The first deer for me was running by full speed from other hunters. I shot it with a scoped Deerfield carbine. The old tube fed ones scoped up nicely. Obviously big magnification wasn't an issue for that rifle. I could see the deer clearly in the scope. I was inexperienced, but possessed the reflexes and luck of youth.
The whole time I hunted elk with a center-fire. My variable was carried on 3X.. I never increased it for a shot, but all my shots were less than 75 yards.
My Dad got a big cow one year so close. He said he poked the barrel through some branches and shot looking over the barrel of his scoped rifle. Got her in the neck. Not sure if irons would have helped there.
