Tell my why I should carry binos.

[Roger Norris]

I use them while blood trailing often. I have found more deer by spying a white tuft of hair through the brush than I can count.

[Rob W.]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I may dig my binoculars back out for squirrel season and spend some time with them scouting.

Old_goat2, I like the looks and size of that monocular.

[lbshooter]

While I have hunted most of my early life without them, I will have to say that my ability to spot deer early on when still hunting seems to have increased measurably since I started using them religiously about 20 years ago.

[Mike Bolin]

Always carry mine. Had a friend hunting with me a few years back and he complained of not seeing any deer. I loaned him a set of binos and told him to dissect the cover around him....especially before changing positions or doing anything that required movement. Missed a doe that evening and killed a buck the next morning. Saw a total of 7 deer between the 2 hunts. It is thick enough where I hunt that you can have deer within 40 yards of you and never know they are there. I think he was moving too much and getting busted before the deer got close enough to see them. Mike

[Tajue17]

I only bring them late season to see out as far as possible for deer movement when the deer have changed their patterns,,, my theory is deer will stay on the same run until spooked again so if I see deer moving then I know the next day I'll be right over there with my climber waiting.....  other than that I don't feel I need them,,,,, personally I love suddenly catching site of a deer that I didn't have a heads up was coming.

[Orion]

I don't go hunting without them, regardless of where or what I'm hunting.  Been using good glass for a lot of years.  They add immeasurably to the hunt.  Have helped me find and retrieve a lot of critters.

Also agree with Kildeer, Birdbow and oldbowhunter.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

My advice? Take a scouting trip with them and make a point of using them incessantly for that one scouting trip. You will know pretty quickly whether you are missing anything without them or not...

[Ryan Rothhaar]

I'd leave my knife at home before my binos.  I really like the Bushnell Custom Compacts -6X- they are small enough to not get in the way and I've been impressed with them glass-wise in comparison to more pricey binos.  Had a guide in BC badmouthing American hunters for bringing cheap glass.  He had high dollar Euro binos.  I spotted a couple moose waaayyy off with them and he didn't say much after that.

Like Killdeer said, using the short focal length, and focusing through cover, to pick apart the "layers" of brush even at close range will let you determine if that movement you thought you saw was a bird or deer or a windblown weed.  I can say truthfully that it has been a long long time since I killed a deer that I didn't look at through the glasses first.  Especially does...I'd hate to roll one over and find out "she" is a button buck!

R

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Oh, and I carry mine under my right arm (I'm right handed) on a string that goes around my neck on the left shoulder side - like a handbag carry - and the string is long enough I can stick the binos in my right coat pocket.  I would never wear them around my neck - I can't imagine a bowstring not getting hung up once in a while - even with the elastic strap keepers.  Just my 2C

R

[Bjorn]

One of the few things I cannot be without!

[Tajue17]

wow I'm suprised at how many really depend on Binos for basic archery deer, I guess someone should of mentioned terrain too,,, I hunt really thick areas and swamps so wondering if the southern folks use these things where its very thick .

I have Steiner leica and swarovskis that I havent used in two years they seemed like extra baggage out there,, I can understand why guides or trophy hunters or people in big open areas use them though.

my 24.00 thermocell means more to me than my 1200 swarovski's ha ha ha the mosquitos here surely beat me down..

[Paul Shirek]

They may not really help you get more game. However, they will help you to see/observe deer better and learn a lot. Mostly, I think they make hunting fun. When you see a deer and can't or don't want to shoot it, it is really fun to watch them (as well as other animals) with binoculars. Do you need them? Should you take them? Perhaps not, but they can make hunting more fun.

[Sam McMichael]

I seldom use them when hunting my own place. However, I know terrain features, etc. like the back of my hand. They do become important elsewhere, though.

[Hoyt]

I've got a good pair of Zeiss Compact and Steiner that I used to carry and depend on when hunting open terrain and I really have tried many times to use the compact Zeiss hunting with my recurves.  
I hunt thick stuff and know they would help pick out game through the foliage, etc., but I always have my bow in my left hand..don't hang it because deer pop out on me close and can't hold the bino's steady with one hand.

I have rigged a way to hang my bow from my safety harness waist, but haven't perfected it to where I feel good with my left hand too far from the string.

I did buy a Vortex Monocular a wk ago, but not sure how well I can hold it steady with one hand...I'm not near as steady as I use to be in younger days.

[Kris]

I take a minimalistic approach, I happily hunt w/o binocs...more stuff to carry, more movement using, something for my bowstring to get hung-up on, etc. It wouldn't change anything I do hunting from a tree in Wisconsin.  I very much prefer the panoramic view my own eyes provide.  Binos do not bring deer past your stand or make you scentless.

The scenario I dread is when the tree stand hunter is focused (distracted) on the doe & fawn at 100 yards with his binos and he doesn't see or sense the 10 pointer walking up behind him @ 14 yds...  The binos come down, the buck sees the movement....game over!  Hands go from binos to bow...scramble, panic, confusion, frustration!    

A few times I might have wanted to look at bucks at a distance out of curiosity...but that's about it.  

Out west elk and other hunting is completely different and I use them then!

Kris

ps - My 3 brothers and I have conservatively killed over 100 bow deer here in Wisconsin w/o ever using binos once. Anecdotal but you can shoot deer w/o binos.  I don't use trail cams, scents or cover sprays either.  Keep it simple & honest.

[gordydog]

All interesting comments on different aspects of bowhunting with binocs..  My vision is not like binocs ,but at 49 years old I've been blessed to hold onto my 20\\15 vision and my ears are still woods savvy.  My tree stands are set in thick foliage with discrete shooting holes.  My bow never hangs and my hand is always on the handle.  I have been able to take many deer with just moments to assess and shoot.  I hate the possibility of a "screw up "due to not being ready.
   I should bring my binocs on stand just to experience it, maybe I would like it????

[Rufus]

They sure help to distinguish between the real bucks and the mesquite bucks.

[Guru]

quote:Originally posted by Tim:
I'm also with Dan on this.  

I wouldn't think of hunting whitetails without them.  Mine are setup with bino buddies so they don't move around.  The straps also keep my clothes back out of the way of my bowstring.   I don't scan the woods with them....too much movement but I will use them to verify size of deer, sex (button bucks)and shot placement.  Clarifying where my arrow hit and studying the deers body language after the shot is huge and will help determine when to take up the trail.  I also use them to study the deer before I approach them.  With whitetails I take nothing for granted and verify everything.

 I will also use them to scout alternative tree stand locations from the stand I'm in.  Also, did you know that if you flip them upside down they can be used as a magnifier.      

But Rob, if you're not missing them, then you made the right choice....

[jonsimoneau]

7 or 8 years ago I finally bit the bullet and bought a pair of Leica 8x32's.  It was one of the best hunting investments I have ever made.  I put them on a good harness deal and now I NEVER step foot in the woods without them.  It doesnt matter if I am hunting, scouting, checking trail cameras etc.  They are always on me.  I know in a typical hunting season I use them a lot more than my bow!  I've walked all the way to my treestand...climbed up and realized I forgot them in the truck, climbed back down and went all the way back to get them.  I can't stand to be without them in the woods.

[jonsimoneau]

I should also add, that cheap pairs of binos always spent more time sitting on the dash of my truck than on me.  Always fogged up, poor light gathering etc.  Get a good pair and you will use the heck out of them.