Re: Iron sights or scope for bear hunting...?
Read the whole thread and lots of good advice. I read a lot on the internet and after trial and error I came up with a system that works for me.
Shooting with both eyes open.
When I first came across this concept I was thinking how can this work? I’m always willing to try something new so I started doing it and after awhile it started to come easy. Now I do it all the time. You are able to see the area outside the field of view of the scope and for the type of hunting that I do now on the west coast it works well. When your in the bush you can shoulder your rifle and keep an eye on the animal and if you have to wait a bit for a good shot your eyes don’t go blurry. Works well with iron sights for me also, if my gun is set up right. Which brings me to my next point.
Cheek weld.
For years I always wondered why I could shoot some guns more accurately than others. Didn’t realize at the time that the fit of the gun, height of scope rings, eye relief, quality of scopes all played a factor one way or another. If your like me budget plays a role so I adapted.
First I set the eye relief. Set your scope at middle magnification works best.
I use a Vortex Strike Eagle 1x6x24. It’s not really a true 1 power but is close enough that I make it work. If I ever get a chance to look through one that is I’ll probably buy it if I can afford it.
What I do is close my eyes and shoulder the rifle. Then I open my eyes. If I’m not looking straight down the scope and getting a black shadow one way or the other (I found with scopes I am usually looking under them so I usually buy scope rings that will just clear the bolt handle to start) I will either have to change the scope rings or raise my head to see clearly. If I have to raise my head, I have some light felt that I found in craft store. It’s thin and I find I can add layers to get my head up to the correct height with a good cheek weld. I make a pad and depending on the stock build it to fit.
I just use electrician tape until I have it right then I will wrap it with leg wrap that horsey people use to protect the lower legs of their horses. It is stretchy stuff that sticks to itself, comes in different colors and widths and doesn’t soak up water. Comes off easily if you want to remove it.
When all this set up and you practice lots you will be pleasantly surprised at how fast you can get on target.
Does it look pretty? Nope, but I was never one to be out to win a fashion contest so it doesn’t matter to me. Putting meat on the table is my objective.
What all this does for me is to have the ability when hunting in the coastal jungle is to be able to bring my rifle up, see what’s going on and get a shot off quickly because sometimes you only have seconds to get a shot off on an animal before it takes a couple of steps and disappears into the thickets.
Just throwing some ideas out there to you on what works for me.
Good luck on your hunts.
They are out there,they look like us,they talk like us, but they ain’t us.