Hunting Vampires & Optics Kits

[robby denning]

Hunting Vampire Bucks & Building an Optics Kit - Rokslide

Building Optics kits with Rokslide optics writer, Matt Cashell and a recast episode from Weston Homa of the the Run the Rack podcast, talking early season mule deer

www.rokslide.com

also had Rokslide membver @westonhoma on this episode to talk early season mule deer hunting.

 

[flyfisher117]

As you guys are archery mule deer hunting. And you are stalking in, are you stalking in with binos in hand? Just trying to understand the recommendation of a RF Bino being so superior when archery mule deer hunting.

 

[robby denning]

As you guys are archery mule deer hunting. And you are stalking in, are you stalking in with binos in hand? Just trying to understand the recommendation of a RF Bino being so superior when archery mule deer hunting.

hanging around my neck, then I can do everything with one hand.

Some guys prefer a separate RF but when I tried to do both, it was just more movement, more noise, all things deer don't put up with much.

 

[westonhoma]

Great chattin' with you Robby!

 

[robby denning]

Great chattin' with you Robby!

back at you Westoma, it was a good convo.

All the best on your knee, and Colorado

 

[elsb0048]

@robby denning / @Matt Cashell

Do you have a recommendation for what glassing distances you start to consider including 'long range binos' like 15's over your normal 8's to 10's?

Is it when you're looking past 1000yds? 2000 yds? some other distance?
do you factor that by target species? I imagine early season mule deer, goats, and any season elk are pretty visible with the color contrast & size while late season mule deer or sheep may bring that distance in a little bit?

 

[robby denning]

@robby denning / @Matt Cashell

Do you have a recommendation for what glassing distances you start to consider including 'long range binos' like 15's over your normal 8's to 10's?

Is it when you're looking past 1000yds? 2000 yds? some other distance?
do you factor that by target species? I imagine early season mule deer, goats, and any season elk are pretty visible with the color contrast & size while late season mule deer or sheep may bring that distance in a little bit?

everything overlaps.

less than a mile, I do ok with 8x/10x but 15x is awesome too but small FOV might let you miss something.

1-3 miles 15x is great for picking up deer but at the far edge of that distance, gets harder. but possible. But I've done it with 8x alot because they are always around my neck during season (scouting season often 10x).

3+ is BTX country but I've used 15x in the righ conditions

...and conditions are everything. I've seen bucks at 5+ miles with a 20X spotter that had a dark background and the sun at my back. (my record is nine miles with a BTX)

Spotter in the 20-60 range for all the distances listed above. You sometimes need a spotter at 500 yards.

curious to see other guys who glass in the 100 hour/year range think too.

 

[elsb0048]

Hey thanks for the response and for sharing the knowledge Robby!

I can't imagine ever leaving my 8's behind in favor of 15's but I could definitely see adding them to the toolbox. I have a September alpine mulie hunt I do every year and wonder if the 15's could be the ticket for picking apart the timber in the 800yd - 1mi range, trying to find em in their beds. The spots I'm hunting don't have much past maybe 1.5mi sight lines.

Maybe it's a technique thing but I just can't stay in the spotting scope that long...

 

[Matt Cashell]

Hey thanks for the response and for sharing the knowledge Robby!

I can't imagine ever leaving my 8's behind in favor of 15's but I could definitely see adding them to the toolbox. I have a September alpine mulie hunt I do every year and wonder if the 15's could be the ticket for picking apart the timber in the 800yd - 1mi range, trying to find em in their beds. The spots I'm hunting don't have much past maybe 1.5mi sight lines.

Maybe it's a technique thing but I just can't stay in the spotting scope that long...

I think you are describing an ideal scenario for a high magnification binocular.

 

[Matt Cashell]

As you guys are archery mule deer hunting. And you are stalking in, are you stalking in with binos in hand? Just trying to understand the recommendation of a RF Bino being so superior when archery mule deer hunting.

I have them in my harness, with the harness open generally, and sometimes just hanging from the lanyards. I frequently glass as I stalk in, even in close. I will look to see where their eyes are pointing before moving.

 

[Pistolpete28]

everything overlaps.

less than a mile, I do ok with 8x/10x but 15x is awesome too but small FOV might let you miss something.

1-3 miles 15x is great for picking up deer but at the far edge of that distance, gets harder. but possible. But I've done it with 8x alot because they are always around my neck during season (scouting season often 10x).

3+ is BTX country but I've used 15x in the righ conditions

...and conditions are everything. I've seen bucks at 5+ miles with a 20X spotter that had a dark background and the sun at my back. (my record is nine miles with a BTX)

Spotter in the 20-60 range for all the distances listed above. You sometimes need a spotter at 500 yards.

curious to see other guys who glass in the 100 hour/year range think too.

If you’re looking for deer from 3-9 miles in the right conditions, it sounds like I’m doing myself a disservice, by only looking at stuff 3 miles or less on scouting trips. Thanks for the insight on how you operate on scouting trips.

 

[willfrye027]

everything overlaps.

less than a mile, I do ok with 8x/10x but 15x is awesome too but small FOV might let you miss something.

1-3 miles 15x is great for picking up deer but at the far edge of that distance, gets harder. but possible. But I've done it with 8x alot because they are always around my neck during season (scouting season often 10x).

3+ is BTX country but I've used 15x in the righ conditions

...and conditions are everything. I've seen bucks at 5+ miles with a 20X spotter that had a dark background and the sun at my back. (my record is nine miles with a BTX)

Spotter in the 20-60 range for all the distances listed above. You sometimes need a spotter at 500 yards.

curious to see other guys who glass in the 100 hour/year range think too.

I spend a lot of time glassing and I would agree with the ranges Robby posted. Overall I think it really depends on the terrain and atmospheric conditions even more than the distance. I’ve picked up deer at 2 miles with 8x…and also picked up deer at 500 yards with 15s that I missed with 8x (could have been moving too fast also!).

I start reaching for 15s beyond 1000 yards or in the 500-1000 yard range if the brush is thick or early/late lighting conditions when they can blend in better. If I know the spot I’m hunting is all going to be within 1000 yards or so, I might not even bring the 15s.

BTX (STC big eyes for me) really shine at a mile and beyond. There is overlap with the 15s at a mile or maybe two in good lighting conditions. But many times I’ve done a pass at 15x or 18x and come back through at 25 or 30x, and spotted deer that I missed.

So much depends on the terrain (tall sagebrush/bushes and mid season gray coats make me want more magnification…early season red coats and green grass make me want to pack less magnification). It also really depends on your brain/eyes. It’s pretty easy to glass right over a deer, switch to higher power, and then BAM you see him and wonder how you just missed it. Someone elses eyes/brain may have picked it up on the lower power. Everyone is a little different I think in this regard and it takes some experience to figure out what works for you..and mentally being more/less focused or tired plays a huge role as well.

While I’m glassing my mind is constantly working on the subconscious level. Is there thick/tall enough brush that I could easily miss a deer in this stuff? Is the lighting bad making it hard to resolve details? Is there broken enough country that a deer could take one step and disappear or reappear? All of these things go into decisions to make another pass, focus longer on specific pieces of terrain, switch to higher power for the next pass, or pick up and move.

 

[robby denning]

Applaud I spend a lot of time glassing and I would agree with the ranges Robby posted. Overall I think it really depends on the terrain and atmospheric conditions even more than the distance. I’ve picked up deer at 2 miles with 8x…and also picked up deer at 500 yards with 15s that I missed with 8x (could have been moving too fast also!).

I start reaching for 15s beyond 1000 yards or in the 500-1000 yard range if the brush is thick or early/late lighting conditions when they can blend in better. If I know the spot I’m hunting is all going to be within 1000 yards or so, I might not even bring the 15s.

BTX (STC big eyes for me) really shine at a mile and beyond. There is overlap with the 15s at a mile or maybe two in good lighting conditions. But many times I’ve done a pass at 15x or 18x and come back through at 25 or 30x, and spotted deer that I missed.

So much depends on the terrain (tall sagebrush/bushes and mid season gray coats make me want more magnification…early season red coats and green grass make me want to pack less magnification). It also really depends on your brain/eyes. It’s pretty easy to glass right over a deer, switch to higher power, and then BAM you see him and wonder how you just missed it. Someone elses eyes/brain may have picked it up on the lower power. Everyone is a little different I think in this regard and it takes some experience to figure out what works for you..and mentally being more/less focused or tired plays a huge role as well.

While I’m glassing my mind is constantly working on the subconscious level. Is there thick/tall enough brush that I could easily miss a deer in this stuff? Is the lighting bad making it hard to resolve details? Is there broken enough country that a deer could take one step and disappear or reappear? All of these things go into decisions to make another pass, focus longer on specific pieces of terrain, switch to higher power for the next pass, or pick up and move.