Ideal magnification for Dall sheep hunting

[DBMR]

10x binos
8x lightweight scope with 10x being max. More important is having a low power setting IMO for hiking in the alder river bottoms for the always present long claw grizzlies
65x spotter with a doubler (1.6x Kowa) to make scope a 96x. If solo id consider dropping down to ultralight weight 40 or 45x Swaro or Kowa

 

[MaraviaDave]

Curious on your experience with the forehead rest. When does it help, and how does it help?

When I first saw the forehead rest, I thought it was a gimmick. However, after hearing from a couple guys I trust that it really helped stabilize their binoculars, I decided to order one…..with the intention of returning it after checking it out. It was hard for me to believe that it was worth the money, along with dealing with the obnoxious bulk. After trying it out, I realized I was wrong. The increased stability while hand holding the 12X NL’s definitely made the cost easy to accept.

Since I typically am glassing off a tripod, I don’t leave the forehead rest attached, until I begin a stalk and then I’ll attach it.

 

[Westy35]

When I first saw the forehead rest, I thought it was a gimmick. However, after hearing from a couple guys I trust that it really helped stabilize their binoculars, I decided to order one…..with the intention of returning it after checking it out. It was hard for me to believe that it was worth the money, along with dealing with the obnoxious bulk. After trying it out, I realized I was wrong. The increased stability while hand holding the 12X NL’s definitely made the cost easy to accept.

Since I typically am glassing off a tripod, I don’t leave the forehead rest attached, until I begin a stalk and then I’ll attach it.

Interesting, I wouldn’t have expected that. Thanks!

 

[buffybr]

I used 8x23 or 9x25 Nikon pocket binoculars on my Dall ram hunt and for my 3 Montana Unlimited Unit Bighorn rams that I did on solo DIY hunts.

I've never taken a spotting scope on any of my sheep hunts.

For all of those hunts I used my .257 Ackley with a 6x Leupold scope.

 

[ColeyG]

10x42 binos
20-60x65 swaro ATS
4,5-14x40 leupold vx-3 HD CDS

Ditto on the mag range. Wish I had the swaro instead of the vortex spotter...

 

[Alaska92]

Whatever trips your trigger. I've spotted a lot of legal rams with 10x42 binos and 17-52x60 spotter. Killed a few with 2.5-8x36 Leupold on my Kimber 325 and one with a 4X Leupold on my Freedom Arms 454 revolver.

These guys did it another way...

Only if there were still rams like that in that country………..we can only wish.

 

[Alaska92]

10x binos with a wide field of view.

60x Spotting scope with the option of running a 1.6x extender for 96x in the right atmospheric conditions.

10x rifle scope.

I concur.

 

[HuntPrepared]

Bino: 12x50 EL
Spotter: ATX 65
Range finder: 7x SIG
Rifle Scope: 3-18x 44 or 2.5-10 depending on which rifle gets the nod.

 

[Viper*6]

10x42 binos
2.5-8x36 Leupold

Leupold GR 12-40X60MM HD (60 power scope is too high magnification because it highlights the thermos and the image is blurred. Plus they are heavier.​

 

[LoH]

I used 8x23 or 9x25 Nikon pocket binoculars on my Dall ram hunt and for my 3 Montana Unlimited Unit Bighorn rams that I did on solo DIY hunts.

I've never taken a spotting scope on any of my sheep hunts.

For all of those hunts I used my .257 Ackley with a 6x Leupold scope.

love it.

 

[NilsBackstrom]

Ditto on the mag range. Wish I had the swaro instead of the vortex spotter...

Yeah me to. The swaro I borrowed.

 

[North61]

Started too old to be a great Sheep hunter but I get up in the mountains almost every year!

My favourite scope for Mountain use is the now discontinued Vortex 1.5-8X Razor 1inch tube with the G4 reticle. 8X with that great dot makes 540 yard shots pretty consistent and 1.5 on the low end is comforting in the thick stuff were Grizzlies might hang. It weighs under 13 OZ. Wish I'd bought 2! I do have the 2-10X in the same line and it's about as good for another 1.5 ounces. I have younger stronger friends that pack 30 oz scopes but I can't see it!

Binoculars, 8x is probably best if you want a 28 to 32mm objective to keep the weight down but 10X is a bit better for assessing age/evaluation. I use 10x32 EL's but the exit pupil of 3.2mm is a bit of a compromise... less so when your old eyes probably struggle to widen much past 4mm!

Spotting scope.... minimum of 50X but if my son isn't with me I am always tempted to go lower in the lightest weight configuration I think I can get away with and the best 3-4 really light weight choices have 55-60 mm objective and top out at somewhere in the neighbourhood of 39, 40 or 45X. Probably not smart but I keep getting older and weaker! For Dall sheep hunting I'd put the money into the spotter 1st as it can best help keep you out of the news cycle for shooting an underage sheep.

 

[Blockcaver]

Arrowed a Stone DIY (and helped a buddy arrow one a couple yrs later) and Dall on a guided bowhunt using Swarovision 10x42EL binos combined with a Swaro angled 20-60x65HD spotter. Used a phone scope extensively with the spotter…very big help to verify legality of Stones in BC.

 

[StopMakingSense]

NL 12x42 for stones, 60x max mag on the spotter, no need for over 10x on the rifle scope