Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Do you use a spotter?

I wish people that doubt the utility of a spotter could spend a few days in my living room.
Across the valley, there are about 400 head of elk that wander around in pretty typical elk habitat; broken timber, sage, deep coulees, always in a mix of light and shadow. It's not uncommon to walk in the living room and see 40 to 50 elk with the naked eye, obvious in the sunlight. Ten minutes later, there doesn't appear to be an elk on the hillside.
Using the 12X40 Leopold spotter, in timber you'd swear couldn't hide an emaciated findoozle, there will be an elk rump, the nose of another, the legs of two more, a couple laying down in 'plain sight' that weren't picked up by the eye. And, magnification beyond 12 or 15 is not the answer. Most times of the year, mirage is such a problem that more magnification amounts to no advantage- sharp optics do matter though, but only if they are held rock solid steady.
At least here in Montana, I don't think most people realize just how many elk there are out there, and how easy it is to not see them.
By the way, for those of you not from Montana, a findoozle is an animal that looks like a cross between a wolverine and a cougar that his more vicious than either. There is a scientific name that I can't recall right now.