This Leupold 6.5-20X has a custom reticle designed for long-range shooting at Coues deer. Today’s shooters have terrific options to make accurate long-range shots possible.

A scope reticle used to have a single function: indicate where your bullet would land. Now many reticles are designed to help you estimate range as well. And some scopes are built so the reticle can even compensate for distance.

The simplest rangefinding reticles comprise two horizontal stadia wires. The space between them bracket a specified measure at a given range. Stadia wires might, for example, bracket the 28-inch depth of a bull elk's chest at 200 yards. An elk filling half the space is about 400 yards away. An ordinary plex reticle can help in the same way. Just bracket the target between the intersection and the top of the bottom post. You'll want to check this measure at various distances before season by shooting on paper.

Most variable scopes sold in the U.S. have rear-plane reticles, so target coverage changes as you change power. You'll want to choose one magnification for ranging. Reticles in the front focal plane (popular in Europe) change apparent size as you change power but remain in a constant size relationship with the target. No matter what magnification you choose, bracketing the target will show you the same picture--and indicate the same yardage.

Hunters in the U.S. like the rear-plane reticle because it covers less of the target at high power, for greater precision, and it is easy to see at low power, when you're taking quick aim in thickets. Front-plane reticles become hard to see at low magnification and thick when you crank the power up--just the opposite of what you want.

Scopes sold by Shepherd have two reticles--one in the front focal plane and one in the rear--that are superimposed. The rangefinding (front) reticle has a series of circles that does not interfere with the aiming reticle. You use the circles to corral targets of known size to determine distance.

The rear-plane aiming reticle remains proportioned for accurate shooting at small targets far away. A friend of mine thinks his 6-18X Shepherd an almost unfair advantage. He says, "Coyotes that think they're standing off far enough to be safe really don't have a chance."

The Ballistic Plex introduced by Burris in its Fullfield II scopes is both a rangefinding and range-compensating device. The thin wire beneath the center of the plex reticle has three short horizontal hash marks, each gap incrementally bigger than the one above it. The differential spacing of the tics reflects the parabolic arc of your bullet.

Zero at 100 yards with a 180-grain .308 bullet and you'll hit at the first hash mark (three inches low) at 200. The second mark shows where your bullet will land (13 inches low) at 300 and the third tic (30 inches low) at 400. At 500 yards, the bullet hits near the top of the post.

Faster bullets--say 130-grain .270s--are best zeroed at 200 yards and will hit near the crosshair to 250. At 300 yards the bullet will land about six inches low, near the first hash mark.

I've used the Burris reticle for long-range target shooting and hunting. The best pronghorn buck I've ever shot fell to a .280 Remington bullet at 393 yards--a shot made possible by the Burris reticle and my recent practice with it at ranges to 400 yards.