Scope got knocked; Has it spoiled your hunt?

[257 STW]

Back in the late 90s we were packing in about 6 miles on an draw elk hunt. My horse took a tumble with my rifle in the scabbard. No obvious damage to the rifle other than some gouges in the stock. Got camp all set up and thought I better check zero on my Leupold VX3. Sure enough! I was about 3" high and 2" left at 100 yds. Re zeroed and all was good. ended up with a nice 6x6 a couple days later.

 

[257 STW]

I am not trying to hijack your post. There has been a lot of talk here about having to shoot targets and or carry extra scopes and complete hunting rigs to ensure that your scope is still zeroed. I have found that taking my boresighting laser with me and knowing where my laser points versus my crosshairs at 100 yards let's you very easily check your zero without shooting your rifle. It also only weighs a few ounces. Also a nice alternative if you get to your hunting camp late and have a next morning hunt planned.

We used to hunt with horses a lot years ago, and always kept a spare rife in the pickup. On one trip my buddies sons horse fell, and busted the stock clean off. After that I always started slinging my rifle instead of carrying in a scabbard. Horses can be tough on equipment but sure handy when packing elk out.

 

[Outcast2.0]

Personal experience- I was walking into the blind opening morning of gun season and I set my rifle against the side of the blind as I was crawling in, it slid down and landed right on the bell of the scope probably a foot and half fall? Definitely enough to be very concerned over. I instantly had the oh crap moment that I just botched it. I sat the rest of the day extremely concerned. The next morning I shot my rifle and it shot 1" high at 100 yards, which was exactly where I had zeroed it in. I accredit that to use to using good rings and a good scope- leupold vx3.

I think it largely depends obviously on how the scope landed- height, force, etc. in addition to the equipment you're using- scope/ rings. Any fall or bump could potentially change 0…. I guess being careful is the only way to eliminate that concern

 

[Triple BB]

Hit a rut and rolled my wheeler 10 years ago in Idaho. Got it back over, the butt stock was broken off my rifle. Didn't seem to be a scratch on my S&B. Found a gun shop in Boise that just happened to have a stock for a Rem 700. Went and shot it, no issues. Still have the same stock and shot several big game animals this fall with it...

 

[flyguy1]

My buddy had a horse wreck with an ancient VX 2 3-9 on an equally old 700 BDL. Shot 3 times at an elk, missed by feet. I had tagged out and he borrowed my rifle and got his elk. Leupold replaced it no big deal.

 

[zach_destroys]

If you hit the left side of your scope, just hold right. Same for the other side

 

[Joefrazell]

I took a big fall on a frozen rock back in October when I was out hunting Mullies and my rifle fell right on the turret and the bell area of the scope. I also hurt my hand a bit but it was the first hour of the hunt and wasn't going to head back to camp. I knew I should check my zero but i didn't. I kept on and spotted several groups of deer that morning and had a great time watching them all even though there wasn't any mature bucks to hunt. But on the way back out I had worked slowly up the long ridge that I had worked down earlier that morning. I came back almost to that same rock that I'd slipped on earlier and to my surprise there was a few deer down below me working there way up the ridge adjacent to me. I stopped and threw my binos on my tripod and watched them make there way up. Following up behind the more deer and then even more deer. A few smaller bucks and a nice 3x4 all worked up and over. I thought about taking a shot but I was curious to what else would appear out of the bottom of this drainage. About 5 min after the others had moved on a couple of nice 4 points wandered out of the shadows and started working there way up the ridge, the buck in the back was a nice mature 4 point. I had already swapped my rifle onto my tripod in case I got an opportunity. I'm I ranged him at 390 and dialed for 400 as he was slowly working further up the ridge. I checked my parallax, level and steadied on his vitals. I pressed the trigger and saw the impact right where I was aiming. The 195 eol out of my 7 mag anchored him right on the spot. I was thrilled that my scope had held out. I usually never gamble with a possible equipment issue like this but it worked out this particular time. Sorry about the life story haha

 

[GSPRunner]

I hunt backpack mountain game almost exclusively (US and Asia). It is impractical to carry an extra rifle on flyin hunts so I have utilized three options over the years.1. I carry an extra scope in quick detach rings 2. sometimes I will just carry an extra target and thumb tacks to check zero in the field if needed 3. if I am not carrying an extra scope then I try to make sure my rifle has functional open sights. I have only missed a game animal once due to a scope malfunction. In Spain I missed a 400 yd shot on a Rhonda ibex because the scope fogged. There was no history of any trauma to the scope and I had used the same rifle and scope the week before on a Russian Tur hunt and Gredos ibex hunt - both were one shot kills and one was extremely long (more than twice the distance of the shot I missed). Because of this experience I no longer use NF scopes. My go to now is almost exclusively Leupold - there is better glass but it is for 'naught if the scope is nonfunctional. For me Leupold can take a 'licking and keep on 'tickin based on 35 years of hunting at altitude.

Which NF scope were you using?

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

For me its like some others. Banged a scope pretty hard and the mental part of that screwed with me till i reverified at the range. Couldn't pull the trigger till I KNEW FOR SURE IT WAS OK. And after verification it was just fine.

 

[wardog5]

While I've never had a scope get knocked and verified to have lost zero, I've had that thought in the back of my mind a few times- especially when I don't have a chance to check zero in the field.

Has it happened to you? Did it affect your hunt, and to what extent?

I building a mountain rifle, in 7-08 AI. My plan is to shoot lighter Hammer Hunters really speedy quick. I want to get into backcountry hunting as well, abd this is the rifle ill do that with.

I am considering adding iron sights to the build, as cheap insurance- but my own (rather limited) experience supports that they are not really necessary. I thought I'd poll y'all, see what some more experienced backcountry hunters have to say. Anybody not had irons, and wished they ha

Leupold used to make a peep sight that fit in the rear scope mount so it could be used it that very situation all you would have is the front sight on the rifle and pack the peep in your day pack not sure if you can still get them my uncle has one for his 270 works very well

 

[Golfbum51]

Yep. Been there, done that. On a mule deer hunt in Utah in the early '80s. Hiked over two hours up to an area I was sure held a big muley. About 20 yards from my hide I slipped, tumbled a bit, and recovered. Got back up to my spot,and at first light I looked through the barrel. Clear. Scope? It was hazy, tube dented, and the crosshairs were at an odd angle. That big old muley walked out of the aspen thicket and strolled away as if he knew. I have since tried to find rifles with iron sights, but I must admit, at my age, if I were to take that same spill, they would likely find my my body at ice out

 

[Will Gray]

Dropped my rifle: fell over from being leaned on my car, hit the pavement scope first. Missed a deer with it. Took it to the range, zero had shifted TWO FEET to 2 O'clock. took the gun apart, re-torqued all screws: stock to action, rail, and rings. took it to the range, near perfect zero, scope is good. Don't know what slipped but all good now.

 

[Window]

While I've never had a scope get knocked and verified to have lost zero, I've had that thought in the back of my mind a few times- especially when I don't have a chance to check zero in the field.

Has it happened to you? Did it affect your hunt, and to what extent?

I building a mountain rifle, in 7-08 AI. My plan is to shoot lighter Hammer Hunters really speedy quick. I want to get into backcountry hunting as well, abd this is the rifle ill do that with.

I am considering adding iron sights to the build, as cheap insurance- but my own (rather limited) experience supports that they are not really necessary. I thought I'd poll y'all, see what some more experienced backcountry hunters have to say. Anybody not had irons, and wished they ha

Twice and both were backcountry hunts with two different VXIII 6.5X24 back to back years. One was from a fall and the other is still unknown. Bit the bullet and switch everything over to NF and Near mounts.

 

[cosmicmuffin]

Dropped the heavy Ruger 06,with old Burris scope 15ft out of a tree stand, I seen it bounce as it hit the frozen ground. I assumed losing zero would have been the least damage! Test shot revealed "right on". Still trust it like an Ugly wife!