What's your favorite magnification range for a deer hunting scope?

I like a 3-9x, 4-12x, or 3.5-10x. 4.5-14x is okay too.

3.5-10

I like a good 1-4, 3-9, or 3-10 power for basic hunting. For basic box blind hunting, I hunt with my scope on about 3 or 4 power. If I need to make a longer range shot, I will generally have time to dial up. But if I need to make a fast shot at a coyote running through (or similar), it would be very difficult to get on target on 10x or 14x (or higher) magnification. If you hunt on max power, you will not have time to dial down your power, but most of the time you can dial up when needed.

That's good info, Chad. My personal favorite is a NF SHV 3-10 with the IHR reticle. I like the low power for scanning and close shots. I can dial up to 10x and feel good about much longer shots if I need to.

Yes, I used to hunt on max power, whatever I had. I even had a 20x Burris at one point, and hunted on 20x. Once I started shooting more, I realized less is more. I'm able to make very accurate shots on 3x or 4x power, and get on target MUCH sooner, due to the larger field of view.

I like a good 3 or 4 by 12, serves me well for whatever I need and whatever kind of hunting I'll be doing.

8-40X

First scope I ever bought was a 2X7 and still really like that power range for hunting. The 2 I use most often these days are 2.5X15, but I also use those rifles for longer range plinking and fun. The straight hunting rifles wear 2X7 or 3X9 and some short range rifles have 1X4 or 1X6 power scopes.

Like Chad got to they stay on the lower power unless I feel the need to turn them up and have made shots from 2X setting to almost 250 yards on coyote so for shooting at the ranges I typically shoot I don't feel I need more power for hunting and a large field of view sure helps when tracking a moving animal and finding them quick in the scpope

depends on the type of hunting..
I like to get out of a blind and like low power like a 1x at the bottom..
Hunting where I might want to make a 500 yard shot? 15x at the top and good glass with a "tactical" scope.

I usually bring several rifles and take which one fits the area, we are on an MLD with over 20 blinds and so the conditions vary. I have taken 2 rifles to a stand many times!

This year I will probably run a 6.5 Creedmoor with a 3-15 for stands with long shot capabilities, a 6.8 with a 1-8 and assuming it all comes together in time a custom 7mm08 with a 1.5-8

Leupold VX6 in 3-18.

I run either a 3-9 or 3.5-10 typically.

My personal favorite is 3.5 x 15. Covers all situations

1.75-6, 2-7, 2.5-8, 3-9, 3.5-10.

4-12x40 or 50

My first choice would be a 2-7 magnification. 3-9 seems more common, and that's what I actually use. I rarely move the magnification above 6, though. Most of the time I've got it set around 4.

Started with a fixed 6x. Bought a 3x9 and still use it most. Have a 4x16 and a 4x12 on my last two rifles and no regrets. I rarely use 16 or 12 power, but the 4 is just as good as 3 and I like to have the availability of the higher powers.

I like the 3-9 or 3-10 range and the smaller objectives. I've found I use 3-6x almost all of the time.

5-25x

The "best" magnification power depends on the hunting area. I have a fixed 3 power on one rifle, and another has a 6-24 power. And others have magnifications in between those. A "plains" rifle will call for much more magnification than one used for work in a forested area. It's extremely difficult to have a "single use" rifle/scope combination because it's always a trade-off. And from what I can gather, you guys in Texas have a variety of terrain to deal with. If I was forced to choose a single magnification, a 3-10 variable on a caliber like the 7mm-08 would probably be the choice.

^^Good point^^

I was joking with my 8-40X post.

I've owned 3-9, 3-12, 3-15, 4-12, 4-16, 5-20, 6-24. East Texas to Texas panhandle, SW Texas, and Colorado. Thick woods to not a tree 360 degrees, to the horizon I think the "do-it-all" magnification range is the 3-15X, 4-16X is a close second. I've shot very tiny at 7 yards to 1000 yards with a 3-15X.

All true...but Buzz has shined the light on the fact that we have scopes available these days with zoom factors of 5 and 6. A 5-25x would be useful, but I can't imagine ever using it with fill blast zoom. But a 3-18x...well, there's something versatile. If 3x is too much for a situation then iron sights is what you oughta be using. And having 18x at the top end is pretty much all you can ever really use for anything at all anyway. So there's another $.02 of mine.

Someone else's two cents may be that 4x is all they ever need, and if they say so then who's to argue?

1.5 to 4.5

3-12 or 3-15 for me.