If you hunt whitetails out of a deer stand, what binocular did you use this year?


Thanks, RS

I have used the same binoculars for about 20 years or more, 10x Leica Geovids.
I don't leave home without them.
Cat

Leupold gold ring 8x42HD, tract toric 8x42HD and tract toric 12.5x50.

Vortex HD 10 x 42

Swarovski EL 8.5x43

Meopta Meostar HD 8x32

Pentax DCF SP 8x43

Swarovski EL Range 8x32

Swarovski 7x21 CL Curio

Swarovski 10x42 SLC

Swarovski 10x25 CL Pocket

More often than not, I've just been grabbing the 7x21 CL Curio.

Didn't hunt from a stand but used GPO 10x50 Rangeguide

Meopta MeoPro HD 8x42

Leica Trinovid BN that I bought over 20 years ago, 8x30. Still work just fine. These have been on many hunts over the years, used but not abused and never been back to Leica for any type of work.

Went to the Tract 10x42

For those who used multiple binoculars during the season, what, other than whim, made you take one over the others?

Thanks, RS

BX-4 PRO GUIDE HD 8X42MM I bought off the classifieds.

Swarovski 10x42 EL's.

I'm a stillhunter, not a stand hunter, but a pair of Kowa Genny 8X33s are ALWAYS in an AGC pack on my chest...whatever the game, east or west.

A $21.99 10x50 pair fron Harbor Freight all I need for now looking down a pipeline. They cheap not good at low light, ok once the sun rises.

Swarovski 8x42 SLC HD
Kowa BD II XD 6.5x32


Terrain, cover, etc.

Same ones I use for everything else.

Vortex Fury HD 5000 10x42 LRF.

Vortex Viper HD 10x50

I pretty much use two sets anymore:

Leica Geovid 10x in open areas when rangefinder is needed

Kahles 10X42 when primarily in the woods where no rangefinder is needed

Meopta 7x42 - most used. Great eye relief, heavy, great glass, great in low light...use them when wearing glasses.
Meopta 8x32 HD - less used. Light, great fov, great glass, short eye relief...use them when wearing contacts.
Minox 6.5x32 IF - Great depth of focus...set it once and done, light, I'm willing to wipe the rain off so they get used hard...use them when still hunting in the rain.

Kowa 6x30

I used : Swarovski EL 8x32
Swarovski CL 10x30
Swarovski pocket 10x25
Maven B3 10x30
All were excellent! I would like to try a pair of Nikon Monarch HG 8x30's soon.....Hb

Zeiss 10X56 because almost all of our hunting is overlooking food plots or cutovers.

I bought mine new but these were the main ones. I used my old Bausch and Lomb 7x35 once this year but discovered the right eyepiece was broken and wouldn’t turn so I couldn’t focus very well.

Dale

PS, no tree stand or deer shack here.

GPO Passion HD 10x. Great glass for the money.

Meopta Meostar 12x50.........Same as last year.

Vortex Razor 8x42 for the last couple of years. They’ve done very well.

These

Swarovski SLC 8x42 HD

I don’t hunt whitetails out of a tree stand but if I did I would use the Swarovski 8X32 range. That’s all I use for everything…

I use several, but typically favor my older Bushnell Elite (B&L) 8x43 from 2005 or so. Good balance of weight, performance, and ergos. Leupold Gold Ring HD 10x43 often goes to pipeline/pasture/cutover duty. Little 6x Leupold Yosemite goes to ladder stands or climbers.

This year hunting from a ground blind I used two different pair depending on location and terrain.

My old favorite Swarovski SLC 8x30WB (since 1997) and for some large fields I used the Meopta Meostar 10x42 HD's I purchased from Doug in 2018.

StarchedCover

Swarovski 10x42 SLC.

Swarovski SLC 8x42 for bow season
"" """"" 10x56 for rifle season

Meopta 10x42 Meostar HD

Swaro 7x42’s

Meopta 8x32 Meostar

Same here for about 15 years.

I can appreciate that lots of the guys on here use very good binoculars, but I do wonder how many of you use them in our typical northern public land, second growth, limited visibility deer stand hunting? Agriculture fields, trophy hunting, antler restrictions, no rifle scope, then sure the binoculars. The deer I hunt in the national forest I see because they are moving and I am stationary, so the advantage is with me. If the deer is stationary and I am moving like glassing, then the advantage is with the deer. If I need to confirm a buck from a doe, my rifle scope does that and I am already ready to shoot. There is a good deal of movement that will spook a deer to transition from using binoculars to mounting a rifle, so to borrow that line from the song "30 Point Buck", "There he was, gone." No one in the northern hunting camps that I've been in has used them.

I've owned Pentax, Kahles and Bushnell, for the money Bushnell is a good binocular.

If you're happy with your tactics, keep doing that. Even in the big woods, I like binos so that I can focus behind brush and see what's on the other side.

I have a pair of Binolux 7x35 and that is all I have used for 65 years. Only problem was the
diopter needed repaired a couple years back.
Very clear. Others with some high end binos have looked thru them and replied WOW those
are pretty good.
So, I will not be needing any others besides it is getting late in the game so to speak.

Yep. I'd feel quite hamstrung without a binocular in the big woods.

Vortex 10x40s.

Those Swaro 7x42's must be outstanding. They are tough to find used too.

GPO Passion ED 8x32's. All I need in CT. Used them in Idaho one year on an elk hunt. Didn't feel handicapped

I don't know if they're considered "good" but those Vortex? This was the first year I've used them. I'll never go out without them. Dad, brother and son all use similar.

We hunt the Yoop so either in the swamp or on the edge looking into the swamps/thick stuff with occasional open field. Binoculars are great for making sure that bush you saw for the last 5 hours isn't suddenly a deer in the last 30 mins.

I focus on movement too when I hunt - binoculars let me look for movement farther out.

Excatly....I can look through big timber well beyond what i can see with the naked eye.....Hb

Geovid 10x42s. Only optic I use. Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. Never felt like I needed anything bigger or smaller.

Ditto

Windfall,

I hunted the woods of the central & western UP for deer (and bear when I could draw a tag) annually from 1997 to 2015. The terrain varied due to logging activity, bodies of water and some agriculture; it was a combination of private property, state and national forest land.

I can't imagine not carrying my binoculars, whether walking the woods or sitting in a box blind & a tree stand. I also look for the movement and use the glasses to see deeper into the woods or watch any open areas.

I used smaller binoculars, Swarovski SLC 8x30WB, Minox 8x33 and B&L 8x32's and they were never a hindrance.

StarchedCover

Meopta Meostar B1 8x32

I have a set of Leica Ultravid HD 10x42 that I rarely use - even elk hunting. I should sell the........

Ultravid 7x42 HD
Noctovid 8x42

Cabela's Guide Series 8x32. It's purported to be rebadged Leupold BX3. For the terrain & distances of the OKI region, they lack nothing. They acquit themselves admirably in more open spaces, too.

Might be the best $110 I've ever spent: certainly so when solely considering optics.

FC

I looked through some Noctovid's at the Dallas Safari Show the other year. They were outstanding in every aspect.

Older pair of Redfield Rebel 10x42s, from the Leupold days. Heavier than they look, but effective and clear. Punch above their cost class.

Same as always. Leica 10x42 for sitting still and Nikon 10x25 ultralights for walking. And a spotting scope for the long range stuff.

8×42 Vortex Diamondbacks mostly. 6x Yosemite when scouting

8×42 Vortex Diamondbacks mostly. 6x Yosemite when scouting

Swaro EL 8.5x42

Used to use compact Bushnell rubberized that fil in my backpack when stalking or hunting from a climbing or ladder stand. About 3 years ago, buddy gave me his old Steiner Military and Mariner 10 X 50 rubberized green binos and a pair of Russian East German made binos. Both have excellent lenses. Getting chest harness/ case for the Steiner as they are heavy. Love em. He upgraded to Swaros and Leica high dollar optics. He lives on the Chesapeake and bird watches sea traffic and the birds, osprey and eagles specifically. He’s a old HS friend and former A-6 REO

I've been using a pair of Sig Sauer Kilo 3BDX 10X42 for the last several years. Please with the clarity and LRF functions as good as I hoped it would.

I have been using 2 pairs of Maven’s:

B.3 10x30

C.2 7x28

I am very happy with them.

Used all of them, but the sigs in my car and the 9x25’s im my saddlebags….

Ziess Classics 10x40

Grandfather's Swift 7 x 35. I have some better glass but these live in the popup blind for the season. Keep them in a zippered camera case when I 'm not in the blind.

Zeiss 10x40 vintage
Wife Zeiss 10x40 vintage
Swarovski EL 10x42 need to head back to the factory
Became a monocular, not sure how it happened

Burris Signature Select 8x32.

Dated glass, but adequate for the task. I hunt in mostly thick cover on stand and still hunting.

Vortex razor HD 10x50 for food plots to elk hunting.

Have a pair of nikon something or other 10x42 in truck for whatever else.

Just meopta meopro 8x42's

Kowa 6.5x32 BD II XD

Swarovski CL 10x30
Vortex Fury

Zeiss Conquest 8x20

Vortex passed my bushnells down to the grandson

12x50 Meopta Meostar

Athlon chronis g2 uhd

I’ve been using the Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 the last couple seasons for deer and turkeys. I like them and don’t plan to get rid of them anytime soon.

I will probably add a second pair from Meopta at some point.

I really like my Steiner Wildlife XP
10x44

They have become my go to binocs


Hank

Leica Ultravid 10X42 for me

Swarovki EL 10X42 for wife

Interesting to me, no one has said “Nikon”. I have used a Nikon 7 10x42 for years, starting to think I am missing out on something.

Your not missing anything. Swarovski and Nikon are best for my eyes. It need be noted that Nikon makes everything from affordable cheap optics to alpha level binos.

I used Nikon Monarchs

Honestly when I got a set of Swarovski for my 50 B Day

I took them out with my old Monarchs

Make no mistake the Swarovski’s were better colors more vivid

But not 4x better but they were 4x more expensive
Nothing wrong with a set of Nikons also

Hank

Pentax 8x43 DCF SP bought here on the fire and would buy another pair if I could find one at a good price.

Meopta 15x for glassing

Vortex diamonbacks 10x40 for field hunting.

Wifey got me a pair of maven b3 6x30 for Christmas. I’ve had them out twice and they are delightful. I might stop using the 10x vortex altogether.

I'm wanting a quality 6 or 6.5 bino.

The ability to see through thick cover with these glasses needs to be seen to believed. I still hunted a creek bottom loaded with mesquite and catclaw a few days ago using these binos, and I saw more deer than I ever have before doing that hunt. I was spotting deer a hundred yards away with brush in between. Very impressive.

They also give up little in terms of identifying animal characteristics at distance when compared to a typical 8 or 10x bino. And their low light performance is exceptional in my opinion. Very nice glasses. I’m smitten with them.

This referring to the Mavens?

Yes.

That's good to know. I have 7x42 Swaro's and love them, but the 6x's would be nice to put in my pocket when I am on the move...

Would you mind spilling the beans where you got them?

I'd like to try these Kowa 6.5s Kowa 6.5s but I can't see them being much better than the Kowa/Leupold 6x porros. I love the 6x's because they are easy to hold steady even one-handed. I don't use a pouch just the one-piece ocular cover which I can pop off one-handed. At least half of the time I'm checking out sign 50yds away. The rest of the time I'm picking apart brush looking for deer. If you're covering a lot of ground in steep, rough country, being able to see if that's a rub over there or deer tracks saves a lot of wasted energy. And, the less of a hassle it is to use the things, the more often you'll use them and not miss that opportunity at the big buck! I've also, read somewhere that the wider spacing of the objective lenses on porro prisms gives you more of a 3D effect. I know these 6x30 porros are really good showing up deer in brush. They're also, light enough that you don't get a crick in your neck every hunting season even with just a strap. Commercial over! I just really like these for what I do which is not "glassing" the wide open spaces. Of course, I still want a pair of the Mavens or Kowa roof prisms because the glass is probably better and they may be a better tool for the job.

Thanks for the heads up on the mavens.

Of course not, devil!

https://mavenbuilt.com/

They took a few weeks to get shipped. They have a custom builder on their website. I chose colors and some engraving. Artsy frills, but I like the personalized look.


These binos are tiny compared to my others. Very easy to carry and use with one hand. Very steady and they slip easily into a coat pocket. I kept the lens covers on that came factory. No complaints.

Thank you! They offer a decent Veterans deal as well. Might have to sneak a pair into the hunting gear. I have come to like them small bins quite alot.

Swaro EL 8.5 x42. Every hunt since 2004/5 when I bought them.

This, I hunt timber in Alabama and Ohio. My binos are up much of the time. I see deer way before I can with my eyes. Timber in both places can be thick and dark. I see the deer coming way before it sees me in most cases. This allows me the time to mount up the rifle without being detected. I hunt a climber in Alabama but Im sitting against a tree on the ground in Ohio if I’m hunting timber there.

Holy cow I didn't realize so MANY had so MONEY for Binoculars.

I thought I was a snob! Half guys I am with drive me nuts using ancient Bushnells with broken eyepieces and don't know it...
I will often recommend 7x35 Nikon porros to most of those guys not wanting to spend $$$. They are typically blown away.

I use a Zen Ray 8x32 most of the time and 6x30 Yosemites the rest of the time. I don't need to stretch my view much.

May buy something different in a year or three.

15 year old Bushnell Discoverers.

8x.

Still pretty good to my eyes although I carry them to the woods less and less every year.

Nikon Monarch 7 8x30

6x30 Yosemite, but the itch is growing to get something more powerful.

Same as I have used since the day I got them, the only pair I own. Swarovski 12x42 NL Pure.

8x42 Leica Ultravids on my chest, 15x56 Meopta HD's on the tripod.

Meopta Meopro 12x50.

Older pair of Bushnell Legend 8x42

Swarovski EL 8.5x42

Leica Duovid 8-12x42

Same ones I have used for 20 years, or whenever they first came out.

Leica 10x42 Geovid BRF. Alaska to Florida, Canada and Africa.

Swarovski EL Range 10x42

My old Leupold Katmai 8x32’s.

I liked mine. Sold them to try something different. SHouldnt have. Have since replaced, but the katmais are great form factor/easy on the eyes etc. Maybe on paper or side by side tests they arent top shelf, but in the real world they were grabbed most times.

Maven B1 8x40

Tract Toric 8x42HD, whether in a stand or walking. I always have these.
Though I would like to find a better strap than what they came with.

I use some of those, or some Bushnell 10x50s. Where and how I hunt, it doesn't matter much. Open farm country doesn't require alpha glass.

Swaro 12x42 nl pure. They are amazing and worth the money. If you do a ton of glassing nothing beats them. Super super bright and no eye strain or tiredness after hours of glassing.

Swarovski 8x30SLC and 8.5x42 EL. The 8x30 when climbing trees, the 8.5 when on the ground. The 8x30s were purchased in 1998 and sent back for refurbishment around ten years later, I was going to sell them when I get the ELs but they came base from Swaro like new and I couldn't part with them. Glad I didn't they are much lighter and more compact than the ELs.

My eyes aren't what they used to be, my 8x30s are easy to view and don't require much movement, I want to know if that flicker I saw was a squirrel's tail or a ear from a deer. Don't ever like to pick up my rifle (lot's of movement, not to mention pointing it at an unknown object) when my binos are close by.

I usually pack 8x32 Meopta's in a pocket when on the move in the woods, cause even while tracking or still hunting, there is stuff I wanna see or look at. Maybe not entirely needed in the NE, they don't hurt and they don't take up much room. If I know I am taking up a stand, I have Swaro 7x42's which are amazing in the woods.

Zeiss Victory 8x25. They have displaced all my 30-32 class bino’s. Takes a bit more of an experienced user because of their size, but they are exceptional.

Swar 10x42 ELs for out west, 10x50 SLCs for box stand hunting

7x42 Meopta Meostar. Excellent glass and I get full field of view while wearing my glasses. Not the lightest binos around, but they are better to my eyes than my 8x42 Vortex Razors. I purchased them a few years ago from Camerlandny.com.

Swarovski EL 8.5x42. Same binoculars for about 20 years now.

Same for over twenty years now. Swarovski SLC 7x42. As a glass's wearer, these have been a godsend, allowing a full field of view while wearing my prescription glasses.

8x30 Steiner for 20+ years. Steiner rebuilt the eye cups for me last summer. No charge.
F01

SLC 8x42's & a STC for longer looks, hard to imagine anything much better.

On stand, walking around or whatever I use the Leupold BX-3 Mojave 8x32. Great all around binoculars for my needs.

Same pair of Nikons I’ve used for the last 20 plus years. They once were top of the line but I’m sure technology has left me in the dust.

It's tough to beat the 6x30 Yosemites for less than $400. I bought a pair about 10 years ago and had the itch for something a little more compact and powerful so I bought a pair of BX-3 8x32 Mojaves on sale at Cabela's with points. Got them home and couldn't see a significant difference between the two so I returned the Mojaves. I ended up buying a pair of 8x32 GPO ED's from Doug. They're a step up but the adjustment wheel is a little loose on the GPO's compared to the Yosemite's.

Unless you're hunting out west or in wide open places I'd stick with the Yosemites.

Swaro EL 8x32's

Keeping my eyes peeled for a good deal on 10x42's. Not a super hard need, but a little extra mag with similar exit pupil would be nice.

EL 12x50 in Montana/CO
SLC 10x42, Tract 10x50, Tract 8x42 in NY (different blinds)
EL 8.5x42 TX

I enjoy using/comparing different glass….

I only hunted whitetail this year and traveled to do so. I was in a point restricted unit. both times combined with work or other trips. So I took 8x30 Conquest (non-HD) instead of Zeiss (Victory? whatever was top end in 2004) 8x40. I could tell the difference at first/last light and wished I had the higher quality and larger objectives.

Bausch@Lomb 8x42 Elite. These were made were made in 1993, pretty good glass even at today's standards.
According to birdwatching.com these were the best you could get. I bought them used from a guy north of Winnipeg for $250.00.
In 1993 they retailed for $1900.00

Zen Ray 8x42


Dan

Steiner XC 10x32.
Daytime they've been fine.
Kind of lacking yesterday at dusk.

I would like something lighter/smaller.
Think 8X better for me as an all arounder.

Would like to peek through Swaro 8x25 CL

Mn. stand hunting Leica Trinovid 8x42

Is anyone using Maven B.3 6X30 for thick woods/timber, like that of the NE, where visibility is typically less than 100 yds, and closer to 60-70yds? I love my Kowa 8X33s, but they're just a bit too big to fit in the zippered chest pocket on my coat. Id like to be able to leave the chest pack at camp and keep things a bit simplar.I'm thinking that their wider FOV would be an advantage also. I'd be very interested in hearing your opinions.

From just a couple of pages earlier in this thread: Post by Jeffrey



With several follow up posts and discussion to that link.

Used some Leupold bx2’s. They are pretty decent for the price.

I use the same bino for everything. Having worked my way up from literally the bottom of the binocular world come to what I believe is the best in all ways. Swaro SLC HD's 10-42's for the weight, color representation, clean and clear to the very edges and perfect (for me) ergos. The very close runners up have both been Leica Trinovids. I was happy with those and wouldn't cry if that's all there would be.

I keep an old pair of Alpen 8x42 in a plastic ammo can in one ground blind and an older Bushnell 8x in my other blind. Both are too heavy for me to lug around but are plenty clear for the distances involved. When serious glassing is involved, my go to is my Leica Trinovid. Burris 8x32 goes in my pocket for ladderstands.

Sometimes the deer stand isn't a stand....

Or a cottonwood tree

Just sold off my 15 x 56 Swarovski binos which was considered the best for glassing coues wt and other western animals. I know at least a dozen guys who used them exclusively for glassing. I now own what I believe may be the best glassing with a tripod binos Swarovski has ever made, the 12x42 NL Pure.

Three of my friends switched to them in recent years. I sat behind their NL Pures and could see the difference and it ruined me. Combined with weight savings I was sold. Finally got my pair for this season. Advice for others DO NOT LOOK THROUGH THESE BINOCULARS or you will end up like all of us who now own them.

Good info and especially the last part

Leica Geovid 3200.com 10x42