Are you somebody that prefers keeping their distance when it comes to hunting? Do you prefer hunting “riskier” prey, such as coyotes or wild boar? Sure, longer distances might not be AS essential when hunting mostly docile prey like ducks or deer. However, you’d have to be suicidal to get close to anything else!
But you might’ve not been able to properly keep your distance during hunts. You might’ve been lacking some equipment needed to make it work. Sure, you bought a scope for you rifle…but it hasn’t been helping you as much as you’d like. Do you wanna know the reason why?
Your scope isn’t made for long range shooting.
You oughta fix that and get a scope that is!
How To Use A Long Range Scope For Hunting
If you’ve come to this article because you’ve just purchased a new long range scope and can’t figure out how it works, then have no fear. You’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled a list of four tips that are sure to prepare you nicely for hunting with your new scope. Scroll down to read more!
Step One: Check Your Equipment. While this may be common sense for the most part, it’s surprisingly overlooked more often than not. Before you go out and put your scope to use, you might want to test it out in the safety of your backyard. This is to ensure that your scopes isn’t a dud AND that it fully supports long ranges. If you’re satisfied, you can go out and put it to the test.
If not, don’t ask for your money back just yet.
First check and see if you can adjust its settings to fit your satisfaction.
Step Two: Reticle Alignment. Your scope’s reticle is the crosshair you see on the lens (sometimes in the form of a cross and other times in the form of circles and x’s). It’s used to pinpoint where you’re aiming and it helps predict how accurate your shot will be. Chances are high that the reticle might not be set the way you want it at first. Thankfully, there are nobs you can turn to adjust it.
Step Three: Take Care of Your Eyes. We’re all human, and that means we all have certain needs that have to be met. As such, it’s highly important that you try to avoid straining your eyes too much when using your new long range scope. You can do this by adjusting the lens distance of your scope. Once you’ve adjusted it to your liking, your aiming eye will have much more room to be able to blink and see in peace. After all, you don’t want to accidently blind yourself using brand new tech that REQUIRES you to see, right?
Step Four: Know Your Magnification Level. Did you purchase a scope with a variable magnification system, or is it fixed? If you aren’t sure, take a moment to tinker with the magnification settings. Fixed scopes typically can only be set to one setting, and variable scopes can be set to any level most needed. My recommendation for long range shooting? Try to get a scope with variable magnification, as it will give you more breathing room in how far/near you’re willing to distance yourself.