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Well, my other question was answered in an above post about the Nikon BDC vs. the Burris Ballistic Plex, but my other question is: Would there be any reason to need a 14x scope for strictly coyote hunting vs. a 9x?? I know I know, it would be much nicer because you can zoom in farther etc...BUT do you need it for any particular reason? I'll be shooting a .22-250
You don't mention what kind of coyote hunting you're going to be doing? Are you going to be calling, shooting over baits, hunting with hounds? If you're hunting over a bait (dead cattle, hogs, deer, etc.), you could have shots going out past 400 yards simply due to a lack of cover. A 9x scope makes a 500 yard coyote look like he's a little over 50 yards away. A 14x scope makes him look like he's a little over 30 yards. Can you hold precisely enough with iron sights on a 50 yard coyote? If not and if this is the kind of shooting you're likely to be doing on at least a somewhat regular basis, then get the 14x. You'll have a longer, heavier scope but what the heck, you'll feel more confident when you take the shot.
For calling though, most shots are under 300 yards, well under 300 yards. You're more likely to need to deal with coyotes popping up (seemingly) out of nowhere and it's situations like these where a wider field of view is so valuable. Some people even use low end variables (1.5x-4.5x) with good results out to 300 yards. There's alot to be said for low end variables (lighter, fast sight acquisition, easier to make running shots). Still, there's one area where the low end models are NOT at their best and that's in low light. In the Gun Digest Book of Sporting Optics, Wayne Van Zwoll writes that the very best power for low light situations from a regular sized tube and regular sized objective lense is 6x-7x depending on the particular scope. The Europeans use 8x scopes in their enormous tubed/objective models but for OUR typical AMERICAN scopes, if you're hunting low light, you will DEFINITELY want to have 6x-7x. Therefore, seems to me that when you consider field of view AND magnification, it's mighty hard to beat either a 2x-7x or a 3x-9x. If I was doing more hunting in and around brush, I'd go with the former. If the hunting was more open ground, I'd go with the latter. This is for a simon-pure CALLING rifle mind you. If you're well set up, you shouldn't be getting too many critters hanging up much past 300 yards. If so, I'd be wondering about my set-ups. Good camo, scent control, decoys and sounds can do alot to bring coyotes in under 300 yards.
Having a 4.5x-14x for occasional dead bait shooting OR for cross-over hunting (ground squirrels, woodchucks, etc.) is one thing and a good choice (when all those factors are considered) but for JUST calling, a lighter, smaller 2x-7x or 3x-9x makes more sense. --- Mike
