Do I need the spotting scope?

[fullstrut]

I have 10x50 crossfire binos… and option of bringing 20-60 diamondback spotter. Do I need the spotter, with the extra weigh/hassle? First time rifle elk hunt in Colorado 2nd season.

 

[Poser]

Unless you're looking for an elk of a particular caliber and the area you are hunting has opportunity for long range glassing, probably not.

 

[IdahoBeav]

No

 

[fullstrut]

Unless you're looking for an elk of a particular caliber and the area you are hunting has opportunity for long range glassing, probably not.

Def has long range potential but no I’m not picky, first time elk drop camp….

 

[Axlrod]

I would also say no. I haven't used that particular spotter, but in that price range they will be nearly useless at the times elk are out- dawn and dusk. Especially above 20x.

 

[pirogue]

Even if it’s your first elk hunt, just a little homework will prepare you to recognize a good bull at long range, with binos, alone. I wouldn’t pack a spotter, unless I was trying to judge rams at a distance.

 

[IDVortex]

Bought myself some Maven B6 Binos this spring for some mountain goat counts. I only expect myself to ever buy a spotter when I go on a MT goat/sheep hunt, or a trophy mule deer or antelope. Otherwise I'll just use binos with a tripod. I can glass most of the day using binos. Compared to a spotter too. Just not comfortable for me.

 

[HuntHarder]

I use my scope ALOT here in Az. Having said that, I would leave it home if I were not looking to accurately judge an animal or if I was not picky. 99% of the time, I find the animals with my 12's and I can almost always tell just by size or the way they are acting if they are bucks or does. I then switch over to the scope just to get an accurate size on them and determine if they are worth going after or not.

 

[jimh406]

It depends on how you plan to hunt and the terrain you are hunting in. I'd ask the outfit that's dropping you in. But, I'd personally bring the spotter and tripod even if you leave it in camp some of the time.

 

[OldGrayJB]

You definitely won't need the spotter. It's your first elk and you'll shoot the first legal bull you see. No need to get a closer look.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Sell binos and spotter and get better binos… spotters are 90% of the time used to field judge. Honestly binos even the pair you have should be fine at seeing elk from a long way off. Drop camp as in an outfitter is dropping you off?

 

[NickyD]

Def has long range potential but no I’m not picky, first time elk drop camp….

Probably don’t need it but if it’s a drop camp I’d say bring it in case you decide you want it

 

[Ross]

Leave it at the rig.

 

[fullstrut]

Sell binos and spotter and get better binos… spotters are 90% of the time used to field judge. Honestly binos even the pair you have should be fine at seeing elk from a long way off. Drop camp as in an outfitter is dropping you off?

correct, horse back in and they drop us off for 6 days. just 2 hunters in camp

 

[Hnthrdr]

correct, horse back in and they drop us off for 6 days. just 2 hunters in camp

Maybe take it then if you don’t have to carry it. But better binos will suit you far better than just about any optic you will use

 

[Fatcamp]

correct, horse back in and they drop us off for 6 days. just 2 hunters in camp

If you can spare the weight it can't hurt.

That's not a great spotter but will see further than those binoculars.

 

[tracker12]

Leave it home. You will not use it on a 2nd season public land hunt. I do agree with have the best quality binos you can have. Good pair of 10x40s will serve you well.

 

[MrAKGuy]

I pack for Mountain Goat/Sheep and this is what I did to solve this problem. You have to have binos, no way around that. I didn't want the extra weight and cost of a spotter + tripod. Don't forget the tripod since that also comes with using a spotter. Instead I got a Swaro SLC 15x56 binos, tripod adaptor from Outdoorsman, and a Siru tripod. I think it's a ST-124 Carbon w/ VA-5X head. Keep the binos in a Alaska Guide Creations Denali bivy (they're big binos) and then throw it on the tripod if I need to glass. Overall more weight than just 10x binos but less weight than binos + spotter + tripod. My system has worked well for me although you need a steady hand while using the 15x off the tripod.

I also pack for solo hunts. So if you have a pack mule (friend or animal) then a lot of this is moot and only a question of cost.

 

[TaperPin]

Glassing a new place is so fun, I’d definitely bring it just for entertainment. Even if you spot elk too far away to hunt, it’s just fun. If your tripod is hard to use and you just don’t like using the scope then leave it in camp.

 

[lukebrowning]

For western hunting, and in most scenarios, carrying a spotter is worth the weight for me. I like watching game and I’ve seen way too many cool things with a spotter over the years that I now view the added weight as a sunk cost. For example, during spring bear this year I watched two wolves rip ass up a drainage after a bear. They treed the bear and circled the tree for an hour. Was cool to watch the standoff through the spotter.