Best spotting scope under 1000

[Corbin99]

I have never looked through one, so I won't be much help there sorry. Do you have any hunts this year that a good spotter is really required for?

I have gone multiple seasons without a spotter, but I am admittedly more of a meat hunter and not hung up at all on antler size for most hunts. My only reason for picking one up this year was drawing a moose tag, a good pronghorn tag, and trying to spend a lot more time at the range.

Yeah I drew for my Limited entry Archery elk tag. And I'm a little bit of an optics snob after trying some high end stuff. It seems like that's all I want to use anymore. I just can't afford it.

 

[mlevimadden]

Yeah I drew for my Limited entry Archery elk tag. And I'm a little bit of an optics snob after trying some high end stuff. It seems like that's all I want to use anymore. I just can't afford it.

An archery elk tag is probably the hunt where I'm most likely leaving the spotter behind and just taking my 12x binos. I guess if you're hunting a Utah unit with very open terrain a spotter could come in handy, but a compact spotter would be plenty to evaluate if a bull has 200-250" or 300-350" of antler on his head and worth getting closer.

I would have said you were already well equipped for a bull hunt with your classified ads for the Meopta 12's and Kowa 55. I get the obsession with the best optics, and there's a reason I haven't looked through a set of NL Pure's yet, so I don't have to know what I'm missing and my wallet doesn't hate me for it. (I know this is rokslide and the previous statement is blasphemy...)

 

[Corbin99]

An archery elk tag is probably the hunt where I'm most likely leaving the spotter behind and just taking my 12x binos. I guess if you're hunting a Utah unit with very open terrain a spotter could come in handy, but a compact spotter would be plenty to evaluate if a bull has 200-250" or 300-350" of antler on his head and worth getting closer.

I would have said you were already well equipped for a bull hunt with your classified ads for the Meopta 12's and Kowa 55. I get the obsession with the best optics, and there's a reason I haven't looked through a set of NL Pure's yet, so I don't have to know what I'm missing and my wallet doesn't hate me for it. (I know this is rokslide and the previous statement is blasphemy...)

Ya those meopta were good but I was honestly just wanting to get the swaros and be done with it. Then I ended up selling the kowa for the EL’s and the meopta for the current spotter. I drive my wife nuts with how many optics I sell.

 

[Dos Perros]

I'm surprised the Meopta Meopro 80 HD doesn't get more love. It's a very nice European scope and you can find them used around $1000.

 

[Lowedown]

I tried my brothers 1st gen razor and I think the focus make a huge difference in the quality of image you get. There's one selling locally for 650 and looks to be new.

I agree the dual focus wheels help alot. about 5 years ago there were lots of new old stock ones you could find for 650-750 online. Those have pretty much disappeared. 650 locally sounds worth checking out, you may be able to talk em down a hair, but either way you should be able to get your money back out of it if you don't end up liking it

 

[Maverick1]

I just upgraded my binos to 10x42 EL's and I'm limited on funds for a spotter. I currently have a gen 2 Vortex Razor 65mm that I'm not super impressed with. Just wondering which direction you guys would send me. My brother has the gen 1 razor that I feel is a step up from gen 2. What else would you recommend?

I don’t think you need a spotting scope.

 

[eric1115]

Buy this one so that I don't!

Sold - Kowa 644m spotting scope

Used Kowa 664m straight spotting scope with 20-60 power eye piece and case. Spotting scope fell once at the range the pictures show the marks on the glass this is not noticeable looking through it but wanted to be up front. Function and works perfectly only selling to help fund a new PRS build...

rokslide.com

Not sure how much longer I can resist, and I've been buying too much stuff over the past few months already.

 

[Maddog58]

In reality I use my 15x on a tripod way more than my spotter. Now if I’m looking for sheep my Swarovski ATS 80 is truly needed for trophy definition after finding with the 15x

 

[Wihunter12]

Buy this one so that I don't!

Sold - Kowa 644m spotting scope

Used Kowa 664m straight spotting scope with 20-60 power eye piece and case. Spotting scope fell once at the range the pictures show the marks on the glass this is not noticeable looking through it but wanted to be up front. Function and works perfectly only selling to help fund a new PRS build...

rokslide.com

Not sure how much longer I can resist, and I've been buying too much stuff over the past few months already.

Thanks for the encouragement, just sent payment for this!

 

[eric1115]

Thanks for the encouragement, just sent payment for this!

Haha, well done! My wife says thank you!

 

[Lowedown]

theres one on here for 575 https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/vortex-razorhd-16-48x65-angled.365231/

 

[yak]

In my experience, you don't NEED a spotter for that kind of hunt. I've packed a spotter on many archery elk hunts only for it to remain in my pack.

I'm considering a Athlon Gen 2 Ares 65mm. Watch the S&S archery YouTube video on spotter comparisons. Their video first turned me onto Athlon. Keep in mind, those guys seem to have a strong preference/bias towards Kowa, but I can't afford that kind of glass. Good luck.

 

[4th_point]

I’ve found a couple used optics that I’m considering. Ones a kowa 663 the other is a Leica televid 65 non apo. If I can sell my razor I’m thinking I might prefer one of those more till I can afford the big jump.

The Kowa 663/664 is a decent scope, especially if you get a good one. It's fairly light but sizable. Many people prefer the fixed 30x over the zoom. I had both with the 664.

I agree with some of the other members who suggested using what you already have.

That said, every Vortex spotter that I have looked through is pretty marginal for optics. Better than nothing but you're going to carry it, maybe with limited use for this upcoming hunt?

I'd be tempted to buy an inexpensive 50mm like this ED 50 in the classifieds. It's ~1 pound. I don't know the seller but it's a fair price. Light in the pack and wallet. It won't hang with the 55mm Kowa completely, but gives you more reach than binocs and handy out to a mile. And plenty respectable optically for the cost/size/weight.

Then save and shop for your dream spotter for next year and use the ED50 for light and fast.

WTS - Nikon ED 50 with 13-40x Zoom Lens

Up for sale is a Nikon ED50 spotting scope with the sought after MCII 13-40x zoom lens. Really impressive glass that holds it own against some of my larger spotters at a fraction of the weight and price. FOV and clarity are excellent and remains clear out to 40x. Weighs right at 24-ounces with...

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