Still hunting with binos? Worth carrying two pair?

[Ken Swenson]

For those of you who employ still hunting as a regular technique in your arsenal, do you choose to carry a pair of binoculars for thick cover, or do you do get by with your regular eye sight?

The reason I ask is I’ve been eyeing a pair of compact 6 or 7x binos to use in the cover. I’m trying to decide if this is worth the extra cost and added weight in the field over simply using my eyesight and my EL12’s off the chest.

I personally haven’t still hunted much, but have made a couple stalks through some thick pines with no use of binoculars. I was able to see the buck before he saw me on both occasions.

 

[pacoalcracker]

thick cover, none needed. they will just slow you down or distract you from paying attention. leave the scope at home too...use open sights, you will certainly bag more game and that's a guarantee.

 

[kad11]

I've killed a decent number of elk at well under 100 yds via still hunting or tracking, and honestly picked all of them up with my eyes. I personally don't think a dedicated 6-7x pair of binoculars is necessary for successful still hunting.

With that said, I did recently buy a pair of these (https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-bantam-hd-6-5x32-youth-binocular.html) for about $55 to try out on later season day hunts when I know I'll spend all day in the timber still hunting or looking for a track to follow.

 

[MTtrout]

While still hunting I always take my step(s) and look with my eyes first but then do the full scan with my binos. Now thinking about it I’ve killed the most from my eyes. I still would not ever go without binos though

 

[roosiebull]

Binos can be extremely useful in the woods, especially if you spot something and you are stalking through this area

Seeing through the bush, and seeing a sliver of a bedded cow’s back, and ear, an antler, etc

I can quickly recall several scenarios where I would have almost certainly blew up a situation without binos.

Stalking a particular critter can give you tunnel vision, and one you didn’t see gets you before you had a chance.

I don’t use them still hunting, but I start using them a good amount if I know or think I’m close to something.

I don’t have the patience to still hunt and look at everything through binos, but they are still a valuable tool in thick country.

 

[Stache Attack]

Still hunting I look at everything my eyes pick out. Love hunting the thick north facing timber. My binos at 12s aren’t the most conducive, but they pay off in detail more often than not. If still was all I did I’d buy those 8.5x42 Swaro els or 10 x50 vipers depending on price range

 

[mighteywhitehunter]

It would have to be some real thick stuff to leave my binos behind. Other than maybe once accidentally, they have been on every trip with me for 20+ years.

 

[Magma]

Leupold and swaro makes the best

 

[Macintosh]

I bring mine 100% always, especially in thick cover. I prefer compacts over full size, although I dont have a pair Im crazy happy with. I definitely would not carry two pair though.

I use a couple ways. to identify movement Ive picked out with my eyes, which often is a leaf or twig moving inside a thicket, but if its a deer its near invisible and needs to be picked out via a tiny piece of the animal—tip of an antler or ear, just the eye, a leg or patch of hair, etc, all buried deep inside a thicket. I also use it to scan ahead before I launch into an opening—tracking, lots of times a deer will bed watching its back-track. Before emerging from a thicket I’ll scan across a section of more open woods or a beaver meadow, up onto a knob, etc to see if I can pick out a bedded deer that I would otherwise have busted. Focusing INTO a thicket allows you to lose the clutter in your eyes natural depth of field and gives better ability to look inside.
Lots of times I’ll see a deer with my eyes and just need to positively ID if its a buck or a deer I want to shoot, and the binos help me a lot with that in thick brush.

 

[TaperPin]

I went through a period obsessing over still hunting elk in timber - the authors that seemed to be the best at it liked a pair of compact 8x or 7x binoculars, so that’s what I bought and it worked great.

You want them easily accessible so don’t put them in a case - they are light weight so no need for a big strap. You’re only looking 50 to 100 yards so they work just fine one handed - your rifle has to be in hand at all times - the second you lose taking it off your shoulder might be the difference between a shot or no shot.

Something like this Leica is perfect.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I use my Zeiss 10x40 classics for everything. Biggest bull I killed was at 80 yards in lodgepoles and I needed binos to see antlers.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Carry 8x during archery season where very little to no time is spent glassing, but I have definitely picked elk out of the brush where if I didn’t have them I would have probably blow by. For me they can help me slow down and I remember to look through them every few steps. Now if I was snow tracking or something they are probably unnecessary

 

[ericacymcdonald]

The thicker it is the more useful binoculars are. Even in very very short distances. I will scroll with the focus wheel to see different levels through the thick stuff. Sooo much easier to see that way then with your naked eyes

 

[TaperPin]

. . . and don’t carry two pair or have a range finder around your neck. A bunch of crap on your chest just gets in the way.

Since you’re asking you must be just getting the hang of it. People often ask how to use binoculars in timber - pay attention to how elk react to you and that answers the question. The distance you are kicking elk out of their beds is the point they know you are there - you need to see them farther away than that. There’s a rhythm to take a few steps, look, glass, repeat. Don’t forget a herd of elk smell like a barnyard - if you get a whiff they aren‘t far off.

Everyone has different eyesight - some pick out things better than others. I know a dude that has such good detailed vision if he were a hunter he could still hunt better than anyone who has ever written on the subject - a true freak of nature. On the other hand I barely see textures, sort of half way between 2d and normal 3d vision, so even with clear vision and years of practice, elk are pretty safe unless I’m using binoculars.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

I carry a pair of 6.5x or 7x when still hunting. They are very useful to me, even in thick stuff.

 

[180ls1]

It's definitley helpful. I'm selling my monarch HG in 8x42 if you're interested. 435' FOV, would be great for that.

 

[Firestone]

I still hunt with binos and use them a lot. I have used 10s the most but if all I have are 12s I would use them.