Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Glassing set ups

I use either Leica Trinovid 10x42s or Swarovski SLC15x56HDs on a Manfrotto 190x tripod with a 128RC pan head. Outdoorsmans studs on both binoculars, so the adapter never has to change, just pull one optic out, and plug the new one in. Brother had the same adapter to his tripod, so all our binoculars can interchange easily. I like the pan head, for glassing, so I can work a grid pattern, I think if I used a ball head, I'd get dizzy from moving the optics too much. The tripod is a bit heavy, I might buy a carbon one this year to try out.

Hey bud - Did you get your "issue" settled?

Yep it's all good!

Nice boots! Thanks for the recommendation, I'm liking mine a lot so far. I haven't challenged them much yet, but I'm getting some miles on them. Just not very rocky/tough terrain yet. They did go up Gaviota Peak in CA and through a Virginia creek to rescue a plastic red Tonka truck from teenagers.

Setup similar to Greg's: Gitzo carbon fiber tripod, Manfrotto 701Hdv head, Swaro 15x56. Pentax spotting scope when guiding. and 8x30 SLCs around my neck.

I use these when in a party with several glassers and can afford the luxury of an extra set of big eyes.

Kowa Highlanders with 30X eyepieces

Daaaamn Daniel....

Niiiice !!!

Those are for when Dennis has his Sherpa along! Grin

Lots of Swaros, Bogens and torn pant seats with some Steiners and a folding chair-pod thrown in!

Any issues with this set up ?

This is what my set up would look like.

I used Webster's Sure Loc Bino holder like that for probably 25 years paired with the old Swarovski 10x50 SLs. It worked very well.

Or we don't get more than 200 yards from the Ranger!

TBS, this is made by Leica in Germany. As I just broke a piece of it this winter I'll have to try to fix it or check out the sources you mention.

I do see Amazon has a few of these Leica bino's mounts on hand but can see they've made some changes since I bought mine years ago and they're still fairly expensive. Europtic usually carries them too.

Either 8 or 10x binos and sometimes a spotter.

For seeing the animal right in front of me before shooting hours and counting down the minutes, I use Sightron SII Binoculars 7x50mm, that cost ~$100

After the sun comes up and driving around looking for game I wear hung around my neck:
MINOX BD Compact 7x28 BR Binoculars Autofocus Flat Field ~ $300

When I see the animal, I look through my Leica 1600 yard range finder. Then I fiddle with my elevation turret on the rifle scope and lie down on the ground and shoot with a bipod. Seriously, this is how it is done. Never shoot out of the truck window. Get out and lie down. Be a sportsman.


For shooting at Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C 12-Inch Bull's-Eye Target $1 each I have:

When close, look through rifle scope to see impacts.

A little further away, a tiny wimpy 15x45x60 Nikon spotting scope that is on a tiny wimpy trip pod. This costs <$0.

A kind way out there:
A big heavy Konus 7122 20x-60x100mm Spotting Scope ~$300
A big heavy Bushnell Advanced Tripod ~$100

From too far:
Get back in the truck, and drive back to the target.

Spotter--Meopta S2, 20-70x. Amazing stuff. I've had it side by side with the Kowa 884 I owned, my buddy's Zeiss 85T FL numerous times, and an older Swaro 80 HD. All were great, but I found the Meopta the best.

Binoculars--If I'm going to be in tighter quarters I love the Cabelas Euro/Meopta 8x32HD. Exceptional build quality, glass is fantastic.

For the typically flat, open country hunting I do I still love the Leupold 10x42 GR HD. You can't tear it up if you try. I like 'em heavy, and this one qualifies. Still consider glass to be exceptional.

I added a Swarovision 10x50 about a year and a half ago. After GregW chewed my ass out a few times for not using a tripod mount for my binocs, I caved and bought the Bog Pod universal mount, which reminds me of the Leica but is $200 cheaper. I have to say the view through the 10x50 SV is the most spectacular view from a binocular I've ever seen, and I've seen most of the high end stuff. I had always just propped my binocs on a shooting stick/etc, and still do. For very extended periods, the tripod changed the game.

That tripod with the little stabilizer braces is not going to work very well for you (if you glass places like I do). Very seldom do I find a nice flat spot to set up on. It is very advantageous to be able to vary the legs so you can get underneath it.

We all started out with those and quickly upgraded.

Agreed

Swaro SLC 7x42 to find 'em, Leupy 12-40x60 to judge
'em.

No complaints.

I agree. You'll be ripping them stabilizers off in no time if you are glassing where you should be. If you have no issue with them you ain't glassing from the right spot...