Spotter or no? Poll

[MuleyFever]

Check all that apply.

So, the spotting scope may be the piece of equipment I struggle with the most when it comes to trying to find "the one", or if I need one at all.

Please vote in the context of general deer/elk hunting. This is not geared for sheep hunting or those limited once in a lifetime trophy hunts.

 

[Anozira]

My opinion is this. I may not always get out my spotting scope for glassing sessions but when I do use it, I want to know for dang sure what I am looking at. For that reason I am glad to have a 85mm with good quality glass.

 

[tdhanses]

I voted always carry one because since I went with the Kowa 55 it is always in my pack. When I had a Swaro 80 I rarely took it.

 

[PAbow84]

Always take it, because if you don't have it, you'll most certainly be in a situation where you wish you had it.

 

[Frank Grimes]

I would use mine more if I had s wide angle fixed power eyepiece. My 65mm vanguard is great, but sometimes the eye relief isn’t quite right. On max power my eyeball had to touch the eyepiece. I think a 60 or 66mm kowa is in the cards for me eventually. With both a variable and fixed eyepiece. For now the vanguard is probably one of the better cheap scopes and I don’t mind packing it,

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

For me it’s all terrain dependent. Elk hunting is usually in dark timber so I don’t take it. Mule deer hunting is in sage flats so I do. If I was hunting elk in more open terrain then I definitely would.

 

[SB1]

I recently started running the vortex razor hd 11-33 x 50mm for longer backpack hunts, which has been a good compromise between weight and effectiveness

 

[[email protected]]

I don’t carry one but only because I can’t afford one that’s better than my binos on a tripod, if I could afford one that was better than my binos then I’d pack it everywhere.

 

[Blue72]

I don’t carry one, because I find carrying a15/16x high power binoculars are much more useful

 

[Jimss]

I hunt trophy deer and elk almost exclusively in the Western US in open to semi-open country. I NEVER leave home without a spotter! If you are a meat hunter it may not matter as much as if you are picky about bucks and bulls. If picky it will likely save you miles of hiking trying to field judge with binos vs spotter. I can also spot an ear, tine, etc from across canyons with a spotter that I have no chance of spotting with binos.

 

[idahohikker]

Open or semi open country it’s a no brainer as stated. Same with trophy guys.

Once you spot that elk at 3 miles that you never would have seen with binos the weight penalty doesn’t seem too bad.

65mm to me is a sweet middle ground. I’d rent an 80mm for sheep. I think guys give up way too much with the smaller spotters but I’ll withhold judgment until I look through the small Kowa.

 

[Blue72]

Open or semi open country it’s a no brainer as stated. Same with trophy guys.

Once you spot that elk at 3 miles that you never would have seen with binos the weight penalty doesn’t seem too bad.

65mm to me is a sweet middle ground. I’d rent an 80mm for sheep. I think guys give up way too much with the smaller spotters but I’ll withhold judgment until I look through the small Kowa.

At 3 miles, I would argue the sweet spot for 65mm scope depending on mirage is about 30x....at that magnification, image scale is not that dramatic compared to 15/16x binoculars. Plus the binoculars have ease of two eyed view, tend to be brighter and larger field of view

With increased mirage the scale leans even more towards 15/16x binoculars

 

[idahohikker]

At 3 miles, I would argue the sweet spot for 65mm scope depending on mirage is about 30x....at that magnification, image scale is not that dramatic compared to 15/16x binoculars. Plus the binoculars have ease of two eyed view, tend to be brighter and larger field of view

With increased mirage the scale leans even more towards 15/16x binoculars

There are scenarios where it’s more helpful to have a spotter or more helpful to have binos. Guys just have to decide which set of pros and cons they want. Some guys experience a lot of eye strain with the spotter, with the Athlon Area 65mm that I own I don’t experience that at all glassing for long periods with the spotter. The view is great and I can spot animals for miles. You have more long distance spotting capacity and ability to judge, which both can be limited with big binos alone.

 

[Blue72]

There are scenarios where it’s more helpful to have a spotter or more helpful to have binos. Guys just have to decide which set of pros and cons they want. Some guys experience a lot of eye strain with the spotter, with the Athlon Area 65mm that I own I don’t experience that at all glassing for long periods with the spotter. The view is great and I can spot animals for miles. You have more long distance spotting capacity and ability to judge, which both can be limited with big binos alone.

Agreed, there are pro's and con's to both. I also think it’s very important for individuals to try different optics to see what works best for them.

I bought scopes in the past, based on other people’s favorable reviews and feedback. But overtime I felt like something was missing. It didn’t feel natural or comfortable to me. I also realized mirages and exit pupils limits higher magnification, one eye viewing is not as comfortable or relaxing as two eyed viewing, and I prefer to glassing no more then two or three miles out. With that said binoculars worked best for me

I know it’s not the best option for everyone, but I think it’s important to let other readers know that glassing is much more then just specifications.

Just like how a modified mustang can easily beat a Porsche 911. But a mustang will never “feel” like a Porsche.

 

[1shotgear]

Check all that apply.

So, the spotting scope may be the piece of equipment I struggle with the most when it comes to trying to find "the one", or if I need one at all.

Please vote in the context of general deer/elk hunting. This is not geared for sheep hunting or those limited once in a lifetime trophy hunts.

It Honestly just depends. If I know I will be in dark timber 90% of the time I will not bring my spotter. If i am going to be rifle hunting there is a spotter in my pack 100% of the Time. I personally love the Swaro 65mm and the Swaro 95mm running the ATX eye piece on both.

 

[Redside]

I don't carry one during archery elk. Rifle deer and antelope I always do.

 

[Stalker69]

I have owned several, but find I just don’t get a good view through them due to wearing glasses. When I take my glasses off it’s a world of differance in the field of view. But it’s hard to get it clear and it’s a pain in the ass. Binoculars I have no issues with. So I end up selling them, then the “ bug” hits I by another one thinking I can get used to them, then find I don’t use it much and off it goes. Any of you guys wear glasses and wear them while using a spotting scope, if so what brand ?

 

[223varminter]

Always take it. Don't always use it.

 

[ChrisAU]

If I were at the stage of my hunting life where I was using points and or paying guides than I would. But for now I'm just looking for a legal bull, so I don't plan on carrying one.

 

[Catahoula]

Vortex Razor 11-33x50 is what I’d like to switch to from my current Vortex Viper 20-60x80. Less weight and would be more effective for my style of hunts. I like using the spotter for summer scouting and just a few days before a hunt starts.