Binoculars and whitetails

[buckracks7]

The problem I have is finding what I am looking at with my naked eyes, in the binoculars. Sometimes I will actullay see a deer, but can't find it in the binos. Don't know if I have the wrong power for the job in the thick stuff, or what.

[KentuckyTJ]

Definitely. If you are planning to call to a buck if you get one close how can bino's not be needed? I don't get it either. Always have my Nikon's on my chest.

[Autumnarcher]

I carry my 10x42's with me all the time, although I'll admit I havent used them as much as I should. Good reminder.

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by ChuckC:
Doug. . .  are you wearing a face net or mask while doing this ?
ChuckC

Sometimes yes and sometimes no. It doesn't matter either way, they get fogged up on the outside of the pupil lenses when it's cold.

[Kentucky Jeff]

My personal take on glass...

1.  Buy the absolute best glass you can afford.  Cheap or low quality glass is worse than no glass at all.  The image clarity--particularly around the edge of the lenses--is crappy on cheap binos and it WILL fatigue your eyes to use it.  Because it makes your eyes tired and sore you will not use it much or at all.  Which means you have a really expensive neck weight you are lugging around he woods instead of a cheap, marginal, pair of binos.  

In comparison, a good pair of binos will produce clear images all the way out to the edge of the lenses.  This make it easy for your eyes to use.  and because of this you will enjoy them AND use them more.  Which is the whole point of this exercise ladies and gents.  Your binos are your X-ray vision and only work if you uses them more than not.  
 
The next time you go to a sporting goods counter try several pairs on binos and don't look through the middle of the lens.  Even cheapos are clear in the middle.  Make a conscious effort to look through each lens separately and look around the edges at something with a straight line about 50-100 yards away... You will literally see why the expensive glass costs what it does.  In the blind your eyes will feel the difference and fatique less.

In the eastern US most any bino over 8X is too much magnification.  7 or 8X is far more useful in the hardwood forests.  First, its easier to get on a moving animal with lower magnification.  But more significantly is the lower power will have a far superior depth of field--the clarity of the image will extend farther into the clutter of leaves and trees!  This is what you want when you are trying to pick out a few hairs, or a flick of a tail, or an eye among the branches and leaves.  If you doubt this sometime take a 4x rifle scope and look into the woods and take a 12X scope and look into the woods.  Notice how the 4X can see with greater clarity deeper into the woods!  Again...that's what you need in the woods...not more magnification.

Out west its a different ballgame and a pair of 10x Binos is what you want.  

That's my take.  I'm far from a rich man but I bit the bullet and bought a pair of Swarovskis a decade ago.  If I lost them tomorrow I'd buy another pair before the week was out...in a heartbeat!

[LA Trapper]

Originally posted by ishoot4thrills:
I have some cheaper Bushnell 8X25 H20s which I like a lot, except for one thing: they fog up on the OUTSIDE of the pupil lenses when I put them up to my eyes when it's the least bit cold outside. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?

There is a product called Cat Crap (no joke)sold at sporting goods stores.  It prevents fogging on binos and scopes.

Billy

[scharms]

If I'm taking my bow out, the Steiners are along for the ride!

[amar911]

Originally posted by Guru:
I have the same Leica's Jon....awesome!

I do too, Curt -- a newer pair of Leica 8x32 Ultravid HD and an older version of the Leica 8x32 that is heavier and bulkier but still fantastic. I also love my Swarovski 8x30 SLC which is almost as nice as the Leicas, and there are several others of those two brands I own in various powers that are amazing. Some others I own are top of the line binoculars from Burris, Bausch & Lomb (Bushnell), and Vortex that are still very good optics. The combination of my Leica 8x32 Ultravid HD binos, Leica 10x42 Geovid rangefinder binos, Swarovski 15x56 SLC binos, and Swarovski 20-60x80 HD spotting scope does just about everything well, although I sometimes carry other optics. If I could have only one for everything, it would be the 8x32 Ultravids.

Allan

[amar911]

[Tom Leemans]

O.K. I'm sure at least most of us hunted without binos at one time or another. I hunted without them for at least 10 years. The deal is though...I get more enjoyment out of my hunt WITH binoculars. They simply allow me to see more of the things I might otherwise miss. One of the coolest things was a staredown I had with a nearby owl. Watching a parade of 13 rather large gobblers was another. Deer aren't the only things to look for out there.
 

[Lost Arra]

With the bino harnesses like the one from Crooked Horn or the Wensels there really isn't a reason to not bring your binos.

I'm with Tom. There is a lot of neat stuff to see besides antlers.

[Bishop]

I had the Swaro 8x30 SLC and bought a Vortex Viper 6x32. After spending some time in the woods I sold the SLCs. Try a good quality 6x or 6.5 in the deep woods, they will really surprise you.

[Swamp Yankee]

Leika 8x20BR fits in any pocket and works fine here in RI where anyplace with 50' visibility is considered wide open spaces.

[Kenny New]

I would almost rather leave home without my bow than my binoculars!

[GregD]

I don't think they are mandatory but I always have them with me. I'd much rather forget the binos than the bow! I'm sure I spend a lot more time looking at other animals with them than I do deer. They can make a slow deer movement day much more interesting.

[DennyK]

I've got the Leica 8x32's also and have had them for a number of years. If I'm in the woods those go with me.

[The Night Stalker]

I have the Swarovski 8x30 SLC to look at who's who in the woods. I do not glass all the time, just when I see movement.

[KSdan]

Key tool next to my bow.

[cahaba]

I agree Mike. The thick stuff is where binos really shine unless your glassing big areas.

It breaks some of the boredom and just makes hunting even more fun. You can catch deer at that early pink light that you might otherwise not see. I love my 8x32 Sightron binos. They are not by any means high end but my eyes and head dont hurt from using them for long periods.

[Tajue17]

Originally posted by scharms:
If I'm taking my bow out, the Steiners are along for the ride!

I also use steiner 8x22's and for the terrain here which is brushy and woodsy stuff, maybe glassing across ponds they are perfect.  

luv to try the baby leica's or swarovski's too!