Your Favorite Spotting Scope and Why

[Racethesunset]

Thanks for reading the article.
You probably can tell from the reading it that the stx 95 is my favorite scope. How I use it depends on terrain and species but for deer, I often end up scanning/searching with it as much as I do my 10x42s on the tripod. I don't think there is an upgrade from the atx/sts/btx line as for as performance in the field (not that I have looked through). You can opt to go lighter and use the 65 and I did that that as well this season. There is a good chance the 95 will be in my pack for most of my backpacking hunts and scouting trips next year, it just helps identify animals at longer ranges better.
If animal quality isn't that big of a deal and identifying a big framed 175 from a tight framed 190 when they are a couple miles away isn't important then go with the lighter and smaller choice. The zoom on the stx 95 is clear and usable all the way to 70x. It saves miles walked and even more important, time.
There are much lighter and less expensive options, you have to figure out what is most important to you.

How would the BTX factor into your use case, if at all?

I ain’t no weight weenie.

 

[dotman]

Thanks for reading the article.
You probably can tell from the reading it that the stx 95 is my favorite scope. How I use it depends on terrain and species but for deer, I often end up scanning/searching with it as much as I do my 10x42s on the tripod. I don't think there is an upgrade from the atx/sts/btx line as for as performance in the field (not that I have looked through). You can opt to go lighter and use the 65 and I did that that as well this season. There is a good chance the 95 will be in my pack for most of my backpacking hunts and scouting trips next year, it just helps identify animals at longer ranges better.
If animal quality isn't that big of a deal and identifying a big framed 175 from a tight framed 190 when they are a couple miles away isn't important then go with the lighter and smaller choice. The zoom on the stx 95 is clear and usable all the way to 70x. It saves miles walked and even more important, time.
There are much lighter and less expensive options, you have to figure out what is most important to you.

You now need to add the zoom extender thing they make for the ATX/STX, I was pretty impressed by the photos Ryan posted from it. Takes your zoom out to over 100x I think.

 

[Tony Trietch]

I have not used the btx so I can’t say.
I’m very weight conscious when backpacking so it would have to be helping me find critters over the 95 with standard eye piece to get carried in.
That’s why I lean towards the 95 over the 65. I believe it does help me find more game earlier and later in the day as well as identifying shooter/non shooter at greater distances.
Hope that makes sense.



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[Tony Trietch]

You now need to add the zoom extender thing they make for the ATX/STX, I was pretty impressed by the photos Ryan posted from it. Takes your zoom out to over 100x I think.

I plan on it. If the clarity stays constant at that magnification...


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[Lawnboi]

Ats 65, it's not going anywhere for a long time. Crazy what a good spotter cost when compared to pretty much all the other gear I bring in the woods.

I had used a few cheaper scopes. But when I put down the money on the swaro the plan was that it's a 10 year investment.

Edit I suppose I should answer your questions.

I use it for all around stuff. Checking out closer after finding with Binos, scanning if needed, eyeballing stalking routes. I don't know how guys judge deer without a spotter, I have a hard time discerning doe or buck at some distances iv glassed. On a mule deer hunt I couldn't see being without it in my pack.

8x Binos, I'm an eyeglass wearer, and my hands are not the steadiest. So iv always been more comfortable behind an 8x Bino.

For deer only so far, but it will probably see more species in the coming years, hopefully.

Keep in mind the number of scopes iv spent time behind is a drop in the bucket compared to most here

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

I don't have a favorite spotter at this point. I only have experience with the 1st gen razor 50 and 65. I have a 50 and I got to use my brothers 65 on a late AZ elk tag this past December.

I use mine as a antler/horn indicator. I usually spot an animal with my binos from about 1 - 2 miles out and then put my spotter on it to identify the frame of the buck/bull. I've had good success the past two years with my razor 50 doing that. I've always been able to tell if it is something I want to make a play with or not. I can't tell within 50 inches with this spotter though from that far away.

I carry a pair of Viper 10x42 HD's on my chest rig, but rarely use a tripod with it.

Right now I don't need to upgrade to a bigger spotter. I hike so much that the extra weight right now isn't worth it. What I have works for spotting legal animals or if I need to plan a stalk or not.

Keep in mind my spotter has failed twice on hunts in the past two years. First time it wouldn't zoom in and the second the zoom wheel didn't change the zoom. The vortex warranty is awesome, but it is very frustrating when you glass something up when you are zoomed in to 10 power and can't go past 11 zoom with your spotter.

 

[Owenst7]

Google Earth says these elk were 1.2 miles as the crow flies, looking into the sun with heat waves, freehanding my cell phone over the eyepiece.
Vanguard Endeavor HD 65mm, 51 ounces

I was using it here to identify 2 spikes in a group of about 30-40. It got the job done just fine, and I spent the next 4 hours watching a stalk without any eye strain.

I primarily use 8s, although I have a pair of 10s that I like to carry when I plan to use them on a tripod. I have difficulty keeping 10s still enough by hand to make them outperform 8s. I usually start glassing the obvious areas and whatever is nearby with my binos, then sit behind the spotter and grid out the area, picking apart any shadows, wooded, awkward hiding spots, etc. I'll start to switch back and forth between the two once I start to get bored. Part of the reason I prefer 8s is because this doesn't require me to switch stuff back and forth on my tripod.

I would like to try a lighter weight scope, possibly a fixed power. I've used this setup on two Bighorn hunts, and a two-week elk/mulie hunt this season. The only thing I'd really like is to drop some weight.

I'd spend money on more tags before I'd spend a lot more on optics. This setup gets the job done for me, even counting points/rings.

 

[dotman]

I don't have a favorite spotter at this point. I only have experience with the 1st gen razor 50 and 65. I have a 50 and I got to use my brothers 65 on a late AZ elk tag this past December.

I use mine as a antler/horn indicator. I usually spot an animal with my binos from about 1 - 2 miles out and then put my spotter on it to identify the frame of the buck/bull. I've had good success the past two years with my razor 50 doing that. I've always been able to tell if it is something I want to make a play with or not. I can't tell within 50 inches with this spotter though from that far away.

I carry a pair of Viper 10x42 HD's on my chest rig, but rarely use a tripod with it.

Right now I don't need to upgrade to a bigger spotter. I hike so much that the extra weight right now isn't worth it. What I have works for spotting legal animals or if I need to plan a stalk or not.

Keep in mind my spotter has failed twice on hunts in the past two years. First time it wouldn't zoom in and the second the zoom wheel didn't change the zoom. The vortex warranty is awesome, but it is very frustrating when you glass something up when you are zoomed in to 10 power and can't go past 11 zoom with your spotter.

Have you looked at the Kowa 550 series?

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I had a razor 50 for three years as my first spotter and just this spring got a razor 65 to replace it.

I had the razor 50 on hunts for elk in Colorado, desert mulies in Arizona, coues deer in Arizona, elk in Arizona, as well as shed hunting. I can’t say I’ve ever actually had a situation where my razor 50 didn’t get the job done that I needed, but I don’t use it to count inches with tight tolerances. It was able to tell me whether a Colorado bull was a solid 6x6 from 1.8 miles. I was also able to follow a 105ish inch coues buck from 700 yards to about a mile and a quarter and still be able to tell that he had a good frame. As long as the 50 doesn’t break on you like it did to my brother ^^^ then I think it works very well for the weight and cost.

I haven’t had the 65 that long and I’ve only got to compare it to the 50 while my brother was here for a couple days on my Arizona elk hunt this year. We had a bunch of bulls glassed up opening day. The 65 certainly was better for looking over the minor details but the 50 worked just fine. One of the bulls hung out in the burn at right around 1000 yards and I watched him for a long time, and could easily see every inch of antler he had on him. If you were into long range hunting and wanted to make sure that bull had no broken points whatsoever than perhaps you couldn’t get by with the 50 and would need that step up.

I personally do notice the extra weight, though, and would probably rather have the 50 with me on almost any hunt. If I were in the market for a spotter I without a doubt would be picking up a Kowa 55. Hopefully in a few years I can get a used one cheap enough.

 

[robie]

-What's your favorite spotter for western hunting?
I run the Swaro 95MM atx. Before purchasing I rented through optics4rent. Decided the swaro glass is what I wanted and found a deal on eBay for the ATX then the 95mm separately. All in I'm around $3k for the pair.

-How do you use it (as a workhorse, as a hail mary, for antlers)?
Workhorse. I backpack with it and I will sit and glass for hours with it. I really enjoy looking at the details in the shadows to see what I can find. I really enjoy digiscoping with it.

-What do you complement it with in the pack (8,10, 12, 15, etc - I use 12x50 SV's on a tripod mostly)?
10x42 EL swarobright. I will freehand those and then leave the spotter on the tripod. I'll put them on the tripod from time to time.

-Lastly, given objectives of coues, muley, elk, sheep, bear, what would you upgrade to?
Deer, Elk and Antelope. Only upgrade I'm considering is the Swaro Extender.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

I like my leica 62 with zoom lense. Its fairly light and gets the job done. I cant see myself replacing it anytime soon. Eventually I will buy a second scope with a bigger objective.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

Have you looked at the Kowa 550 series?

I haven't. Right now I'm really trying to cut back on any spending (fingers crossed). Trying to find a way for my family to live on one income. A not very good income at that. Wife wants to stay home with the kid. If it is a straight switch of around $500 bucks I see not problem doing it, but haven't done any research on the series.

 

[boom]

it's like a utility trailer...the best spotting scope is someone else's spotting scope. right now, i'm that guy. i carry it, and everything.

it's a bad day, if i have to get my younger brother to carry the optics system.

 

[handwerk]

I've been very happy with my Swaro STS 65 HD w/ 25-50 eyepiece. I guess it's a work horse since I mainly use it for finding game and checking for horns but I'm not counting points.
For binos I'm using 10x42 leica geovid HD-R's . At this time I don't see upgrading my spotter as it does all I need it to.

 

[odin0226]

I run a Swaro 95mm ATX for about everything; added weight doesn't bother me at all. I do own a Vortex 11-33 HD, it usually gets handed off to my hunting partner when they don't own one.

I do backcountry hunts on foot in ID and CO. Some of the toughest terrain in both; I think there are areas you can cut weight but glass , boots, and pack shouldn't be one of them.

 

[DRMULEYAZ28]

I use a Meopta Meopro HD80 spotter as my workhorse, with my 15’s meostar binos and finally my everyday babies 10x50 Swaro EL’s.

Gotta be honest, at first the spotter didn’t wow me, but now that I’ve used it for this past season I’m starting to warm up to it. I feel now that I’ve broken it in or may have just gotten used to it thru lots of use, it performs better now than when I first bought It. I swear the focus is better and not too stiff and I can get a sharp picture a lot easier and quicker now. But the I feel the the max usable range would be 45 on a typical day and 60 in perfect conditions which is rare. The weight is hefty and for packing around it does get heavy so with all that being said it’ll probably be headed for sale soon and I might be getting a meostar S82 or Kowa 883 spotter.

The meostar is high on my list because of good reviews and the meostars are Meoptas premium line (my 15’s are meostars) and they are considered the Best Buy for your money. I also am thinking maybe the Kowas, as they subjectively are considered the very best of the best, beating the swaros although only slightly. I would love an atx as well but all those accessories I would convince myself I need would put me in the poor house.

 

[stevevan]

Swaro STS 65 HD, 25-50. Everything I could ask for.

 

[back country]

Swarovski ATX 65. Best scope out there for the weight-conscious hunter


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[WRO]

So, I have a few questions and points of dialog for the hunters out west:

• What's your favorite spotter for western hunting? STX 95mm
• How do you use it (as a workhorse, as a hail mary, for antlers)? Hunting and guiding
• What do you complement it with in the pack (8,10, 12, 15, etc - I use 12x50 SV's on a tripod mostly)? 12x50 elsv
• Lastly, given objectives of coues, muley, elk, sheep, bear, what would you upgrade to? BTX, I'm going to buy another set of 8x32ELs again, I miss mine.

 

[6.5x284]

I currently run a Meopta Meostar S2 angled spotter (wide angle eye piece) and am quite happy with it, other than weight. I run a Vortex 10x50 Viper HD as my main bino always in my KUIU bino harness. I have traditionally ran this 10x and 82mm spotter combo for hunting in MT. The spotter allows me to identify bulls at 6 miles (first photo is 5.63 miles away with sun rising into the glass, and smoke in the valley without a phoneskope adapter of any kind). Through the lens, it's much better than the photo. So, I'm happy with the spotter other than weight. It's about 68oz. I also started glassing with my 10x binos off the tripod this year, and saw an immediate difference. My current plan is to pickup the 15x56 SLC's and run the 10x and 15x combo, and leave the scope at home. I found with my 10x on a tripod, I own 1000 yards and in for identifying bull/buck quality. Not counting inches like a trophy guy, but enough to gauge mature buck/bull worth going after for me, or not. I basically have two types of hunts. Backpack into a bowl system, where everything is within 2000 yards. Packing the spotter for this sucks. I think the 15's will fill the 2000 and in role perfect, and allow me to shed 20 oz of weight in the process. Those trips where I'm biking or hiking to a vantage point to glass across valleys, rivers, several drainages (like the elk in the photo), I will bring the 10x and 82mm spotter. After considering how/where I hunt, I think with adding 15's to my kit, it'll be about 70% of the time 10x and 15x combo, and 30% of the time 10x and 82mm spotter combo. I thought about upgrading my 10x to the 10x42 SLCs, and getting a cheaper 15x56 like the Zeiss Conquest HDs, but I beat up my 10x binos so much, I would feel bad doing those things to a pair of Swaro's. To answer the OPs questions...my favorite spotter for the money is the Meostar S2, but will probably trade it some day towards a ATS 65mm for weight. I don't think the S2 gives up anything to Swaro ATS glass wise, but Meopta doesn't make a S2 in 65mm. What do I use it for? I use the spotter for LONG distance glassing primarily. Deciding which drainage or GMU to hike into the next day, etc..., usually 2 miles minimum glassing ridges or cuts for tracks or critters at first/last light. What compliments my spotter? Currently a cheaper 10x Viper HD. What would I upgrade to? Well (maybe a lateral??) to Swaro ATS 65mm for weight, not glass.

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