You can play around a lot with a .22 rifle equipped with a scope or open sights, but to get the maximum level of versatility out of your .22, it’s a good idea to supplement it with a scope.
When shopping for a scope for your .22, stick to models that are designed for rimfire rifles. Specifically, this means scopes with a fixed parallax setting for 50 yards. Most scopes have either an adjustable parallax setting or a fixed 100 yard setting, which is less than ideal for the short range shots typical of small game hunters. You don’t need a high-powered magnification scope for your .22.
Variable vs Fixed Magnification
Lower magnification riflescopes provide a wider field of view, making it easier to find moving targets, such as a squirrel jumping from branch to branch or a cotton boll moving through thick undergrowth. Vortex Optics makes a fantastic pair of variable power rimfire sights with 2x-7x magnification. They are affordable and virtually indestructible.
You can also opt for a simple fixed power 4x scope. The lack of frills in fixed power scopes helps keep them affordable, and you can often find a great fixed power scope for the same money you would spend on a mediocre variable power scope. If you decide to go with a fixed power, take a look at the rimfire sights made by Leopold.
Rifles for Turkey
Many knowledgeable turkey hunters disagree with this management policy, but several states allow the shooting of turkeys with rifles during the spring and fall seasons.
Those who oppose rifle turkey seasons have some arguments against them. It gives hunters an unsportsmanlike advantage, as birds can be shot from hundreds of meters away. The wound loss is too great, due to poor shot placement. Lastly, long range rifles are dangerous to other turkey hunters, particularly in the spring when several camouflaged hunters may be chasing the same gobbler. These poachers wear camouflage and hunt on the ground rather than in the relative safety of elevated platforms.
If you have your heart set on a rifle turkey hunt and have a safe place to do it, be aware that some of the states that allow turkey rifles do NOT allow rimfire cartridges due to the even higher risk of injury. loss.
In these cases, consider small-bore centerfire cartridges like the .22 hornet, .22-250, and .223.