Advice on optics package for elk

[FlyGuy]

I'm looking for advice from more experienced hunters on optics packages. Here is my current set up and background:

I'm pretty new to western hunting, so optics were never a critical piece of my gear list in the past. My first "big" optics purchase was a pair of vortex 10x42 Talons about 3 years ago. Until last September, these primarily lived in my pick up and were used to scout milo fields for ducks and geese. I'm happy with them, served me well last year. A little heavy but a good all around/all purpose bino.

Then, in somewhat of an impulse buy, I grabbed the vortex 20x60x85 (last year model) on sale/with points from Cabelas before Christmas. I was so excited to put it to use, but on the occasions when I have been able to I wasn't as happy as I thought I would be. I have a hard time focusing my eyes, it's heavy, and I just don't find myself wanting to pull it out of my pack very often. I plan to keep it, but I don't know if it will be in my pack this fall or not? Btw: I have it on a Slik CF 522 tripod with ProMaster 6160 head. I also have the vortex bino adapter for my 10x.

I am Primary hunting archery elk right now. Want to add in mule deer and bears in a few years, hopefully moose and goats and sheep in a decade or two. We have hunted a mix of truck camping (1st day or so) and backpacking in deep, which I expect to continue. We are putting in for tags in 3 states, and I'm building points in just about all the rest, so terrain will vary across the entire spectrum. Right now I am just looking for legal Bulls, so if I can see horns I'm heading in that direction, but I'd like to be in a position to be more selective one day.

I guess what got me into trouble was stopping by the Mavin booth at the Dallas Safari Club show. They had a pair of their B3 8x30's on the counter and I couldn't believe how lightweight they were. I also felt they were easier to freehand than my 10x, and especially given the thick timber we were in last year, would work very well in my AGC chest harness. I don't know if these particular binos are "the ones", but they are in a comfortable price range for me. I'm open to hearing opinions on makes and models of 8x binos, but I'm really interested to learn about optics packages/pairings to take into the back country. If I were to buy some 8x, I feel like I would need something else to go with them for more power for glassing off of the tripod. A lower power spotter maybe, but given my experience thus far I am kinda thinking some 15x? I see Mavin makes a pair and so does vortex, I'm sure there are many others.

Are there any "rules of thumb" for this stuff? 8x & 15x for deer, 10x & med spotter for sheep? 8x and small spotter? Should I just run the 8x for archery elk to save weight and just use the spotter from the truck? Should I do nothing and just stick with the 10x? Let me hear what you have to say b/c I just keep going in circles for three days now!

 

[Boreal]

I'm surprised nobody has weighed in yet, but I'll give you my opinion for others to disagree with. I think a good quality 10x binocular is one of the most useful pieces of equipment you can own. I personally have a 17 year old pair of Zeiss 10x42 that go with me everywhere. Once those finally kick it, I'll be spending as much as I can on the best glass I can find. After that, the best quality 20-60x scope you can afford. I have a Vortex 20-60x65 that I have to admit I'm disappointed with. Good for birding around town, but I don't think it's what I would carry into the mountains to judge sheep. I'm going to be bitten by the buy twice, cry twice as hard bug on that one. I'll sell it to a birder and be done with it. If I can find a used Swarovski scope, I'll be tempted. Otherwise, I'm very interested in the Maven scope.

So there is my Strawman for others to poke holes in. Im interested in what others recommend, and my feelings won't be hurt by any conflicting opinions.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[elkguide]

I am a 10X believer too. Yes 10X can be a little bit strong but when it is in GOOD glass, I don't find it to be an issue. Once I switched to Swarovski 10X42's, I use them for everything, from wide open glassing out west to the thickets found in the east. I have a 20X60x65 Nikon spotter that I get out if I'm horn hunting but usually rely on my binos for most everything.

Good glass pays for itself and is a long term investment.

 

[handwerk]

Good advise thus far. I also would rate either 10x or 8x top shelf binos as #1 on the list, followed by a dependable rangefinder, then spotter.
You can get by for awhile without the spotter if need-be but good binos are a must. As they say, cry once.

 

[ljalberta]

Much of it is going to come down to personal experience and getting out there and seeing what you're using, or what you're wanting while glassing. Myself personally, I like an 8x32 for elk/deer/moose, but if I could only have 1 pair of glass it would be a set of 10x42s. I have never carried a spotter for elk before, but if I was, I don't think I'd go bigger than 50mm. Where I've hunted elk I've never needed the extra power, but I'm also just looking for legal bulls.

 

[mtwarden]

there will likely be lots of different answers, none of them wrong, but tough to say what will work best for you- that will take some field time

I'll give you my .02 for archery elk- I think a quality 8x30/32 would be a good choice combined with a quality lightweight spotter or even 15's- not sure what your tripod weighs, but a lot of weight can be shed with a lightweight tripod

one other option to consider is just a quality 10x bino w/ a lightweight tripod in the pack

 

[FlyGuy]

I really appreciate all the advice. I was heading in a totally different direction - towards adding either 15x binos or a small 50mm spotter next - but it sounds like everyone is trying to politely tell me to upgrade my crappy 10x42 binos before I do anything else. I was leaning towards Meopta for the 15x, and a quick search shows they make a pretty good 10x42 as well and They fit within my price range.

Handwerk, I just ordered the sig kilo 2000 rangefinder last night so I feel like I am good there. (Cabelas has them on sales for $350 right now, plus I had a lot of points to burn). I was using so leupolds that have been great but no angle comp (bought before I started bow hunting).

Mtwarden, my tripod with panhead goes 2lbs 12.5oz. If I'm only running the binos, no spotter, then I may be able to drop the video pan head for something much lighter. I've pretty much decided that the 85mm spotter is not going to be going up the mtn with me this Fall. So it looks like I'll be deferring this question on what to pair these with until 2018 when the funds are renewed and I've got a little more experience.

 

[mtwarden]

^ sounds like a good plan to me

 

[elkguide]

A good 10X42 glass is far better than any average 15X glass. I can count on one hand the number of times that I have pulled my spotter out to confirm something in the last 5 years and actually, I've probably left the spotter in the truck more times than I have taken it with me.

 

[GKPrice]

I've hunted elk & mule deer in Hell's Canyon many times in my lifetime, always on the look for a "trophy" bull or buck and I've never carried a spotting scope - I have carried midrange (costwise) 15x binocs and it's been semi-useful a few times but my Leica 10x Geovid I'd only trade for an 8x Geovid (maybe, that might just be a threat) I am not a Vortex fan but I think the Kaibab is a decent starting point 15x spotter (on a tripod) This coming fall I'm gonna try a lightweight tripod for my Geovid, I'm pretty sure I won't need more than but that's no promise I WILL get something in the 15x range, Kaibab or German at some point in time (a while back I looked through a buddy's 15x Optolythe binoc and was astounded by what I could see at 600+ yards in the shadows, they were for sale ... coulda - shoulda)

 

[WRO]

I'll offer my .02, I've done the 8s and 15s, I've ran 10s, I've used or owned most common makes of optics out there.

If you have the budget, get a set of 12x50els. You can hand hold them, they rock on a tripod, great fov and they'll be lighter than any 2 pairs of glass option for binoculars.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[cuerro viejo]

I really appreciate all the advice. I was heading in a totally different direction - towards adding either 15x binos or a small 50mm spotter next - but it sounds like everyone is trying to politely tell me to upgrade my crappy 10x42 binos before I do anything else. I was leaning towards Meopta for the 15x, and a quick search shows they make a pretty good 10x42 as well and They fit within my price range.

Handwerk, I just ordered the sig kilo 2000 rangefinder last night so I feel like I am good there. (Cabelas has them on sales for $350 right now, plus I had a lot of points to burn). I was using so leupolds that have been great but no angle comp (bought before I started bow hunting).

Mtwarden, my tripod with panhead goes 2lbs 12.5oz. If I'm only running the binos, no spotter, then I may be able to drop the video pan head for something much lighter. I've pretty much decided that the 85mm spotter is not going to be going up the mtn with me this Fall. So it looks like I'll be deferring this question on what to pair these with until 2018 when the funds are renewed and I've got a little more experience.

I have the 11x mavens and vortex razor 50mm spotter. The 50mm spotter isn't what I'd use to glass. It has a narrow field of view. It's more of a conformation tool. I pretty much leave it in truck unless I'm hunting archery mulies.

Your new sig range finder is 7x. It's good for scanning in the timber or quick confirmation. I actually leave my bino's in my pack most the time archery elk hunting.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have never used a spotting scope in 35+ years of elk hunting......rifle or archery. I guess it would depend what kind of terrain you're hunting. Even with good 10x42 binos you can make out trophy quality on elk from quite a distance. These days I run 8x32's for archery elk because of all the timber I hunt. If I was adding deer to that equation or hunting more open terrain I'd take my 10x42's. I have the Meopta 15's as well, but have never used them for hunting yet. I sometimes use a spotter while I'm scouting. But I could easily live with just the 8x32's or 10x42's.

 

[Bwana]

I have never used a spotting scope in 35+ years of elk hunting......rifle or archery. I guess it would depend what kind of terrain you're hunting. Even with good 10x42 binos you can make out trophy quality on elk from quite a distance. These days I run 8x32's for archery elk because of all the timber I hunt. If I was adding deer to that equation or hunting more open terrain I'd take my 10x42's. I have the Meopta 15's as well, but have never used them for hunting yet. I sometimes use a spotter while I'm scouting. But I could easily live with just the 8x32's or 10x42's.

And this says it all:
You have to pick your optics based on hunting style, terrain and distance being traveled. What works for some, won't work effectively for others. Some guys travel light and cover many miles on foot, some drive a 4 wheeler up to their spot....some even sit in a truck and glass. Some enjoy digiscoping, others don't even know what that term means...nor care

 

[Matt Cashell]

I always have a spotter with me. On glassing-intensive hunts (alpine mulies, pronghorn, migrating elk), I bring the big 85 ATX. On glassing-light hunts I throw in the Razor 50.

 

[HuskerDevil]

I roll with Vortex 10x42 and 15x56 Kaibabs out here in AZ. Kaibabs on a tripod are a thing of beauty. I glass longer and see more animals than ever before. If you are comfortable glassing, you will do it longer. The longer you glass, the more animals you see.

 

[Blockcaver]

I have Leica Ultravid 8x32, Swaro 10x42 El SV, a Leupold 20x50 fixed power scope, a Nikon 13-30x50 scope and a Swaro 20-60x65 HD scope. Also a Leica Geovid 15x56 binos that my brother typically has possession of. For elk hunting most areas of CO I would use the small 8x32 binos the most. A few open areas in the NW I prefered the 10x42 binos. If forced to choose one, it would be the smaller pair. Same with my BC elk habitat these days. As per a spotter I only carried the small Leupold in the wide open spaces of NW CO. The larger scope (Leupold Gold Ring 12-40x60) was relegated to the truck/quad up there. Good luck with your choice(s) and it is OK to own more than one pair of binos, same as shoes and coats! Different conditions call for different glass in my opinion.