Spotting Scopes - Quick Survey?

[dino]

Looking at getting a Leupold spotting scope for a mule deer hunt this fall.  For all of you guys that have spent alot of time behind a spotting scope, what would be the best a 45 degree scope or the straight scope?  Advantages / disadvantages?  Thanks Dino

[fireman_3311]

I have the straight, and wish I had the 45deg....being 6'5" tall, I believe it woulda worked better for me!!! All in all, I do love my Leupold spotter though!!!

[AkDan]

I have the 12-40x60 gold ring.  Straight eye piece.  WOrks fine, a 45 will take the strain off your neck.  Just depends on what kind of tripod and situations you find yourself glassing from.  If you're on your belly or laying down often to glass ( I like to lay on my side), a 45 would be better.   If you have a tripod that gets up higher where you can sit on your butt or stand a straight is good.  

All depends on the situation.

[Steve O]

I have a Zeiss with the 45...the only disadvantage I have found is glassing from the window of the truck.  I like having the scope lower to the ground between my legs...lower center of gravity and more stable.

[Forester]

I have always wondered about precipitation on the angled eye-piece being more of a problem than on a straight.  Any insights?  Good question Dino.

[Butts]

As an owner of both a straight and 45 deg. I will say if you buy a straight first you will be always wanting the angled. But if you buy the angled first you will never want a straight. An angled eyepiece is much eaiser to use. It is more versatile to use. Like Steve said you can place it lower to the ground. I also use mine for benchrest shooting and place it off to the side of my gun so when I want to look at the target all I have to do is look up from the gun. I turn the eyepiece to the side so it is pointing to me.

[Ak willy]

Dino, I have a 45 deg. swarovski.
I much prefer the angle.
Lots of options with it that way.
willy

[fireman_3311]

Just tell the wife you need one of each!!!!!

[Whip]

I have the straight on mine.  No experience with the angled, but what the others say makes sense to me.
One other thought though- I have a pair of Pentax 15x60 binoculars.  They are not expensive, and are pretty heavy, but they are MUCH more comfortable to glass with than a spotting scope.  If I had money to burn I would look into a pair of the higher end high power binos. (Ziess, Zwarv's, etc.)  
Much of it depends on how you will use the scope.  For me, when I have hunted mule deer, I didn the vast majority of my glassing with binos, and then just used the scope when it was time to check out something interesting.  I have a hard time looking through a single eye piece for extended periods.  The high power binos overcome that.

[dino]

Thanks for all of the inputs guys! Lots of helpful info.

Fireman,
I already tried that.  Told her that it would make my decision easier if I had one of each on hand.  I just got a smile and a "nice try".

Whip,
I am thinking exactly along the same lines.  I got a good set of Nikons a couple of years back.  They are pretty comfortable to glass with.  I was going to use them the majority of the time and then with the spotting scope if something looked interesting like you said.  Very good point.

Thanks again dino

[Ak willy]

I second what Whip has added.
It is much easier to use binos than spotting scope.
Spotting scope is an aid to the binos.
willy

[fireman_3311]

Originally posted by Ak willy:
I second what Whip has added.
It is much easier to use binos than spotting scope.
Spotting scope is an aid to the binos.
willy

There are also bino's with a tripod attachment hole in them...My 10x40 Nikons DON'T have it...Would be nice on some 12x, or 15x binos!!! Would still need a spotter, for longer ranges, or detail glassing

[Scott Smith]

I would also like to second Whip. A good pair
of Bino's are amazing.

[Steve O]

Guys,

Most binoculars that are good enough to sit and glass with have a way to attach them to a tripod.  If they don't, there are a few less expensive ways to do it than this:

 http://www.schnees.com/catalog/hunting-gear/hunting-optics/p_lx-ta422.html

but you can get the general idea...

[AkDan]

a buddy of mine carries a huge pair of swaros.  Though on a tripod they'd be great no doubt, man alive carrying them SUCKS!!!  

Personally I like to glass with a 8x bino and get the spotter out when I really want to look at things.   You get used to using a spotting scope, then again when you sheep hunt on an almost yearly basis it's just a normal routine, kinda like climbing up a tree and hoping in a treestand is for you southerners.  

[non-typical]

Meopta H-70 w/20-45 45 degree eye piece. Mostly used for watching wood ducks on the lake or deer in the alfalfa fields. Very nice glass for the money.

[Steve O]

AkDan,

That is the way I was taught; those spotters sure save a LOT of brutal hiking.

I guess there are a few sheep hunts they do glass HUGE distances with the spotter, but 95% are glass with binos/confirm quality or legality with the spotter.