Using your scope to find game?

[Dave in WV]

I'm going to quote from an atricle in the April issue of Shooting Times and see if you think there is a problem. "So I took my time, slowly moving from tree to tree as I scanned the ground ahead. Peering through the Kahles 2.5-10X riflescope, I suddenly picked up a doe and then another peacefully feeding".
  Am I wrong or does it come across the author is saying he is scanning for deer with his scope? My point is a riflescope is an optical sight, not a spotting scope or to be used in place of binoculars.

[KN]

The only time I do that is when shooting prairie dogs. Large open area going from target to target. Using your scope as a spoting scope means that if you come across another hunter, or kids playing or whatever then you just pointed you rifle at them. Basically being stupid!!!  KN

[Glanceblamm]

KN
Very well said.

[1911crazy]

KN  I'm sure that many of us hunters have been looked at by others thru their scopes and guns at the same time.  Thats the first thing i thought of too.                                                               BigBill

[Robert]

If someone is watching through a scoped rifle, I usually target thier warp engines.  It is very rude to put a crosshairs on someone to watch what they are doing.  Only the ATF would stoop to such devious practices.

[Swamp Fox]

There are two reasons not to use a rifle scope to scout.
The first is the safety issue. If you are pointing your weapon at anything you don't intend to shoot..... well, you know what I'm getting at.

The second is that a pair of good binoculars makes scouting  an area much easier and less tiresome.

[Wlscott]

I have held off on posting a reply to this topic because I didn't want to start a flame war.  But I think I'll throw my opinion in here and see what happens :lol:

First off, let me say that I do not condone using your rifle scope to scan for game animals.  

That being said.....

I read the article in question, and the way I took it was that he had already spotted the deer (with his eyeballs) moving toward a specific area.  He knew that they were headed for an opening, and started scanning that opening with his scope about the time he thought they would show up.  When they did, he spotted them through his scope and if memory serves, took the shot.  

I don't necessarily think this constitutes an unsafe act since he had already spotted the deer, and knew that they were there.

Another factor that needs to be considered here is that he was on a private ranch, and was fairly confident that there was not anyone else in the area hunting.  

Now, if he had merely seen something moving in the brush, and wondered what it was, and checked it out with his scope, THAT would be a very unsafe act.

[Dave in WV]

No war from me. I reread the article and I still believe it's not unreasonable to believe it is possible the author was scanning with his scope. Was he? Only he knows. My personal feeling on this is it is unsafe to use a rifle scope to scan for game even if I was on my own land and assumed I was alone. I'm a hunter safety instructor and I feel it's my obligation to do it as I teach it. What someone else does is up to them. I don't "suddenly pick up deer in my scope". When I raise my rifle I have identified the intended target and decided to shoot.

[Wlscott]

I typically will scan with binos (I spent the money I might as well use the darn things) and only when I find what I'm looking for do I put the scope on it.  By then I've id'ed the target and decided if I'm going to shoot.  However, sometimes going from binos to scope I do have to scan a little to find the animal.  

That's kind of how I took his article.  Only he found them with his eye's and brought up the scope when he knew where they were headed.

[Dave in WV]

You could very well be right. I believed from the first time I read the article I could be thinking something into the wording. That is why I posted this. I think the author's wording makes it possible to think something in that may be incorrect. A few fellows I work with had questioned the article too. Have a good weekend. Dave

[Dutch/AL]

Well, I have a really hot neighbor who likes to wash her car in her bikini, and I look at her thru my Vx-III Leupold.

However it IS ethical to do so, cause I've got the "Warne" Primier series 1" with QD levers, so's I can detach it before I point it at her.  

[Wlscott]

Dutch that's hilarious :-D  :-D  :-D

Reminds me of the time a buddy of mine had to go back to Riyadh to pick up some trucks.  We stayed in a vacant apartment complex for a couple of days.  Across the courtyard was another series of apartments that were being used by a bunch of nurses.  Since they weren't used to anyone staying across from them, they would walk out on their balconies or around their rooms with very little on and the curtain open.

We found a new use for NVG's and spotting scopes while we were there :eek:

[Dave in WV]

Dutch, you'd have less eye strain with binoculars since both eyes would get an "eye full".  :-D

[oso45-70]

You are all a bunch of dirty old men,, shame on you, I would never think of doing something like that. The devil is going to get you all sure as h$$$.
.......................................Joe.............................................................

[Wlscott]

You are all a bunch of dirty old men,, shame on you, I would never think of doing something like that. The devil is going to get you all sure as h$$$.

Joe, I'll have you know, I just took a shower this morning :lol:

[oso45-70]

WLscott
I was afraid i was going to get slammed, But that was great. LMAO !!!
Been known to do some of the same things myself.
Have a good one gentlemen..........Joe.............................................