The Top 5 Rifle Scopes for Hunting Fall Black Bear in 2022
Autumn is really like Christmas morning for us hunters, isn’t it?
Where I reside, deer, turkey, and black bear all come in successive seasons between mid November and mid December.
In some parts of the country you can hunt black bears from August until Christmas, then take a short break before having a spring chase too.
Black bear meat, if you’ve never had it, is really good. Black bears eat a lot of fish, nuts, berries, grubs and other insects, and of course honey where they can find it. This leads to a beefy and pork-like meat which is great for smoking, among several other edible uses.
Of course, to try out this delicacy you need to get yourself some black bear meat. Unless you live in a lovely mountain town, there’s a better than average chance your local butcher isn’t going to have black bear meat readily available.
Presumably, you are reading this article because you are interested in grabbing your rifle and responsibly taking a black bear to stock your freezer with anyway.
I’m here to make sure that if you are fortunate enough to be able to take a shot this black bear season, you won’t miss it.
What is the Best Caliber for Black Bear Hunting?
Some states require a minimum of .270 in order to ensure a humane harvest. If you are hunting over long terrain with views and shots that can extend hundreds of yards, I recommend that .270 over what I carry in the eastern woodlands which is a .30-06.
In the east, I rarely hunt for black bears in a spot that will require more than a 100 yard shot. In such an environment, heavier calibers like a .30-06 or 30-30 will be great all around for bear and hooved game alike.
So keep in mind that your personal environment and needs are what need to rule your decision-making, not desires.
As much as I would love to drop extra money on a high-powered long range scope, designed to let you stretch out beyond 500 yards with relative ease, what use do I have for that?
I may only get to use it a week or two of the year, if I’m lucky. It has no useful application in my home environment, the environment I do the bulk of my hunting.
Sticking to the more practical scope that is designed for shorter ranges will allow me to get a better quality scope because I’m not evaporating money into product development ( and thus costs) that I don’t need.
Pick the caliber you prefer, learn the ballistic characteristics of that caliber, then pick the scope for your rifle accordingly.
Shot Placement, Where Do You Aim at a Black Bear?
Now that you’ve gotten your environment assessed and your caliber selected, you’ll need to know where you want to point that scope to give you the most effective and humane shot.
Shot placement is one of the most crucial aspects for a hunter to master. Not only will it yield you the results every hunter wants, but it will ensure that you are giving that animal a humane and honorable death, one worthy of the free life it lived and nourishment it will provide you.
First things first, let’s make sure you’re targeting the right bears. Larger ears and longer legs means your bear is quite young. The ears will become smaller in relation to the face and the body will fill-out making the legs appear shorter on adults.
Once you’ve got an adult in visibility you will want to zero in on your target.
Much like deer, black bears have an ample chest cavity to target, their lungs and heart are housed within this area of course, which makes it the prime location for a humane shot.
This is basically in the middle of the bear in terms of north/south trajectory, and sets just above and behind the front legs when gauging the east/west trajectory.
This allows you to target both the lungs and heart within an obtainable grouping, and if the shot is made correctly it will ensure you harvest a black bear.
Obviously, more experienced hunters are usually looking to adjust to various angles if need be. This is not undoable on a bear, I just prefer a broadside shot.
Bears keep their heads lower to the ground than a deer when walking, which makes taking a shot at an angle more difficult than on a deer who is moving slowly or stopped at an angle.
If you want to master multiple angles my advice is to get a bear target, mark the heart area and practice from those angles. This will give you an idea of what you’re capable of.
Remember, most of us are not hunting because of a dire need for food. If need be most of us have a grid connected food source which can be utilized if times get hard.
Do not take a questionable shot. It’s not worth putting an animal through the suffering. Wait for the right opportunity and you’ll have a better chance of harvesting anyway.
Getting yourself a proper scope will also help you make sure the shot is made correctly. With factory scopes that come stock on many rifles, you can often get a poor field of view or poor contrast.
Consulting The Top 5 Rifle Scopes for Hunting Fall Black Bear in 2022 will ensure these issues will never encumber your hunt. Let’s scope’m out!
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The 5 Best Rifle Scopes for Black Bear Hunting: 2022 bUYER’S gUIDE
Leupold Fx-ii Ultralight 2.5x20mm Rifle Scope
I wanted to start with a scope that is close to home, the LEUPOLD FX-II ULTRALIGHT.
This is a great scope for the eastern woodlands, or even if you’re hunting the dense temperate forests of the northwest.
Clocking in with a 2.5 X 20mm magnification, it’s certainly designed for close range, and is perfect for your lever-action 30-30 or AR-10 platform.
Often advertised as a scout-style rifle, the LEUPOLD FX-II ULTRALIGHT will not be a burden on the top of your rifle, at just under 7oz and an overall length of 8”. Leupold needs no introduction if you are familiar with hunting, and their quality is evident in this scope.
Scratch resistant lenses, 100% waterproof, fogproof and shockproof, this scope is designed to go into the backcountry with you and set on a ridgeline or in a tree stand in the elements.
My favorite feature on the LEUPOLD FX-II ULTRALIGHT is the Twilight Max Light Management System. This allows a hunter to stay out just a bit longer, or a bit earlier, reducing glare on edge to edge field of view and providing as much as 20-minutes of extra shooting light.
I know we just began the list but you may not need to go any further.
FEATRURES & SPECS:
2.5 X magnification range
Wide duplex reticle
Element proof - 100% water, fog, and shockproof
Scratch resistant lenses - constructed with military grade abrasion lenses
Twilight Max Light Management System - adds up to 20 extra minutes by reducing glare in the field of view
8” in length
6.5oz in weight
High and low eye relief: 4.9
Linear Field of Vision is 39.5ft over 100 yards
If you are new to hunting, or you are trying to hunt on a budget, the BUSHNELL BANNER DUSK AND DAWN MULTI-X is a great scope to have.
With a 3-9X magnification range, it can reach out a bit farther if you hunt above valleys or ravines, and across hill or mountain sides.
Bushnell is providing a quality little aftermarket upgrade here for under $100 too, which is always a steal.
You may think that you’ll be sacrificing a lot of quality by going with this budget scope, but once you see the capability I think you’ll be putting the BUSHNELL BANNER DUSK AND DAWN MULTI-X on your list of candidates.
Durably built with HD quality lenses, and sporting the same abrasion resistant features, waterproofing, fog and shock proofing as our previous scope, it’s pretty shocking Bushnell can offer this scope at this price point.
The DDB or Dust and Dawn Brightness lenses are designed to add daylight on either end of the day with sharp imagery and extra brightness.
The 3.3 inches of eye relief is fairly market standard for a budget scope and gives you plenty of room to not get ‘scoped’, even on a heavier caliber.
The one downfall to this scope and the biggest reason it is $70 is that it is constructed of plastic. Now, this type of durable plastic is pretty wear and tear proof.
If you are the type that takes at least decent care of your things, and you are trying to get a scope on a budget, this scope will serve your needs well for quite a while.
FEATURES & SPECS:
Multi-X reticle for easy target acquisition
Fully Multi-coated optics
IPX4 Waterproof and fogproof rating
DDB Dusk and Dawn Brightness - allows longer shooting light via multi-coated lenses
¼ MOA fingertip windage and elevation adjustments
3-9 X magnification range with 40mm objective lens
12” in length
0.81lbs in weight
3.3 inches of eye relief
What else can we say about Vortex? They have really gained well-deserved market share since their founding in 2004, and it’s because of delivering scopes like the DIAMONDBACK TACTICAL that they’ve enjoyed that success.
This beast sports a 4-16X magnification and 44mm objective lens, so stretching out past 500 yards is possible for you with this scope.
As a result of this power, this scope is my ideal choice for someone hunting in highland areas, out on flat ranch lands and terrains of that sort which offer or require a long shot.
The whole construction of this scope is of an excellent quality. From the ruggedly constructed and shockproof tube, to the gasket sealed waterproofing and nitrogen purging for that added anti-fogging protection; the DIAMONDBACK TACTICAL is built to deliver for you in all terrains and seasons.
The exposed tactical turrets allow for easy site adjustment while afield, and the extra low dispersion glass has a reticle etched in the glass for optimal subtension accuracy throughout the zoom range.
My favorite thing about the VORTEX OPTICS DIAMONDBACK TACTICAL is that it can handle a lot of rifle and stay accurate.
I prefer to hunt bears with a .30+ caliber rifle round or a .44 or .45 caliber handgun round just simply because I want the best punch to make sure I’m taking the animal in as humane of a way as possible.
Another way to ensure you make an ethical kill is by having a high quality scope. The VORTEX DIAMONDBACK TACTICAL is that scope.
FEATURES & SPECS:
4-16 X magnification range with a 44mm objective lens
3.8” of eye relief
Field of View: 26.9-6.7ft at 100 yards
14.06” in length
23.1oz in weight
Exposed tactical turrets
30mm shockproof tube
Nitrogen purged, gasket sealed waterproofing and anti-fog
Extra low dispersion glass and etched reticle provide exception accuracy at multiple ranges
Don’t let the name having .223 in it fool you. That is actually part of the reason I selected this scope.
This scope is designed to fit multiple platforms, be it bolt action, lever, or a sporterized platform.
If you have followed Rugged Man for very long, it becomes pretty apparent that tools and equipment that serve multiple purposes are a favorite and always get promoted.
If you are going to invest in a scope and a company with the reputation for quality and dependability like Nikon offers, one that is designed to be easily switched from your .30-06 to your AR-15, it kind of feels like a no-brainer to buy it, right?
Clocking in at just over 1lb, and just over 1ft in length, the NIKON P-TACTICAL .223 3-9X40 Matte BDC600 is a really good compromise between the lightweight, close range scopes, like our 1st scope on the list and the heavier scopes designed for long range, like our 3rd scope.
The tube frame is 1” in diameter and is constructed from aircraft grade aluminum, which means this scope is ready to take on the backcountry.
The 3X zoom ratio provides field of view on the low end, with the high end providing detail which is standard for most scope shooters.
My favorite feature of the NIKON P-TACTICAL .223 3-9X40 is the BDC 600 reticle. This reticle on this particular model has hash marks from 100 to 600 yards marked every 100 yards.
It also offers a way to sight on those hash marks so you can take a shot without having to adjust the spring loaded zero reset turrets. This may not be necessary inside of 150 yards or so, but in any part of the country it’s feasible that you could have a 200-500 yard shot, depending on the land you’re on.
With this scope, adjusting to that range on the fly is a lot more attainable than keeping a bear in sight long enough to stretch your sights out 200 or 300 yards.
The NIKON P-TACTICAL .223 3-9X40 is my favorite on this list because it offers a lightweight and tough design, housing my favorite reticle on the list along with other quality optics materials, and designed under the quality of the Nikon brand.
No matter what you have in your arsenal, this scope will find a happy home.
FEATURES & SPECS:
3-9X magnification range with a 40mm objective lens
1” tube body constructed of aircraft-grade aluminium guaranteeing shock proofing
O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged for waterproofing and fog proofing
Spring loaded instant zero reset turrets
Generous and consistent eye relief
BDC 600 reticle providing instant range adjustment between 100-600 yards
12.4” in length
16.9oz in weight
Multi-coated lenses for abrasion resistance and clear field of view
For our final scope of this year’s list, I wanted to revisit a scope we have recommended for deer hunting, the LEUPOLD VX-FREEDOM 3-9X40MM. I wanted to choose a scope that is intended for big game, and expedition capable.
Throughout this list we have included a couple scopes that are easily switched between platforms, but for this final entry I wanted a versatile scope that meets good range specs, while being lightweight and durable; and is intended to be put on a bolt rifle and left there.
If you are like me and take your .270 or .30-06 or .300 out for both bear and hooved game, then you cannot go wrong with the LEUPOLD VX-FREEDOM 3-9X40MM.
At just under 12.5” long and 13oz it has the feel of a “scout scope”, but with the durable body and 3-9 magnification range of a standard hunting scope.
Of course, when going with a dependable name like Leupold, you can count on a product whose shock proofing, waterproofing, and fog proofing are as competitive as any on this list.
The eye relief varies from 4.2” in low magnification to 3.7” in high magnification. I recommend the duplex reticle because I believe it is a good quick target acquisition sight; and that is something that comes in super handy if you’re on a stalk.
The LEUPOLD VX-FREEDOM 3-9X40MM may have been deemed “the scout” on the previous list, but it could easily be this list’s ole reliable.
FEATURES & SPECS:
Duplex reticle recommended for quick target acquisition
3-9X magnification (3:1 ratio)
40MM objective lens diameter
12.49” in length
13oz in weight
Military-grade scratch resistant lenses
Water, shock, and fog proofing that is tested to withstand the harshest geography and elements
Twilight Management System allows for up to 10 minutes of extra shooting light, while reducing glare
6061-T6 Aircraft-grade aluminium construction
“Maybe stalking the woods is as vital to the human condition as playing music or putting words to paper. Maybe hunting has as much of a claim on our civilized selves as anything else. After all, the earliest forms of representational art reflect hunters and prey. While the arts were making us spiritually viable, hunting did the heavy lifting of not only keeping us alive, but inspiring us. To abhor hunting is to hate the place from which you came, which is akin to hating yourself in some distant, abstract way.”
― Steven Rinella
As you may have gathered going through this article, selecting a rifle scope can be pretty straightforward.
If you have assessed all the proper needs and entertained all the right questions, like we laid out; it really just boils down to what is going to work best for you and what you like.
We have covered all the bases in terms of platform and caliber, and those are really the cornerstones of knowing which rifle scope is going to be best for your bear gun.
So I know you’ll have no problem finding a scope on this list that’s going to bag you that delicious black bear and keep that freezer stocked no matter how dark the winter may get.
Happy hunting and remain Rugged!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryan Smith is an avid angler and outdoorsman based in central Kentucky.
Ryan spends between 60 and 110 days fishing each year.
He is a carpenter by trade.
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