Optic Combo for Sheep

[Doc Holliday]

If you carry a spotting scope, do you think you still need 10x42s around your neck? I have some rangefinding 10x42s that are great, but am thinking of going down to something a little smaller and lighter since I will have a ss moving forward. Curious what the school of thought is from more experienced sheep hunters. This would be for dark colored sheep species, not dalls.

 

[Bambistew]

I wouldn't go with smaller binos. Scanning with a spotter can be tough if you can't dial it down far enough. I use my binos way more than my spotter for everything. BH sheep are no harder to spot than mule deer, for instance, maybe even easier because they have more white on them. Either way, the only hunt I would consider taking smaller binos would be one I didn't take a spotter. For me that would be maybe an archery elk hunt where seeing animals is good enough, and telling approximate size is is good enough, and spotting ranges aren't too far. For a sheep hunt to pick apart the mountain, I'd want the best I can afford. I've never felt burdened by 10x42s on any hunt, including a couple dozen backpack sheep hunts. I've considered going up to 12x or 15, but I would still bring a spotter, so I'd really not gain much.

BTW Dall sheep can be very hard to spot in the rocks, or when bedded, many times all you can see is from their nose up.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Bring your range finding 10s and spotter.

 

[dreamingWest]

I'm not an experienced sheep hunter but I thought my 10x42 binos and 65mm scope was perfect for my dall sheep hunt. If hunting in northern latitudes, as I was, you could possibly improve by using the new Swaro NL 10x32s since the days are so long low light didn't seem to be a big issue.

In the lower 48 or Mexico, I'd probably stick to the 10x42s.

 

[MaraviaDave]

I’d recommend carrying a 12x bino that can be mounted on a tripod. The 12x42 NL with an Outdoorsmans binocular stud and adapter would be a great choice. While hunting sheep, I rarely handhold binoculars. When I do handhold, it’s usually during the final leg of a stalk. The rest of the time, I’m glassing off a tripod for anything longer than a couple of minutes, when I’m on the move.

Regarding spotting scopes… I use to carry a 65mm ATX… now, I carry a 95mm ATX. The weight penalty of the larger objective is justified by increased resolution.

I understand dropping as much weight as possible from your pack. I’ve been hunting sheep every year, for quite awhile now, generally on 10 day backpack hunts. From my perspective, optics is one of the last places I look to cut weight.

 

[Yellowknife]

10x42's for sure. I've tried several different compact binos. They worked, but I consistently see more sheep with 10x42's and waste less time digging out the spotter to see if they are legal.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

The style of sheep hunting would probably dictate how much weight you want to carry. I find that Swaro 10x32 NL’s are the best option for myself, going very light and not wanting to give up glassing ability. But I hunt white sheep. 42 mil objective may work better for spotting Bighorns??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tdot]

I'll be the dissenting voice. I've taken my 12x50EL and my 8x32EL on different Stone sheep hunts. What I found is the vast majority of the time I was either glassing new territory with bino's in hand, as it opened up during a hike, or I was seated with bino's on a tripod. While hand holding the 8x were vastly more stable and actually useful under 500 yards. While I was seated I was typically glassing at ranges far greater then the useful range of either the 8x or 12x. Every sheep I found with bino's on the tripod was due to movement. So personally I'll take the greater FOV, stability and lighter weight of the 8x.

Now if I was in terrain where the majority of the glassing was in that 500-1000 yard range, then I'd seriously consider a 12x.

 

[idig4au]

I’m a big fan of the Swarovski NL 12x42s after putting them to use. I was able to stabilize them over my knees and/trekking pole, much so over my 12x50 ELs that I used religiously in the past. I also have them set up for tripod use.

Also a fan of Swarovski 65mm STM spotting scope with 20-50 wide angle eye piece on an outdoorsman compact tripod with micro pan head.

This combo had been money for me

 

[Doc Holliday]

Also a fan of Swarovski 65mm STM spotting scope with 20-50 wide angle eye piece on an outdoorsman compact tripod with micro pan head.

I have the exact same spotter/tripod setup, but STS instead of STM.

Appreciate all the replies. I have gone ahead and listed my El Range 10x42s for sale in the optics classifieds. I don't have another sheep/western hunt until 2023 unless I miraculously draw a tag or win a raffle next year, so will probably just purchase whatever 8 power Swaros are all the rage in Spring of 2023.

 

[Blockcaver]

I've been totally satisfied for 11 years with SV El 10x42s and a Swaro 20-60X65 ATM HD spotter. Primarily brown Stone sheep.

I tried my Leica 8x32 Ultravid on one Stone sheep hunt and they just don't complete favorably....same with my Nikon ED 50 HD 13-30X.

 

[Suera]

10x42 always, Smaller binoculars will not allow you to easily judge the sheep from a certain distance, in the end it is a little more weight, but after all that we usually carry, those grams will not make a difference and a few more increases will do

 

[Bear Lake Hunter]

This is a great question. I am likely sheep hunting next fall and the Outfitter I am going with says the
guides carry spotting scopes and 15X's. I was bit surprised to hear this as I certainly thought they would
carry 8X or 10's.
I am taking my 15's for sure and I cannot believe I am saying this, but will likely leave my 10X42 Leicas at home.

If it was me, I would stay with the 10's (instead of going smaller).

 

[Bull_n_heat]

Sheep hunting is a game where you want more optics, not less. I'd leave a rifle at home before I would go without binos, and I would make it a pair you are pretty comfortable with. You'll be living behind them. If you find something, then switch over to the spotter

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

If folks take 15s, rest them in your trekking pole for additional stability when using them.

 

[Aoudaddy]

10x42’s and Spotter for me.

I did however use a similar set up on an aoudad hunt as in a coues deer hunt- 10x42’s(LRF), 20x56’s on tripod and spotter once something was spotted. Neither of these were true backpack hunts so weight wasnt an issue.

 

[Steve O]

I’ve used 10x42 and spotter for a long time. Picked up 12 NLs when the came out. Desert sheep I got last Sunday was because I could CLEARLY identify him at over two miles with just the 12 NLs. More is better when you have the same field of view.