My thoughts exactly.

We have a dug out gravel pit type area that we use for a range. Its not a range where you go and blow through as many rounds as you feel like though. Its just there in case you need to check zero in case you miss a deer or bump your scope or something like that.

I am confused...shooting them from a vehicle will make them spooky as heck to vehicles, but shooting from a blind doesn't bother them...

They just avoid blinds then

Warne scope mounts/rings with Leupold scopes coupled with quality hard case and never an issue even with airline travel. Proven on many guided hunts where they make you shoot your rifle so not worried about a little pickup travel.

As for the other guys, that's up to them.

Shooting from a vehicle will not bother them if you sit and wait for all the deer to leave. Most folks have to drive up and look at what they killed. Deer only know something is bad if you keep doing the same thing over and over around them. They do not know a blind or vehicle is danger till you show them it is. A blind is habitat till you walk out of it and spook the deer. Deer then associate you with the blind.

A truck pulls up...loud bang...one deer falls...three others run off

Pretty sure they will learn the truck is dangerous.

Deer at the feeder...loud bang...one deer falls...three other run from the noise...how do they know if you got out? They are running like their tail is on fire

The difference to me is the blind is there all the time, not just when the shooting happens.

Where I hunt the deer just stand and look around after you shoot. All except the one that falls over dead at least.

Most of the time they run like their tail is on fire for 10 yards then stop turn around and look, if you dont come flying out of the blind 5 minutes later they will usualy come back and eat.

I always try to sit tight and let the remaining deer leave on their own if it is cool enough, and it seems to keep them very calm around the blinds for us, even after you have shot one.

Not so if you pull up shoot a deer and others have never heard or seen it before they go back to eating. You sit till they all leave on their own they do not associate you with anything out of the normal. Deer sometimes can not tell were a shot comes from. I know guys who kill deer from highracks and topdrives that corn and area and sit. They shoot a deer and wait for all the deer to leave on their own. Then drive up and get the deer. They have done it for years. Is it the truck that is dangerous or the hunter or the shot fired? They do not know it is dangerous till it repeats itself over again. Some King Ranch deer are shot by archers stalking on foot? Why? They do not see humans as predators...yet.

That is not the answer

It was to Navs question

All I have ever shot on my deer rifles are leupold scopes... and as much as I would love to blame my equipment every time I have missed or made a less than desirable shot, it has 100% of the time come back to operator error.

I am very careful with a gun once I have it sighted in and going hunting. No carying it by the scope, gently lean in corner, if you drop it/atempt to stick the barel through the roof of the blind/slam it in truck door etc then shoot it again to check. I have don all of the above and never had it be off, but still makes me nervous.

matt

If you have to baby it to keep it shooting correctly that would tell me something about the scope manufacterer's quality.

Me too Matt that's why I take two rifles to my place.

How many times a year you have to verify your zero? Honestly I know I'm out in the country and for city folk they get that itch it seems and have to let some lead fly I guess. Heck I may verify a zero once a year on some of my rifles. I typically have the same one all the time and its in a good rifle case and I take care of it. It still may bounce a little in the truck and riding on the ranch. But I haven't had a rifle lose its zero either. I guess I take care of my stuff and I'm always shooting some kind of varmint or something every month so I know its on. Hey if you have to let the lead fly and get stress out I'm all for that and understand 100%. I always think its funny that I'm out here all the time and occasionally you here a bang of a rifle and think nothing of it. But whenever its a series of shots I can just about dang guarantee you its a city hunter out for the weekend blasting a few rounds off. Everyone needs to get out and blast a few and its good stress relief to do it.

Yuuuup!

The last optics I received back from factory after getting fixed had been babied like
crazy... and it weren't leupold

Did you read it all?

I dont drag it to the blind on a rope, but I have full confidence in it.

"but still makes me nervous"
I read it all but if it still makes you nervous then it is a problem everytime you shoot. I have abused my scopes in every way you have listed and more and never worry about them. I own a Leupy also along with several other brands.

Not in my opinion. I used to be a Leupold fan. After having 3 give up the ability to hold zero I will pass on their products.
The mountians of Montana are not the place to learn you scope did not survive the drive up in a hardside case. The Nikon on the spare rifle in the same case was spot on. Sure Leupold replaced it when sent to them but that does litte good in the field. Best warrantee is one you never have to test

On that trip mentioned it was in the 60s in Texas when we packed and left, it was -15 the first night in Montana. Checking guns the next day there were 2 Leupolds that had crapped out.

I haven't had that issue and everything on rifles that head to the mountains are leupolds....the Swarovski spotter had some issues after the last trip though.

It would make me nervouse with any scope, im gonna put a zeiss on my next rifle, and it will make me nervouse then too.