The best advice i was ever given about driving off road was to keep it in 2 wheel drive till you get stuck, then try and get out in 4 wheel drive and you will likely be ok. If you start off in 4 wheel and get stuck you are screwed.
One must be careful to drive only in 2WD, as many times a 4x4 vehicle will get stuck and not be able to move the required distance it takes to allow the transfer case to engage four wheel drive thereby leaving you stuck in 2WD.
The best advice for driving in the back country is to travel with at least one other 4x4 vehicle. If that's not possible then having a winch and the recovery gear to use it correctly is next best. This is coming from a 10 year Jeep Jamboree Trail Guide with 30 years of avid four wheeling experience.
Wow, this thread has been more entertaining then I thought it would be. Although it's a little sad we can't get along a little better and learn from each other versus putting down one another for nothing more then a difference of opinion.
Old, less flexible eyes are one reason why more magnification may be needed for some shooters/hunters. Then again better quality glass can be another reason why higher magnification scopes may not seem necessary for some, while others operating lower quality glass may believe it's necessary since premium optics are better (especially in low light conditions) and require less power for similar results.
Ultimately we must try to understand that what is ideal for one person may not be for another. And that respecting each others experiences is important if we are to gain a greater understanding from the accumulation of all the combined knowledge.
It won't make the thread as interesting, but will offer up better information on the subject...
Oh yeah, my .02; buy the best glass you can afford with a good variable magnification (1-4x, 3-9x, 4-12x...) for the range to be expected, but with the knowledge that it's difficult to use much more then 12x + power from a shouldered (free hand) position.
Cheers D