Todd Doebler hails from the big woods of northern Wisconsin, so when he went on his first Western big-game hunt—to western North Dakota’s badlands in 2008—he bought the best optics for the opportunity.
Light-gathering ability is mainly a function of objective-lens size, which means the brightest riflescopes would be too large and unwieldy to be much help in the places most of us hunt. Picture a 65mm or an 80mm spotting scope strapped to your rifle. Bright as hell, but hugely impractical.
Far too often, sportsmen lose access because of our own bad behavior. Here are some tips to avoid being “that guy.”
From the flimsy to the fortified, this year’s field of 14 full-size binos and 4 mid-size binos have something for everyone. See our review of the best new hunting binoculars on the market.
But, later, when I checked my GPS and confirmed the elevation—10,400 feet above sea level—it occurred to me that the tom’s breast was so large because his lungs were freakishly big, an adaptation to living in that thin alpine air.
If submissions to this year’s riflescope test are any indication, the confluence of the tactical and the sporting may finally be slowing. For the first time in several years, the number of scopes in the field designed mainly for hunting exceeded those configured specifically for shooting.
Our optics test reveals subtle differences in quality and performance by applying both scientific analysis and subjective evaluation. The final score is based equally on both parts of the test. On the analytical side, we measure each optic’s resolution, or ability to see vanishingly small detail, using the gold standard of optics testing: a 1951 Air Force Resolution Target.
If you want to know whether your hunting optics are worth a spit, then look at them through the business end of a flashlight. A simple penlight – the smaller and brighter the better – will reveal flaws in coatings, indicate whether your optic was made in a competent facility, and whether you are getting your money for the glass.
From the distance of a half-mile, I had spotted a turkey, a gobbler that would strut in full display, his black feathers blowing in the stiff wind.
An illuminated reticle in your big-game rifle's scope may actually impair your ability to make low-light shots.
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