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Joined: Dec 2003
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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.

Last edited by Royce; 06/27/16.
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I use a spotter a lot while scouting, usually just packing my 8x30SLCs while on the mountain.


Too close for irons, switching to scope...
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I don't hunt without a spotting scope, period. It's just worth the weight penalty for me, every time I put my boots on...

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Glad to read so many posts about how a spotting scope is useless in elk hunting. Now I won't have to take one anymore :-)


“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Sometimes when I go hunting I just wear slippers since I don't think I'll be hiking up a mountain....


- Greg

Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
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Which reminds me of a story:

Many years ago I went on a "self-guided" caribou hunt in Quebec, one where the outfitting company provides a camp with a "camp manager," who basically keeps the tent stoves running and is there to radio for help in case somebody gets hurt or lost. In this instance the camp manager was a French-Canadian named Pierre Hetu.

But when the float plane landed the first caribou anybody had seen in a week were streaming right past camp, a herd of several thousand. Pierre was an avid hunter and ran around excitedly, urging all of us to grab our rifles and "shoot zee caribou!" So we did.

The only "problem" occurred when Pierre couldn't stand to be left in camp and followed several of us up the big hill behind the tents, a mixture of rocks, tundra and swampy springs. He forgot he was wearing his camp slippers until we were at least a half a mile uphill, whereupon he returned (with very soggy feet) still calling, "Shoot zee caribou!"


“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Which reminds me of the S Texas version

Buddy shoots a doe and wounds her.. We trail her that morning until I get a couple of 45s into her, and then again the same... finally decide to go get a dog.

Go back, the word is eat first... take my Justin Snake boots off and put on my crocs...

Well, all of a sudden someone is in the ranch truck in a hurry with the dog to go find the doe... I went... forgot about the crocs...

Lets just say I'd trade wet feet for following the catahoula through brush to bay the doe and finish her.. Any day. This about 15 miles north of Laredo... for those that know the country...


We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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Great stories, made me chuckle.

I've been fortunate to hunt lots of places, including Africa, Sonora, MX, and many states. That South Texas brush country is the nastiest crap I've ever tried to negotiate.


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
Which reminds me of a story:

Many years ago I went on a "self-guided" caribou hunt in Quebec, one where the outfitting company provides a camp with a "camp manager," who basically keeps the tent stoves running and is there to radio for help in case somebody gets hurt or lost. In this instance the camp manager was a French-Canadian named Pierre Hetu.

But when the float plane landed the first caribou anybody had seen in a week were streaming right past camp, a herd of several thousand. Pierre was an avid hunter and ran around excitedly, urging all of us to grab our rifles and "shoot zee caribou!" So we did.

The only "problem" occurred when Pierre couldn't stand to be left in camp and followed several of us up the big hill behind the tents, a mixture of rocks, tundra and swampy springs. He forgot he was wearing his camp slippers until we were at least a half a mile uphill, whereupon he returned (with very soggy feet) still calling, "Shoot zee caribou!"


Great story John...


- Greg

Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
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Originally Posted by JGRaider
Great stories, made me chuckle.

I've been fortunate to hunt lots of places, including Africa, Sonora, MX, and many states. That South Texas brush country is the nastiest crap I've ever tried to negotiate.


You should come coues hunting . Grin...


- Greg

Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
IC B3

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Is that an invite?????? It's on my bucket list for sure. Gotta get some lard offa this azzz first though........


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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If I were reconnoitering a new elk area, I'd bring my Duovids to scan the country.
Eight power to spend a lot of time with and twelve power to check up a little closer.

Last edited by bigwhoop; 06/28/16.

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Certain things are just worth the "weight" penalty for some of us. I for one will carry my spotter, just as I will carry both a ccf pad and and air mattress.


_________________________________________________________________________
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck


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Yep an azz pad is nice to have


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Yes

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On multi-day backpack Arizona elk hunts, one often has to contend with the "weight penalty" of packing drinking water, which can make the spotter look less appealing in many cases. Other than that, spotters or high power binos on a tripod are great!


Too close for irons, switching to scope...
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