Scope for Hunting and Target?

Maybe off topic, but where do you hunt grouse where you need to take a shot at one from 50 meters? If I just walk calmly down a path, I generally end up with a few of them following me, and sometimes feel like if I had a hockey stick in your hands it would be all that was needed to take them with.

I'm sure I would take a shot from 50 if I had to, but the need has yet to come up.

^? Not sure where you ever see that happening in/near S. Ontario. (looking at your avatar) I will agree that a 50 meter grouse shot is something I've rarely had an opportunity to take. Even then, I'm glad I'm holding a 20ga. shotgun and not a rimfire. Scoping a .22 for a wide variety of uses is actually a little more tricky than it sounds, because (in my opinion) not everybody is a good judge of distance when it comes to shooting in the field. I suspect most grouse are shot @ about 20 yards or less, and having a scope with parallax settings of 50 (thinking Leupold Rimfire) or any cheap 3-9x (usually 100 yard) might not serve you well. As stated, I use a shotgun for hunting grouse but have a 22 set-up for the job. It wears an old Bushnell Banner 1.75x-4x. I'm sure it even has a parallax setting of 50-100 yards but on low magnification there is no parallax weirdness with it's 20 yard zero. I've even flirted with the idea of a red dot for the gun, but my eyes appreciate even a little help. :)

Any scope with AO should be OK, but my own experience with Hawke isn't a good one. Lots of people like them though.
 
Agreed, a do all scope is not a simple thing to choose.
Just wish Mueller scopes would be more available up here.
I'd buy an APT a the drop of a hat!
 
^? Not sure where you ever see that happening in/near S. Ontario. (looking at your avatar) .

From about as south as Wahwashkesh, up to about the mouth of the French river, and all between that and Georgian/Nippissing going east/west accounts for about 90% of my grousing. I would consider anything under Sudbury to be S. Ontario.

Grouse getting so close and curious is what initially got me interested in trying them out in the first place.

Now, of course grouse are skittish and quick when they want to be, so I certainly don't actually think I could bonk them with a stick, but my point is that they get that close. Regularly.
 
From about as south as Wahwashkesh, up to about the mouth of the French river, and all between that and Georgian/Nippissing going east/west accounts for about 90% of my grousing. I would consider anything under Sudbury to be S. Ontario.

Grouse getting so close and curious is what initially got me interested in trying them out in the first place.

Now, of course grouse are skittish and quick when they want to be, so I certainly don't actually think I could bonk them with a stick, but my point is that they get that close. Regularly.

Sounds awesome. I am an envious man reading that. :) I'm in the Newmarket area, so to me (and bird hunting) I normally consider "north" to be anything over about 3 hours away. Might need to recalibrate.
 
Well, at least you think North is north of the city. I'm pretty sure some folk in TO think you you live 'up North' in Newmarket.

I look at a map of Ontario. I see a massive piece of geography with a tiny speck on it called Toronto. A city I'm from and love, but I've driven for almost 24 hours in a straight shot North and not left Ontario, so 'South" has to start somewhere more reasonable...

Anyway, the area I described is huge - but a guy has to have his secret spots... there is lots in there for you to enjoy. Add another hour or so to that drive of yours and enjoy the Parry Sound area. Grouse galore, and the fishing is great too.

And, for what it's worth, I have a friend that has a fixed 4x Red Dot on his synthetic .22 that he swears by. My eyes are still young enough where good irons do the trick and I've never been a fan of fixing things that aint broke, but I'm not so ignorant as to assume it will always be that way.
 
I was researching reviews and the 4-16 tends ro wash out at higher magnification. I may just end up going with the 3-12.
Does anyone think the 1/2 mildot reticle is too cluttered?
 
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