Optimal Mule Deer Optics Setup

[swavescatter]

Alpha glass wins every time in every scenario. It's a simple affordability issue for some people.

Put the Swaro NL Pure 14's on a table next to the 2nd gen Sig stabilized 16's and I'm taking the Sigs every time.

My buddy I hunt with has the Swaros (and BTX setup). Sure is nice when you have 30 minutes to get set up and comfy behind them, but I've already scanned the mountain and ready to move on.

For dedicated 1 hour plus sessions in one spot, I'd go Alpha glass. They're much more comfortable to be in for longer. But are they 3X better than my Mavens? Nope. Edge to edge clarity is where they really win, and I don't see to find any less animals than my buddy.

I was looking for an elk carcass about 2,000 yds away that we watched some guys and youth hunter poach on private. Spotted it with my Sig 16's handheld and guided my buddy onto it with his NL Pure 14's on a tripod. We swapped glass and I couldn't really see it any clearer than my Sigs. Field of view, low light suck on Sigs, but for picking out game I'm actually MORE effective given that I'm glassing for 5 minutes before he's set up.

I'm a total idiot with money and buy whatever I want when it comes to hunting gear. After using his top end Alpha glass I simply have no desire for it for 99.9% of my hunts (at least the way I hunt).

TLDR - OP get a pair of 2nd gen Zulu6 HDX 16x42's. They're the Bee's knees. Don't bother with the new Pro versions of the Sigs - they're straight garbage.

 

[nphunter]

Put the Swaro NL Pure 14's on a table next to the 2nd gen Sig stabilized 16's and I'm taking the Sigs every time.

My buddy I hunt with has the Swaros (and BTX setup). Sure is nice when you have 30 minutes to get set up and comfy behind them, but I've already scanned the mountain and ready to move on.

For dedicated 1 hour plus sessions in one spot, I'd go Alpha glass. They're much more comfortable to be in for longer. But are they 3X better than my Mavens? Nope. Edge to edge clarity is where they really win, and I don't see to find any less animals than my buddy.

I was looking for an elk carcass about 2,000 yds away that we watched some guys and youth hunter poach on private. Spotted it with my Sig 16's handheld and guided my buddy onto it with his NL Pure 14's on a tripod. We swapped glass and I couldn't really see it any clearer than my Sigs. Field of view, low light suck on Sigs, but for picking out game I'm actually MORE effective given that I'm glassing for 5 minutes before he's set up.

I'm a total idiot with money and buy whatever I want when it comes to hunting gear. After using his top end Alpha glass I simply have no desire for it for 99.9% of my hunts (at least the way I hunt).

TLDR - OP get a pair of 2nd gen Zulu6 HDX 16x42's. They're the Bee's knees. Don't bother with the new Pro versions of the Sigs - they're straight garbage.

I believe IS glass has its place but saying NL14’s have a similar image to the SIG is a joke, Stevie Wonder could tell the difference between them. If you can’t see any clearer though NL’s you need your eyes checked, my 12yr old Razors have a better image than the SIG Zulus hands down.

I can have my 14’s on a tripod in about 1 minute, takes longer than that to change your battery when it dies. With the SIGs advertised battery life I’d go through 3 battery every hunting season.