Beg your pardon, but this is the worst argument ever. Save a pound on a rifle and 1/2 a pound on a scope you have just potentially saved 20% of the weight of your killing solution. If you are going out for 10 days unsupported and can save 20% on all of your carry weight you would be an idiot or a masochist not to. Hard to imagine, but alot of folks hunting out of a pack are already in excellent shape and can't spare a ton of body fat going into a backcountry hunt. There are places in the world you can't even use your rifle until you're at least 5 miles off the road. Gravity is a beach and I try to cheat her out of every ounce I can.