questions about optics for first time western hunt

My advice. Buy a used Kowa, Vanguard, or Nikon spotter for a good price and sell it when your hunt is done. If you want to spend money on binos you'd be better off upgrading your current glass and sticking with 10X or 8X than buying cheap binos of a higher power. I regretted not having a spotter on my first mulie hunt. It would have saved me a lot of miles walking.
 
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NoWiser said:
My advice. Buy a used Kowa, Vanguard, or Nikon spotter for a good price and sell it when your hunt is done. If you want to spend money on binos you'd be better off upgrading your current glass and sticking with 10X or 8X than buying cheap binos of a higher power. I regretted not having a spotter on my first mulie hunt. It would have saved me a lot of miles walking.
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That’s a good idea as well! Appreciate all the feedback everyone!
 
What unit will you be in? And do you plan to return west every fall? If so a spotting scope may be a good investment. But mine has been sitting in my garage and maybe accompanied me on 2 trips. You can sort out bigger animals pretty effectively with binoculars. It sounds like you are more focused on harvesting a legal buck and less worried about a trophy mule deer, which are harder to come by in Idaho as opposed to other states that are more focused on quality rather than opportunity. My advice would be to skip it this year and save some money and if you find your experience lacking get one next year.
 
Bradolf pittler said:
What unit will you be in? And do you plan to return west every fall? If so a spotting scope may be a good investment. But mine has been sitting in my garage and maybe accompanied me on 2 trips. You can sort out bigger animals pretty effectively with binoculars. It sounds like you are more focused on harvesting a legal buck and less worried about a trophy mule deer, which are harder to come by in Idaho as opposed to other states that are more focused on quality rather than opportunity. My advice would be to skip it this year and save some money and if you find your experience lacking get one next year.
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I plan on going back, but I start chiropractic school in Kansas City this May so I’ll be 4 hours further east of where I am now so I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it out the next 3 years. I think I’m going to get a tripod and go out and do some scouting around here and see what I think about that, if I can spot animals well out past a mile, I’ll probably just stick with the binos and use the extra money for something else.
 
I believe it depends on the area your going to hunt and far you can see in that area, If its desert then you need to see far. I had a Nikon Spotter XL 15-45 spotting scope that I loved and used when I first started hunting out west. They were great and clear. But pressure from friends and hunting partners convinced me to buy a Swarovski spotting scope. When I got it I set them up on the kitchen table and looked out at the mountain near my home to compare them side by side. Honestly, they were pretty much the same looking thru them. I currently have the Swarovski's and wouldn't trade them in for anything, but depending on the area your hunting and how far you can see, then spend 4-500 on the Nikons. Best of luck on your hunt.
 
Bradolf pittler said:
What unit will you be in? And do you plan to return west every fall? If so a spotting scope may be a good investment. But mine has been sitting in my garage and maybe accompanied me on 2 trips. You can sort out bigger animals pretty effectively with binoculars. It sounds like you are more focused on harvesting a legal buck and less worried about a trophy mule deer, which are harder to come by in Idaho as opposed to other states that are more focused on quality rather than opportunity. My advice would be to skip it this year and save some money and if you find your experience lacking get one next year.
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Also forgot to add, but planning on unit 67!
 
$15 a day if your only doing a trip a year is whole lot cheaper than $2900 Binos.

www.optics4rent.com

Shop | Optics 4 Rent

A rangefinder binocular with Tracking Assistant and superb optical quality. The EL Range TA SWAROVISION feels good in the hand and on the eyes. Optics Damage Protection Plan: Our Optics Damage Protection Plan covers both internal and external damage to the optics. The plan does not cover lost or...
www.optics4rent.com www.optics4rent.com
 
Cockeye said:
$15 a day if your only doing a trip a year is whole lot cheaper than $2900 Binos.

www.optics4rent.com

Shop | Optics 4 Rent

A rangefinder binocular with Tracking Assistant and superb optical quality. The EL Range TA SWAROVISION feels good in the hand and on the eyes. Optics Damage Protection Plan: Our Optics Damage Protection Plan covers both internal and external damage to the optics. The plan does not cover lost or...
www.optics4rent.com www.optics4rent.com
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$15 to $20 but still a good deal for a hunter on a budget ("BUDGET" ?? WHAT'S THAT ??)
 
Cockeye said:
$15 a day if your only doing a trip a year is whole lot cheaper than $2900 Binos.

www.optics4rent.com

Shop | Optics 4 Rent

A rangefinder binocular with Tracking Assistant and superb optical quality. The EL Range TA SWAROVISION feels good in the hand and on the eyes. Optics Damage Protection Plan: Our Optics Damage Protection Plan covers both internal and external damage to the optics. The plan does not cover lost or...
www.optics4rent.com www.optics4rent.com
Click to expand...


That depends. I found a good deal on a brand new set of Zeiss Conquest HDs and sold them 5 years later for $50.00 less than I bought them for. That's more like 50 cents per day. I upgraded to SLCs and I know if I needed to, I could sell them for not more than $150.00 loss anytime in the next 10-15 years. No plans on doing that, but I could.

I get your point, though. Good glass is a big investment initially.
 
NoWiser said:
That depends. I found a good deal on a brand new set of Zeiss Conquest HDs and sold them 5 years later for $50.00 less than I bought them for. That's more like 50 cents per day. I upgraded to SLCs and I know if I needed to, I could sell them for not more than $150.00 loss anytime in the next 10-15 years. No plans on doing that, but I could.

I get your point, though. Good glass is a big investment initially.
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In five years your Slc will be old you can buy Swarovski non HD for $400 if you wait more than 8 years you want get close to what u paid.
 
realunlucky said:
Ok link some of these 8 year old Swarovski for $400 up I'll wait

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
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My point was I’m talking about a pair of $2600 Binos that you will be getting new ones as the years go by and for someone that only uses them a week to 3 weeks a year you won’t get your money worth by buying a set of $2600 Binos because new ones get better with time old ones stay the same. I can rent for 18 days and spend $236 a year it would take 11 years to make up the $2600 and at the end they would be worth half that.
 
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