Scopes and Optics

Best Scope for Deer Hunting In Woods

Best Scope for Deer Hunting In Woods

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Best Scope for Deer Hunting In Woods

Why d you need the best scope for deer hunting in woods? Well, the answer is simple, the best scope will greatly improve your success rate in the woods. Deer hunting has been around for so long that a lot of hunters have grown to love it. With this in mind, manufacturers have taken the liberty of producing different kinds of scopes for deer hunting which makes getting the best one feel a little overwhelming.

If you value quick target acquisition and subsequent takedown, then this review is for you. We have compiled a list of our favorite deer hunting scopes to make your choice informed.

Here is a quick comparison table

PRICE IMAGE MAGNIFICATION AND OBJECTIVE PRICE
#1) Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane Magnification:3-9x

Objective lens: 40 mm

#2) Monstrum G2 1-4×24 First Focal Plane FFP Rifle Scope Monstrum G2 1-4x24 First Focal Plane FFP Rifle Scope Magnification: 1-4X

Objective lens: 24 mm

#3) Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Scope Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Scope Magnification: 3-9X

Objective lens: 40mm

#4) UTG 3-9X32 1″ BugBuster Scope UTG 3-9X32 1" BugBuster Scope Magnification: 3-9X

Objective lens: 32mm

#5) Vortex Optics Diamondback Second Focal Plane Riflescope Vortex Optics Diamondback Second Focal Plane Riflescope Magnification: 3-9X

Objective lens: 40mm

#6) Zeiss Conquest V6 Reticle w/Hunting Turret Zeiss Conquest V6 Reticle w/Hunting Turret Magnification: 1-6X

Objective lens: 24mm

#7)Steiner T5Xi Tactical Rifle Scope – Close Compact Riflescope for Hunting Steiner T5Xi Tactical Rifle Scope - Close Compact Riflescope for Hunting Magnification: 1-5x

Objective lens: 24mm

 

 

Advantages of the Best Scope for Deer Hunting In Woods

  • Precision and accuracy- Getting your hands on the best scope for deer hunting in woods greatly increases your precision as well as accuracy. 

 

  • Practice- You can better practice your skills with a great scope

 

  • Increase in success rate- Due to the fact that your precision and accuracy improves, your success rate also improves. 

 

  • Self-confidence- Having a powerful rifle and pairing it with an even more powerful scope gives you the self-confidence and belief that you need to take ethically take down deer

 

  • Distance shots- With the best scope for deer hunting in woods, you can easily take on deer from extended distances. 

 

 

Best Scope for Deer Hunting In Woods Reviews

#1) Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane

Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane

 

 

 

 

Coming with the popular 3-9X magnification, one of the many in the Crossfire line, this scope is one of the best scope for deer hunting in woods. It comes at a reasonable price point and high-quality features. There is a reason why Vortex is a leading manufacturer in the optics industry and one of the reasons is this extremely popular scope. 

A clear sight picture is made possible by fully multi-coated lenses that are also anti-reflective. A 40mm objective lens allows maximum light transmission from bright deer images. 

This Vortex scope comes with capped turrets and generous eye relief for the ultimate comfort while using this scope. For easy focusing of the reticle, a fast-focus eyepiece is fitted. 

The one-piece tube is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum that is then nitrogen-purged and o-ring sealed for fog-proof and waterproof performance. Due to the high-quality material used to construct the main tube, the scope is strong enough to withstand impact and durable enough to last you a long time. 

 

Key Features

  • Fully multi-coated anti-reflective lenses ideal for hunting in the woods
  • Long eye relief
  • Fog proof, shockproof, waterproof
  • Fast focus eyepiece for quick reticle focusing
  • One-piece tube fashioned from aircraft-grade aluminum
  • Capped reset turrets

 

 

 

 

#2) Monstrum G2 1-4×24 First Focal Plane FFP Rifle Scope

Monstrum G2 1-4x24 First Focal Plane FFP Rifle Scope

 

 

 

 

Monstrum continues to surprise the market with its premium feature-packed scopes at reasonable prices.  This high-precision tactical scope is one we can try to crown as the best scope for deer hunting in woods. It comes with the ideal magnification for hunting deer in the woods, 1-4X, and an objective lens that is just enough for maximum light transmission. The eye relief is a generous 4-4.5 inches to protect your eye from injury. 

We love the rangefinder reticle that comes with easily readable ranging information that remains unchanged all through the magnification settings. This helps in making quicker estimation of range and holdover corrections. Additionally, the reticle is dial controlled in green and red that have several brightness levels. This makes the reticle visible in low light conditions. This is an ideal feature for hunting in the woods. 

It is housed in aircraft-grade aluminum 30mm tube which is then nitrogen sealed for fog and waterproof performance. 

 

Key Features

  • 1-4X magnification
  • 24mm objective lens
  • Eye-relief-4-4.5inches
  • First Focal Plane
  • Rangefinder reticle
  • Waterproof and fog proof
  • Strong and durable construction
  • Green and red illuminated reticle with several brightness intensities

 

 

 

 

#3) Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Scope

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for the best scope for deer hunting in woods, this Leupold scope is what you are looking for. It is a highly dependable and reliable Leupold scope you can confidently take to the woods to ethically take down deer. 

For starters, it comes with Leupold’s Twilight Light Management system that properly balances light transmission and reduces glare to deliver exceptional image clarity, contrast, and resolution with unparalleled brightness. This system comes in handy in low lighting conditions. 

This scope has been designed with ultra-modern sealing methods that ensure it can easily withstand changes in elevation, high impact, and even extreme changes in temperature. Leupold goes ahead and takes this scope under rigorous tests to ensure it can perform as well in extreme weather conditions. 

This scope is lightweight so it will not feel bulky as you walk around in the woods looking for deer.

Key Features

  • Twilight light management system
  • Lightweight
  • Waterproof and fog proof
  • The main tube is 1″
  • 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum used in construction
  • Lenses are scratch-resistant

 

 

 

 

#4) UTG 3-9X32 1″ BugBuster Scope

UTG 3-9X32 1" BugBuster Scope

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for the best scope for deer hunting in woods and you are on a shoe-string budget, this UTG is what you need. It comes with the ideal magnification of 3-9X which you can set to the lowest power of 3x to get the best sight picture of a deer in the woods. What’s more, the 32mm objective diameter allows maximum light transmission through the scope for image brightness. You will not feel like you are looking through a keyhole while using this scope. 

Its main tube is coated with an Emerald coating for optimum light transmission. For ease of use, this scope comes with resettable turrets that are also lockable so you will not make adjustments accidentally. The mil-dot reticle helps in estimating the range for you for clear and accurate aiming and shooting. 

It is nitrogen purged and sealed for waterproof and fog-proof performance. 

While this may not be the most ideal scope for a professional hunter especially in the woods, you can use it before you are able to get a better scope. 

Key Features

  • Mil-dot reticle that estimates range
  • Resettable and lockable turrets
  • Comes with flip-open lens caps, detachable rings, and a 2″ sunshade
  • Fogproof and shockproof
  • An adjustable objective

 

 

 

 

#5) Vortex Optics Diamondback Second Focal Plane Riflescope

Vortex Optics Diamondback Second Focal Plane Riflescope

 

 

 

 

With Vortex understanding what a high-quality optic can do for your hunting success, they make sure to produce only the best. The diamondback line is one such testament. 

It comes with fully multi-coated lenses that deliver crisp clear images at any magnification power. A fast-focus eyepiece is fitted for easy and quick focusing of the reticle. Additionally, the precision turrets ensure you can easily reset to zero after sight-in while the precision glide erector system is responsible for correct repeatability and tracking. 

The single-piece main tube is o-ring sealed and argon purged in its interior to ensure the scope is both waterproof and fog proof. What’s more, the tube comes with a hard-anodized finish to not only provide a strong platform but to also ensure shockproof performance while hunting. The finish also helps in camouflaging your position. 

 

Key Features

  • Lenses are fully multicoated
  • Waterproof, shockproof, fog proof
  • A fast-focus eyepiece
  • Precision force spring and glide erector system
  • Aircraft-grade aluminum
  • Second focal plane reticle
  • Capped turrets
  • MAG-View fiber optic

 

 

 

 

#6) Zeiss Conquest V6 Reticle w/Hunting Turret

Zeiss Conquest V6 Reticle w/Hunting Turret

 

 

 

 

The Zeiss Conquest V6 is a sight to behold. As one of the best high-end hunting scopes, it is a scope that delivers on its promise- quality. It comes with highly reliable internal components for excellent performance all year round. The very powerful 1-6x magnification is ideal for hunting deer in the woods as you can set it at any power in between to get a clear sight picture. 

This scope’s lenses are coated with proprietary Lotutec coatings that deliver superior resolution with a bright and very clear image. You need a scope with high-quality glass to ethically take down a deer in the woods. Because the ideal magnification is always on the lower power, a scope with high-quality glass is always a plus while deer hunting in the woods. 

The V6 comes with a wide field of view so you are able to see a full and clear view of the deer. 

 

Key Features

  • Objective lens- 24mm
  • Reticle is illuminated
  • Second focal plane
  • Tactical MOA turrets
  • Fogproof and waterproof
  • 92% light transmission
  • Fully multi-coated lenses
  • Powerful 1-6X magnification
  • Exit pupil is large
  • Generous eye relief and an ultra-forgiving eye box

 

 

 

 

 

#7) Steiner T5Xi Tactical Rifle Scope – Close Compact Riflescope for Hunting

Steiner T5Xi Tactical Rifle Scope - Close Compact Riflescope for Hunting

 

 

 

 

The Steiner T5Xi is one of the best if not the best scope for deer hunting in woods. It is a premium scope with a premium price tag that ensures outstanding performance. 

You will love the all-metal magnification ring that is tapered to allow you to clearly see the magnification setting while in position behind the scope. What’s more, this scope comes with an ultra-generous eye box and eye relief that allow you to make magnification changes without repositioning your eye. It also comes with large and easy-to-grip knobs for windage, elevation, illumination, and parallax adjustments. the best part? a locking diopter that ensures you do not accidentally rotate the diopter. 

All these are housed in a one-piece 30mm tube that ensures the reliability and durability of the scope. 

Key features

  • Eye relief is consistent 
  • Tenebraex covers for protecting the lenses against moisture and dust
  • Locking diopter
  • Lens covers
  • Proprietary second rotation indicator
  • A tapered magnification ring
  • Fogproof and shockproof
  • Second Focal Plane reticle

 

 

Factors To Consider When Looking for The Best Scope for Deer Hunting In Woods

There are several factors you need to consider when looking for the best scope for deer hunting in woods. 

Magnification– When hunting deer in the woods, the ideal magnification is either 1-4x, 3-9x, or in the extreme 4-12x. For the best results, set the magnification to the lowest power or a number in between.  Anything more than that can be considered overkill. We have reviewed seven options with the ideal magnification to help you narrow down your option to one that suits your needs and budget. 

Glass– Sometimes while hunting in the woods, the light might not be that great. This is why the best scope for deer hunting in woods is one that comes with high-quality glass. High-quality glass makes views crisp clear regardless of the magnification setting. Ensure you get a scope that does not blur the images as this has a direct impact on your precision and accuracy.

Lense Coatings– A great scope for hunting in the woods is one that comes with fully multi-coated lenses. Something to note is, lenses can be coated, multi-coated, or fully multi-coated. Fully multi-coated lenses result in maximum light transmission which means bright, sharp, and high contrast images. This is ideal for hunting in low-light conditions. 

Price- We have reviewed some of the best scopes you can use for deer hunting in the woods. All these scopes come with different price tags. Ensure you get a scope that fits your budget and your specific needs. 

 

Best Scope for Deer Hunting In Woods Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best magnification range for deer hunting?

3-9x magnification has been found to be the best magnification range to take down deer. If you are taking down deer in the woods, a 1-4X magnification range is also ideal. 

Do you need an optical sight to hunt deer?

Yes. A good optical sight will greatly improve the accuracy and precision needed to ethically take down deer. 

Conclusion

Deer hunting has been around for very many years. The best scope for deer hunting in woods does not necessarily mean it is only good at hunting deer in the woods, it can be a great enough scope for hunting game like elks and coyotes. Ensure you get one that has many hunting applications. 

It is also important to note that getting the best scope for deer hunting is one step, the other step is getting enough practice in order to become a really great hunter. Practice! Practice!

Happy Hunting!

 

 

See Also: Top 5 Best Scope for Elk Hunting