How to Use a Gun Scope for Hunting

Using a good gun scope can help you become a more successful hunter. Hitting what you are aiming at is the primary reason for adding a scope to your hunting gear. With the magnification provided by a scope, you can be sure that the animal you are about to fire at is the one you want to harvest. If your vision is no longer 20/20, switching to a scope may help improve your sight.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Gun scope
• Gun
• Lens cover

1. Purchase a high-quality gun scope. Take into account the features you want, but don't break your budget. Make sure that your basic scope package includes a power-selection ring and a sun shield to reduce glare.

2. Take a course. A good rifle course will teach you how to adjust and use a scope, as well as safe gun handling skills and responsible hunting.

3. Mount your scope. This can be tricky, so you may want to enlist the services of a gunsmith. Otherwise, read the instructions that come with the scope and follow them carefully.

4. Boresight your scope or, in layman's terms, align the cross hairs with the barrel before you try to sight it in. You'll save time and ammunition.

5. Set your variable power scope to its lowest power for fast target acquisition. Reserve your high powers for long range, controlled shots.

6. Protect your lens. Use a lens cover. It will keep dirt and dust off the lens surface and prevent scratching.

7. Store your rifle and scope overnight, especially in inclement weather. This keeps the optics from fogging up. Cycle the action a few times to loosen it up before you begin hunting in the morning.

Tips & Warnings

• Use aluminum rings. Aluminum rings are manufactured by the extrusion process. They work better than steel for alignment purposes, and they weigh less.
• Buy a lightweight and durable gun scope. It should be shockproof, waterproof, fog proof and come with a warranty. Choose one with the reticle (cross hairs) you prefer like a simple cross hair, dot-plex or range finding.
• Beef up your stock scope with handy features like windage and elevation adjustments. Such features can increase your accuracy.
• Don't flinch or wobble when you fire. Learn to control your reflexes or you will never hit anything you are aiming at.
• Don't try lubricating any of the moving parts on your scope. They are factory lubricated. You can wipe dirt and fingerprints off the gun's surface with a soft cloth.

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