RE: Westerners; what magnification for deer and elk?
No doubt,over the many yearsI've hunted in MT and WY,I'veused a fixed 4 power scope more than any other. However, all my rifles now have variable, just because they are now extremely trustworthy and usefull under more field conditions. All of my rifles(except the varmite rifles) are now topped with 3-9 variable scopes.
While Western hunting can require you to shoot at distance, I think you will be surprised at how often you will need quick acquistion at short range. This situation requires minimalmagnification and large field of view.In my experience, this is especially true on elk. Looking back at the elk we have shot in MT over the years, most have been in the black timber where a scope with2-4X low-end magnification would be plenty.
Deer and antelopehunting in Eastern MT will likely put you in a situation where longer shots are required, given the open country and the nature of the animals. Here, a scope with 8-14X top-end magnification would be useful.
In general a 3-9 variable is ideal. Go with quality optics with high resolution and abulletpoint-of-impact that doesn't shift with magnification changes, and you'll be set.