What is your preferred method to use when shooting PD, squirrels, etc.? After determining distance, just holdover the target, clicking or dialing in the windage and elevation or using some of the special reticles on the market such as Varmint hunter reticles or Ballistic Plexes?

teesh

I usually just hold over. One dog you're shooting at 250 yards next at 325, 375, 450, 200, 550 to much clicking. Some of my scopes have Varminter reticles and Ballistic Plexes so in that instance I take advantage of them.

I'll use holdover for 90% of my shots. Only if a distance lines up on one of the mildots do I use those. If I'm doing some long range sniping at known distances, I'll dial it in.

Put me in with the rest of the group. I do like to see where I hit with the point of the duplex reticle just in case I want to make a "Hail Mary" shot.

Most of my shots I have to hold under. Scope is zeroed at 400 yards. 6 or 7 inches high at 200. Most of the time when I guess wrong, the bullet zings over their heads and doesn't bother them near as much as one blowing up the mound they're sitting on. My one exception is my 17 HMR. I picked up a 3-12 Pine Ridge 17 HMR scope for it. Range the mound, dial in the yardage on the turrent and hold dead on out to 300 yards. Almost too easy till the wind picks up over 5 mph. Good thing that never happens here in Kansas.

I am a dial guy. I just dial up as the shots increase in distance. For windage I just hold off.

Mil dots they work very well. I have made some almost unbelivable hits using them. The more hits I make with them the more I belive in them.

Dial for any long range shot

I prefer the holdover and hold into method aided by my various Du-plex reticles for windage and elevation "adjustments" on Varmints.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The dials on my Mark 4 and LRT's spin for all the distant ones. I can't get the precision I want anyother way. I try to stay or work in a given range or area to avoid going from 650 to 1150 and back again.

I just returned from a varmint hunt where I had a rifle with all 3 reticles described here (dials, ballistic mildot, and duplex). Not being a very experienced long range dog hunter (especially in a strong wind), I found it easier to use the rifles with a Ballistic mildot and dials. With the plain duplex reticle, I found it diffucult to remember how much I held left/right/ up when adjusting after a miss. With the dial scope, I could add or remove clicks and still hold the crosshairs on zero. With the BMD, It was easier to remember which dot you were aiming with to add/remove more correction. I guess with more experience a plain duplex reticle will work, but right now I don't have it!

for long range PD shooting (over 600 yds) I dial for the heavy shooting I dial to where the most are located ie 350 yards then hold under or over.

I dial for elevation and mil dots for wind with a laser rangefinder I use a leica 1200 scan

For my long range guns, as in over 400 yards, I "click" 'em in.

On my 223's I use a straight Leupold fixed power 6x42mm Mil-Dot scope. If you can't see them , they are too far and I can routinely kill them inside of 450 yards by just holding one mil-dot up in light wind conditions.

This will be my first year with the 204 Ruger on a Kimber. It shoots so flat, I'll just hold over on the long shots.

It's a good idea to practice all of the methods, each has it's applications on big game.

After many years of dog shooting in S. Dakota I have learned to like a dot system. My back ground is building custom benchrest rifles for 100 to 1000 yard shooting. Precision shooting is my love. My first trip was with a pile of rifles and scopes. From 223 to big bore rifles and scopes from target to Tasco 4x12 power. Of all things I have learned is take a rifle you are comfortable with. May sound strange but a muzzle break adds a great deal of joy in viewing your hits at longer range. On rifles as small as 204 Ruger there is a benefit to a break. Just placed breaks on a Blaser set for a customer. 22-250 and 257 Weatherby were shot in the Field. Long shots could still show the hits. Scopes need Adjustable A/O and varible power, 6x24 B&L 4200 series is a clear and reliable scope. I use TK Lee for my dots. give them your drop and a series of dots for the range you want to shoot. The 4200 series scopes are as sharp as I have seen. In a field where money is not the issue many customers have thought of spending all possible to have the best optics. Have not seen a scope at any price that passes the B&L 4200. Leupold, Ziess, Nightforce to name a few tested. Dots saves the constant cranking of the turret. Good luck and take things for comfort. A good set of 10 power bynoculars make a good spooter. I am building a mount for the binocluars, it will allow tri pod mounting. I have Sightron 10 power set, very clear units. Not part of the scope question but nice to know and saves the cost of a spotting scope. Bill's Accuracy Shop

I like turrets for elevation, and reticle for windage, unless i'm using a reticle that has a more direct windage reference such as these right here-- www.rapidreticle.com or Leupold's VH reticle that allows for a more precise windage and elevation reference. Our new 8.5-25X Leupold Mk4 with the Tactical Milling Reticle has proven excellent for long-range shooting so far with .5 mil line stadia along both axes, and an excellent tactile turret system.