5 Best Rifle Scopes for ELK Hunting

Looking for the best rifle scopes for ELK hunting? Read on as we go through the best.

Big game hunting is one of the most exciting and dynamic outdoor activities one can venture in. It’s an activity that will require your full dedication and a level of seriousness.

Elk hunting using the best rifle scope for elk hunting is one unharnessed, but fun way to spend outdoor time with loved ones while on a holiday trip or during leisure time.

Elk hunting is challenging and incomparable to other animals. They tend to present some very particular environmental and skill level challenges that might not be encountered in all hunting situations.

They are highly intelligent and have a great sense of everything including smell, feeling, hearing as well as communication.

Best Rifle Scopes for ELK Hunting-Our Top Picks

Factors to Consider when Choosing Best Rifle Scopes for Elk Hunting

 Finding the Best rifle scopes for ELK hunting has a lot to do with personal preference and how it works for you and the conditions in which you tend to hunt. Here are some of the features to look out for when making your selection.

Adequate eye relief

The last thing that should happen to any hunter is to get hit in the eyebrow with a scope when shooting. That is why it is important to look for a rifle scope that has adequate eye relief.

Adequate eye relief is particularly essential if you are shooting a high-caliber rifle because the recoil on such guns tends to be a lot harder. A good rule of thumb is to have a scope that has an eye relief that measures a minimum of three inches.

Clarity

Factors that affect your clarity and sight picture include the lens coating, lens quality, and the objective lens. The objective lens of your scope affects the amount of light transmitted through the image which creates a clearer and brighter picture, mostly during the morning or evening.

A large objective lens will gather more light up to a certain point. The 40mm 0r 42mm is the best option when it comes to lightweight and lower-profile optics.

Lens coating prevents flare and helps in light transmission. It helps make the images through the scope seem significantly more apparent. There are four different types of lens coating that include:

• Coated lenses. They are lenses with a single chemical coating on the optical lens.
• Multi-coated lenses. They have a number of chemical coating layers applied to the objective lens.
• Fully coated lenses. A single chemical coat is applied to all optical surfaces.
• Fully multi-coated lenses. Multiple layers of chemical coatings are applied to all outside optical surfaces.

A fully multi-coated lens is the best route to take for reduced flare and maximum clarity. Low-quality scopes use low-quality lenses and this creates distortion and can decrease precision. The fully multi-coated lens is however expensive compared to the other lens coatings.

Know your prey

This is one of the most essential aspects of selecting an optic, what exactly do you intend to hunt. Combining this aspect with the environmental factor and you will be more informed. Elk and deer are similar, however, an elk is much more likely to attack and charge. This will necessitate a greater need for a close-range optic. Nevertheless, if you are hunting in mountainous terrain or across long plains, then a charge isn’t as big of a danger.

Animal species that may stalk hunters back such as a dear, especially when young cubs are near necessitating a closer range optic more than the long-range optic. This can be a life or death decision for large game hunting.

Magnification

The right magnification for an elk hunting rifle scope is more objective than the other characteristics. There are advantages and downsides to various levels of magnification. Below is a closer look into the different magnification levels.

2-7X magnification. In general, the majority of hunters should be taking shots at under 300 yards. To access targets at such a distance, a 2-7X magnification is adequate enough. Parallax, especially factory set parallax, is not an issue in this magnification range. This lower magnification gives you a much wider field of view.

7-9X magnification. Shooting above 300 yards will require a greater magnification power for more accurate shot placement. At such a range, the field of view is greatly reduced, and acquiring a rapid sight picture becomes much trickier. Most elk hunters prefer this range as they are able to scout, but hardly use it for actual target acquisition.

9-12magnification. The main challenge that arises with this range of magnification is related to parallax. At this magnification, your 100 to 150-yard factory settings are not going to work well, therefore you will require manual parallax or focus adjustment. These scopes, outside of scouting, take a great deal of expertise to utilize properly if you are shooting at 350 yards or above. Outside of scouting, a great number of elk hunters have no business using this level of magnification for targeting an animal.

Durability

Durability is crucial in the best rifle scopes for elk hunting because of the various environmental factors they are often involved. The following are elements involved in durability to keep in mind.

Waterproof. Wet weather is often associated with elk hunting, therefore, you should select a rifle scope that is waterproof.

Fog proof. Cold temperatures and a warm body tend to produce fog, therefore having a fog-proof scope is important.

Shockproof. Elk hunting mostly takes place in some areas with pretty rugged terrain where falling or bumping your rifle on rocks and trees is likely to occur. Your elk rifle scope should be durable to withstand such shock.

Recoil proof. As high recoil is typical with a higher caliber rifle, your scope should be able to hold up well under recoil without losing accuracy.

Parallax free

Parallax creates an optical illusion inside your scope which significantly reduces accuracy. A parallax-free elk hunting scope is mandatory. Remember that factory set parallax at 100-150m yards is adequate in scopes with a magnification level under 9X. In addition, it is necessary to be able to adjust parallax in higher magnification levels, especially when higher magnifications are frequently being used to take shots at 350 yards and above.

Lens and Clarity

Clarity refers to how well you can see your target and how well it is defined. The clarity in rifle scopes is a combination of three factors which include:

Lens coating helps prevent flare and keeps images clear.

Lens quality has to do with the quality of the material used as well as the precision with which it is ground. High-quality lenses add a great deal to clarity but are expensive.

Objective lens size affects the amount of light transmitted through the image which creates a clearer and brighter picture, especially during the mornings and evenings.

Main tubes and warranty

You need the right size of the tube for your rifle to become a good elk hunter. Moreover, the tube has to be made of good quality material. Most of the time, the hunting environments are extreme terrains that require equipment made of tough and durable material that will be able to withstand the hard conditions.

Also critical is the issue of the warranty. Even good manufacturers should be confident enough to give a warranty for their product. A one-year warranty is sufficient for the scope. The vest rifle scopes for ELK hunting have warranties.

The best size of a scope tube that will work out well with any rifle is one that doesn’t exceed 50mm. with a scope length of 50mm, you get the right distance between the lenses that provides ideal magnification for hunting. A longer scope may require a bigger rifle or the scope would be attached further from the viewer’s eyes.

FAQs

• What size of the objective lens should my scope have?

The size of your objective lens determines the width of the field of view that your scope can see. A smaller objective lens is ideal for elk hunting.

• What is parallax?

Parallax is when your reticle seems to move slightly when looking through your scope at long-range targets. This occurs when the eye you are looking through the scope is not perfectly lined up with the reticle. Parallax normally happens when you are shooting targets that are above 100yards away.

• Is there a need for the lenses to be coated?

Yes. Coated lenses are considered better because they improve the transmission of light which will enable you to shoot better.

• What magnification do I need to hunt an elk?

The best magnification to hunt an elk depends on the distance the target is from you. In general, the best magnification is the lowest one that provides you with a clear image of your target. The rule of the thumb is to have at least 1X magnification per 100 yards.

• What should I look for in an elk hunting scope?

Finding the elk right hunting scope has a lot to do with personal preference and how it works for you and the hunting conditions in which you intend to hunt.

Advantages

The introduction of scopes to elk hunting has proven to be one of the best things to have happened to elk hunters. There has been an upgrade on scopes over time and these scopes have been advantageous in the following ways.

1. Easy to set and adjust.

Mounting and setting various elk hunting rifle scopes is really easy and doesn’t consume a lot of time at all. This also applies to all mounting on various rifles. A scope that is easy to adjust makes it extremely easy to hit a target.

2. Proper shot placement.

With the best elk hunting rifle scope you are assured of better shot placement. This increases the chances of making a humane kill. Most elk hunters respect and appreciate other animals and do not desire to cause them unnecessary pain and suffering

3. Compatible

Most elk rifle scopes are compatible with different rifles. The hunter, therefore, doesn’t have to worry about what rifle to use and which one not to use because of this characteristic.

4. Long-range shooting

With the help of the scope, the hunter is able to focus on an elk at long range. Staying as far as possible from the elk will be an added advantage with the use of a scope. This is because staying as far as you can means there is a little tendency that the hunter will alert the elk. The scope will be able to cover that distance because of its great focusing and magnification.

5. Safety

Safety is related to proper shot placement, in that the likelihood of wounding an animal is greatly minimized. The reason this is important is that a wounded animal is a dangerous animal. In addition to this form of safety, you are able to see what lies beyond the target which might end up being injured in case you miss the target.

6. Useful even in adverse weather conditions

Most elk hunting scopes are able to withstand adverse weather conditions which include the presence of water and the likelihood of rain. The scopes are able to adjust and fit into any of these conditions and still provide optimal use and satisfaction to the hunter.

Disadvantages

1. Weight

Most elk hunting rifle scopes tend to have an extra weight which might be stressful to the hunter. Heavy scopes have a higher risk of breaking due to their weight, so it’s advisable to handle them carefully.

2. Complex crosshairs

Some rifle scopes for elk hunting have complex crosshairs that can be difficult to understand mostly for elk hunting beginners.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing the best rifle scopes for elk hunting, there are different decisions to be made. Different rifle scopes for elk hunting offer different elk hunting experiences as they are unique in various ways.

With the various factors we have outlined for you we hope that you will be able to find yourself a suitable rifle scope for elk hunting and enjoy your hunting experience.

Read Also: 7 Best Scopes for Night Hunting