Rokslide,
I am unsure of what to do with my spotting scope. I currently run an angled Leica APO Televiv 65mm which I love. It's light, and has a fantastic image and great eye box and FOV. I can easily spot goats, elk, and bear at 5+ miles which is impressive considering the air is usually partly saturated with some impurity, usually wildfire smoke/haze. The 25-50x is perfect for me, as again usually there is quite a bit of impurities and it starts getting unusable.
This is where my dilemma comes into play. I use my spotter about 50% while in my pack whether day hunting or backpacking in. The other 50% of the time is from my truck whether driving to a viewpoint during scouting season or rifle season, or grabbing it and a gun and taking a quick 5 min walk type of deal to a glassing knob.
I run 10x50 Viper HD's or Swarovski SLC 15x56 bino's depending on the hunt. Archery is usually just the 10's and only a spotter if I know my hunt that day will take me to an area where I can glass for a future days hunt. Rifle is usually just 15's and a tripod if I'm not walking old roads/clearcuts or doing a two vehicle hunt down a ridge in which case I take my 10's. I bring the tripod regardless during rifle season as a shooting rest so no weight difference there. As far as spotter goes, during rifle I bring it again, when I know there is a view point where I can glass a basin for the next days hunt. Rarely can I spot something that I can get to that same day with a spotter, potentially if I located it at first light I could be in position for last light.
With all that being said, do I change to the Kowa for 22.6 oz savings in weight? Is the reduced eye box worth the weight savings? It would allow me to run my 10's and the Kowa for not much more weight than just the Leica by itself. But, I can really spot animals with 15x SLCs.
I'm torn. Anyone thinking similar? Anyone want to tell me I'm smoking crack?
*edit: I'm not a trophy hunter, but do look for a mature local representative of that species. But I'm not counting inches in a scope. I'm making sure it's worth going after is all. Often that is doable in 15's and even 10's.
Feisol 3342 Tripod: 40 oz
Outdoorsman Pan Head: 10.5 oz
---------------------
Kowa: 28.5 oz
Leica: 38.8 (body) + 12.3 (eyepiece) = 51.1oz
Swaro 15's: 42oz
Vortex 10's: 28.4 oz
I am unsure of what to do with my spotting scope. I currently run an angled Leica APO Televiv 65mm which I love. It's light, and has a fantastic image and great eye box and FOV. I can easily spot goats, elk, and bear at 5+ miles which is impressive considering the air is usually partly saturated with some impurity, usually wildfire smoke/haze. The 25-50x is perfect for me, as again usually there is quite a bit of impurities and it starts getting unusable.
This is where my dilemma comes into play. I use my spotter about 50% while in my pack whether day hunting or backpacking in. The other 50% of the time is from my truck whether driving to a viewpoint during scouting season or rifle season, or grabbing it and a gun and taking a quick 5 min walk type of deal to a glassing knob.
I run 10x50 Viper HD's or Swarovski SLC 15x56 bino's depending on the hunt. Archery is usually just the 10's and only a spotter if I know my hunt that day will take me to an area where I can glass for a future days hunt. Rifle is usually just 15's and a tripod if I'm not walking old roads/clearcuts or doing a two vehicle hunt down a ridge in which case I take my 10's. I bring the tripod regardless during rifle season as a shooting rest so no weight difference there. As far as spotter goes, during rifle I bring it again, when I know there is a view point where I can glass a basin for the next days hunt. Rarely can I spot something that I can get to that same day with a spotter, potentially if I located it at first light I could be in position for last light.
With all that being said, do I change to the Kowa for 22.6 oz savings in weight? Is the reduced eye box worth the weight savings? It would allow me to run my 10's and the Kowa for not much more weight than just the Leica by itself. But, I can really spot animals with 15x SLCs.
I'm torn. Anyone thinking similar? Anyone want to tell me I'm smoking crack?
*edit: I'm not a trophy hunter, but do look for a mature local representative of that species. But I'm not counting inches in a scope. I'm making sure it's worth going after is all. Often that is doable in 15's and even 10's.
Feisol 3342 Tripod: 40 oz
Outdoorsman Pan Head: 10.5 oz
---------------------
Kowa: 28.5 oz
Leica: 38.8 (body) + 12.3 (eyepiece) = 51.1oz
Swaro 15's: 42oz
Vortex 10's: 28.4 oz