Do you carry a spotter? Why? When do you use it? For what?

[BlacktailTracker]

I have a spotter now and I debating whether I should return it or not?
I have a pair of good binos already.
Are spotters worth carrying?

 

[okie archer]

IMO a spotter is good to carry when scouting but I usually leave it when it's time to hunt and take binos.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Really depends on what you're hunting.

If you are just looking for any deer or elk, you probably don't need to carry one. If you're looking for specific size bucks or bulls, it's a must have imo.

I personally would not hunt without one.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

Really depends on what you're hunting.

If you are just looking for any deer or elk, you probably don't need to carry one. If you're looking for specific size bucks or bulls, it's a must have imo.

I personally would not hunt without one.

I'm generally looking for 3 pt or better blacktails and mule deer.

 

[Ranger 692]

From the truck/sxs yes. Packing in nope

 

[Macintosh]

Depends on terrain. Could be my middle-aged eyes but I cant always see antler yes/no, big/little with 10x binos even at pretty normal glassing ranges. I got back from wyoming this fall and immediately traded in my “Id never carry that anywhere” spotter for a “I would bring that” spotter.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

Depends on terrain. Could be my middle-aged eyes but I cant always see antler yes/no, big/little with 10x binos even at pretty normal glassing ranges. I got back from wyoming this fall and immediately traded in my “Id never carry that anywhere” spotter for a “I would bring that”

What spotter did you have and then trade to?

 

[justinspicher]

Nope. I haven’t owned on and don’t think I ever will.

 

[7mm-08]

I have a Kowa 554, which is an upgrade from my Nikon 50. Seriously contemplating going to Kowa's new 55 spotter for the better field of view. My problem is I'm old and weak(er) than my younger self and struggling putting ANY spotter in my pack unless I'm hunting mule deer or wolves.

 

[MuleyFever]

Scouting I always have it. Hunting it depends on the terrain. Open spaces I carry one. If I expect to be in timber there is no use for one. Also depends on trophy expectations. If you want to count tines then yes. If you just want a legal animal then no, unless there are point restrictions.

 

[Macintosh]

What spotter did you have and then trade to?

I had a g2 razor hd 85mm spotter that was too big and heavy for anything but the range. So I never used it. Wy trip I saw a number of deer I could not say if they were bucks or not thru binos at like 1500ish yards. Sold it and bought a used STC. I probably would have been ok with the baby razor, but my wife talked me into the swaro.

 

[Wapiti151]

Always have spotter in my pack, period.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

I had a g2 razor hd 85mm spotter that was too big and heavy for anything but the range. So I never used it. Wy trip I saw a number of deer I could not say if they were bucks or not thru binos at like 1500ish yards. Sold it and bought a used STC. I probably would have been ok with the baby razor, but my wife talked me into the swaro.

I got the baby razor then returned it because it just wasn't different enough from my binos and the high zoom got dark. I got the 22-48x65 razor now. It's kinda big so I'm trying to decide now if I will pack it for the long run because I don't want to buy something then not use it.

 

[Meshnasty]

I have a 85mm razors HDs that I really only use when bow hunting for deer and pronghorn. They are pretty heavy to lug around and the clarity isn’t great around the outer edge. I’ll be upgrading to something else in the 65mm range in the next year or so.

Due to the weight of the 85s and being fairly lazy this year I mostly took my SLC 15s unless I knew I was going to be looking a mile plus away or cared enough to know how big something was. Those paired with my 8s are almost perfect as I prefer the big FOV while scanning.

The 15s do leave a bit to be desired past 1000 yards but most of the time I can tell doe vs small buck vs big buck. I can also glass all day without eye fatigue. The other issue with the 15s is past 800-1000 yards I’m not going to be picking out an antler/tine behind bush which I can do the with spotter.

 

[mainbeam pursuit2]

It’s all dictated by what I think will work the best for that day’s situation. I use the 80 mm spotter at the SxS or truck, then decide if I want to carry my 15 x 56 binos or my 554 to go with my 10’s when walking to glassing spots.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

Always have spotter in my pack, period.

Do you glass and grid with it, or do you only use your binos for that?

 

[BBob]

The only time I don’t have some sort of spotter in my pack is when I’m actively running and gunning archery elk in AZ or NM or high country archery CO elk. Any deer, antelope, pig (javelina), etc… I have a spotter. If I can’t drum up something with the binoculars I will grid with the spotter just as I would binoculars. It’s a learned thing to do it. An eye patch helps a lot. Now days we have BTX and twins that take over for a spotter for a lot of it.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I'm generally looking for 3 pt or better blacktails and mule deer.

I carry an 80mm spotter 100% of the time hunting either of those. Even on an extreme backpack hunt, I wouldn't go without the spotter.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

I never have but will be doing so next year. I always wish I had it but hate packing a tripod, attachments, and all of that. Recently sold all my European glass and went entirely with sig image stabilized including the spotter. Tripod is unnecessary and so is all the attachments.

 

[huntnful]

I carry one everywhere. Mostly use it to verify animals I’m seeing at long distance with my binos, and for digiscoping. I legitimately glass with it maybe 5% of the time.