esorekim05
FNG
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2025
- Messages
- 24
Hello,
I'm from ND but grew up hunting whitetails in the eastern part of the state. I hunted western ND for mulies for the first time this year (helped a cousin who had a tag, I didn't draw). It was a blast and hope to continue chasing mulies in the badlands area in ND, SD, and MT (as tags allow). I glassed with Zeiss 10x50 SFLs on a SLIK 833 (got cheap, may get a lighter option someday). They worked great except in some instances when we'd spot a buck 0.5-1.5 miles away it was challenging to judge if he was worth making a play on. I'm not looking for the ability to judge inches, just if its a mature deer (i.e. 2.5 yo vs. 4.5yo) better. I don't own a spotter, so was looking to add one before next year's hunt. I was convinced (from a video on here) that straight was the way to go if glassing with binos on a tripod, so I know I want straight. I don't have Kowa/Swaro $. I don't do much true backpack hunting, but we often left the AM from the truck at sunrise and didn't return until sundown covering country, so weight and size matters. This country isn't wide open mountains where folks are glassing > a mile away. I dream of elk hunting someday but not currently planned, and have plans to antelope hunt soon as I draw a tag. But the predominant use case will be badlands mulies.
I'm leaning towards vortex 13-39x56 from some of the reviews I've read on here. Curious if others have thoughts on my use case? I am not interested in a two bino setup as I worry I will still end up buying a spotter too. And feel I'd have to likely get in the meopta / NL / victory etc range to beat my 10x50 SFLs.
Appreciate everyone's thoughts especially those who've used that vortex spotter and/or hunted mulies in the badlands area.
I'm from ND but grew up hunting whitetails in the eastern part of the state. I hunted western ND for mulies for the first time this year (helped a cousin who had a tag, I didn't draw). It was a blast and hope to continue chasing mulies in the badlands area in ND, SD, and MT (as tags allow). I glassed with Zeiss 10x50 SFLs on a SLIK 833 (got cheap, may get a lighter option someday). They worked great except in some instances when we'd spot a buck 0.5-1.5 miles away it was challenging to judge if he was worth making a play on. I'm not looking for the ability to judge inches, just if its a mature deer (i.e. 2.5 yo vs. 4.5yo) better. I don't own a spotter, so was looking to add one before next year's hunt. I was convinced (from a video on here) that straight was the way to go if glassing with binos on a tripod, so I know I want straight. I don't have Kowa/Swaro $. I don't do much true backpack hunting, but we often left the AM from the truck at sunrise and didn't return until sundown covering country, so weight and size matters. This country isn't wide open mountains where folks are glassing > a mile away. I dream of elk hunting someday but not currently planned, and have plans to antelope hunt soon as I draw a tag. But the predominant use case will be badlands mulies.
I'm leaning towards vortex 13-39x56 from some of the reviews I've read on here. Curious if others have thoughts on my use case? I am not interested in a two bino setup as I worry I will still end up buying a spotter too. And feel I'd have to likely get in the meopta / NL / victory etc range to beat my 10x50 SFLs.
Appreciate everyone's thoughts especially those who've used that vortex spotter and/or hunted mulies in the badlands area.
