I've decided to join my son here in NE Indiana for deer season later this year, and I want to use something more interesting and challenging than a shotgun. I'm comfortable with large calibers and am leaning toward a Ruger 44-mag, but I'm uncertain about what scope type would be best (red dot or not, with or w/o magnification). I'm 45, so the eyes will be going soon. Any advice?

Welcome to the forum! How long do you expect the shots to be?

Stratem, if you are going to be hunting in the woods you can expect shots well under 100 yards. Having hunted in Indiana all my life, my longest woods shot was 85 yards. Most were within 50 yards. A 2X scope or red dot on a .44 revolver is adequate for this. Hunting field edges and food plots has given me shots at 150 yards. I went to a 4X scope and a 7-30 Waters Contender for these shots. Whichever you choose, practice shooting from a rest until all your shots fall within an 8" circle. That will be your maximum range. Utilize a rest while hunting e.g., shooting sticks or sandbags. I would advise you to wear earmuffs while hunting. I hunt in Jefferson County.

I consider Indiana to be pretty much a 100 yard state with most hunting done within that range, so I agree with your experience. I'm north of Fort Wayne in Noble county where the deer seem to be plentiful, including, thankfully, in my back yard. Although I'd enjoy the challenge of a 150 yard shot, I'll plan for 100 and under until I build up one-shot kill confidence at longer ranges. I plan to put many holes through paper plates before the season begins.

Any advice out there on a 2x dot sight?

wheeler45 - I hadn't considered a rest for hunting; thanks for that advice. Also, I like your signature.

Ultra dots are great.

I really like my burris 2x on my BFR. Welcome to the forum bud.

As I have gotten older I have changed most of my shortguns from irons and scopes to red dots. They are just better in early and late light. I actually prefer a green dot over the red for most shooting, but not many makers offer green. Now only if someone could come up with a variable power dot sight, such as a 1-4x, that would retain the transparent view and unlimited eye relief I wouldn't want for another.

Ultra dot,you can keep both eyes open when shooting which is a big advantage when following game through the brush waiting for that open shot.

You would soon find that even a 2X scope is too dark because of the long eye relief. You will watch nice deer go by early and late in the day because you can't see them in the scope and can't see the cross hairs either.
Open sights are the same because you need LIGHT!
Get older and you need more light.
A rifle scope is different and a good low light scope will have a large objective and a large exit pupil. More light then the eye needs.
Extend the scope with a 5mm exit pupil and the light from the scope scatters before it reaches your eye. You need 5mm AT YOUR EYE. A scope can turn into a black hole and as power goes up, it just gets darker.
A scope is fine in full daylight but you will need a rest too because you will see all the jiggles and you will miss more off hand. The first thing you will do is make the gun fire as the cross hairs jiggle past where you want to hit.
You really want a 1X scope!
Enter the Ultra Dot!

I agree completely, John!