What size spotting scope?

[Seabird965]

Hello, I'm a newbie here. I have been browsing through a lot of post and trying to get as much knowledge I can get about back country elk hunts. I'm planning on a trip this year or next, and I'm trying to start early and pick up some equipment. I have never had to use a spotting scope where I hunt in Texas. I have been doing a little research on them. What size spotting scope will I most need. The large 20x60-80MM, medium size 15x45-60MM or something even smaller. The 80MM sure seems large for a backpack or drop camp hunt. What size should I be looking for. Thanks

 

[kota]

Were it me, I would look at a good set of binos and a nice tripod first. You can see stuff from a long ways away with binos on a tripod. The best elk hunter I know killed a lot (15ish) of archery bulls on backpack hunts before he ever bought a spotter. IMHO, you also have a lot better glassing experience when you can use 2 eyes instead of 1, particularly if you aren’t used to it.

If you already have that covered, I would favor high power binos over a compact spotter, and step up to a 65mm if you are in fairly open country, plan on glassing a lot and will glassing a long ways. I don’t think you would need an 85mm spotter on an elk hunt. FWIW, I packed a beastly BTX and 85mm objective on some solo backpack deer hunts last year and can’t imagine ever leaving it at home.

 

[BBob]

^^^ I'll agree, great binoculars and a tripod first then a 65mm spotter. I have bigger and we've used twins and BTX but on a pack trip for elk I'd take the 65 pretty much most of the time over the others. Elk are big and far easier to see even at dark dark compared to deer. My favorite compromise scope is a Swaro STM HD 65 w/25x50 eyepiece. There are fans of the little Kowa's but I've never looked through one.

All that said it really depends on where you go and end up. There are lots of places to hunt elk where all you need are the binoculars around your neck. You'll never have the need for a tripod or a spotter.

 

[ramsdude47]

Skip the spotter unless you know you will use it down the road and find a good deal (at least 30% off, and not from the fake MSRP)

Spotting scopes are more of a specialty item than a necessity for the overwhelming majority of hunters, especially for elk.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Quality of glass is much more important than bell size. Ie: you are much better off buying a 65mm swaro than a 80+mm Vortex

A spotter is not just useful for hunting.....very handy at the range when shooting, especially when you get out in that 300-1200 yard range

 

[huntnful]

You definitely don't need a spotter for your first backpack hunt, especially for elk. Unless you already own a premium set of 10X or 12X binos and a tripod and panhead. If you have those covered and are dead set on a spotter, the KOWA 554 is the best in it's size class IMO. I spotted my bull in NM from 3.5 miles away with it. I've since went to a Swaro 80 STS because I hunt more mule deer now.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

As suggested above, use a tripod with your binoculars which will GREATLY improve your glassing results. That is the best way to glass and locate game.
A spotter is great for identification vs a tripod mounted binocular for long time glassing & game location.

 

[Seabird965]

Ok, everyone seems to be in an agreement on using Bino's. Thanks for all the input

 

[fatrascal]

Ok, everyone seems to be in an agreement on using Bino's. Thanks for all the input

I am the exception. Ive hunted Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming. There are places where there are lots of trees and you can only see out to a mile or two and in this situation you can get by with binoculars. But I live in Nevada where its wide open and we can spot for miles and miles. And to add to that, every state I mentioned above not only has thickly treed areas but they also have wide open spaces for miles on end. So to me a spotter is priceless. A lot of people say a spotter is only for identifying what you find with your binos. I strongly disagree. While I do use my binos on a tripod and do identify with a spotter, I also use the spotter to spot game at long distance and have gone after lots of game that a bino would not have seen. So in my opinion you need both. As stated above, get the binoculars and tripod first but don't cut your glassing abilities in half by not getting a spotting scope. Get both the binos and spotter. Fatrascal.

 

[eaglemountainman]

You definitely don't need a spotter for your first backpack hunt, especially for elk. Unless you already own a premium set of 10X or 12X binos and a tripod and panhead. If you have those covered and are dead set on a spotter, the KOWA 554 is the best in it's size class IMO. I spotted my bull in NM from 3.5 miles away with it. I've since went to a Swaro 80 STS because I hunt more mule deer now.

Agreed. A spotter is more a luxury than a necessity.

I have a Kowa TSN- 554, and because of its compact size and 28oz, it is always present in my pack. Stunning image quality. I don't scan with it though, due to its narrow FOV. It only comes out to evaluate size and trophy quality before investing time and boots on a lengthy stalk. Scanning is done with a pair of 10.5X44s on a tripod.

 

[nphunter]

I agree with everyone above, honestly there are lots of days elk hunting I don’t even carry my binos. They are great in open country spot and stalk but if your in timber close enough to call they are 100% not necessary if your just after a legal elk.

If your picky and want to know what a bull is before going after it then binos and spotters are both great. It really depends on the terrain you hunt. Out of all of the elk I’ve killed with a bow or rifle I think I’ve looked at one or two with with binoculars before killing them and one with a spotter.

 

[Seabird965]

Well after all the advice, I stumbled on a pretty good deal on a Nikon EDG fieldscope with a FEP 20-60 eyepiece, so I picked it up. Now I can concentrate on a little better pair of binos. Right now I have a Vortex Diamondback 10x42 and a Nikon Monarch X 10.5x45. I haven't decided on 10x or 12x power, but I think I'm leaning towards the 50mm

 

[TheGDog]

Ok, everyone seems to be in an agreement on using Bino's. Thanks for all the input

And DEFINITELY if you don't have one of the "respectable brand" binos with the great glass... suck it up and cough up the loot... keep your eyes peeled on the Classifieds and be ready to move quick when somebody is letting go a great bino because they want the latest-greatest such as the NL Pure's.

Besides the obvious benefits of the better glass... the clarity, sharpness and better edge-to-edge.... what's even more bad_ss, in my opinion, is how the better models offer you a much broader depth-of-field within the view.

Meaning in front of your targeted location to observe... and in back of your targeted location to observe... the deep field-of-view will show you A DARN LOT of that area... in relatively good focus! So in affect... your eyes are taking in more data with each pass/sweep.

Whereas with lesser binos... the Depth-of-Field can be VERY thin/narrow in comparison. So if another object.... is slightly in front of... or behind.. where you're currently pointed at and focused to... with that lesser bino.. you're going to have to "fish" more with the focus-wheel before you can clearly see image data within that in-front-of and behind-it space.

Get either a 10x or a 12x.

15s are very cool, but hand-holding with them is tough on your eyes. Sometimes if I take the 15s.. i'll also take along a compact lil 8x28 for closer-by hand-checks while moving.

 

[Jimss]

Where I open country elk hunt in Wyo Colo and Utah I find MANY elk with spotter that I can’t see from the same spot with binos. My spotter also saves me miles of hiking try to field judge elk and other species. Buy a 60 Leica or Swaro and you’ll be set for life.

 

[Hoodie]

I would second big binoculars for elk. Elk are easy to see. I'm currently using 10x chest binoculars and 18x56 and like the combo. I was glassing elk last week while bear hunting and feel confident I could tell a mature bull out to about 1.5 miles with the 18x56. That's good enough for my needs. Big binoculars are much easier to spend time behind.

That said, if you're set on a spotter I wouldn't go less than a 60mm or 65mm. I played with compact spotters and even with the reduced magnification will take a 15x56 binocular over them every time.

 

[Beckjhong]

This seems like a very common new hunter mistake, and I include myself here. My two cents:
Keep your binos and buy a tripod. Don’t upgrade anything. Draw a tag, hunt and THEN figure out what you want for your personal preference, rather than spending good money guessing. Alternatively, you can always rent.

In general:
Obtain knowledge
Obtain tag
Obtain boots and pack
Hunt
Lessons learned—>repeat

Doubtful that glass quality is going to make or break you on your first hunt. There’s plenty other mistakes to be made. And a lot of successful hunters with no/crap glass.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Good binocular 1st. I like a lower powered model. 8x40 or even smaller. Cover lots of ground with them. Go for something with a 5mm or larger exit pupil for dawn and dusk. Way easier to hold steady than a higher power bino.

Second is a very lightweight tripod for the binocular and spotter. Doesn’t need to be very tall. Just tall enough to use in a chair or seated on the ground.

Last would be a small spotter with a 50mm objective if you’ll be packing it much. Mine is a 15-30 x 50mm. Nice and lightweight. Too much magnification is often wasted due to mirage and the slightly lower power will be steadier. Downside is it’s not great at the rifle range much past 300 yards.

 

[TheGDog]

In the beginning, thinking it must be because you do't have thee magic tool you need (which, other than weapon, does not exist)... I ended up getting the 11-33 x 50mm Vortex Razor. And realistically... you're only good to like.. 22x.. maybe 24x. After that the magnification you're getting just ends up making a larger blurry-edged image.

And... up in those higher magnification numbers... I literally have to put my glasses right upon the glass of the eyepiece in order to be able to see the image clearly. (I do NOT want to be bothered with taking off my eye glasses to be able to glass, that's a good way to drop your glasses out in the field!)

So while I'm in the "Meh" camp about spotters... what I would say is if you're considering getting one, at least make sure you know what the eye-relief will be when viewing thru it on its higher magnification settings.

Doesn't do ya much good to have some ridiculous high-end number if you literally have to mash your face onto the darn eyepiece.

In the meantime, it's helpful at the shooting range, so I held onto it.