Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Spotting Scope for Backpack Hunts

I've looked through the optics forum and there's a lot of discussions about spotting scopes. I thought I'd run my questions through this forum instead since I'm really looking for a good scope setup that's compact, durable and light that works well for hunting, especially elk and mule deer hunts. I'd rather not spend big bucks but I was planning on something in the $300-$500 range. If I have to, I'll spend more to keep from having to spend money twice. Less money would be great if the spotter is good enough. I had been looking mostly at the 60 mm porro prism scopes . Is that the sweet spot for money and weight? Does anyone have good experience with the super compact 50 mm scopes like the Leupolds and Burris? Comments from eyeglass wearers would be appreciated as to the scopes they liked. Finally, do you prefer the scopes with a lower starting magnification such as 12 or 15X or is 20X a good place to start?

Lotta good press on the Nikon ED 13-30X50. I'm trying it in Alaska this year on goats, combined with the Zeiss 8X32 Victory binocs and a Leica 1200 Range finder. It's sho' nuff light, compared to my Leica 62mm.

Been using mine with success for over 15 years now--the newer ones are better, and less expensive:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-15-45x60mm-elite-spotting-scope-781548p.html


Casey

DocDB, How does that Nikon compare to the $300 60 mm scopes in resolution and ease of use?
alpinecrick, I hadn't looked at the Bushnell Elite. It looks pretty compact. How's the weight? Does it work well for an eyeglass wearer? The price is certainly good.

I have one of the fixed power leuy's from a few years ago. they don't get much mor compact or light, waterproof and waranteed to heck and back. I sit it on a set of carbon legs and a giottos micro ball head. total weight is 3 pounds tops for the whole show, maybe even as light as 2.

is it the best no. I also have a pf80ed and I can say the leuy gives up a fw minutes on both ends of the day, but IMO the hours to use a spotter are the good light hours. kinda hard to spot at dusk and still hunt em down.

I've used the Leupy Gold ring (now add duct tape to that description as well) for over a dozen years.

it's kind of an El Camino, it won't give you what the 60x'ers do when you have the light to work with and it's not as light as their fixed version, 20x IIRC.

but I use it for everything, high mountain hunting, river bottoms and clear cuts you name it. only thing gets swapped out is which tripod.

I've been real happy with it.

I'd like to take a look at the one Casey reco's but pretty sure I hold the record for distance on drop kicking a bushnell spotter. still have the dang thing though, it just resides in the shooting bag for range work.

will have to check out docdb's Nikon reco.

I only gave $500 for my Leupy brand spanking new, hear they are $900+ these days. at that price I'd be checking out options, though it's been a dang good piece of gear for me.

I like my leupold gold ring as well. Compact and very functional. It will get me by until I save the clams for a Swaro.

Mark

I have to admit I haven't wrung it out yet. I was planning on it this weekend, as I went to my buddies hay field for some pre-Alaska goat hunt shooting. The heat mirage coming off that field completely blanked my Leica 62, so I never even set the Nikon up. I hope I won't have the same trouble with heat mirage coming off the muskeg!
Don

Minox and Vortex both make some very light (less than 40oz) 60mm spotters. Just some food for thought...

The Elite 60mm is very compact and lightweight--I carry it in my modified double fannypack.

I wear glasses, and it has barely enough eye relief, but I learned long ago to push my glases up when glassing with bino's or spotters--even with my long eye relief bino's.

I use a monopod (it's a 20+ year old Slik) that I shortened the sections by a couple inches each, and the monopod also fits in my fannypack.

I find a hillside/log/rock/tree/bush to lean back against, and with the monopod between my knees, and ajusted to my eye level, it's a fast and pretty comfortable way to spot.

The Elite 60mm isn't in the same class as the Swaro's or even the Nikon ED, but it is sooo light, easy to pack and use, and has good quality glass, that I choose it over my other spotters anytime I'm out of the truck.

Mine is 20 years old, has been through the mill, and I intend to get another one with the BAK 4 coatings (which is an improvement over my older version).


Casey

Yeah, I practically gave away my old Bushnell Trophy spotter--just to get it out of my hair

But the whole Elite and Custom line of Bushnell spotter and binos were originally designed by B&L in the late 70's/early 80's, and built to their specs--with updated coatings and features.

Both of these lines have been updated a number of times, and because the R&D, tooling, etc, etc, has been long paid for, those lines of Bushnell optics are a heck'uva bang for the buck.

Casey

HI -

I am in the same predicament of trying to determine which scope to buy. I did come across this link with 2008 scope reviews.
http://www.livingbird.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=272&srcid=265

As said, can't vouch for any of them but there is a lot of info here.

Take care.

okla,

I was in search of the best all around spotter and a few of the more experienced hunters here said I couldn't go wrong with finding an old straight 20X Leupold.

Long story short I got one for $275.00 from the classifieds here and I love it. Works great at the range and it is all I find myself wanting in the open country around here. Yes more power might be useful at times, but that thing is so damn light and small I don't think I'll ever leave it behind.

The sample list on SWFA has one right now for $299.99.


Travis

I've been very interested in this subject for sometime. Been listening to and following what the better known, sucessful hunters or guides use.
The Bushnell Elite, 15-45X60 has a long history with many as very good.
Phil Shoemaker posted not long ago, that's it's a mistake not to consider the spotter's size and weight. Said his guides loved playing with their clients fancy, big spotters in camp, but that the Leica, Swaro and Zeiss spotters stayed in camp and the Leupolds went up on the mountain. Said 12-40X60 Gold Ring was often what they took. Particularly liked the Leupold tripod. The 15-30X50 was also well thought of. You can get one of these in a kit with tripod, case and all for $500.
I have no doubt, that in a 50mm, the Nikon ED would be serious contender. List at about $700. I know JJHack picked the Nikon 60mm ED with the 20-60X eye piece for his new spotter. Said he found it better than the Leupold HD model.
If I buy one, it will be either the Leupold 60mm HD kit or the Nikon 60mm ED. I'd have to play with each to make the decision.
One thing Barsness made clear sometime ago. If you want very good performance with lots of magnification, expect to pay more. I can tell you that the cheaper spotters than these are pretty disappointing. E

I put together a little gadjet years ago to hold my spotter, {I carried a 20x redfield in my pack}It is simply a 1/2 inch pvc tee, lined with a piece of soft flannel cloth, the side of the tee is adapted to a 1/4 threaded brass bolt with a wing nut,, I slip it over the rifle barrel, holding the rifle vertical and tight against my knee I have a very steady and very fast scope set up, I use this for fine tuning what my binos cant tell me,, rack size etc, this is very easy to make and quite simply something I wont be without in the field, sent a couple off to fellows on here but no feedback as of yet

Dakotakid, That is a super idea and the reason I wade through lots of posts.....to find gems like yours. Thanks!

+1 on the Bushnell Elite, small enough to fit in your pack,light,clear optics, and tough. Had mine
for 8 years and still as good as when I got it.

Thanks for the interest,, when I first made it { I am a Plumber by trade} I was doing a bit of repair at a friends who at the time was in the front office at Millet,, so I showed him the little gizmo and made him get his rifle and spotter so he could actually see it in use,, he flipped out and went in and called a good friend of his at Burris,, so he wanted pictures and info and the gizmo so they could check it out,, They eventually called me and gave it a bunch of praise but anyway it costs a fortune to patent anything so they passed,, which was no big deal,, To this day I believe if an optic company was to include one of these with their spotting scopes they might make a difference in sales,, anyway just my thoughts on the idea,, Good things dont always have to be complicated. I keep it screwed to my spotter so I can slip it down the rifle barrel in a second,, wish I could figure out how to post a pic on the canpfire, but computers aint my bag

In big country I would rather have a bigger Spotter and lighter bino.

I recently upgraded to the Pentax PF 65 ED for a pack scope and retired my Elite 60mm for backpack hunts and will carry a 8x30 bino instead of the 10x42 if every ounce counts. A better spotter is more important than a bigger bino in the high country IMO. I also considered the nikon 50mm ED spotter but it just gives up too much brightness to an equil quality 60 or 65mm scope.

Nothing wrong with the 60mm elite but the optics on my friends PF 65 ED spoiled me in Wyomings high country last year.

I use a Swarovski 20-60x w/ 80mm obj, paired up with a full-size Manfrotto tripod and fluid head. If you can see well, you'll walk less, and only when necessary. Weight is the trade off, but it's what I use on backpack hunts. Not cheap though..