Do I Need Nicer Glass?

[ScreamingPotato]

November season out-of-state hunter wants to glass for elk in Colorado with his rifle scope? Sounds about right. Should end well.

I know you're joking but it happened to wife and I. Rounded a corner to see a rifle pointed at us with a guy leaning over his SxS. Rifle had to be 6 foot long with barrel plus suppressor lol. It was a Wyoming local, super nice couple of guys we talked for a while. He said he had the safety off and finger on the trigger. Never had an NR in the West point a rifle at me.

 

[hubbs77]

My first two years in the woods i mostly used my maven C1 8x42 because i used them for whitetail too. I do not think the pair of binos will matter that much except when looking at elk from much further distances and for that I used a Maven spotter. Getting out there is the biggest thing and you'll decide what you like and where to spend your money. Some hunts better glass wont help cause you're in dark timber some hunts a spotter is paramount on long spot and stalks. Like I said you will find what you enjoy and decide to put your money in at that point, nicer spotter, better range finder better binos etc. I fell in love with using my spotting scope so I upgraded there and still use my maven C1 8x42 in the timber

 

[LostArra]

Buying good/great/alpha glass is a legacy investment. Your great grandkids will appreciate your high end binoculars but not your used boots or Sitka clothes. Alpha glass makes long glassing sessions tolerable to your eyes. Cheaper glass will also find animals especially deer in the whitetail woods when a quick glance is all that is needed.

Buying alpha glass saves time since you can quit reading every online binocular review and 4 page forum threads.

As Marble mentioned, most people make baby-step upgrades in binoculars wasting time and money.

I would not consider a spotting scope unless you are a sheep hunter evaluating horn curl in nasty terrain. Spend spotter money on better binoculars.

 

[LaFever]

Always wanted a pair of 10 x 50 burris though there are probably better binos now
Funny story ,to me any way :first time I heard the word "binos " was on the old Dick Van Dyck show ,the fbi asked the Petries to use their guest room for an observation post because they were surveilling one of the neighbors, Rob Petrie tried to macho it up with fbi agents and said "hand me the binos"
Funny, whimsical part is for me and my son as I introduced him to hunting the term "binos" was introduced into our vernacular
Duck hunting, deer hunting, elk hunting
"Hand me the binos "
As to the topic :learning how to glass is a learned experience, shooting prairie dogs taught me the importance of glassing ,teaching your brain to recognize game through the binos is a valuable skill ,good luck ,I'm almost 65 so I have an older frame of reference

 

[Sako76]

Jesus, another idiot glassing with his scope! Is there a round in the chamber also? Please stick to pickleball!

 

[Finch]

Someone else said they upgraded from vortex diamondbacks to maven C1s. I did as well and can not honestly tell a difference in image quality. The change from 8x42s to 10x42s isn't as noticeable as I thought either which kinda surprised me. I will give the advantage to maven in build quality though. Either way, I'm fine with it. Finally have a "beater" set of truck binos.

 

[Indian Summer]

The comments about using a rifle scope to glass sound like they were made from a weekend mall guard with an inferiority complex. Rental cops power tripping. Lighten up Francis.

If you were sitting there looking at elk that were 1500 yards away with a pair of eight or 10 power binoculars and you wanted a better look why would you not take a peek with a rifle scope of higher power? Feel free to unload your gun if you think you can’t keep the safety on and your finger off the trigger. The OP didn’t suggest he was going to sit around all day glassing with the rifle scope.

As far as whether or not, you need new glass, I would say yes. Don’t take the leap to a spotting scope. Not only can you not afford one worth buying right now but at your stage the game you don’t need one. You’re looking for any legal elk. A better set of binoculars will come in handy even back home. Or even when you decide that elk hunting isn’t for you. Keep that in mind. I see so many guys on this website dumping thousands of dollars into guns glass and gear when surely in a year or two some of them will decide that elk hunting sucks and they’re never going back. it’s just another example of people who really have no idea what it takes to become a successful elk Hunter. All that gear does not make a man. You only need a few basic necessities so get the best you can afford and forget about the rest. Make a list with 2 columns. Need…. and want. Good binos are on the Need side of that list. For sure!

 

[highcountrymuley]

Your vortex binos will be adequate for your first elk hunt. You don't need a spotting scope for your first elk hunt. Don't use your rifle scope as a monocular. As many have pointed out, hunters safety courses impore that you only point your rifle at things you want to destroy or kill. Don't take this lightly - there are far too many hunters and hunting- idiots out here hunting colorado. Don't be another unsafe hunter- idiot one please.