Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics So how do you use binoculars ? or learn how to if you habbitually don't

and

I don't, ok haven't used them much when stalking, I just started last year.

How often and when do you use 'em... carry them and such.

What size do you binocular do you use, ... and stuff like that.

When sitting still ~50% of the time I'm eyeballing though glass, 50% pickin' my nose, ass or whatever else I can to scare away the deer.

While still hunting ~ 15-20% of the time.

A bunch either way.

6.5x32

Spotshooter, on the homepage there is an article by John Barsness, called "Looking Long". That should get you started in the right direction.

Basically my use of binoculars while hunting falls into one of two catagories. I use a binocular to get a better look at something I've already seen or I use one to see things I haven't already seen.
As a rule, I either carry one around my neck that isn't too heavy, that's anything over 24-25 ozs., or I carry one around my neck and a larger, heavier, more powerful glass in my pack for serious glassing while sitting or using some sort of rest.
I use them for both open country hunting and heavy cover hunting.
My heavy cover binoculars are a 6X30 Leupold Yosemite or a Minox 6.5X32 depending on just where and how I'm hunting.
My "around the neck" binoculars for open country are either the 6X30 Yosemite or my Nikon LX 8X32. The one's I carry in the pack can be the Nikon LX 8X32, my Leica 8X42, or my 12X50 Leica BN.
Alot depends on where I'm going, and how I'm going to work the area or the animals. E

Generally, the principals that apply to steadiness in marksmanship apply here. As the late Jeff Cooper stated: "If you can get steadier, get steadier

1-In the prone, sitting, or field rest positions this means getting both elbows onto the ground, thighs or the field rest.

2-In the standing or off-hand position use the "baseball cap technique" whereby you grasp the beak of the cap to enhance the steadiness of the view much as you would use the shooting sling to enhance the steadiness of the shot.

Both Rick Bin and John Barsness have written excellent articles on binocs and their use- see the Home page of the Campfire.

Without knowing what type of hunting you plan on using them for it would be difficult to recommend a specific type binocular. I am primarily a whitetail hunter so a 7x or 8x roof prism has worked best for me. I do have a question though, are you asking specifically about glassing techniques?

I've done two types of glassing. I would characterize them as "sucessful" and "what the bloody hell am I doing wrong here?!"...

What I've had lots of success at is using my 8x30 Swaro's to help me see through the various levels of jungle while still-hunting blacktails. Moving the focus forward and back is almost like cheating.

All other glassing I have done falls into the second category.

In the woods around here I use them a lot while sitting and glassing clear-cuts, but up north, at, or above, the tree line - I use them as many hours a day as I don't.

Good glass is a luxury you don't know your missing - until you get some.

SS,

I have the advantage of going to "binocular school"; first in the Navy when I was a lookout on a diesel submarine; second at Jeff Cooper's rifle and hunting course at Gunsite.

The Navy used really great and really heavy porro prism B&L binoculars -- 7X50s that folks often call night glasses. I learned how well they work with your vision system (and how vision works with them), and I have always liked the porros. I like to use them today hunting in thick cover, and I have a 7X42 Swaro porro. The objective barrels are further apart, and that seems to help finding bits of critter in the woods. Swaro has made these for years, and you can find good used glass.

You need to learn how to scan likely terrain for animals you don't know are there, and do that before they become aware of you. I usually use an 8X40 roof prism that I wear around the neck with a comfortable strap. You can leave a shirt button open and tuck the bino half way into the shirt opening if you need to move around, as we used to do when the officer of the deck ordered "clear the bridge". You definitely did not want the binocs swinging into the bridge of your nose as you dropped into the control room (not enough time to step down the ladders)!

The technique I learned is to scan from near to far, then to reset to the next segment and do it again until the field of view is covered. That will cover the waterfront, as it were. Some folks like to scan an arc far out, but you can miss things in close doing that.

My standard roof prism is a Swaro EL 8.5X42, but this last fall I used the Pentax 8X43 DCF ED. I also have a Minox 8X32 HG.

Good hunting.

jim

Spotshooter,

I look at it this way. About the only thing I use all of the time when hunting is my eyes. As such, a binocular is an extension of your eyes, and how comfortable it is to you is probably way more important than what kind it is. I figure what I should do with them is to spot game. As has often been said "before it sees you". Sometimes, I even manage to do that.

As a hunter gains some experience they will begin to get a feel for where it is that game is more likely to be seen. So when looking at something that you haven't seen, those are the sorts of places to stop, get comfortable and pick apart with binoculars. 6-7x are plenty good out to at least a long rifle shot, and usually a lot further. I tend to favor mid size binoculars for that. For setting down and glassing for long periods I prefer full size 8x. 10x is good too, provided there isn't a lot of heat mirage.

Good technique is an acquired skill. Kind of like hunting. The more you do the better you get. Realize you will make mistakes, just learn from them and move on. The better you get, the more you will use them.

Pay heed to HunterJim, don't forget to look close in too. Just cause it's close doesn't mean it's visible.

once I used a nice bin, I was amazed at what I could see.

I keep swaro el's around me neck now at all times. the difference is simply incredible.

I don't have to wonder or squint any more. Should have done EL's years ajo.

Mostly I hunt pretty heavy thick stuff so I haven't used them.

I've been elk hunting and started using them but I think I could do some learning here. I just got a copy of JB's Optics for the Hunter and am just starting in on it. I forgot all about the home page.

Thanks for the tips- they help give me context on how to use them.
Spot

You are on the right track. That book has the best description on the use of binoculars that I've ever seen.
I suggest you get a cheap Leupold 6X30 Yosemite and try using it in the heavy cover you hunt. I can ususally see twice as far, sometimes three times as far, as I can w/o binoculars in such places. What that means is I can see any where from 4X-9X the area I could see w/o them. That alone makes them well worth the effort. E

I think Jim is right here you have to have a technique. My only Bino training was in sniper school. The instructers would set up a field maybe 30 yds square and put in all kinds of little stuff you were supposed to find. Spend shell casings, little green army men, cigerette butts,coins and we would have maybe 20 minutes to look for stuff. It was good practice. I used the spokes in the wheel search do a spoke from near to far, then the next spoke near to far etc. if there was time I would repeat that pattern far to near. The best practice was looking for the other snipers doing thier stalks after you got busted. The sniper instructors were amazing I bet they found 10 snipers for every one I found. Even after I graduated me and the other snipers from my battalion would go out to the school and glass for snipers on the stalks.. I got better after a time.

I use Binos for two purposes. The most hunting practical is to look through dense follage, the focus allowing you to see things that would otherwise be lost to the naked eye.


The second use is to scope out animals in the preseason. typically we drive around and look at the borders of farm fields at evening twilight or at night on days that have a decent moon. You can pick out animals you would never see with the naked eye.

I think the two things that will put a guy in the habit of using binos is:

1. Always have em'. 6x are great to get into this habit.

2. Use them for no reason. Meaning, just look through em' regardless. Not just if you think you see something. I don't just use mine when hunting either. I have binos all the time and use em' constantly.

Travis

I second E's suggestion on the YO's. They have them at Eagle Optics for $80.00.IIRC.

Our own Camerland here, carries an almost identical twin called the Vortex Raptor. His price is $120.00

One thing I would mention is the type of strap. I use the strap which is something like a "Bra". There are 2 loops, one for each arm, this leaves the binos in place on your chest. I can move normally and just pick 'em as I need to. I find this a lot better than the standard neck strap where the darned binos swing all over the place.

juliang,

I find that if you shorten the neck strap so that you can get the bins just over your head, that that works well.

Also, in this position, they can still be stuffed inside your jacket during inclement weather.

The amount the bincoular moves around also depends on where the carrying strap is attached on the bin as well as the bin's design. Big difference in how well my 6X30 Leupold sits and rides vs. my 6.5X32IF Minox. E