An illuminated reticle could help also in your quest at first and last light.

Problem with an illuminated retricle is that if your glass/coating isn't quality then you can't see the deer for the illuminated reticle to show up on the outline of the deer. You can take a quality scope and see the deer with a standard bold type (German #4) reticle and make the shot, but a cheap scope that doesn't transmit light well with an illuminated reticle is about worthless.

I love the Leupold's VX-II