Stone Sheep bino magnification?

[tdot]

6 weeks out from my first stone sheep hunt. It will be a solo trip, so weight is a huge consideration, but for this conversation I don't care as much about it, though its still a consideration. I have an 8x and 12x. The 12x is marginally better glass, and about a pound heavier.

The country I'm hoping to get into is very wide open,
with a ton of long distance glassing potential (according to Google Earth). I'll be hunting grey sheep in grey rocks. My original plan was to use the 12x, as the distances that I'll likley be glassing will be in excess of a mile, upwards of 3 to 4. But the weight savings of the 8x is attractive. All glassing will be from a tripod, so the only benefit of handholding the 8x will be on the final approach, though I can handhold the 12x ok.

So for guys who've hunted Stone Sheep, what magnification would you suggest? Is the 12x complete overkill? Or will it give an advantage for picking out grey sheep at distance?

 

[back country]

Are you taking a spotter too? Or just binos?


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[MtnMuley]

I hunt all sheep with 15's on my chest. No way would I ever change that.

 

[tdot]

Are you taking a spotter too? Or just binos?


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Yes, good point, I'll have a spotter.

 

[leoni1]

As mentioned above, it totally depends on whether a spotter is being taken.

If you are taking a spotter, I would lean towards a quality 8x32 bino.

I hunt bighorn every year in big, open country. I’ve always been happy with my 8x32 and 20-60x65 combo.


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[InteriorAKPopsicle]

I’m taking my 10x42s because I’ll have a spotting scope.


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[Bubblehide]

What spotter?

 

[back country]

If you’ll have a spotter as well I’d go with the 8s. In my opinion the 12s are overkill if you have a spotter too.


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[tdot]

What spotter?

Swaro ATX/65, bino's are either newer 12x EL or 18 year old 8x EL (coatings/glass aren't quite on par with the new EL)

 

[Blockcaver]

I have hunted Stones 8 times myself and one more time
helping a Buddy. I use my Swarovision EL 10x42s and a Swaro ATM 20-60x65mm spotter. Totally happy with the combo.
With your choice I’d take the 12x Swaros as the extra magnification and better optics will be useful in my experience.

And we both have archery Stone rams to show for our efforts. Good luck to you!

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

8x32 Leica's and now EL's for me. Light weight and a great field of view. 8x allows for long periods of steady glassing. The quality optics allow you to really make out detail that a lesser quality 10x would not.
This year I have the choice of Kowa spotting scopes in either 15-45x55 or 25-60x77, depending on objective of sheep hunt.

 

[Blockcaver]

I’ll add that I have Leica Geovid 15x56HD rangefinding binos and Leica 8x32 Ultravid (PRE-HD) to pick from, plus an older pair of Swaro 10x42 ELs. The newer Swarovision 10x42 ELs are always my choice for backpack sheep hunting paired with the Swaro spotter. I use the 8x32 binos a lot, just not for sheep and caribou where you are glassing many miles and are determining potential legality of a ram or bull as well.

I have always wanted to try the latest Swaro 12x50 ELs as I think they might be be even better than the 10x42 for the application. But really don’t want to spend the $$$$ on another pair with what I already own! Hope you have a great hunt!

 

[Hatchet Jack]

i've never even been in the same zip code as a stone sheep but i hunt tiny grey deer that live in big grey rocks and the 12x50 EL is my go-to. Probably because its the only binos i have; man i'm jealous of some of you guy's optic arsenal.

 

[Kotaman]

If you're taking a spotter, I wouldn't be afraid at all of taking the lighter weight 8x.

 

[Chilcotin83]

go light on the bino's as you are going to need to use the spotter for curl/age assessment.

 

[Legend]

Not to sound like a jerk.....but that sounds ds like a real problem .

Damn I am jealous!

I run 8x on a tripod. I have watched squirrels at 2 miles running on logs in timber. You will be fine with either.

 

[Decker9]

I’d take the 12’s and the spotter, no regrets! My first Stone came from a solo 9 day hunt, good luck to you!

 

[Jac]

Last year we took 10x42 and a spotter. 8 or 10 with a spotter will be fine

 

[tdot]

Thanks everyone for the comments. It seems about 50/50 on which option to choose. As there doesn't seem to be a persuasive argument either way, I'll stick to my original plan of the 12x. Atleast that way the only complaint I can have after 10 days is that they weighed too much. But if I don't find a sheep with the 8x, I'll always wonder if I might have seen something with the 12's.

 

[MaraviaDave]

I hunt Dall sheep, in terrain similar to what you’ve mentioned, with 12x Swaro’s and an ATX 95 spotter. The 12’s on a tripod are nice, considering the amount of time spent trying to locate rams. They seem to justify their weight, from my perspective.