Couple of Questions..

[devinv]

Been reading through the forums for awhile now, finally signed up. Had a few questions to ask.. I read through pages of topics, so i'm hoping im not bringing up anything that has been discussed time and time again.

 

First off, i was wondering what the state law was when it came to carrying a sidearm while hunting as far as age. I'm 19 and hunt down south, i come across illegals often and what seems like well traveled routes for them. I like the idea of being able to carry a sidearm for protection, but, i know state law says you have to be 21 to buy a handgun or handgun ammunition, is there a law against carrying one while hunting for protection?

 

Secondly, i'm in the market for new binoculars, i noticed a lot of you are partial to swarovski. i've always used zeiss but recently my dad moved to texas, with all his gear. for now i'm only going to most likely purchase one pair, i used the zeiss classic 15 and 10 power binocs extensively for years, and really like them. problem is they're hard to come by. the zeiss 15s are way to bulky to use for anything other than tripod, but the 10s can be used for both, so comparing the zeiss classic 10s to the swarovski slc 15s, somebody have any experience with these two side by side? besides the obvious power difference, can the swarvoski 15s possibly still be used for around the neck as well as primarily tripod?

 

Third, for those of you with trail cams that use them in the southern part of the state, do you leave your flash on at night? just curious, because of the traffic of the illegals if the cameras ever come up missing?

 

sorry for the long post, thanks guys

[crazy4COUES]

Welcome to CWT, I recently went throught the same discussion about bino's. I got the swarovski 15 x56, wouldn't want anything else for glassing up coues. You should buy the best you can afford or make your self afford the best you can buy. Freehanding the 15's is possible but not preferred. As far as the illegals swiping cameras I have no experience. I would imagine that an illegal will do whatever it takes to keep from being seen or caught. Third, I believe the G&F officer mentioned it in hunter safety that packin a pistol in a holster was legal or is in the works, for personal protection because of the concerns with illegals. I would always check the regulations and laws before doing anything questionable, things seem to be changing every year anymore. GOOD LUCK!

[devinv]

thanks, i looked at the swaro 15s and they didnt look so big that they couldnt be used freehand which is nice, compared to the zeiss classic 15s. still wish i could come across a deal on some zeiss though, i like the rubber armor coat versus the plastic on the swaros. and thats good to know about carrying a sidearm, me and my dad have talked to john the game ranger before about carrying a sidearm during archery but never about the age issue.

[scoutm]

I have a pair of the swaro 15s and I find them very difficult to free hand. If you can only go with one pair and want a nice mid point a buddy has a pair of Nikon Monarch's 12x56. For the money they are great glass and with the 12x you can free hand much more effectively. We've yet to do a side by side comparison but when I first looked at them I was very impressed.

[Big Browns]

Welcome to CWT. If you can afford the Swarovski's do it. If you can't you should consider the Brunton Eternia 15x51's. I have the Eternia 11x45 and the 15x51. They are great. I can free hand the Brunton's easier than I can the Swarovski's. They aren't as bright as the Swarovski's, but for the price you cant beat them. best of luck.

[TREESTANDMAN]

For freehanding I wouldn't recommend going larger than 10*. Anything larger and the picture will be very jumpy. 8* is probably your best bet with the wider field of view and more view stability. I like the 8*42 nikon monarch's for the price.

 

15*56 swarovs are awesome for tripod binos!!!

[coueshunter]

Devin, you may want to look at Zeiss 15x45's american bino's for around your neck. They run around 800.00 but there is a sponsor on here that has some demo's for sale for around 675.00. These bino's are light and definitely can be free handed. I wouldnt even try to use the Swarovski 15x56 free hand, you cannot use them effectively that way based on the weight. I have 15x56's and use them on a tripod and the 10x42's for around my neck, but those 15x45 Zeiss are a great pair of bino's especially for the money and they give you a bit more magnification than 10's. They are not a replacement for tripod mounted 15x56 or Zeiss 15x60's but rather a good "around the neck" pair of bino's...........Allen........

[CouesWhitetail]

I too love the Zeiss classic 10x's. However, I mainly use my newer Swaro 15x56 on a tripod for coues hunting. Lately I have only been hunting with one pair of binos, the swaro 15x. Can you freehand them? yes, but like everyone has said it's not ideal. But the question I put to you, is how much free hand glassing do you think you will do? If you are mostly going to use a tripod, then you don't to worry so much about freehand. Also, if you use a walking stick while hunting, you can rest your binos on that or buy a monopod to carry with you. Then you can always use them without a problem.

 

I carry my swaro 15s slung diagonally across my shoulder so they are available but don't hang on my chest and there is not so much weight on the back of my neck, but instead it's on the side and my shoulder. So if you hate the idea of carrying two binos, then you can get away with just the 15x's if you are mostly going to sit and glass on a tripod. If you expect to be working thicker country where you will freehand a lot (and you aren't carrying a hiking stick or monopod), I would stick with your zeiss classics or those 15x45's that Allen recommended. Those are great, just not as bright as the 15x56s due to smaller lens size.

 

When you are ready to buy, check with Doug at Cameraland. He is a supporter of this website and offers some excellent deals.

 

Amanda

[devinv]

you answered exactly what i was wondering, 99% of the time i will be planted on a seat using a tripod, was only curious to see if anybody did or could use them for around the neck when they were going on a stalk to get closer, and with a walking stick, yes i could steady them a little bit more. i know this wouldnt be ideal, but if it was possible. thanks again!

[COUESAZ]

I have been packing a side arm while hunting from the time i was 16. Even when archery hunting i always had a small ruger bearcat in my fannypack. I have always practiced survival and even a small 22 handgun can help you survive if all you have is a bow. And lets face it most people have not taken anything with a bow except a target. You still will not catch me in the Arizona outback with out a side Arm. Even up north i am packin some heat of some kind.

 

As far as binos go buy whatever you want to have around your neck or in your pack. I know what i use and like to use but you will get the swaro push on this site. They are the best but not worth the money to me. I have to many other things in life that i need my money for so like i have done all my life and it has helped me take nice deer year after year is to hunt hard and glass alot with the binos i have and it has paid off for me. I know lots of guys with swaros around there neck that are true to trophy hunting because they have never killed a deer before. But as you can tell from the photo gallary on this site that you are getting advice from the best of the best in AZ about glassing deer.

[azryan]

everyone is right on the money....take everyones advice. Get 15x56 swarovskis if you have the money if not buy the 12x56 monarchs. Generally you dont want the 15's for freehand glassing you will not even be close to as effective as having them on a tripod.

 

 

Big browns, im not meaning this in a bad way in any sense but the bruntons are overpriced and not near as good as the nikons. Just from playing around at work and helping customers choose binos, the nikons were clearly better then the eternas. Today we had them nikons and bruntons outside on tripods and there was a distinct difference between the two...im not hounding you in any way...just personal opinion ...

 

 

devinv if you live close to the mesa sw come down and take a look at the optics

 

 

p.s i tallked to the burris representative today, he told me they have come out with a binocular that he said will match up to any swarovski,leica, zeiss....all the high end stuff. They did steal the design of the swarovski el's though...so we will be carrying those in august....im anxious to see how they will measure up...i dont think they will

[TREESTANDMAN]

I'm going to disagree with most of the posts here recommending larger powered binos for freehand. Regardless of how much a bino weighs, the power largely affects the stability of the picture. Even when using a walking stick, with 12 or 15 power binos, the picture will be jumpier than 8 or 10* power. If you have ever used a video camera's zoom, you'd know that as you zoom in, the picture gets jumpier eventually requiring a tripod when zoomed in all the way. It is the same concept with binoculars. As you go up in power you sacrifice field of view and stability of picture regardless of the weight of the bino. After you've been hiking up a steep slope, completely winded and jump a buck, your not going to want to freehand a 15*45 bino to try to find that running buck to get a look at him. For one, the field of view is so small, and even if you do find the buck, the picture will be jumping around so much you won't even be able to see his rack.

 

Try this: When in Cabelas or Sportsmans, Compare the zeiss 15*45's with the nikon or swarov 8*42's one after the other in looking at something small across the building. You'll be blown away by the difference.

[azryan]

I'm going to disagree with most of the posts here recommending larger powered binos for freehand. Regardless of how much a bino weighs, the power largely affects the stability of the picture. Even when using a walking stick, with 12 or 15 power binos, the picture will be jumpier than 8 or 10* power. If you have ever used a video camera's zoom, you'd know that as you zoom in, the picture gets jumpier eventually requiring a tripod when zoomed in all the way. It is the same concept with binoculars. As you go up in power you sacrifice field of view and stability of picture regardless of the weight of the bino. After you've been hiking up a steep slope, completely winded and jump a buck, your not going to want to freehand a 15*45 bino to try to find that running buck to get a look at him. For one, the field of view is so small, and even if you do find the buck, the picture will be jumping around so much you won't even be able to see his rack.

 

Try this: When in Cabelas or Sportsmans, Compare the zeiss 15*45's with the nikon or swarov 8*42's one after the other in looking at something small across the building. You'll be blown away by the difference.

 

 

 

I agree....I would not go over 10 power if i was free handing it. I like 8 power better then 10 becuase, 8's are generally more brighter, plus the have a wider field of view...which is all due to the size of the exit pupil. The bigger it is the brighter the bino will be, better field of view, and better eye relief....for example I like the 8.5x42 el's alot better then the 10x42 el's

 

Another thing is alot of people think the more power in the binocular the better....I completely disagree...the thing to look for in binos is image resolution...so that means clarity and brightness...thats what i look for in a bino or anything in optics

[Big Browns]

Dont worry I respect everyone's opinion's on this site, even though I do disagre with you. I've compared my brunton's with the Nikon Monarch's in the field. My Brunton's were way better. The Brunton's were able to sustain the light out side for longer period's of time as well. I'm not saying the Nikon's arent good, because they are. I just feel the Brunton's are better. I would still go with the Swar. , but if you dont have the money atliest try out several pairs of bino's before deciding. Please dont take offense, it's just my 2 cents.

 

 

 

 

 

everyone is right on the money....take everyones advice. Get 15x56 swarovskis if you have the money if not buy the 12x56 monarchs. Generally you dont want the 15's for freehand glassing you will not even be close to as effective as having them on a tripod.

 

 

Big browns, im not meaning this in a bad way in any sense but the bruntons are overpriced and not near as good as the nikons. Just from playing around at work and helping customers choose binos, the nikons were clearly better then the eternas. Today we had them nikons and bruntons outside on tripods and there was a distinct difference between the two...im not hounding you in any way...just personal opinion ...

 

 

devinv if you live close to the mesa sw come down and take a look at the optics

[azryan]

Dont worry I respect everyone's opinion's on this site, even though I do disagre with you. I've compared my brunton's with the Nikon Monarch's in the field. My Brunton's were way better. The Brunton's were able to sustain the light out side for longer period's of time as well. I'm not saying the Nikon's arent good, because they are. I just feel the Brunton's are better. I would still go with the Swar. , but if you dont have the money atliest try out several pairs of bino's before deciding. Please dont take offense, it's just my 2 cents.

 

 

 

 

 

everyone is right on the money....take everyones advice. Get 15x56 swarovskis if you have the money if not buy the 12x56 monarchs. Generally you dont want the 15's for freehand glassing you will not even be close to as effective as having them on a tripod.

 

 

Big browns, im not meaning this in a bad way in any sense but the bruntons are overpriced and not near as good as the nikons. Just from playing around at work and helping customers choose binos, the nikons were clearly better then the eternas. Today we had them nikons and bruntons outside on tripods and there was a distinct difference between the two...im not hounding you in any way...just personal opinion ...

 

 

devinv if you live close to the mesa sw come down and take a look at the optics

 

 

 

none taking...I love healthy competition everybody cant agree on the same thing if it was like that it would not be fun