Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Spotting scope or Bino's

I am heading to Montana this fall for an elk hunt in an area that burned off a few years ago. The outfitter says shots could be 400 yds. We will be spotting and stalking and sitting and waiting during the 5 days of hunting. I have a decent quality, compact 8x binocular now. I am looking for advice on whether to purchase a larger 10x binocular, a compact spotting scope, or just go with what I have. I can't afford the Swaro's, or Leica's. I am looking to spend $400 - $550 if I need to.

What do you suggest?

Fast Ed

Some 20x binos and a lightweight tripod. More comfortable viewing over longer periods and more magnification than hand held binos.

Cabelas sells a 20x80 bino for $440 and a tripod adapter is another $13. I just checked their website.

Shoot straight...:)

First question is whether the outfitter will be guiding for you? If so, he should have a spotter if one is necessary in the area.

Second question is whether you are trophy hunting or just trying for a legal bull? If it is the latter you may not need a spotting scope at all. Your 8X binos, if of decent quality, should suffice in locating and identifying your elk.

But if you are hunting on your own and looking to be able to judge from a distance, I would suggest an investmetn in a decent spotting scope. In the price range you mentioned, the Nikon Spotter XL or XLII would do the trick for you. I have one of these but rarely use it hunting elk in Colorado. It is pretty light and both the scope and the tripod it comes with fit nicely inside my small soptting scope case/pack.

Good luck.

If its a guided hunt and a spoting scope is needed the guide will have one. If its unguided I'd want to have binos for scanning and a spoter for counting points.

Jamie

I would not head out to an area like that without my lazer rangefinder. tom

Heck, if it were me and I was hunting:

- burns and relatively open country in Montana

- for only five days

I'd take the "decent quality" binos I already had, spend the coin on a Leica LRF 1200 rangefinder, and concentrate on making a good shot on any mature branch antlered bull I encountered, without too much regard toward his eventual 'score'...

edited to say I see Tom beat me to it...

Forgot to say 'and my shooting sticks' <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
tom

If it's a guided hunt all you should need is the bino, I like 8X42.

If it is not Guided you will still need the Bino. but a good rangefinder is a must, a spotting scope is a handy piece of equipment but I'll get the rangefinder 1st.

Just a hint, start spending some time with your Bino now , It's hard for people to get use to looking for some thing that is out of place. Most guides will not have a problem with a client that helps with the glassing and it will help you enjoy your trip.

You need Bino's... Spotting scope is needed if you have the ability to move, scan and then move to hunt... That means 4 legged critters with a huge valley, OR trucks that can get to where you can scan.

My thoughts only on the spotter.
Spot

Elaborate more on the "compact 8x bino". If it's something real compact such as 8x25 you'll want to invest in a 10x42 or the likes. You'll appreciate it after glassing for any length of time. I'd consider getting a tripod mount for them also.

8x binoculars will do just fine for elk hunting. Spotting scopes are better suited for other things.

Forget the spotter... binoc's are the most important tool in elk hunting. A quality 8x is all you need. Own the best or tade up into the best you can afford. Also, as was said, a Leica 1200 is a smart addition...

If you're hunting a trophy, and have good binos, you'll see those horns a long ways away. Binos are more important for the elk hunter.

I saw a 380 plus bull 2 years ago from a mile away in my 8x binos. I could tell even from there, and could really tell with my little spotter.

I have a Burris Landmark, 20x, weighs about 14 oz. Enough spotter for 90% of when I need a spotter, which is not that often.

In my opinion, a good binocular is the way to go. Either a 7x42 or 8x50 binocular should do the trick.

Sitting or standing squinting through a monocular spotting scope for long periods of time, can be very tiring.

FWIW. L.W.

Good bino's are a necessity. A spotting scope is a luxury.

Jeff

I find it odd that they are called spotting scopes as I usually spot game with the binoculars, evaluate the head with a spotting scope and use the binoculars and a topo map/air photo to determine a stalking route.

Being a mature fellow my short term sometimes plays tricks on me but it seems to me that Saturday while watching one of the outdoor channels I saw an add by Leupold I believe, where they have what they called a doubler, you can screw this into one of the lens on a 10X42 set of bino's (for example)and have a 20 power spotting scope of sorts. Anyone heard of this or should I patent the idea?

Swarovski has a doubler and Zeiss a trippler. Both have been out for a number of years. Some like them, some don't.

Ed T

Well there goes my patent idea, guess I wasn't dreamin. Seems to me this would be the best way to go, you get the advantage of bino's and a spotting scope with having to carry a lot of weight.

Why all this discussion anyway? You probably got a realy good scope on your rifle that you can use to look things over with.









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