overcast.

For magnification, 4x12 or 4x14, seems to be all I need.
 
After trying several scopes ranging from 1-4x to 4-16x from several manufacturers, I decided that I prefer a plain ole 3-9x with a simple duplex reticle. That is perfect for my style of coyote hunting from 2-300 yards. Choose what brand you like and what makes sense to you.
 
Originally Posted By: H82MissAfter trying several scopes ranging from 1-4x to 4-16x from several manufacturers, I decided that I prefer a plain ole 3-9x with a simple duplex reticle. That is perfect for my style of coyote hunting from 2-300 yards. Choose what brand you like and what makes sense to you.

I'm pretty much in your camp. Most of my shots are under 100 yards and in big timber or brushy creek bottoms. However, the ability to take a poke at 300 yards does happen on occasion. I do like an illuminated center dot. Right now the Trijicon Accupoint with green illuminated dot and duplex reticle is working great for both predators and big game. I have Trijicon riflescopes, AR15 optics, and handgun optics, and don't find much to complain about. I have Leupold with illuminated center dots also and have no issues. I am not a serious turret twister but a couple of Leupolds work ok for me and I know the Leupolds have a poor reputation for turret spinning. I guess what I don't know won't hurt me.
 
My predator rifles all wear 4.5-14 Burrris. Started with the FFII w/Ballistic Plex but switched to the E1 reticle on the last two scopes as it is a bit bolder ballistic plex which works better w/my old eyes.

4.5 power has enough field of view for close in and the 14.5 is better for those shots over 200 yds.
Fullfield E1™ Riflescope 4.5-14x42mm

Regards,
hm
 
I run a 1-8 Vortex strike eagle on my 6 ARC. It is great for 3yds - 300yds... 99.5% of the dogs I get shots at will fall into that range. Even here is North Eastern Nevada, almost all dogs will be under 300.

I just bought a Vortex viper 1-6 with the VMR-2 reticle... I like that... ALOT. Finally putting a .223 AR back together after swapping my other AR over to 6 ARC. I really like this scope! I would probably prefer to switch it over to my ARC but the ARC scope is rattle canned to match that AR.

DirtyDogs Leupold 2-10 with the Firedot should be pretty high on the list also.
 
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