Spotting scope for sheep hunting

WRO

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Nov 6, 2013
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The kowa 88mm is an amazing spotter and pretty light for its size. I compared it so my swaro ats 65 and it’s worth the extra weight. The 95 is a little heavy to pack and I believe the 88 is 100 percent as good as the atx 95 I haven’t personally been able to see them side by side but that would be my guess
I have, they're close but I like the colors better in the swaro and it has better edge to edge clarity. I like the ergonomics better (not a fan of the Kowa body/focusing) but I've also had an STX for 4 years so I'm a bit spoiled.

We're talking butt hairs here.

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JP100

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Dec 20, 2013
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South Island New Zealand
The kowa 88mm is an amazing spotter and pretty light for its size. I compared it so my swaro ats 65 and it’s worth the extra weight. The 95 is a little heavy to pack and I believe the 88 is 100 percent as good as the atx 95 I haven’t personally been able to see them side by side but that would be my guess

What are these Kowas worth??

I have never heard of them(until the last couple of weeks seen them mentioned a few times) nor seen one. I assume they are Japanese?
 

Mtnman84

Lil-Rokslider
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Jun 22, 2015
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I picked mine up for 2445 with the eyepiece at the sheep show. I was shocked with the show price the swaro 95 will be double that
 

Beendare

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May 6, 2014
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Corripe cervisiam
I've tried the big and med Swaro scopes, the Nikon 50mm HD, own the Nikon 60mm ED, Leica televid, a couple cheapies like that angled Leopold......

My take; I wouldn't buy the small 50mm or 55mm scopes. I think the 65mm is the sweet spot. Sure those big 80mm and up scopes are fantastic...but they are so bulky taking up so much room in your pack!

Good Japanese optics are every bit as good if not better than Swaro/Leica. [my Nikon EDG's and the ED scope side by side proves that]

If I was buying a scope for sheep hunting right now it would be this one;
Kowa 66mm angled Prominar at Cameraland
http://cameralandny.com/spec-sheet.html?catalog[name]=Kowa-TSN-663M-66mm-Prominar-XD-Spotting-Scope---Angled-Body-Binoculars-and-Scopes&catalog[product_guids][0]=1666071
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2017
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NV
I have the BTX with 95 mm lens. I had the exact same questions as you and I just figured I’d get the bigger one and later add the 65 if I needed to. I don’t think packing the 95 around would be a problem but if you have the cash for this setup, just buy both lenses and problem solved.
 

Northernpiker

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Jan 22, 2015
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Eau Claire, Wi.
The versatility of the ATX/STX is very nice(and expensive) you can use the 65, 85 or 95, you use the BTX(heavy and bulky) and the 1.7 extender works great with any of these. I haven't looked thru any of the larger Kowa's but the small Kowa 55mm Prominar is very impressive.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
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Colorado
I just spent months pouring over reviews and reading threads on which spotter was best before I made my purchase. Everything kept point back to one thing - the X series Swaro spotter is the scope that all others are compared to. I am sure the Kowa is nice.

Sounds like you've made up your mind on the 95mm. I personally wouldn't ever consider that for a pack trip. I have only been on 1 sheep hunt (and a lot of scouting trips), but we moved camp daily going from basin to basin until we found sheep, so light and fast was the game. I went with the 65mm ATX, but I do plan on adding the 95mm someday for trips/things I do where I don't live out of a backpack. If you can and want to pack the 95mm, then by all means, go for it. You can do so thinking with every step that you have arguably the absolute best spotter a man can buy on your back. I wouldn't, but I am not you.

The BTX does seem far too bulky for my preference. I would go look at one and put the package together. In a Kifaru Reckoning that thing might even have trouble fitting in the side pocket? It looks huge, I never tested it.
 
OP
CTobias

CTobias

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
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180
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Alaska
After doing a lot of research and talking to people, I decided to go with the Maven binos and spotting scope. I just couldn't pull the trigger on getting the swaro's. This will also allow me to finally upgrade a bunch of my other gear, instead of getting just the swaro's and using my 10+ year old gear that is showing its age and use. Thanks for all of your help guys.
 

Jardo

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Aug 7, 2017
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Hawaii and Utah
I went with the Kowa 883. It's the best glass available. Little heavy compared to the 65 range scopes but worth it. If I was backpacking for sheep, I would go with the Kowa 553. Not sure the weight and size of the big 88 scopes are worth the extra clarity. I guess it depends on how picky you will be about getting the ram with the perfect horns.


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AKborn87

FNG
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
37
I went with the Kowa 883. It's the best glass available. Little heavy compared to the 65 range scopes but worth it. If I was backpacking for sheep, I would go with the Kowa 553. Not sure the weight and size of the big 88 scopes are worth the extra clarity. I guess it depends on how picky you will be about getting the ram with the perfect horns.


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What about the Kowa 773?
 

tdot

WKR
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Aug 18, 2014
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BC
After comparing the 3 Kowa scopes a few years ago, 66, 77 & 88, I ended up with the 663. The 88 was too large, though of course noticeably better optics. The 77 was too close in size to the 88.

Optically I felt the 66 and 77 were close. Especially with the wide angle eye piece.

So in the end, it's too large and not good enough over the 66, for me to go with it. If I could have justified anything larger and for more money then the 66, then I would have jumped all the way to the 88.

I use the 66 with the wide angle eye piece. Personally I would take the WA over the zoom. With it I can pick up .22 holes in paper targets at 200 yards.
 
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