Spotting elk in the back country

[Steve]

I'm looking for a good spotter to use for spotting elk in the back country. What brand and power would be recommended for a budget around $1000. Thanks

 

[Takem]

For spotting elk a pair of 10 x 42's with a tripod are hard to beat.

 

[AGPank]

Spotters maybe tougher at that price vs binos. There's another thread in here about bargain spotters. I've read good reviews about the Nikon Fieldscope. I saw some on eBay under $1,000

 

[Steve]

I have a pair of Meopta 10x42's but was looking for a descent spotter to compliment it.

 

[GKPrice]

I have a pair of Meopta 10x42's but was looking for a descent spotter to compliment it.

I will most likely get "corrected" for this but spotters are usually used for deciding IF you want to put a hunt on a critter AFTER you've spotted it - It's been my observation (no pun intended) that a good binocular will allow a hunter to "spot" game at most realistic distances and anything from a GOOD 10X to 15X on a tripod with serve you and your eyes better - I hunt a lot with a guy who always has his Leupold 15x-45X spotter in his pack and takes it out ONLY when he thinks of it and always says "I have this thing, might as well use it" even when we're "meat" hunting, I've looked through it a bunch and can't stand it, I've been shopping for an affordable 15X for awhile but might just buy a good lightweight tripod with quick attach for my 10x42 Geovid and call it good

 

[Schnee's]

I'm looking for a good spotter to use for spotting elk in the back country. What brand and power would be recommended for a budget around $1000. Thanks

A Vortex Razor HD in 11-33 for $699 is a pretty sweet little scope. Compact and lightweight, with enough magnification for most people's needs. I have used one a number of times and love them.

Matt

 

[Brendan]

Steve - I have a vortex spotter myself which I like. But, in the last 3 years I think I've carried it with me for 2 days and promptly put it back in the truck because I felt it wasn't needed and didn't offer me enough to make carrying it worth it. That was my experience (for Elk) in Montana and Wyoming.

I'd probably have a different opinion if it was glassing for deer, or I hunted very open terrain and was spotting animals at longer distances.

 

[mtwarden]

A Vortex Razor HD in 11-33 for $699 is a pretty sweet little scope. Compact and lightweight, with enough magnification for most people's needs. I have used one a number of times and love them.

Matt

This is the one I'm using as well; very clear spotter, compact and light; got mine very lightly used (like new) for $500 in the Classifieds here

 

[CorbLand]

Hard to be Vortex Spotters for the price. That 11-33X50 is an awesome little scope for the money and its compact and lightweight. For under a grand you can find Razor 65 and sometimes 85 used. Check out the classified section, there may or may not be a Razor 65mm posted in there.

 

[scrubs]

Access Denied

Access Denied

Both come with tripods and $75.00 gift cards. They usually have 3 days express shipping for free as well, might be the case with these two, I didn`t look.

Edit, the two links go to B&H photo, not sure why show up access denied. 1st link is the Vortex 65 HD is $999.99, and the 2nd is 11-33x50 for $649.99 both come with the things listed above

Hope this helps.

 

[LaHunter]

Should not be a problem finding a used Vortex Razor 65 mm in excellent condition for less than $1,000. For the price, these are very good spotters. I had one for 3 years and liked it a lot and used it to find lots of deer.

 

[mfllood3800]

That price range does send you in the direction of Vortex. I have one of their older low end spotters the Nomad I believe its a 20x60.
I break it for scouting prior to season, attach my droid phone to it using the Phone Skope kit and I get great visuals, pics and intel from this set. If you went with the Vortex Razor spotter, you would be fine. I will admit, I don't carry a spotter during my hunt, simply cause I already have them patterned. BUT I do have it and another set of binos (10x50) and the spotter in its own duffle ready to take out if the elk are no where to be found and I want to eat lunch and just "check out" the areas. I use a set of Vortex 10-42 Razor binos that are always on me and work great for finding herds most of the time.

 

[mavmskyb8]

Spotters are too heavy for me to carry on a pack in. I'd rather have a nice pair of 15x56 bino's on a tripod. Unless your field judging for BC, binos would work pretty good.

Cheers!

 

[svivian]

Sportsmans has the old 65 razors for $799