3/4 mile to 2 miles 15x SLC or spotter?

[Aswob5]

I hunt mule deer in KS and I’m looking to step up my glassing from my current 15x Vortex’s. I’m mainly glassing milo fields and a few draws 3/4 of a mile to almost 2 miles sometimes in low light. Needing the ability to judge them before going in. Looking at 15x SLC’s but not sure they’ll do the job like I want or should I go with a spotter in the same price range

 

[Kurts86]

I run the 15x56 Swarovski binoculars and my ability to evaluate mule deer tends to degrade around 1-1.25 miles just due to magnification. This is with grey mule deer in sage flats rather than in crops.

The problem at that point is that you really need a big, quality 85mm+ spotting scope lens to get a decent exit pupil in lower light to take advantage of the higher magnification during periods of low light. Most 65mm spotting scopes aren’t much, if any better than 15x56’s judging low light deer past a mile due to exit pupil forcing you into the bottom of their magnification range at 15-20x.

Judging deer at extended ranges really requires the biggest, best optics possible and is one of the few use cases for the huge alpha glass spotting scopes.

 

[Bubblehide]

^^^^^^ditto^^^^^^
I use Swaro 15s and when needed a spotter, depending on location. Simply put, at about that mike point and beyond, nothing replaces a good spotting scope.

 

[SomeJackassOnAForum]

A 15x bino will make something appear 15x closer to you than it actually is. At 3/4 of a mile, it will make an object ~1200 yds away from you appear to be 80 yds away from you, and you can probably judge a deer with the naked eye pretty well at 80 yds.

At 2 miles, or 3500 yds, it's going to make that deer appear to be 230 yds away from you, so you'll likely be able to see that it's a deer, and that it has antlers, and get a general idea of the size of the antlers relative to the body, but that's about it.

 

[WI in the west]

Afyer spending a year with 18x binos id have to say a spotter as well. Like said abouve inside a mile 15/18x can do the job but once you start getting past that you can only get a general idea of what something is. And counting tines gets to be real tough.
Even on an elk at 2 miles i just couldnt quite count how many points it had to knownof ots legal. And muleys i was watching at a mile and a half i could in the right light make out one was a 4x4 but otherwise i just could get a general size of the frame. But a big buck still
Looks big i will say. But id go spotter if judging and inches matter….. or both

 

[fatrascal]

Spotting scope. Fatrascal.

 

[nphunter]

I don't think you will gain much from your current binos going to Swaro's, slightly better resolution, better edge to edge but if you can't judge a buck at those distances with yours the Swaros won't make it so you can judge one at the same distance. I'm not saying the Swaro are not better just that they both serve the same purpose, just one will do slightly better than the other.

I also agree with everyone above about the spotter, IMO the quality of a spotter makes a bigger difference than that of a bino since there is so much more magnification. A small higher-end spotter will do a better job than a cheap large spotter. You will find more and it will be clearer with a Vortex Razor 65mm than a Vortex Viper 80mm.

I currently have 10's, 15's and a high-end spotter, for finding deer nothing replaces the spotter, I will be packing all 3 on my deer hunt this fall, a good pair of 15's are awesome for finding deer that may just be brushed up or in the shade. Essentially once the 10's are not effective the 15's stay effective for a while longer, I have picked up sheds with the 15's that I have overlooked for a couple of years with 10s and a spotter due to the combo of decent magnification and larger field of view. Unless you have a really good system with a spotter it is easy to overlook game when scanning, you really need to overlap when glassing to be effective.

 

[Bobinbend]

Heat waves anyone? Does not that fact influence anyone's decision?

 

[Browninglover1]

Your Vortex are helping you find the animals, now you need a spotting scope to evaluate them. I'd keep your current 15x binos and add the nicest 80+mm spotter your budge will allow. I run a Meopta S2 with the 30-60x WA lens and it is awesome.

 

[Blue72]

Without a doubt 15x binoculars….I even use 12x at 2 miles and in…..and I glass weekly

especially in low light conditions….binoculars are brighter

 

[Blue72]

Heat waves anyone? Does not that fact influence anyone's decision?

Absolutely…mirages make you dial down magnification ….sometimes to 20x or lower…at that point you might as well use the brighter more comfortable binoculars

 

[Bobinbend]

Yes, Blue you are correct (at least in my way of thinking). Binos provide much better depth perception which I find helpful.

 

[WRM]

If you really are "judging", then yeah I'd break out the spotter to look at a deer I found with binos. Love the Kowa 500 series for that purpose, and just fine spotters too. If you are catching them in open areas and it's not at last light (you mentioned going in, so I assume more at first light), I find my Meopta 15s are plenty to confirm the truly "big deer" at that distance and sometimes beyond (depending on light). YMMV.

 

[bmanb940]

I use MeoStar B1 Plus 12x50 and the get the job done for my needs. I always make sure I have a steady rest if I'm in a blind or on the side of a canyon. They are outstanding in early morning or evening light situations.

 

[Banded_spooney]

I don’t know which big eye Vortex you have but I will disagree with a few folks here and say it’s highly likely that SLC 15x or even Meoptas will be a massive step up.

I’ve ran Viper, Vulture, and Kaibab 15s and I can assure you the difference is much greater than the difference between even upgrading your 10s to alpha glass. Biggest thing is lack of eye strain and increase eye relief made glassing sessions comfortable enough to actually be useful. Oddly I actually had better antler definition at 2/3 of a mile with my viper 10s vs my viper 15s back before I upgraded them both.

I currently run SLC 10s and I almost never use them if I’m stopping for longer than 5 minutes. I always find myself taking the time to get the Meopta 15s and a tripod out. I have a 50mm razor spotter and an 85. The 50 is completely redundant and I’d rather just use the 15s. The 85 for sure still has a place over a mile.

 

[Brian Fahs]

15s on a tripod are my choice for FINDING game at any distance.

Kowa 884 does the Judging at extreme distances.

I don't know how fine you are judging mule deer but 15s should tell you shooter or not to 2 miles easy.

 

[A00873975a]

15s on a tripod are my choice for FINDING game at any distance.

Kowa 884 does the Judging at extreme distances.

I don't know how fine you are judging mule deer but 15s should tell you shooter or not to 2 miles easy.

Agree with Brian.

15s on a tripod are my favorite for finding game. And they normally give you a good enough indication if it is a shooter at distance.

 

[Wacko]

Spotting scope....

 

[atmat]

What are you judging. General shooter or not should be fine with binos. Counting inches and you need a spotter.

 

[Aswob5]

I ended up going with a 12x EL and it has been great but I have to power through it. After about 5 minutes of glassing I have gotten the rolling ball effect. Thinking about going with the 15’s and a set of 10’s