Traveling With Your Hunting Optics
Hunting big game animals for many of us requires traveling to the area we are going to hunt in a car or a truck packed to the hilt with our hunting equipment. While packing our clothes and our camping gear will not adversely affect their uses, we need to take particular care of how we pack our hunting optics so that they will work properly once we are at our hunting destination.
Ideally when we arrive at the hunting site we would have a place where we could take a couple of shots to check that our rifle scope has not vibrated out of adjustment during the trip, but this is not always the case. One of the best ways to insure that your rifle scope stays put is by using a hard case and placing it in a spot that will not allow it to slide around while driving. Should you not have a hard case though, all is not lost. Any gun case will offer some protection for the gun as well as the scope as long as you pack it tightly so that it is not banging around the back of your truck. Should you not have a place to shoot once you arrive, a magnetic bore sight will help to give a little piece of mind that your rifle scope is still spot on for your hunting adventure.
One other item in your hunting optics arsenal may be a rangefinder. It is important to keep in mind that a rangefinder works with battery power. Usually a 9 volt battery or a couple of AA batteries. The reason I point this out is because I live in Montana and it can get pretty cold up here. Last year I packed for a 4 day elk hunting trip about 300 miles from home without thinking about the temperature. After putting my water and other gear (including my rangefinder) in the back of my pickup and driving in 10 degree weather for about 4 hours, I arrived with plenty of ice and real dead batteries in my rangefinder. Naturally I did not notice the latter until I was ready to use it the next day. So make a note, keep your rangefinder warm and carry an extra battery just in case.
There are many variables that come into play when you are out big game hunting. Do not let packing sloppiness ruin your hunt or your hunting optics. Take care of your equipment and it will take care of you when the moment of truth happens for years to come.