Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Which Binoculars do I want for western hunting?

I have experienced a similar circumstance between lightweight bins/rifle and a heavier bins/rifle. While lightweights are easier to carry, I have found them to be harder to hold steady, especially for long range work in the wind.

Conversely heavier "tools" were easier to "hold" because the weight helped steady
the item. So there is a benefit to having a little more weight. There are always trade-offs to consider. Good luck.

huntsman is a man after my own heart :-)

Yep!

It always amazes me when hunters who may own over a dozen big game rifles that all do basically the same thing, want to get by with ONE all-around binocular, and perhaps don't even own one spotting scope.

Optics are what find the animal. All the rifle does is kill it.

When are you getting the 15X to finish off the family?

I joined this site in 2008 at the beginning of my binocular quest. Well that quest turned into an addiction and after a year or two of obsessing over optics, where you are never happy with what you have and always looking for that next almost perfect thing, I just relaxed and used what I had rather than over analyze everything.

I ended up with 6 pair of binos:

1) 6x30 Yosemite
2) 7x50 Fujinon
3) 8x32 Nikon SE
4) 8x42 Leica Ultravid
5) 8x42 Pentax DCF
6) 10x42 Nikon SE
For those that don't know, the Nikon SEs are Nikon's no holds barred porro design that hold their own optically against any alpha roof prism out there.

Anyway after just relaxing and using my binos these past four or five years I found that I use my wonderful 10x42s less than 10% of the time. I use my 6x30 Yosemite's when I'm backpacking in the mountains and a more specialized use on "water blinds" when I'm running my retrievers in field trials.

Most of my hunting is in the timbered mountains of western Montana, for that 90% of the time I either carry the 8x32 SE's or the larger, more durable 8x42 Ultravids. The one place I use my 10x42s is eastern Montana antelope and mule deer hunting.

Not that I want to obsess again, but I'm thinking about selling my 8x42s and buying a new pair of 8x32 Swarovski EL SV's.

Don't waste any more time contemplating this maneuver, you won't be sorry...

I don't know how to read that comment; are you saying I should or should not make that switch? I seriously would like you opinion as I'm heading down to the store tomorrow.

I actually do all of my glassing from a solid, supported rest. I also do some glassing from opportunity more or less impromptu as the situation presents itself. The latter really does not count as glassing in my book. Glassing is taking the time to dissect the scenery and look for what is there. I prefer 8x for that. However, I own several 10x glass and actually use it perhaps more than I maybe inferred I do. I find that Personally, I can't see what I can't see with 8x with 10x either. Personally, it is a different thing altogether at 12-15x. If I ever spring for an alpha glass, it'll be a Leica Duovid 8-12x42, simply for me, while 10x is not enough increase over 8x, 12x is.

However I have recently been using a 10x glass that I really like. It is the Option HR WP porro prism 10x42. Kind of narrow fov, but it has superior depth of field for a 10x. Worth a look.

I always thought that increased magnification and its increase in detail was a lot more apparent at close range than long.

Actually, I think a person could get along with one rifle (if it was a 270, of course),easier than they could get along with one binocular or one spotting scope. I have 6X, 8X, 10X and 12X binoculars and four spotting scopes, use them all frequently and still need a few more of each.

After reading all the post, I'm going with 9x42 binos!!

I haven't had a problem with 7x30' or 8x30's......maybe I'm doing something wrong........

Casey

Get the EL 8X32 Swarovision. I have all the stuff that has been talked about, I have had the 8X32 for awhile now and have even thought about selling the HD-B 10X42 and get another Swarovski LRF and use separate optics again...

Well I just have one high power rifle (a M70 30Gov't06 w/ Vari X II 3x9) and one bino (a Zeiss Conquest HD 8X32) and no spotter. I tend to get my share of the critters. I find more important than either is to get out of the truck, off the road and hike a bit. Simply amazes me the amount of people that never get out of site of a road.

I want all these guys to continue sitting on the hillside playing with their alpha glass--leaves more critters for me............


Casey

Nearest road is 2 hours by air from here...

Nearest road 34 miles by boat...

Shooting stuff from the road isn't bad when you can do it. Only 1/2 mile from the road, no pavement but a decent 2 track...

GlacierJohn-

Won't speak for shrapnel- but I believe that he for sure means to make the switch.

I have and have had a # of the binoculars on your list. I have the 8x32 SV's now and they are awesome. I also use the 6x30 Leupold Yo's quite a bit here in the thick stuff- good glass for the money esp. I think besides not using the 8x42 Leica Ultravid roofs as much after getting the SV's ( if you do), I think you will find you will be carrying the 8x32 SV more so than the 8x32 Nikon SE's. I have had 2 of those, and as good as they are- they are not quite what the Swaro SV's are. And I have compared them side by side when I had both. As good as the SE's are, I do not miss having them when compared to the SV's. I just could not see keeping a spare bino to just "Sunday drive" with. For me the SE was too much $$ to just be used as mostly a house bin. It is too wet and harsh here for that. But the Nikon SE ( esp the 8x32) is a simply fantastic bin that is 1/3 to 1/4 the price of the Swaro SV.

Tell us what your thoughts are regarding the 8x32 SV if you end up getting one.

That is me ( and my one rifle is a 270 Tikka m695); and I have 6x; 7x; 8x; 10x and a couple spotters. I mostly bowhunt ( 1 recurve and 2 compounds); but even if I didn't, I could get by with one all around rifle. Can't say the same about optics. Plus I use my optics all around for all kinds of things more than I shoot my bow ( or rifle); and I shoot my bow a lot. Just not as much as I use optics.

If interested in 10 x 42's, try these: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth..._Zeiss_10_x_42_FL_Binoculars#Post9300282