10x and 15x. Both worth it?

[Blue72]

I glassed up a nice coues buck with my 12s for my buddy last December. 600 yds away on a thick shady scrub oak face. He got his 15s on it and said that looks like a pretty good buck , solid 3x3, but I’m not sure I want to shoot. I put my spotter on him and gave my buddy a look. He quickly changed his mind and killed that buck that by far is his biggest to date and the biggest coues I’ve ever seen on the hoof. 15s don’t effectively replace a good spotter for evaluating critters.

Like I mentioned earlier. Not everyone is looking for trophy game


There is no perfect set up

What you and I are looking to accomplish are very different. With that said, people can read the forums all day but in the end they are going to need to experiment and see what system works best for them

 

[Blue72]

What surprises me in your example is that binoculars tend to be brighter in shady areas then spotting scopes. Plus at 600 yards it should have brought the animal within 40 yards

Maybe you’re buddys optics are poor quality, wasn’t mounted or out of collimation. BUt then again every situation is different

 

[coyyota]

Thanks for all the input. Like most things the right glass is pretty subjective. For me w not much experience I appreciate the info here for guidance.

 

[Jimss]

I would definitely be up to the challenge of 15x vs high quality scope at 1/2 mile! Not exactly sure where you are getting your false info in regard to scopes! I would hands down pick higher power quality scope over 15x for field judging and spotting game at long distance! I guess we will agree to disagree.

 

[Blue72]

I would definitely be up to the challenge of 15x vs high quality scope at 1/2 mile! Not exactly sure where you are getting your false info in regard to scopes! I would hands down pick higher power quality scope over 15x for field judging and spotting game at long distance! I guess we will agree to disagree.

It’s based on my experience. I live on the beach and compare optics at different mile markers. There are plenty of white tail deer, dogs and people to help me compare as well.

Since I live on a cliff I can compare different elevations and there are plenty of mirage conditions as water temperature fluctuates.

So please take the challenge and tell me what your experience is of a 15x56 binoculars vs a 20x60 spotting scope at a half mile. Try the two mile mark as well, especially at low light. I think the more people who experiment, the better it will be for the community.

In addition there is scientific research proving that binoculars aperture increases the effective aperture by 20-40% since both eyes are being used and essentially there are “two scopes” as well ....so there is independent validity in what I’m saying

 

[Brendan]

Southwest Montana Archery Elk?

Leave the spotter and 15's in the truck. 8's or 10's on your chest... I didn't even carry a tripod.

 

[Jimss]

You are probably right Brendan about carrying a pair of 8 or 10 x binos around your neck for archery hunting SW Montana elk....I believe that country is relatively thick?

I call hogwash about the beach! In Alaska sheep have to have 8 rings or FC to be legal....so top notch optics are super important or clients are super disappointed and may loose their ram if they make a mistake field judging horns. How many sheep guides in Alaska, NWT, and Yukon haul around 15x binos rather than a smaller set of binos plus a scope on a tripod....my guess is none!!!! Every guide I know uses the very best spotting scope sold (usually top notch Swarovski glass) for field judging game. I've yet to see 1 that uses 15x binos to field judge! Why would anyone in their right mind grab 15x binos for field judging when they can zoom in 20 to 60x with a high quality, crystal clear scope?

Nothing I say will likely change your mind. I'll be elk and sheep hunting again this fall.....with my 10x binos plus scope on a tripod!

 

[Newtosavage]

Thank you guys for the responses, much appreciated.

Yea huntstrong is right, was asking if it’s worth carrying the 10s for hand and 15s for tripod.

I’m a long way from counting inches just trying to find a legal bull. Trying to find a set up that gives functional glass for the terrain without lugging around dead pack weight.

My Nikon ED50 spotter weighs less than my binoculars and might even take up less space. It's a no-brainer in the pack.

Having said that, I've been able to determine whether a bull is legal - in fading evening light - with a good pair of 10's on a tripod from over 2 miles away.

If all you're after is determining whether a bull is legal or not, I'm not sure you really even need more than your 10's. But everyone's eyes are unique, so go with what you have confidence in.

 

[Brendan]

You are probably right Brendan about carrying a pair of 8 or 10 x binos around your neck for archery hunting SW Montana elk....I believe that country is relatively thick?

The area I hunted had lots of timber almost zero "Glassing" - it was all more like what you do in the Eastern Whitetail woods with small parks and basins, . 8x32 are ideal there. Hunted one area for 3 years, carried my spotter a total of 2 days before leaving it in the truck.

More open areas are a different story.

 

[Blue72]

You are probably right Brendan about carrying a pair of 8 or 10 x binos around your neck for archery hunting SW Montana elk....I believe that country is relatively thick?

I call hogwash about the beach! In Alaska sheep have to have 8 rings or FC to be legal....so top notch optics are super important or clients are super disappointed and may loose their ram if they make a mistake field judging horns. How many sheep guides in Alaska, NWT, and Yukon haul around 15x binos rather than a smaller set of binos plus a scope on a tripod....my guess is none!!!! Every guide I know uses the very best spotting scope sold (usually top notch Swarovski glass) for field judging game. I've yet to see 1 that uses 15x binos to field judge! Why would anyone in their right mind grab 15x binos for field judging when they can zoom in 20 to 60x with a high quality, crystal clear scope?

Nothing I say will likely change your mind. I'll be elk and sheep hunting again this fall.....with my 10x binos plus scope on a tripod!

Your talking about a different situation.

Plus if you hunted enough you know that atmospheric conditions often don’t allow you to crank magnification to 60x. In those situations your often dialing it down to 20-30x. The difference in image scale from 15x binoculars to a 20x spotting scope is 58 yards and 44 yards at a half mile. That’s a difference of a mere 14 yards. Now add in the brighter image from the effective aperture increase of the dual scopes of binoculars and it negates that difference


Try it for yourself

 

[huntstrong2850]

Your talking about a different situation.

Plus if you hunted enough you know that atmospheric conditions often don’t allow you to crank magnification to 60x. In those situations your often dialing it down to 20-30x.

This right here is so often why I find a spotter isn’t worth the weight. And come on honestly most commenting here aren’t off hunting sheep and counting rings every fall lol...



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