spotting scope vs. binoculars?

[Mike Bolin]

First off, Merry CHRISTmas to all of my tradgang brothers and sisters!
I am in the gear gathering phase for a Sept. elk hunt in Colorado. I have never hunted elk or hunted in the mountains and am wanting some feedback about optics.
I have 2 pr. on binos that I am pleased with, both are Leupold, 6x30 and 8x42. The only real use the 8x42s have seen was on a caribou hunt in Quebec. For turkey and whitetail the 6x30s most often get the nod.
I read in a lot of articles about spotting scopes, but really question the extra weight/bulk. I am trying to keep expenditures to a minimum, but if you experienced elk hunters feel that they would be a real benefit, I would gladly spring for a scope. For those of you that feel a scope is needed, what power would you recommend?
My gut feeling is that I can get by with the 8x42 binos. I have found that with anything over an 8x magnification I need a rest or tripod for extended glassing sessions so a scope would be a better option for me than a set of binos with higher magnification.
Thanks in advance! Mike

[Steve H.]

Don't waste your money and effort.  The only time I ever carry a scope is when sheep hunting and there is an extremely strict legal (horn curl) requirement.

For elk stay light and cover ground man!

[Gentry]

I agree I have used a spotting scope from my truck hunting open contry or looking at clear cuts from miles away but very seldom pack it while hunting I have a pair of 10x 50 Leupolds and thats all I really need for hunting elk.

[YORNOC]

Agree mostly above, BUT.....I was in Durango Colorado once and my binocs didnt cut it glassing the upper parks. It was hot, and the bulls were not moving or responding. You had to GO TO THEM. I could see elk, but not antlers. When the guides  spotting scope was pulled out, we saw a 350 class bull. My buddy got him the following day.  If you have the dough, and are glassing for particular size elk...... get it!!!!! And the tripod.
If you are like me and are happy with any elk, your binocs will be fine.

[JParanee]

Double post sorry

[JParanee]

Originally posted by Steve H.:
Don't waste your money and effort.  The only time I ever carry a scope is when sheep hunting and there is an extremely strict legal (horn curl) requirement.

For elk stay light and cover ground man!

Ditto

[[email protected]]

Mike,

I have got a nice scope but I seldom use it for elk hunting.

If the elk are so far away that you can't discern antlers through your binos then its probably country you can't get to any way.  Too far, too steep, private dirt, etc.

Another thing...the best time to glass elk is early or late...and that is the exact time you should be in "position" to kill one, not sitting some where glassing for animals.

FWIW.

Bob

[Scott Teaschner]

Mike,
As always there will be a million oppinions. Country will always dictate what is best. I could not get along with 8 powers in my country. I will grab a a pair of 10 powers every single time. If you are in heavy timber the 8X may just do you fine. I went to the northwest part of Montana and the place was like a jungle. Glassing was next to impossible. I just left my binos behind. I was calling for a buddy any way.

Some times I may spend a day or two figuring out what the animals are doing I will find a good vantage point and just watch. Spotting scopes can be a great help if you are really trying to figure out what size the animal really is. They also help you look into every nook and crany with percision. This is really important with mule deer hunting. I usally have to find one and it kinda of registers size and shape and then they just pop out at you. It is really cool. But I have not found middle of the road spotting scopes worth it. They have to be a top grade other wise you will just get a head ache.

If I where you and if the country is some what open I would spend the most you can on a good pair of 10x42 binos. You can get adapters to allow you to mount your binos to a tripod. This will help to stabelize with glassing and be less fatigue. Some companies offer doublers to turn your 10x to 20x. I have no oppinions on them for I have never tried them. But it is a way to get a spotting scope power out of binos.

 I try to learn what animals are doing and some times that means forgoing a few days of chasing. If you are new to an area I feel it is absulutly necasary to sit and observe and learn as much as you can. Optics can make or break you. But you do have to know what the terrain is to make the best choice.
Scott

[Geezer]

Twenty-five of the past thirty-two years I was a wildlife officer and the three pieces of equipment I relied on entirely were, in descending order of importance, my truck, binoculars and spotting scope. That being said, rarely, did I ever leave the truck with the spotting scope..an excellent pair of bino's were all I needed. During my career I used 7x35's, 7x50's, 8x32's, 8x42's, and 10x50's and now believe the best for Colorado hunting are 8x42's.  I own and sometimes use my Leupold 20x fixed spotting scope in our eastern prairie country but have found that I leave it at home when hunting the mountains.  Use your money on excellent hunting boots instead.

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Given any thought to a monocular?

[Steve O]

If you are worried about how big a bull is before you go after him, that is the only reason to carry a spotter elk hunting.  Otherwise, good binos are all you need. It would have to be a VERY special situation for me to carry a spotting scope on an elk hunt.

[TOEJAMMER]

The 8X40's will do you for your intended purpose assuming they are quality glass. I've been using 10x42's for many, many years and they work perfectly. You aren't losing much with the 8 power and  unless well acclimated to th e10 power, the 8's are a bit steadier in the hand.

[eflanders]

Two seasons ago I was in your shoes.  I took a quality spotting scope and two sets of binos, 15x50 and 6x32.  We did use the big binos and the spotting scope for scouting from the truck but they were just too big and heavy for hunting on foot.  As soon as I got home I bought myself a reall good pair of 8x42 as these were the best compromise, most practical binos for hunting in all areas for most game species.  By the way the two guys I hunt with, one uses 10x42 and the other uses 8x42.

[Zbearclaw]

Going from handheld Binos to tripod mounted Binos trumps going tom tripod mounted binos to a tripod mounted spotter!

Add a slik sprint tripod and them 8x binos are magical!

Good luck!

[Lost Arra]

Binos
Good harness (Crooked Horn or Nimrod)

[don_h]

10x42's or 50's work great for me. The 50's are better for early morning, seems to pull in more light making those dark shadows a little easier to see. At the end of the day though, your 8x42 should be plenty, spend your money on a bugle tube and some mouth reeds. I "see" more elk calling than with binos or scopes anyways. Oh and good luck on your hunt, prepare for a whole new angle on this addiction.

[Knotter]

Take a spotter with you.  

I elk hunt quite a bit each fall and although the spotting scope does travel with me I seldom use it to locate elk.  In fresh snow I'll use it to identify sign on a distant ridge.

Once elk have been spotted we use the spotter to take a closer look. Half an hour behind the glass is like 5 on your boots.  Use it to locate other elk in the herd, plan an approach, check for other hunters working the same group.  

You wont need to sit there discerning antlers the way a sheep hunter does with horns growth rings so you don't need the $2500 setup.  My elk and deer scouting rig is a vortex nomad on a Slik ultralight. There are lots of other things I wont bring before I leave a spotting scope out of the equation.

[critter69]

Yep feel like most here. I bought a leupold kenai spotter and seldom use it. Just to akward to tote around and try to stalk with. Its great from the truck or watching a buddy do a  stalk.And sometimes we use it and just watch for a few days from a long distance and try to figure out their pattern(if they have one)but rely on 10x42 binos 90% of the time.Good luck

[Mike Bolin]

My 8x42 Leupolds are the Wind River model. I use the Crooked Horn harness and have been very happy with this set up. I used it in Quebec on a caribou hunt and that is about the only "big" country I have hunted in. Here in Indiana my 6x42 Leupold Katmai with the Crooked Horn harness gets the most use. It seems that for the most part, the general consensus is that I will be able to get by pretty well with my 8x42s. I do appreciate the feedback and look forward to reading more! Thanks, Mike

[LKH]

This question is impossible to answer without knowing the country you will be hunting.

This past year I hunted 75-8500 feet elevations in unit 108 SW or Rawlins.  It has great distances and the elk tend to stick to the quakies a great deal.  If you just go wandering thru without knowin about where they are, you will blow them out.  They often go several miles and are difficult to relocate.

I used my spotting scope almost every day.  It was probably a once in a lifetime tag for me and I wasn't interested in a small bull.  The scope was critical.

If you are going to be in heavily timbered country and only care about elk, and not being fussy, you probably don't need the spotting scope.