Kirk,
Actually, I don't prefer higher-X binoculars and lower-X scopes for big game hunting.
First, as already noted on this thread I own and hunt with a lot of binoculars under 10x, including one of your beloved 8x32 Swarovski EL�s, which I really like. Mostly I use them in country where half a mile would about as far as it�s possible to see, but have used them at longer ranges as well.
Second, I just went through my list of big game rifles, and while there are a bunch of smaller fixed-power scopes on them, most scopes of 4x or less are on rifles of .30 caliber or more, whether chambered for shorter-range cartridges such as my .30-40 Krag double rifle or my Savage 99 .358 Winchester, or on larger medium-bores such as the .358 Norma, 9.3x62 Mauser or .375 H&H that are primarily used on bigger animals.
There are three 4x scopes on rifles under .30, but they�re all on classic, walnut-stock hunting rifles that simply look better with 4x scopes. Here I must also add that I�ve never had any trouble killing big game at 400+ yards with 4x scopes, and have never felt the need to shoot at any big game animal at over 550 yards, though have shot numerous varmints out to 800+.
There are quite a few 6x scopes on my big game rifles, but I don�t consider 6x low magnification, though obviously it�s not exactly high-X either. But my big game rifles for longer-range shooting all have scopes capable of at least 9x, though a couple are fixed 10�s, as I�ve never seen any real reason for turning down a scope on a long-range rifle to even 6x. Have shot deer as close as 150 yards with a 10x scope, no problem, and have seen Eileen do the same at 50-150 yards with variable scopes cranked all the way up to 8-10x, and even 14x.
In fact, I tend to carry lower-power binoculars when hunting with rifles equipped with lower-power scopes, and higher-power binoculars when hunting with rifles equipped with higher-power scopes. Or at least that�s the overall trend, no doubt due to the country being hunted. Though on occasion I�ve done the opposite: Once took my 8+12x Leica to Quebec to hunt caribou, along with an iron-sighted rifle. Guess I�m not exactly predictable�.
