Hawke Optics Mountain Hunter Rifle Scope Review

INTRO/METHOD

Rifle hunting is my favorite method for big-game hunting. I love that you can still get up close and personal with an animal in its home turf, but if your target won’t close the distance, you can still feel comfortable and confident taking a shot from a few hundred yards away. A rifle helps maximize efficiency in the backcountry and increases the odds of success when opportunities present themselves.

Everyone knows rifle selection is paramount when it comes to confidence at the shot and comfort when carrying your setup over longer distances, but the scope plays just as big a role. Are you looking for the best lightweight hunting scope for your backcountry adventures?

In this article, we’re taking a look at the “Mountain Hunter” – the Endurance 30 FD 3-18×44 SF from Hawke Optics. We’ve put it through its paces at the range, successfully taken it into the deer woods, and tested it in a variety of lighting conditions. By the end of this article, you should have a good feel for whether this lightweight 3-18x hunting scope fits your needs in the field.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Endurance 30 FD 3-18×44 SF is one of the newest offerings from Hawke Optics, built with a clear purpose in mind. Their goal was to create a scope rugged enough to handle harsh weather and rough terrain, while still staying lightweight enough for long, demanding days hiking in the backcountry – hence the name “Mountain Hunter.”

That balance of durability and carryability, along with several key features, is what helps this scope stand out.

KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Extremely Lightweight

A scope can have all the bells and whistles you think you want, but if it’s too heavy, it won’t be enjoyable carrying up and down the mountains for very long. At just 20.7 ounces (barely more than 1.25 pounds), my research shows it to be the lightest 3-18x rifle scope on the market. Pair it with one of the many rifles today that weigh 5.5-7 pounds, and you’ve got yourself a killer setup you’ll be happy to carry all day.

Or, if you have a rifle that is on the heavier side, this lightweight scope makes the setup more manageable. This was our situation. We hunted last season with the Mountain Hunter on a CVA Endura Pro (you can link to the article I did about it), which weighs 8.75 pounds. A heavier optic would have made our trek to the deer stand much less pleasant.

If finding the lightest scope is your goal, lighter optics are available, but you will lose zoom range and distance. So, if you also want the option of taking longer-distance shots, the Mountain Hunter may be a perfect fit.

44mm Objective Lens

If you’ve been hunting very long, you know that the busiest times for game activity are often first thing in the morning and right before dark – during the times with the least amount of light. And the last thing you want is to not be able to see your target buck standing broadside across a field at 200 yards in the last 10 minutes of legal light because of your scope.

The 44mm objective lens allows ample light in for those low-light conditions, while still being lower profile than a 50mm or 56mm lens. This allows you to mount your scope lower on your rifle for improved cheek weld and portability, while still providing all the light you need for those golden hours.

Hawke’s H5 Optics

The H5 series of optics from Hawke offers several impressive features that make this scope ideal for a variety of hunting scenarios.

Ultra Wide Field of View (FOV)

The Mountain Hunter boasts a (FOV) angle of 7.4 degrees at the lowest magnification and 1.2 degrees at the highest. That means you can see 6.5 feet at 100 yards when zoomed all the way in to 18x and 38.8 feet when on 3x zoom. This sight picture should give you ample visibility at all ethical shooting distances, allowing you to easily see your target and what is around it.

As a matter of fact, the deer I shot with it last year was about 25 yards away, and I had no trouble quickly finding the target and staying on him.

Long eye relief

Eye relief also plays a role in your comfort level when shooting with this scope. If you’re hunting big game, you could potentially be using a rifle with noticeable recoil – especially if you aren’t using a suppressor or muzzle brake. The 4-inch (102mm) eye relief allows for ample space between your eye and the scope, so you don’t have to worry about getting scoped. The eye relief also gives you a little leeway if you may have to shoot in a less-than-ideal position, which we all know is a possibility.

High-grade, low-dispersion crown glass

That’s a lot of technical language, but it really just means that the glass Hawke uses in this scope is designed to limit chromatic aberration, or weird colors at the outer edges of the glass.

18-layer fully multi-coated lenses

Here is some more technical jargon that means all glass-to-air surfaces are covered by multiple layers of anti-reflective coatings. These coatings improve light transmission, thereby reducing glare and increasing brightness, resulting in sharper images with higher contrast. Basically, the glass is designed to give you the clearest picture possible under all lighting conditions

6x Magnification Range

The 3-18x design allows for a wide range of zooming capability. The 3x magnification allows you a wide enough sight picture to find and watch your target in the scope when it’s standing 30 yards away. As a matter of fact, the close focus of this scope is 15 yards. While the maximum magnification allows zooming out to 18x, where you can clearly see your buck, bull, stag, or whatever you’re going after, a few hundred yards away. And the high torque rubber zoom ring makes that transition easy. Plus, add the removable throw lever, and it can’t get much easier.

The range is also wide enough that you can find your sweet spot – where you like to keep your zoom for the distance at which you typically take your shots. When I am deer hunting, even though I may take a shot at 300 yards (or 30 yards), most shots are around 100-150, so I stay on 6x most of the time. Having the options from 3-18 allows you to find which zoom amount you like best.

Second Focal Plane (SFP) Reticle

A second focal plane reticle simply means that the size of the reticle does not change as you zoom in and out. These types of reticles are nice because when you are zoomed out to higher magnifications, the reticle doesn’t incrementally enlarge and potentially block your vision or your target. Most hunting scopes are SFP, so that’s what many shooters are used to. The downside of the SFP is that the holdover and windage adjustment markers are only accurate at a specific magnification level.

Fiber Optic Illuminated Reticle

After I started turkey hunting with a reflex sight on my shotgun, I was on the search for a rifle scope with an illuminated reticle. Once I found one, I haven’t gone back. For me, an illuminated center dot is almost a must-have.

Most scope reticles use the intersection of the vertical and horizontal lines, or the “crosshairs,” as the aiming point. This obviously works and has for decades, but I like how having one central aim point removes any guesswork when the excitement of the shot moment hits. Instead of lining up two lines, you just put one dot over the spot you want to hit, and squeeze the trigger.

And having that dot illuminated serves a few purposes. First, the red dot immediately stands out at the point of aim, making it quicker to get on target and stay on target. Second, it makes the reticle easier to see in low-light conditions. In those early-morning and late-evening hours, when the black lines can be harder to see, you can still see the dot. Finally, in the brightest parts of the day, you can turn the illumination up to level 11 so it’s still easy to see.

You can easily work through those 11 illumination levels with a side push-button, and if you prefer not to have it on, that same button turns it off. To save battery life, the light has an auto-standby mode. After a few minutes of inactivity, it goes to sleep. Then, with slight movement, motion activation turns it back on, so you’re ready to go. Not to worry, it still works like a normal reticle if the battery should die.

I do want to mention that at this time, the Endurance 30 FD 3-18×44 SF is only available with this one reticle. If you prefer MIL to MOA, FFP to SFP, or would like more ballistic markers for windage and elevation adjustments, you will need to choose a different scope.

Adjustable turrets

Every scope comes with adjustable turrets, so on the surface, this isn’t a standout feature. The beauty of the elevation turret that it’s exposed and locking. When hunting in the expanse of out west or over large agricultural fields, you may need to adjust the elevation of your aiming point on the fly. The turret on the Endurance 30 FD 3-18×44 SF allows you to set the zero to your rifle and load’s zero point at whatever range you choose. Then, by simply pulling up on the turret, you can unlock it and adjust the elevation MOA to the number needed based on the data provided from any number of ballistic apps. Then you can lock it back down to ensure you don’t have any inadvertent adjustments and be ready to shoot.

Like most scopes, adjustments to windage and elevation are made in ¼ MOA increments. The windage turret is capped, so you’ll have to remove it before you can adjust for wind. Of course, the reticle has 2 MOA windage lines built in, so you could use those instead, but remember that they are only fully accurate at one magnification (usually the highest).

Another nice feature of the Mountain Hunter scope is the 30mm mono-tube chassis. The larger tube provides more elevation adjustment, with 85 MOA available. Combine that with the 18x zoom, and you’re ready to try your hand at some serious long-range shooting.

Side parallax focus

When you are taking those longer-range shots, it’s important to ensure your reticle and target are focused in the same plane. When they aren’t, you experience parallax distortion, meaning that if you move your head, your reticle will move around on your target. With parallax distortion, slight changes in your head position can result in significant shifts in the impact point downrange. And the further away the target, the bigger the difference can be between where you were aiming and where your bullet hits.

The Endurance 30 FD 3-18×44 SF has a side parallax focus dial. Markings are provided at various ranges as a guide, but you need to make sure for yourself that you are fully in focus before taking those shots.

Hawke Warranty

 We all hope our optics will last forever and never have any problems. But what happens when they do? Hawke Optics has what they call their “Forever Warranty.” Once you register your optic, it is fully covered. If it is damaged beyond use, Hawke will either repair it or replace it at no cost to you. It doesn’t matter if it was a manufacturer’s defect or an accident that may or may not have been your fault; Hawke will still honor it. Now, if it gets lost or stolen, you’re on your own, but I always appreciate the added security of knowing my investment is safe.

SPECS

REAL WORLD PERFORMANCE

This is where a scope either proves itself – or doesn’t.

After spending time behind the Mountain Hunter at the range and in field conditions, a few things stood out immediately. First is just how easy this scope is to get behind. The eye box is forgiving, and that 4-inch eye relief gives you some flexibility when you’re not in a perfect shooting position.

Clarity is another strong point. Edge-to-edge sharpness holds up well across the magnification range, and I didn’t notice any distracting distortion or color fringing, even in higher-contrast lighting. That becomes especially important when you’re trying to pick apart brush, shadows, and background to identify an animal clearly.

Low-light performance is solid and absolutely holds its own in this price range. During those first and last minutes of legal light, I was still able to clearly identify targets and maintain confidence in my sight picture. The illuminated center dot really shines here. It’s quick to pick up without overpowering your view. You can also tell when you’re venturing outside of legal shooting light, because on the lowest setting, the illuminated reticle will start to wash out the sight picture.

Tracking and turret performance were consistent in my testing. The adjustments felt positive, and I didn’t experience any noticeable issues when returning to zero. For a hunting-focused optic, that’s exactly what you want – reliable adjustments without overcomplication.

And maybe most importantly, this scope just carries well. That’s something that doesn’t always show up on a spec sheet. When you’ve got a rifle slung over your shoulder for miles, ounces matter. This scope never felt like a burden, and that’s a huge win for the type of hunting it’s designed for.

WHY WOULD YOU BUY?

The Hawke Optics Endurance 30 FD 3-18×44 SF, affectionately known as the “Mountain Hunter,” is an all-around solid optics option with a ton of features. One of the reasons I like this scope is that it is so lightweight and low profile without sacrificing magnification range, light transmission, or quality. When paired with a high-quality, lightweight rifle, all you need is an ideal round for the game you’re going after and some practice to head to the mountains with the confidence you need to get the job done.

I also like the simple, illuminated reticle to help limit distractions and simplify my focus when it’s time to take the shot. Not to mention the quality of glass that I have come to appreciate from using a variety of Hawke Optics products for a few years, including rifle scopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes.

Of course, there is no such thing as the “perfect rifle scope.” What I like may not be what you like, so personal preference also plays a role. Even though the Mountain Hunter has many amazing features and qualities, it still has a few drawbacks, depending on what you’re looking for.

PROS

• Extremely lightweight, making it a great option for hunting when hiking longer distances, or when you need to pair it with a heavier rifle.
• The reticle has an illuminated center dot, which I love.
• I like the simple reticle with a few built-in MOA adjustment markers. It isn’t complicated and doesn’t clog up my picture window.
• The Second Focal Plane reticle doesn’t enlarge and block your view when zoomed in.
• The 3-18x zoom range offers a wide range of shooting options, from targets at 15 yards to targets at several hundred yards.
• Large, 30mm tube for increased MOA adjustability.
• 44mm objective lens improves low-light performance, while the lower profile allows for lower mounting.
• Multi-layer, fully multi-coated, low-dispersion HD glass provides crisp, clear images in all lighting situations.

CONS

• As of now, this scope only offers one reticle option.
• The reticle is only available in MOA, so you currently don’t have an option if you prefer MILs.
• There aren’t as many ballistic markers for elevation and windage adjustment on the reticle as are available on others.
• Some might prefer a larger, 50mm objective lens.
• If you prefer a First Focal Plane reticle to maintain consistency of ballistic markers, the SFP reticle is a drawback.
• The 30mm tube isn’t as common, so sometimes rings/bases can be harder to find.

WHY WOULD YOU BUY?

At this time, the Hawke Mountain Hunter Rifle Scope best pricing is found on Amazon.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As I mentioned, I’m a big fan of this scope, and quite frankly – all scopes from Hawke. Most of the cons listed above come down to personal preference, and for the way I hunt, the Mountain Hunter checks all of my boxes.

What stands out most to me is how well this scope balances performance and practicality. It’s lightweight enough to carry all day without thinking twice, but still packs in the features you need to confidently take shots across a wide range of distances. That’s not always an easy combination to find.

This isn’t a scope trying to be everything for everyone, and honestly, that’s a good thing. It knows exactly what it is: a lightweight, capable hunting optic designed for real-world conditions. If you’re someone who spends time covering ground, dealing with changing light, and needing a scope that just works when the moment comes, this one makes a lot of sense.

Could it offer more reticle options? Sure. Would some shooters prefer a first-focal-plane setup or additional ballistic references? Absolutely. But those additions often come with trade-offs: more weight, more complexity, and sometimes slower target acquisition in hunting scenarios.

Overall, the Hawke Endurance 30 FD 3-18×44 SF “Mountain Hunter” does exactly what it’s designed to do, and it does it well. It’s a scope built for hunters who value simplicity, reliability, and performance where it counts most.

If that sounds like you, it’s definitely worth a serious look.