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It's happened to me twice in thick woods and fading light and many times according to the outfitter with scopes. Open sights often work better for us idiots.

Steelhead, how much experience do you have hunting deer in the heavy brush of Maine?

Can't find them in the scope isn't a function of how thick the cover is. In fact if one has problems in the thick they probably would also if the Deer was standing in a football field. Too many xxxx's is another issue, but having a scope cranked up in the thick is a fools game.

Shooting prone at 500 with a friends rifle the other day-set on 18 if I remember right-caused me a little problem in that I'm not used to that many xxxx's with an unfamiliar sweet spot, but it quickly started to come around. The sweet spot and FOV on a low power woods scope is huge and the Deer should be there when you shoulder the rifle. Providing one messes around with the rifle more than infrequently and knows how to point with the leading hand. Seen more than a few on the range who don't.

Fading light is another issue, but open sights in fading light is a young mans game. At my age I'd take the scope. 3-4x preferable.

I don't doubt the outfitter is right.



Assisted on a Maine Moose hunt and have hunted Grouse there. It didn't scare me for thick compared to some places I hunt in Pa.

NO one shouldn't be 'finding' deer through a scope. If you know how to mount a rifle the deer is there when you bring the rifle up.

Zero, but I'm going out on a limb here and saying it's NO thicker than second growth in SE Alaska.

Maine stories are often very compelling and I love that a guy that can kill one deer ever 10 years is a God.

Just like a guy that gets laid once every 10 years is a Playboy.

I'm not even that good of a hunter. If I can find one at 15 steps in a MN cedar swamp, I figure a guy should be able to find one in Maine.

When your 14x scoped 30-30 can't do it, your open sits sure as hell ain't going to be able to.

saw a remington model 14 the other day.

Looked like it would kill deer and stuff.

Having a clue would work better.

I've hunted a good bit in VT and NH. I have used irons but a low power works better.

my grice special 7600 carbine in 35 has a $30 bushy sportview 4x32 on tally lows and that little sucker is perfect on that gun. comes up perfectly centered and on target. i had a trigger job done on it and it is a tack driver with 200 CL's. low light, short shots, bright light, long shots, no problem.

My next one will be a 35.

Just bought a used Rem 742 made in 1967. Appears to have been very well taken care of.

Took it out last week and put it through it's paces.

Iron sites... shoots very well.

Not sure what I'm going to do with it though.

I was in a shop last week that had a good line up of 760/7600s. What caught my eye were 760s in 35 Remington, 300 Savage and a 7600 in 257 Roberts. Each was listed at $750.

I have not seen that many pump rifles i n one place in a long time.

Ohhhh! That's a neat one!

When I get another it will be a 35.

Count me as a fan. I've still got one in .257 Roberts and had one in 30'06.
My only complaint is they are awkward to use from sitting with a sling.
Accurate and very reliable. E

Rem or Whelen. I can keep eyes out for either.

35 Rem. I like the 70s version with the high gloss stock

Here's one for you.....built by Smith's Custom Guns in Warren, PA for an apparently "savvy" Amish man .



.240 Weatherby w/ a Schmidt/Bender scope, fluted barrel and graphite pattern synthetic stock. Just test fired the other day and was groping between 0.5 and 0.75" for 3 shots at 100yds. Should be a deer killing machine!

PennDog