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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: luv2bowhunt on September 01, 2010, 12:41:00 PM
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For all you spot and stalk guru's out there...
I am planning a spot and stalk mulie hunt next fall out in Colorado. I am wondering what are the pros and cons of high powered binculars vs spotting scopes for that type of hunting and what your preference is.
I am looking at the Vortex Viper binoculars in 15x50mm for the binoculars and the Nikon Prostaff 16-48x65mm spotting scope (plus a lightweight pair of 8x binocs to go along with a spotting scope if I go that route).
What would you choose and why?
Thanks in advance for any help and direction!
Kevin.
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The real key is to use a bipod to keep that glass steady and spend as much as you can afford to get the best glass you can. Eye strain can become a real problem with cheaper optics.
I prefer a variable power spotting scope. It allows me to better assess the animal and if it is worth a stalk instead of walking all the way to it to find out.
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I like 10X binos. My personal ones are Zeiss. Enough magnification that I don't need a scope that often, and I can keep them steady with 2 hands, or by resting them on top of my bow quiver and using one hand (while standing).
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You will get higher quality optics for the amount of money you spend with a spotting scope, since essentially a pair of binoculars = two spotting scopes mounted together. You will also have lighter weight for a spotting scope vs. comparable binoculars, for the same reason, which is important if you're going to be carrying them around any great distance.
You can spend more time looking through binoculars without eyestrain than a comparable quality spotting scope, and your field of vision will be somewhat larger.
For 10X and under, binoculars are manageable and most people would prefer them. For 20X and over, binoculars would be too cumbersome and you would need a spotting scope. The crossover seems to be at 15X. There are some wonderful 15X binoculars, but they are a bit too heavy for my taste, and if I'm going over 10X, I'd just as soon jump up to 20X with a lightweight tripod which will really enable me to see things I can't see with my normal binoculars, which are 8X.
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I would use a lightweight pair of 10X binoculars and a fairly light 20X or 25X spotting scope and a small,lightweight tripod.I have a 20X Leupold spotting scope that I like.They may only make it in 25X now.Dwight Schugh once wrote that heat waves in the early season,out West make it tough to use much over 20X and he is right.
The 10X glasses will handle most of it and the 20X scope can be used to pick out details in the distance.
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Thanks for all the great advice so far guys! I may have to rethink this a little bit. Anymore advice out there?
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My preference is for a set of high-powered binoculars. I have a Nikon Fieldscope III ED with a 30x WA eyepiece, which is a FANTASTIC scope, but after hours of looking through it my eyes are dead tired. I really like the Vortex Viper 15x50 for their size, price and quality. Not to mention they have a 2x magnifier that is the size of a monocular that fits over one eyepiece that can be used to "zoom" in on a particular animal for a more detailed view.
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If optics weigh to much, you will soon leave something behind at the time you need it. I would get a very good set of binoculars (8 or 10 power)with a 2x or 3x magnifier (as AZ_Shooter said) to use when you really need a better view. I spend most of my time with the binoculars.
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Personally, when Im hiking alot I always carry an 8x or 10x binocular and a spotting scope. As was said above, use a tripod. It is amazing what you can find with good pair of bino's and a tripod. Use the bino's to find your game and then use the spotting scope to see exactly how big etc. This has worked great for me and wouldnt have it any other way. Make sure your tripod is light enough that you will carry it and sturdy enough to do what you want it to do. I work in the optics industry, PM me if you need any other info.
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I second what was said about the heat waves and higher power magnification. During antelope season here, the scope is often no better than binos due to the distortion.
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I mount my 10x42's to a tripod till I find a critter to look closer at. Then the quick detach system gets the nikon 50mmED 13-33 spotter on target in seconds.
My tripod weighs about a pound and my spotter weighs exactly a pound. My buddies that have high end 60 or 80mm euro spotters only pack their spotters when just hiking a short ways from the truck or quad, or they are truly trophy hunting.
I never consider leaving my spotter behind. Hell I carry it on some hog hunts in open western terrain.
Now the coues deer hunters have spotting perfected and most of the best use 15x56 high end bino's. But that isn't backpack type hunting for the most part. I'm going bear hunting Saturday, toting my bino's, spotter, and tripod.
Have a blast out west, awesome place to shiver, sweat, and spend a week or 52...
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Originally posted by CG:
I like 10X binos. My personal ones are Zeiss. Enough magnification that I don't need a scope that often, and I can keep them steady with 2 hands, or by resting them on top of my bow quiver and using one hand (while standing).
That's what I mostly use (Zeiss 10x40's), but I keep a Bushnell spotting scope with me to check out things at really long range. Most of my muley hunting is in the desert of SE New Mexico. Sometimes I find deer over a mile away and have to start working my way to them.
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Hey Andy, where are you located at?
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Lovington. Where are you, CG?
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By Clovis
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'Bout 2 hours north.
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So if I decide to go the binocular route, would you guys suggest a 15x50mm or a 10x42mm (or 50mm) with a 2x doubler?
Lots of $$$ to drop and want to make sure that I will be happy with the purchase :D
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I use 8X and 10X Nichon Monarchs for shorter range glassing and spent some money and got some 15X Swaravski's and a 2X doubler. I think you will be happier with the 15X and a tripod. I only use the doubler when I really want to get a better idea of the animal to stalk. I would spend as much as I could afford on a nice pair of binoculars. The 2x doubler is not great in my opinion for glassing for longer periods of time.
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I would have to agree with spend money on glass not power, if you can get both go for it. You will spend hours behind glass your head will thank you for it...
have fun in Co.
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You don't "glass" with a spotter or doubler. You glass with bino's and verify the quality with the spotter or doubler.
I am completely happy with my Alaskan Guide 10x42 and Nikon ED spotter. My dad just got the Cabelas Euro model and they are spectacular, but after about ten years of getting beat up and hunting all over I love my bino's.
15's are a very specialized item. If you are going to hunt muley's every few years I would think a 10x42 or 50 and a light weight spotter would be the best bet. I hunt Georgia, Arizona, Alaska, and California with my 10x42's over the last year. Always the right tool for the job.
FYI I have the Slik Sprint Pro threeway tripod and have never needed anything more. Have hunted the pudding out of it for at least six years.
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I personally think you are on the right track with the lightweight 8x binoculars and the relatively lightweight spotter. I have used a lot of different binoculars and have settled on 8x30/32 as ideal and have never felt hindered by the slightly smaller objective. I know that common advice is you need 10x for western hunting but I have found that I personally see a lot more game with a 8x with a 400' plus FOV than I do with a 10x and a much narrower FOV. I see a lot of guys with 10x binoculars that don't seem to keep the glass up to their eyes for very extended periods of time and the longer you can keep that glass to your eyes the more you will see. I personally find it much easier to hand hold an 8x glass steady for very long periods of time than a 10x. Also I would much rather have a $1,000 pair of binoculars and a $200 spotting scope than vice versa as typically the binoculars are getting used about 95% of the time compared to the scope.
I assume you are thinking about using the 15x binoculars with a tripod. This "big eyes" technique is fairly common with Coues deer hunters but I would not consider going that route unless I knew the area I was hunting and knew that the terrain was conducive to using that technique.
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Yes, my thought was to use the 15x binocs with a tripod. I like the idea of spending the $$ on the binocs adn getting a less expensive spotting scope.
I see that Cabelas has the Leupold Gold Ring HD 10x42's on sale for $699 right now and there is a $100 mail in rebate on top of that, this may just be the route that I go for the binocs. Does anyone know if Leupold makes a doubler to fit those or if there are another brand that would fit them?
Thanks again for all your help guys!
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Originally posted by yaderehey:
I see a lot of guys with 10x binoculars that don't seem to keep the glass up to their eyes for very extended periods of time and the longer you can keep that glass to your eyes the more you will see.
That's why I use the Zeiss's and spend time making sure they are properly adjusted for my eyes. Otherwise, a headache is sure to occur...and headaches don't mix well at all with glassing. I've used the 10x40's for the last 30 years.
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The Traditional Bowhunters Handbook by TJ Conrads has a good chapter on optics that might also be of benefit to you.
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Read this: http://www.24hourcampfire.com/index.html
I have hunted with Rick and he knows how to hunt the west and is a convert.
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I love my 10x's, but am always open to try something that might work better!
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So many option, read Ricks report ,Yea interesting.For 40 years I,ve hunter the west,the last 25 in Southern sask.There is no where where optics are more prevalant than here.I've spent a ton of money on every concievable combination that is possible .From High power binos on tripods to cheap minis.
What I use now is an accumulation of my experience(and money loss1)for hunting wide open trophy Mule deer and Whitetails.
First and foremost my hunting is Glassing,Spot and stalk.I would as soon leave home without my bow than my binos.The one thing we have today is an array of first class choices that don't cost 2grand.because these are always with me ,around my neck and under my jacket when I'm belly crawling 2-3 hundred yards(Not hunting in Mexico and Rifle shooting)these have to be fairly light and compact.I've settled on Steiner 8X32's as an all around good glass.Sharp clear as a bell and still able to pick up light in semi-dark conditions plus have a wide range of field.If glasses get to big neck fatique sets in real quick.Another great thing today is whatever jacket etc. you use sew a pocket on the front to hold your glasses in ,or if wearing a daypack some of the new Binopouches that hook to your pack.
Now for spotting scopes.FOR ME what I've settled on was my 50th B'Day present from my wife(Of course she knew exactly what model etc to buy!)I have a Baush & Lomb Elite 20-60X70.Where I hunt it is always windy and quite often sunny so miraging is a problem and will be no matter what you have so try to do most of your glassing early or late :archer2: .At 40 power I can count the pionts on a deers rack and watch him blink,but more important I can study the terrain around him to plan my stalk or find other deer that are with him that I might not normally see.Food for thought.When you catch a big buck moving to his bed DON'T take your eyes off him until hes tucked in.15 power won't do this for me in the areas I hunt.I have 2 differant Tripods, my large fully extendable pod and my "rock topper" which I take if a lot of hiking is involved.Just remember theres a big differance in thumping a deer at 500+ yards with howizers and trying to place an arrow at 15 yards.good luck my friend.