Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics sheep glassing

looking 4 a second opinion on what you would use/carry
4 binoc's on a sheep hunt, what size glass/weight would u
b happy with? alaska range backpack hunt
thanks for your help

My experience is with Rocky Mtn Bighorns only but I appreciate my 10X Steiner Periguine XPs for long glassing sessions over huge distances.

Good glass has no substitute. They are heavier than some other brands but I like their quality. You will be kicking yourself if you try to save a lot of weight and go with some tiny compact pair.

The highest quality you can afford is a good start. 8 and 10 power is the acceptable norm with something between 32-40mm sized objectives. To compliment those, you will need an equally high quality spotting scope to ensure your ram meets minimum guidelines. This generally requires the euro-branded glass.
However some here are, like Mule Deer, are finding great optics from other countries.

any high end 10x30-32 is great for back packing, 10x40 for horse.

I've glassed alot of sheep in various places in Kalifornia, Nevada and Montana, but not Alaska.
As a rule, they are not hard to see. But judging horns is another problem all together. So, as a rule, one needs a good binocular to find them and a very good spotter to decide if he's good enough to go after.
At one time, the so called big three euro makers did have the best in binoculars. But now the difference is so close that one can get binoculars like the Pentax ED, the better Nikons, and even stuff like the Zen Rays (Sp ?) alot cheaper.
That's good because it leaves more money to buy a very good spotter.
Since you would often be glassing at extended distances, the heavier binoculars work better. I've found that I don't want anything lighter than 25 ozs. in an 8X and no less than 31 ozs. in a 10X. However, if you are carrying a tripod for your spotting scope, it can also be used to steady the binocular. Just be aware that a 10X will not always produce a sharper image than an 8X. So buy from somebody like Cameraland or Cabela's. They will refund your money if the binocular isn't what you need it to be. E

For sheep hunting I wouldn't trade my 10X42's for anything.

General hunting, I am happy with 8X. For up top, I want the 10X42.

The only sheep hunting I've done is for free range aoudad. I wouldn't be without my 10x42's either. You may want to mount them on a tripod since you may sit and glass for hours on end.

A good 8x will suffice, weight is an issue on sheep hunts. Your guide should have decent glass to begin with, and he will tell you to shoot or not. Your thoughts on the legality of the ram wont matter.

However take the best you can afford, Ak has a lot of visual beauty to see.

E, You alway's come up with some dandies. while it might" not be hard to see" a Dall Sheep, a Stone Sheep, a Rocky or even a California Big Horn in Kalifornia, obviously you have never "glassed alot of" Desert Sheep in Kalifornia, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico or Old Mexico.
They can sometimes be impossible to see 100 yards in front of you if they are motionless, perhaps the toughest of any big game animal "to see".

It's not much easier to see them in the mountains out west, but I didn't want to be accused of not having my binos focused correctly.

I carry compact 10x25 Leica's and always have the spotting scope were it can be grabbed quickly.

Not a lick of difference in weight between an 8x42 and 10x42 binocular from the same maker.

Since most sheep hunting is a backpacking affair and glassing is done in broad daylight, I prefer a lighter, compact binocular. Three of the 4 rams taken for my Grand Slam were glassed with a B&L Discover 10x28 (I used my Leica 10x42's for the desert bighorn, a glass twice as heavy as the B&L). I also used the B&L compacts on a west Texas aoudad.

I also like a light rifle (ULA) and a light spotter. I have found that the more hills I climb, the more I appreciate the less-is-more mantra. And, none of the several sheeps hunts I've done required glassing till dark, so a big-objective bino is redundant.

Now, if you're evaluating Coues deer at plumb-dark, or if you can get your guide or best buddy to carry your stuff for you, then a bigger binocular may be just fine.

Quality trumps weight, but weight can't be ignored. If you can deal with the weight of 40 or 42's, do it! If it's an absolute deal breaker, then step down a size.

You'll be spending tons of time staring through them, so make sure your eyes approve of your choice.

FC

I was an elected offical of the Society for the Conservation of the Bighorn sheep for many years boatanchor. I've glassed Desert bighorn in the Inyo Mtns, the Last Chance Range, and the East Chocolate Mtns. so many times I lost count years ago. Spent many a holiday weekend, for instance, sitting on waterholes or repairing such things out in several areas of those ranges. Do you even know where these places are ?
I've glassed California Bighorn in the Sierra Nevadas, and the Rocky Mtn. Bighorn in the Rocky Mtns of Montrana on several occasions as well.
Desert Sheep are far easier to see than many other animals for two reasons. For one, they have a very large white rump patch that's easy to see even from a broadside animal. Two, they are almost always found the open and almost always stand up when they see you making them even easier to see.
That doesn't mean that even trained observers can miss seeing them. Ask anybody whose ever done much sheep counting from a helicopter. But compared to most other big game animals, they are much easier to see. E

Agreed. On my Brooks Range hunt, I used my 8X Swaro's, and I didn't need any more. If you have 8's, they're fine. White Dall stick out like a sore thumb, most of the time. You'll see 'em with your bare eyes before you need to bring the glasses up.

Quality of spotting scope is much more important. Consider weight of the binos and my recommendation is a mid-sized mid -weight. I don't like the compacts but full size isn't required. If you're going to buy something for this trip look at an 8x32 25 oz or less. Yukonal is right that you see them often before bringing up the glasses.

so if u owned both 10x32 and 10x42S take the 10x32?
in victory fl t

If no one was carrying a spotter, I might lean towards a pair of 12x50s. A good pair of 10x32s should work fine though.
Just returned from 3 days of glassing for deserts here in Arizona with 15x60 Zeiss BA/Gs and a Swaro 65, but I wasn't carrying my camp on my back either...
Mike

I have used both 32 and 42 mm and much prefer the 42.

They have a larger exit pupil. If you are glassing for hours as in sheep hunting, the more forgiving eye placement to get the full field of view means less stress and strain, thus easier to use. Pass the 10X42s thanks.