IMO which scope depends on the scenario's you run into the most often in the habitats you call the most often. Here in the wide open spaces of the west, sometimes very long shots is all you will get, especially if they have been pestered by ranch hands or hunted hard and commonly hang up way out. Other times they'll come in so close a 1X scope is too much and you can just about bop them on the head with the barrel. So for most of my calling I prefer a mid range scope with a combination somewhere in the 2X to 14X range. A 2-7 or 3-9 is just about perfect in areas I don't have to make very long shots often, a 4-14 if I do. And as suggested, keep your scope on the lowest magnification and use sticks. With lots of experience, a thorough knowledge of your calling area and proper set up you might have a pretty good idea where they will show up and where you plan to take the shot. But they have a bad habit of popping up in unexpected places... right in your lap or way out and hung up. Up close you probably won't have the time or opportunity to turn a scope down - far out usually plenty of chances to turn a scope up to a higher magnification. If you are going to use a variable scope, you need to know exactly where your firearm/load shoots at all ranges with the scope set on various magnifications at those same ranges. Another factor... while adjustable objectives may be great for target shooting at the same known range, they can be a real problem in the field if shots can run anywhere from zero to hundreds of yards on short notice. Movement to fiddle with a scope busts a lot of stands. If your scope has one, I would pick a mid-range adjustment for that particular setup location rather than try to dial the range in with a predator coming in. No doubt the easiest would be to use a fixed power/objective scope if your common situations would allow it. Since the scenario can vary so much here even in like habitats and its common to get multiples (in real close sometimes), I carry an open sighted handgun I am very comfortable with for the closest shots and use the main firearm for the rest.
IMO-YMMV
L.
