Someone asks this question on all of the websites every month it seems and no one seems to have an answer.
My guess is that it is just some Chinese optics plant. Bass Pro gives them some specs and the Chinese guy meets the specs same as with any other scope. Who DESIGNED the scope originally? I don't know.
My new understanding is that even if Bushnell "makes" it, that doesn't mean that it is Bushnell quality. Strange example but here goes: I work at Wal-Mart and people always say that the Wal-Mart brand peanut butter is the same as Peter Pan because they are both made at the Peter Pan company. Well, that may be true but that doesn't mean that it is the same product or even that they are the same quality. On the other hand, Wal-Mart milk IS the exact same milk as the Borden from the Borden plant.
Bottom line is that there are minimum failure rates and there are specs that are met and that is what is made by the manufacturer.