Spotting scope?

[Hoss50]

How many people are using spotting scopes during your hunts for glassing? I have a set of 8's and 15's I carry when hunting normally. I am debating on how much I need or would use a spotting scope. 

I know I would use it occasionally at the range, but I am not really sure I would use it hunting. Thoughts?

[grey curse]

I carry  10’s,15,s and a spotter depending on the hunt and goals. Right now I have no expectations for my last 4 days of archery deer for the year, so no spotter this week.  Come January 1st it will be in my pack. Go big or go home. 

[Jazz]

26 minutes ago, Hoss50 said:

How many people are using spotting scopes during your hunts for glassing? I have a set of 8's and 15's I carry when hunting normally. I am debating on how much I need or would use a spotting scope. 

I know I would use it occasionally at the range, but I am not really sure I would use it hunting. Thoughts?

Getting into spotting scopes myself. Thinking about a diamondback 20 60 80 and a decent tripod. Too many times I’m looking at something and can’t tell. the 15’s just don’t always get that granular.
 

 

 

[Hoss50]

2 minutes ago, Jazz said:

Getting into spotting scopes myself. Thinking about a diamondback 20 60 80 and a decent tripod. Too many times I’m looking at something and can’t tell. the 15’s just don’t always get that granular.
 

 

 

I have some money I have been putting aside slowly, and got a little Christmas money so I am seriously trying how to figure out what the best use of it would be. 

My 2 biggest thoughts are Spotting scope in the $500ish dollar range or a chronograph. I almost feel I would use the chrono more, but know I need to get a decent spotting scope too. 

[CatfishKev]

39 minutes ago, Hoss50 said:

How many people are using spotting scopes during your hunts for glassing? I have a set of 8's and 15's I carry when hunting normally. I am debating on how much I need or would use a spotting scope. 

I know I would use it occasionally at the range, but I am not really sure I would use it hunting. Thoughts?

Are you just trying to identify whether it's a buck or counting points? 

[Hoss50]

I am not a trophy hunter. I have not had a single hunt yet where I passed on any animal that was legal. Maybe someday if I draw a nice kaibab or bull tag I might get more picky, but normally any legal animal is going to be headed to my freezer. 

[CatfishKev]

In that case I'm not sure there would be a point in a spotter.  Maybe if you have cheaper 15s upgrade those? If you have good ones already get the chrony. 

[PseAZ]

I'm bias myself I never leave the house without my spotter when I'm out glassing. Especially for coues. I let the glass do the walking for me. Plus I like to digascope. I have a Viper HD right now. I m going to be upgrading in the near future. If your going to spend the $$ on good glass 15s are the way to go but after that a good spotter is a close 2nd in my book.

[Hoss50]

I have a set of vortex viper HD 15's. They are pretty good by my standards. They are not swaro but they work. 

[CatfishKev]

I ran the vipers for a long time and they are a good value. Then upgraded to the meopta.  Now that I had to fund some upcoming jobs I had to sell them but will be buying them again once funds allow.  In the meantime I'm back to my vipers.  In my opinion I'd sell the vipers and upgrade the 15s before getting a spotter.  Especially if you are not a horn hunter.  Just my opinion. 

[creed]

I would take a spotter over 15’s in  a heartbeat if forced to choose. Where I am hunting now requires a good spotter just to find deer let alone identify them as buck or doe. 

[Tj_G91]

A spotter has a spot in my pack always and although I use it mainly to judge animal size or take videos, It is also nice to be able to see an animal way out there and confirm if its a buck or doe. During times when people I hunt with don't care about size or right now in December when a majority of the guys I tag along with are just looking for anything legal with a bow, it comes in handy as well. 

[CouesPursuit]

Sorry for the long winded reply. I've been a first legal animal - type hunter in 99% of my hunting days (mostly coues) leading to the saving and purchasing of quality 15's. They made my old 10's unusable and I replaced those with the matching set.

I've never liked looking in or needed a spotting scope, but after drawing a sheep tag this year, a great friend auto-forced me to borrow their Swaro 20-60x and it changed everything. From practicing shooting and calling shots long range, to identifying and digiscoping critters at distance, it is going to be hard to return it next week after having it.

I feel 10's, 15's and a spotter will be too much so I definitely understand the guys that run 12's and a spotter. I did buy into a FZ80 superzoom camera and although it doesn't replace the spotting scope for identifying antler specifics, it is far better than digiscoping. I remember reading "you can't have too much glass" a time or two on this forum and I didn't believe it,  but I do now. Pros and cons everywhere, but I was wrong to say a spotter wasn't for me, it has its place. 

 

[wildwoody]

There all part of the puzzle..

[QCwtAddict]

8 hours ago, Jazz said:

Getting into spotting scopes myself. Thinking about a diamondback 20 60 80 and a decent tripod. Too many times I’m looking at something and can’t tell. the 15’s just don’t always get that granular.
 

 

 

I've had several spotters including the older vortex spotter in the same class as the diamondback and now I'm using the meopta. From my experience, my opinion is that a lower end spotter is a waste of money and not worth the weight it adds to the pack.