The only thing that will make up for lack of skill and experience is luck. Good scopes give you a clearer image of what you missed, which can help as time progresses.
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Can a high end scope help make up for lack of experience and skill when hunting pest animals?
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Nope, a high end scope does not replace experience, and only experience brings skill.
Shoot a lot, in a controlled and recorded manner to establish and refine your abilities and discover equipment limits.
Don't shoot at cans and the like, use paper targets at various distances to demonstrate your ability to yourself.
Shoot a lot, in a controlled and recorded manner to establish and refine your abilities and discover equipment limits.
Don't shoot at cans and the like, use paper targets at various distances to demonstrate your ability to yourself.
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Buy UTG bug buster they have 3-9 illuminated and 3-12 glass only. If you’re baiting then it’s going to be an easy hit every time. Go to hunting forum to see my most recent video
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pesting isnt about your hardware given it is adequate, most pcps are with a light lightening fast operating setup being an edge .. no, its about whether or not that critter is smarter than you haha ... dont underestimate the tactics required to be really successful .. imo you only need a big highend optic if your competeing or the action is slow and relaxed .. you arnt gonna be drawing a bead on that pwoblem wabbit behind the garage in the weeds with a 50X 1000$ optic in any way thats gonna be fast enough .. he sees you and your eye through the scope and is gone while your fiddling with your focus lol ...
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A scope that pulls the trigger at the precise moment…yeah, not ready yet. Acquiring the skills is the journey, if pests are an immediate problem, have someone else take care of it?
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I've only killed two animals with my airguns. Both required hold over/under, and I wasn't in a situation I could check charts etc. In one case I had time to range, the other I didn't. Lots of trigger time and figuring out my arc helped here.
I'm a bad shot, but the practice helped and knowing my gun/ammo combo helped in both cases. Most pests we are taking with airguns are *small*.
I'm a bad shot, but the practice helped and knowing my gun/ammo combo helped in both cases. Most pests we are taking with airguns are *small*.
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I tend to start cheap and go up in price when the results disappoint me. I am pretty sure I've purchased my last UTG scope, for instance. Hawke's Vantage line is pretty inexpensive and I like the one scope I have from them. But generally I stay around $200. I have scopes I like from West Hunter, Athlon (Talos), Primary Air (2), the Hawke I mentioned, and Vector. They are not the most clear scopes I have ever used and I don't think the tracking is perfect on any of them but they generally hold zero fine (UTG did not) and move when I tell them to move. I'm still a little unsure about the Vector and I had one incident with the West Hunter where it changed zero on me but I have not given up on any of them yet.
If you can spend more I am sure there are better scopes. But if you shop carefully, I think you can get a good enough scope around $200.
I test pellets for accuracy first then for penetration before I use them on game. I have a couple guns that like H&N Baracuda "Match" pellets but my other guns don't. One only likes pellets made by JSB. I know of no way to tell in advance what sort of pellet a gun will like. Experience of other owners is a good start but you still have to test your gun. Testing different pellets helps you understand your gun and scope. Your practice should include shooting from positions you will use in the field. Off hand is my least favorite. Standing with a post or tree or a bipod is considerably better. You need to understand how close you need to be to place the pellet where it will dispatch your quarry quickly.
Money won't make you a better hunter. It is possible to be a good hunter without spending a lot. Nicer things are nicer, however. But to get better you need to practice. Fortunately practice can be a lot of fun.
If you can spend more I am sure there are better scopes. But if you shop carefully, I think you can get a good enough scope around $200.
I test pellets for accuracy first then for penetration before I use them on game. I have a couple guns that like H&N Baracuda "Match" pellets but my other guns don't. One only likes pellets made by JSB. I know of no way to tell in advance what sort of pellet a gun will like. Experience of other owners is a good start but you still have to test your gun. Testing different pellets helps you understand your gun and scope. Your practice should include shooting from positions you will use in the field. Off hand is my least favorite. Standing with a post or tree or a bipod is considerably better. You need to understand how close you need to be to place the pellet where it will dispatch your quarry quickly.
Money won't make you a better hunter. It is possible to be a good hunter without spending a lot. Nicer things are nicer, however. But to get better you need to practice. Fortunately practice can be a lot of fun.
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The scope will not make up for technique. That being said, starting with a great scope will help you learn your technique faster and you won't be upgrading to a better scope later. Once you know you can shoot well, if your skills will outpace a cheap scope and going to a better scope will bring it back up to your honed skill level.
You can go cheap just for getting started, but you will eventually want to get a better scope down the line. I learned my lesson over the years to just get something good to start with. Pay once/cry once.
One other thought is if you don't know what you like for magnification and reticles, going cheap can afford you the oportunity to afford to try different scopes until you find what you like.
You can go cheap just for getting started, but you will eventually want to get a better scope down the line. I learned my lesson over the years to just get something good to start with. Pay once/cry once.
One other thought is if you don't know what you like for magnification and reticles, going cheap can afford you the oportunity to afford to try different scopes until you find what you like.
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Actually, I've known many people in my life that when they got their first decent+ scope, they were worse shooting targets. They suddenly saw the holes in the target as they shot and were subconsciously steering according to last hole. That always amused me. By the same token, if I don't feel like concentrating, I'll shoot over 100 yards at under 4x so I don't see the holes in the black and shoot 98% as good of groups as when I feel like paying attention/concentrating and dial up the zoom.
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If I could find a way to stop my heart, which has been tried, then restarted, also tried, ok kidding, sort of, it's be great but with practice you can make the movements smaller and time them, I've found that a light trigger pull helps, just under 16oz, I do about 12oz.
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You will see your misses more clearly lol
At actually CAN help make you a better shooter but it will not do anything in the moment to correct your flawed shot and/or technique. It is kind of like asking if having great pots and pans would make you a better chef. Of course not the skill has to be there first.
At actually CAN help make you a better shooter but it will not do anything in the moment to correct your flawed shot and/or technique. It is kind of like asking if having great pots and pans would make you a better chef. Of course not the skill has to be there first.
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I'm all about iron sights. If its a springer irons are the only way to go. If your shooting things that move irons are incredibly easy to get the target in front of your sights. That being said red dot scopes are almost just as good. RD scopes are also resilient robust and simple. Accuracy comes from many many shots practice practice practice.......
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