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Jeff Redding, Bushnell's manager of riflescopes and spotting scopes, lines up on a distant prairie dog while colleague Marty Rutland spots. Outdoor Life Online EditorRedding shoots a Weatherby Vanguard in .223 Rem. topped with a Bushnell Elite Tactical 4200 that zooms from 6 to 24 power. The scope's Rainguard moisture coating didn't get a chance to prove itself; the weather was hot and dry for our weekend of shooting. Outdoor Life Online EditorIn east-central Wyoming's Converse County, black-tailed prairie dog colonies cover entire basins, with the largest towns spreading over 2,000 acres and more. The rodents graze down vegetation around their burrows in order to spot predators in time to dive down their holes to safety. Outdoor Life Online EditorWe shot Hornady's 55-grain V-MAX loads in .223 Rem. The "Varmint Express" rounds rocket out the barrel at a sweltering 3,240 feet per second. Outdoor Life Online EditorBushnell's Redding ejects another shell. Each shooter cycled through more than 350 rounds per day, and the shooting was so good that we moved only once or twice each day, breaking only for lunch and an occasional drink of water. Outdoor Life Online EditorMule deer are plentiful on the sprawling ranches where we shot. Like the rest of the West, eastern Wyoming is dry this summer, but abundant moisture this spring is fueling good antler growth. Budding racks such as these promise to be both wide and heavy when the velvet peels off in the fall. Heart Spear Outfitters of Glenrock, Wyo., our hosts for this hunt, offer trophy mule deer, antelope and elk hunts in the area. Outdoor Life Online EditorGuide Kody Glause takes his turn at the bench behind photographer Andrew McKean's Savage Model 12. Shot distances ranged from the nearly point-blank – under 50 yards – to more than 400 yards, which tested the windage and elevation adjustments of our optics. The longest confirmed kill of the week was just shy of 650 yards. Outdoor Life Online EditorAs product manager for Bushnell's riflescope division, Jeff Redding gets his choice of top-end optics. His choice for this trip? A Bushnell Elite 3200 5-15×40 Tactical with a MilDot reticle. Outdoor Life Online EditorThe power of a V-MAX. This prairie dog levitates upon impact from a 55-grain zipper. Outdoor Life Online EditorThe power of a V-MAX. This prairie dog levitates upon impact from a 55-grain zipper. Outdoor Life Online EditorThe power of a V-MAX. This prairie dog levitates upon impact from a 55-grain zipper. Outdoor Life Online Editor
Jeff Redding, Bushnell’s manager of riflescopes and spotting scopes, lines up on a distant prairie dog while colleague Marty Rutland spots
