Scope or Peep?

[NorthMaine]

Hunting shows may have had some effect, but not too many people get into hunting without a family member showing them and getting them started. When bows became so easy to shoot with triggers, sights, and releases a lot of the gun hunters became the new bow hunters. Now there are even more gun hunters becoming "bow" hunters with the legalization of crossbows. Lets face it not too many people want to put in the work involved in shooting a trad bow and maybe shooting a buck every 5 years. But, when you can take a couple of shots before the season and then kill a buck at 40 yards well that's worth the effort. That's why bow hunting exploded.

Here in Maine, it seems the allure to bow hunting is the expanded zones which opens early and has relaxed bag limits. Finding areas to hunt is the difficult part.

 

[Flatlander]

Evolution. Humans are always striving to find a better way. The defination of "better" is debatable.

 

[Mountain Hunter]

I'm circling back on this. I recently had an extremely frustrating hunt in the rain. I have a brand new Leopold scope with caps on my Woodman and it loves to fog up. What are you guys doing to prevent this? I'm about ready to take it off and throw a peep on this gun since it will primarily be used for hunting on snow.

 

[longbow]

I'm circling back on this. I recently had an extremely frustrating hunt in the rain. I have a brand new Leopold scope with caps on my Woodman and it loves to fog up. What are you guys doing to prevent this? I'm about ready to take it off and throw a peep on this gun since it will primarily be used for hunting on snow.

I've been saying forever. Scope coat. No body listens.... I've been carrying my scoped gun for many years with one on. Take it off and it is always clear. I spray it with Cabelas waterproof spray before each season.
Another thought. Although much maligned by some, (JDK),not sure why, see thru scope mounts work great and there are a reason why they were/are very popular on deer guns. I have one on my 760 carbine and you would be surprised how you really don't have to raise your cheek at all to see thru the scope.
Disclaimer: (scope coats)
1) If it is raining or snowing hard don't take it off unless you are going to shoot. If you take it off and put it back on a wet scope it will fog up. So, that's one bad thing. In wet weather you can't be taking it on and off and scoping things out.
2)Always have paper towels/Kleenex in your top coat pocket or somewhere you can get at it fast to clean your scope off.

 

[longbow]

I'm circling back on this. I recently had an extremely frustrating hunt in the rain. I have a brand new Leopold scope with caps on my Woodman and it loves to fog up. What are you guys doing to prevent this? I'm about ready to take it off and throw a peep on this gun since it will primarily be used for hunting on snow.

If you have a lot of time to hunt, like the "pros", you can get away with a peep sight. Since shooting and missing is not as bad if you have multiple opportunities over a month. The overall advantages of a scope; I.D. of target, picking a hole thru brush, accurate shooting at running game, accurate shooting at long range, under all conditions far outway having a peep on your gun. Now for nostalgia or old school hunting, peeps are great!

Been watching a lot of youtube "pro" tracking videos and was amazed at all the missing with peep sights. Most of the problem is not being able to pick a clear hole thru the brush with the peeps. With a scope you can really thread the bullet thru there accurately. Also, people would do a heck of a lot better if they shot like they only had ONE shot. Just because a deer is running doesn't mean you have bang away at it. Let it take a few jumps, take a breath settle your sights and squeeze. If he don't get a shot off then you don't get a shot off. It's only a deer, respect the game. IMHO.
Rant over, flame away you peep sight lovers!!

 

[mainer4570]

My .308 has a Bushnell Elite 4200 3-9x40 scope that has a permanent factory treatment called RainGuard on the lenses. Had it for 20 years, works well at preventing rain, etc from hampering vision. Not sure it’s still a feature with the better Bushnell scopes or not.

 

[JDK]

I hunt a lot in rain, snow, sleet, and freezing rain. With scopes rifles. I don’t like scope covers for the very reason you just cited.

 

[longbow]

I hunt a lot in rain, snow, sleet, and freezing rain. With scopes rifles. I don’t like scope covers for the very reason you just cited.

Do you keep your scope uncovered and just wipe it down if needed?

 

[JDK]

Uncovered

I don’t know if covers hold moisture, hold heat if you have them next to you or what.

 

[Kingman Cruncher]

I’ve been using the Leupold caps. They are a damn fortune but work really well compared to the ones like the butter creek, etc. I still occasionally have to wipe my lens but I like that I can get them up and open as quick as I can click off a safety. I keep them full open when the weather is clear. As JDK said, they do have a tendency to fog up under some circumstance and I think it’s because of heat from your hand and thumb area. The front never has an issue but the eye piece does on occasion.

My buddy that I hunt with was tracking a buck the 3rd week when we were together north of Jackman. He was hustling along the track and caught up with the buck as it was walking at 20 yards. He pulled up on it, scope caps quickly up but scope was fogged.

My eyes are not as good as they used to so I mostly hunt with a scope. I know a few of these tracking experts say that they have never needed a scope, but I just feel it gives more advantages than disadvantages. The big disadvantage is real foul weather.

I still keep a peep sighted gun in my truck all season for these type of days. I absolutely love hunting in the pouring rain.

 

[cdc]

I won't go into all the details of advice that I have asked for from a lot of you folks ( thank you all ) in the last few years about by BLR and My 870 slug gun ..lets say I love hunting with both eyes opened ..so I have a Aimpoint 9000SC on my BLR ,and a Skinner Peep on my 870 slug gun.. this years deer I can absolutely say for sure would not have happened without the comfort of use with my Red dot

almost identical situations in the past with a scope and I fiddle Fu*&ed around trying to get on the deer with the scope ..no more for this guy ..oh and merino wool base layer, Merino wool socks Codet wool pants wool shirt ..big bill merino wool jacket ,and if it gets too cold a commando merino wool sweater goes over the wool shirt as an additional layer ,wool from head to toe ..it works !

 

[NH Hunter]

I won't go into all the details of advice that I have asked for from a lot of you folks ( thank you all ) in the last few years about by BLR and My 870 slug gun ..lets say I love hunting with both eyes opened ..so I have a Aimpoint 9000SC on my BLR ,and a Skinner Peep on my 870 slug gun.. this years deer I can absolutely say for sure would not have happened without the comfort of use with my Red dot

almost identical situations in the past with a scope and I fiddle Fu*&ed around trying to get on the deer with the scope ..no more for this guy ..oh and merino wool base layer, Merino wool socks Codet wool pants wool shirt ..big bill merino wool jacket ,and if it gets too cold a commando merino wool sweater goes over the wool shirt as an additional layer ,wool from head to toe ..it works !

I just made a thread about a peeped 870!! Can you posts some pictures and information about it?

 

[Kingman Cruncher]

I won't go into all the details of advice that I have asked for from a lot of you folks ( thank you all ) in the last few years about by BLR and My 870 slug gun ..lets say I love hunting with both eyes opened ..so I have a Aimpoint 9000SC on my BLR ,and a Skinner Peep on my 870 slug gun.. this years deer I can absolutely say for sure would not have happened without the comfort of use with my Red dot

almost identical situations in the past with a scope and I fiddle Fu*&ed around trying to get on the deer with the scope ..no more for this guy ..oh and merino wool base layer, Merino wool socks Codet wool pants wool shirt ..big bill merino wool jacket ,and if it gets too cold a commando merino wool sweater goes over the wool shirt as an additional layer ,wool from head to toe ..it works !

I gotta say that someone here recommended affordable merino wool from mountain warehouse and let me tell you Bub, game changer. What a great product for not much more than a good long john set.

 

[cdc]

I just made a thread about a peeped 870!! Can you posts some pictures and information about it?

as soon as I get it back from the gunsmith I will .. I had him drill and tap the receiver for it ,my buddie has the exact set up so I did a test run before I pulled the trigger on it ( no pun intended )

 

[cdc]

I gotta say that someone here recommended affordable merino wool from mountain warehouse and let me tell you Bub, game changer. What a great product for not much more than a good long john set.

Merino wool is a game changer !! ..my last line of defense when bitterly cold is a "legendary whitetail" over sided wool jacket Sherpa lined ,and quilted sleeves for easy on and off

 

[BDB]

I have always liked both a nice peep and the scope, even for short shots in thick cover. The low power scope gets the nod from me almost always now just due to my failing eyes as I get older (53) and open sights just not being as clear as they used to be. The 2-7 scopes I have on a lever, my ML and my shotgun solve the eye issues for me.

 

[grey ghost]

There's no way at 56 that I could use open sights , but I'm still able to get it done with a peep (peep is way ahead of open sights imo).
I've actually never hunted with a scoped rifle and maybe never will , so can't really compare the two but I know a peep sight works for me.

 

[Mainewoods]

I gotta say that someone here recommended affordable merino wool from mountain warehouse and let me tell you Bub, game changer. What a great product for not much more than a good long john set.

Merino lightweight base is great. I use a synthetic layer over that to wick moisture from my base away from my body. I learned never to do two layers of merino, as it tends to keep you too warm and also holds the moisture instead of letting it evaporate properly.

 

[longbow]

We don’t need no stinking scope caps or covers.

 

[NorthMaine]

I gotta say that someone here recommended affordable merino wool from mountain warehouse and let me tell you Bub, game changer. What a great product for not much more than a good long john set.

Have a link to what you have?