I’d give my favorite shotgun to tell you about my ice fishing, but it just hasn’t happened as the unseasonal warm weather has kept me off the ice. The recent drownings at Lake Poinsett will make it even more difficult to get Betsy’s permission. If you must go, wear flotation and have ice picks handy. Take along a throw rope, and whatever you do, don’t go alone!

Semantics or the science of word meanings is an interesting subject. Think about the word “duck.” As a verb it means to bow or squat down, and it probably had its origin in a duck blind when one of the hunters saw a duck coming. He yelled “duck,” and everyone squatted down. For today’s discussion, the word “cheap” is not exactly a synonym for the word “inexpensive.” “Cheap” means not prized, not held in esteem, or poorly made. Today I’m going to talk about inexpensive rifle scopes. I don’t believe that any of them are cheap.

Back in the late sixties when I first started deer hunting, I was making about $5000 as a teacher and coach, and I did some officiating as well as painting and shingling during the summer to supplement my teacher income. For sure I couldn’t spend big bucks on a rifle scope. My deer rifle was a converted military Springfield with a $25 Tasco scope. That inexpensive rifle scope did the job for me then, and it does the job for me today.

My first “bigger than deer” big game was a 1987 Custer State Park elk. In 1993 caribou followed. I was still using that $25 Tasco scope that held its zero in spite of falling on the ground and a dunking in Rapid Creek. By the time my 1999 moose hunt came along and the girls were educated, I got to thinking that my $25 Tasco wasn’t good enough, and I spent $200 on a 3x9 power Leupold Vari-X II. Good decision? Maybe.

I don’t know that any product on the market has a broader price range than rifle scopes. Today all of them will do the job, but prices range from a Tasco 3-9X40mm with a lifetime warranty at $42 to a Swarovski 2.3-18X56mm at $3339. A Kahles 3.5-18X50mm runs $3249. Personally, I can’t imagine spending this much on a scope.

Rather than throw my own biased opinions at you, the NRA’s American Hunter website dated December 2020 did a feature called “The 5 Best Rifle Scopes Under $200.” Those rifle scopes are:

1. Bushnell Banner2 3-9X40mm at $89.99. It is made in China.

2. Swift Premier 3-9X40mm at $197.00. It is assembled in South Korea.

3. Nikon Prostaff P5 2.5-10X42 mm at $205.00. It is made in Japan.

4. Leupold VX-Freedom 2-7X-33 mm at $199.00. It is American made with a lifetime warranty.

5. Vortex Crossfire II 1-4X24 mm with an illuminated reticle at $199. It is American made.

What do I think about those $3000+ optics? You don’t need precision European glass in a riflescope as it is an aim and shoot proposition. If you are going to spend long hours on a mountain slope glassing for elk, sheep, or mule deer, eye fatigue becomes a factor, and big dollar glass becomes increasing important if you can afford it. That’s your call.

I’m not saying that I’m right, but I do practice what I preach. My .22 rimfire rifle has an inexpensive Tasco scope, and my center-fire rifles carry inexpensive scopes. My “go to” rifles for deer, elk, and antelope have American made Leupold scopes. None have ever disappointed me, but if I had to dollar for dollar go with one brand name, it would be Leupold as I lean toward American made.

Want to bird hunt beyond the seasons? This past fall one of my hunting buddies called and suggested that we head over to his son’s farm to shoot some “flying rats,” better known as pigeons. Many farmers see them as being undesirable, and I would guess that an invitation to shoot these flying rats isn’t too hard to obtain. The only instructions we received was to not leave the bodies lying around the yard.

The shooting was both enjoyable and extremely sporting. Those pigeons did not fly in a straight line like ducks or pheasants, and I burned better than a half box of shells to drop four pigeons. If you find this interesting, keep an eye out for pigeon flocks circling a farmyard and ask for permission to hunt them. These pigeons feed on grain the same way pheasants do, and I would guess that they are as palatable as doves. However, I don’t have to guess how Betsy would react if I placed a bag full of pigeon breasts or “squab” on the kitchen counter.

Last week I reported that the Mitchell Gun Show was cancelled. It has been rescheduled for March 13-14.

See you next week.