Sheep Scope

[Stid2677]

I like big glass and I can not lie,,, But, if I was starting out I would get a Swaro ATX 65, so I could upgrade at a lower cost if I ever chose to. I agree with others that a 65mm is a good sweet spot for sheep. If I'm trying to count rings, that is usually done within shooting range and I don't use that as a shoot or don't shoot decision, just to confirm 2 forms of legality. A 65mm ATX with a 1.7 extender might be a good combo too. One thing I did not see mentioned is eye strain, the better the glass, the lower the eye strain will be,, headache, burred vision etc..... I enjoy watching game with my spotter,, so humping it is juice worth the squeeze for me.

Green with envy,, Stone's are my dream animal. I will make an effort to hunt them one day.

 

[Jimbob]

Thank you for all the replies. In all honesty it didn't help much LOL. I have been researching spotters for years and reading many stories from sheep hunters. The constants are: 1. buy the best you can afford 2. bigger works bigger (when quality is the same) 3. bigger weighs more ha ha. So no new info in this thread but I do appreciate every opinion. I guess the only way to know for sure what is best for me is to actually get out there and use them, that's the fun part though.


On a side note I cannot believe someone is jealous of me for hunting, especially guys from Alaska. I have been on rokslide since it started and have always dreamed of being a mountain hunter. Everything I purchased for hunting was based off a mountain style of hunting even though I was hunting flat ground in Ontario surrounded by fat guys on ATV's. Now my life has changed and I feel blessed to be in mountain hunting heaven. Thanks guys.

 

[Jimbob]

Oh and Stid if you ever want to come down here and help me hunt Stone's then I'm all for it. Ha Ha thanks again

 

[Stid2677]

Oh and Stid if you ever want to come down here and help me hunt Stone's then I'm all for it. Ha Ha thanks again

I might just be down for a trip like that,, I could even pack the fat girl.

 

[jherald]

I really like the Swaro 20-60x65 for being relatively lighter scope for it's size and the performance you get out of it. Another scope to consider that many people forget is the Leica Televid 25-50x65. I wish the Leica had just a little more magnification but its extremely clear at very early and very late hours and I would go so far to say it's a little more clear than the Swaro 65 compared side by side at the same late or early hours of day.

I've used both of these on mountain hunts and both have performed extremely well.

If you go with the angled Leica 65 mm you can get the doubler attachment to increase magnification.

 

[AXEL]

Just a relevant aside on this, given that you are an "Easterner" and not used to extensive backpack stints in the mountains, which can really wear one out after two solid weeks of busting a gut constantly moving and living out of your pack.

You may well be very fit, strong, young and highly motivated. Yet, in decades of fire detection-suppression, I have seen urban athletes literally weep and refuse to go on while we fought high fires and all of us were just beat. So, I found that constantly cutting every ounce from my gear helped greatly in my ability to continue on day after day.

This, is why I have packed the Leica 62mm armoured 16-48 spotter plus light CF tripod for several years and won't go to a larger.heavier rig now. That said, while I have hunted Stone's, RM Bighorns and Calis, often solo for a week with pack, I am not a "gung ho" sheepist and my scope is for seeking Elk. Some difference in parameters of use here.

I started with a B&L 20-60 monster in my 30s, about 40 years ago and it finally died when dropped on a rock. I almost cheered as the SOB seems to weigh about the same as my old '84 Toy LB 4x4! So, I went to the very light Leupold 25x Compact Armoured, but, too small, too wobbly and not "user friendly", cost me a huge elk in NEBC, in 1991.

Finally, got smart and bought my Leica and now favour the 65mm models, for most mountain hunting. I really have found that BC mountain hunting will beat the crap out of anyone and so feel lighter is almost always better. JMHO.

 

[Decker9]

For what it's worth, I'll toss in my opinion, most will disagree tho.
I recently switched to the swarvo ats 65 hd, from a Pentax 65. In all honesty, the only difference I notice, is in the fine detail at closer ranges, first/last light, and shadows. Other then those few circumstances, I find no difference at all in the picture from the ats to my Pentax, even at higher power. I do notice a bigger fov with the Pentax tho, and the Pentax is definetly lighter and smaller then the ats, if small and light is what your after. .
I question if moving to the swarvo was the right choice, I had the extra $$ at the time tho, so I went for it. Iv no regrets, but for someone who is on the edge, wether it's worth the extra $$ or not, it's not imo, unless that extra $$ is in your pocket anyway. I don't believe that the little added feature will make or break a sheep hunt. Just my opinion.

Now that I have the ats 65, I'm really wishing I would have went with the 80mm. One thing I don't mind packing, is extra weight in my optics, and I miss the bigger fov.

Jim, if your ever down burns lake way, it would be no problem at all if you'd like to have a good look threw my ats, or/and compare to my Pentax.

Cheers.

 

[Jimbob]

Great input everyone, I appreciate hearing opinions from guys that really do it.

Axel makes a great point about newbs. You can train all you want and be in good shape but I am betting there is also a bunch of technique for climbing/hiking mountains that takes YEARS to develop. Every ounce is going to count as I learn to traverse these awesome places.

I cannot afford to buy these scopes new so I am on the look out in classifieds and ebay. Sometimes when buying used you have to settle a bit for what's available. I feel like I have enough knowledge to make an informed decision when a scope pops up for sale. Regardless of what I end up with I will be in the mountains next year looking for sheep even if I am just using my 10x42's.

Thanks Decker for the offer to check out your gear, that is always nice, if I am out your way I will take you up on it. I have met a few guys locally here and I am interested to find out what they use as well.

 

[Bruce Culberson]

....YMMV but a lot of our region 6 rams run below the bridge of the nose but are over 8 yrs old, making them legal.....

Jim - good advice here from Blockcaver IMO. I've been on close to a dozen Stone's hunts and have taken 2 and a buddy got 1. The 3 sheep taken were all full curl but due to angles, ect were confirmed legal by age for the shot. I only have a 15-45x60 Baush and Lomb Elite. The rams were aged at 400 yards or less. The scope is ok at 15, but things get dark/grainy above 30x.

Two of my best sheep hunting friends run Ziess 15-45x65 an another buddy runs a Swaro 20-60x65. These are awesome, with a bigger eye box. They also stay brighter even when maxed out on magnification.