Binocular question before purchase for archery

[Wesmorr]

Hoping to get some clarity here. I have a pair of Vortex Fury LRF binos that I used on a tripod during my rifle hunt in CO this year. My question is, is it worth purchasing the sig kilo 6 HDX Pro image stabilizing binoculars and having to carry 2 items with that and my sig rangefinder? Also 14x50 vs 16x50? I am worried 14x is big but plan to spot and stalk open country as that style appeals to me most.

Wondering if the image clarity and light transmission is worth not just having binoculars I can range with. Part of me thinks it’s better to have 2 dedicated items that are a bit higher quality (glass brightness was noticeably worse on the fury binos than my buddies 12x50 vortex’s anyway and felt like I couldn’t glass as early with them. Thanks.

Wes

 

[Wesmorr]

Moving post to gear, apologies.

Wes

 

[ndfb35]

I love my 14x50s. They aren't great in thick timber due to smaller FOV but for open country they are the bees knees. I may get a pair of 18s and get rid of my spotter. The only time I use the spotter now is when I need to look 3+ miles to determine if the elk is a cow or a bull.

 

[High Climber]

I’m a 10x42 guy for 95% of my glassing for archery elk. Unless it’s a trophy unit and I’m looking for a specific type of bull I don’t pack bigger glass or a spotter. Always have one back in the truck though.

 

[Blake C]

Stick with what you got. If you want better glass look at a 14-15x for tripod

 

[Idaboy]

What's your intended use? What terrain/tactics? eg trying to spot trophy bull, spot and stalk only vs covering county and calling? Your current glass is likely good enough and I long ago abandoned tripod during archery season, and try to stay light......But if your hunt is dependent on hours behind the glass than that's a different decision I guess. FYI I am about 75% locate by sound 25% spot with glass

 

[anonymous22]

Whatever you have that’s close to 10x42s is going to be the primary used glass. You’re using them the most, trying to catch movement, looking into cover, and verifying what you see with your eyes. IMO, it’s best to have a high quality glass in these, especially for reducing eye fatigue.

Usually when we carry a seperate optic, it’s for confirmation or detail gathering. Looking at body and horn size. Especially like a mile away. If I see a group of cows 1200y away in a canyon but I have a bull tag…yeah, i want to see if there’s bull there before picking up and hiking in.

If you can combine a rangefinder or if you do range and ballistic data with your binos, then that’s cool. I wouldn’t carry a bunch of different optics unless you’re truck/day pack hunting though. I don’t even like carrying a spotting scope on some backpack hunts.

 

[Wesmorr]

What's your intended use? What terrain/tactics? eg trying to spot trophy bull, spot and stalk only vs covering county and calling? Your current glass is likely good enough and I long ago abandoned tripod during archery season, and try to stay light......But if your hunt is dependent on hours behind the glass than that's a different decision I guess. FYI I am about 75% locate by sound 25% spot with glass

Preferred would be spot and stalk more open/broken up country. Makes sense. Thanks! This late rifle was a lot of glassing pretty far but I think I’d prefer it more open than what I was in

 

[sodaksooner]

Can't speak to power but I still rock an old pair of Leupold 10 x 42 Cascades. Really clear glass for cheap optics. I had no problems with them on an above timberline deer hunt a couple of years ago. That said I got a chance to play with the Sigs and they are pretty nice. I thought about going up to a 14x in those and they had a really good deal on them at TAC the last few years, but I'm kind of old school and will probably just go with a pair of Swaro EL's in the same power as I currently have. Brother got a phenomenal deal on a set of used 8.5 EL's and they are just light years ahead of both the Leupolds and the Sigs glass wise.

I still like having a seperate rangefinder.

 

[LostArra]

Good/great glass helps especially with long glassing sessions but some folks are just better than others at picking up real elk from elk rocks off in the distance. The more you do it, the better you get at finding them.