Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Southeast guys--Illuminated scope or not?

I started mounting Bushnell Banner, Trophy and Elite scopes on my rifles about 6 years ago. All of a sudden, I could see well before and after legal hunting. Previously, I'd given up on all my older scopes and just figured I couldn't see for the first/last 10 minutes of legal hunting.

Prior to this, I'd played with illuminated reticles and other stuff, trying to get a shot. Here's the thing: if you illuminate the reticle, you're iris is going to close down a little and let in less light. I'm 62, and I've been having trouble seeing game since my mid-40's. I need my iris as open as possible to see the game.

In a more exaggerated example of this, I tried hog hunting with an early Aimpoint. I had the dot turned down as far as it would go, but the field was so dark, I couldn't see a darn thing after sundown. I've since removed it, and replaced it with a Bushnell Banner. The Aimpoint is now on a plinking gun that will never be shot except for fun during the day.

I've never used an illuminated reticle, so I can't really comment on that. However, I've always found that using a 40mm scope, I can see better than with the naked eye. Early season when the leaves are still on the trees, it gets dark earlier than shooting time in the woods. My problem is seeing the deer, not so much the reticle. Now that the leaves are gone, I can see fine during first/last light especially if the moon is bright.

War Eagle I hunt in much the same conditions. I found stepping up in glass has been a game changer. Zeiss and Meopta have been getting my funds the last few years. The #4 and the heavier crosshairs get me to legal hours with no problem.
GreggH

Thanks everyone, for your responses.

Gregg, I am looking at Euro glass, so clarity and image quality should be a given.

Sitting on a field yesterday evening, I noted that I could see my reticle well after my ability to count / judge antler tines had passed (through my scope or Swaro binos).

Pretty sure that sealed the deal on the pre-requisite for a lit dot. Unless the upcharge is minimal or i find a deal, I will likely be going non-illuminated.

War
What are the legal hours there? Here it is 1 hour before/after official sunset.
GreggH

30 minutes before official sunrise; after official sunset.

Yeah, over a field with a solid colored background reduces the need for illumination (for me). Even if the finer inner plex can't be seen, the outer bars can be used to subtend very well in a lot of cases.

I want illumination on a target type reticle due to the thin reticle and loosing it at last light.
On normal hunting rifles I run Meopta’s #4 reticle sand have no trouble making it to 30before or after.
Just my two cents

Do you use the top end powers when shooting at 125 yards max?

A German #1 is a bold reticle, I've lost my keys far more than I've ever lost it.

This is why in SC I have used Swarovski with HEAVY Duplex reticles for 40 years. We can hunt for an HOUR after sunset legally... I've shot hogs much later than that (legally). I can judge my target (deer/hog) with binocs and then punch it with the rifle... Just get a Heavy duplex... almost any scope/reticle combo will work in good light. It's when it gets DARK that you separate the ALPHA glass from the others... spend the money and get the best.

Get the VX5 with fire dot. After having several scopes with illuminated reticles, the fire dot is perfect. You can dim it down until it’s barely visible. Leupold really checked all the boxes with this scope.

I was up in a tall blind a couple of months back, and just as the light began to fade, out stepped a hog. From where he was, I knew it to be 300 yards. Dialed the CDS, clicked on the fire dot, and shot him. Till I got this scope, I didn’t have, and have never had, a scope that would have let me make that shot. Black hog, black crosshairs, could barely make out the hog in the dim light. That super tiny little red dot was what made the shot possible.

Yes, whenever possible. Always use less magnification on game that's close or moving.

Had a Trijicon w post and amber triangle.
Was kinda neat.
3-9x though
Think that reticle w fiberoptic, w a low of 1x would be pretty sweet in timber ( 1-5x ).
Think they offer a newer style 1 -4x but maybe only 30mm ?