Spotting Scope Questions from a Newbie

[dcremin]

Howdy - I'm a newbie looking for some spotting scope advice. I'm in my upper 30's, just about to have my 2nd kid in 2 years and lucky to be able to even be entertaining going on a hunt this year. Scheduled to go on a late rifle hunt in CO this year since I drew a cow tag. Baby #2 is due end of Dec/early Jan and measuring 2.5 weeks ahead, so that could torpedo my hunting plans last minute. Anyway, I mention that only to say my budget is not great for high end optics. On a whim on Amazon's second prime day this year I ordered a Gosky Updated 20-60x80mm spotting scope for $135 total after tax. I know this is an entry level scope and and a plus was it comes with a phone adapter. BUT it arrived and is way longer than I was expecting. Damn thing barely fits in my daypack backpack. I know that comes with the territory of larger optics.

So, I am looking for something maybe a little more compact. The type of hunting we do is mostly woods with a view, although the Cameron Peak fire definitely opened some shooting lanes up in the area we hunt back in 2020. I can return the Gosky one to Amazon and re-order something else, but I'd say my budget is not great at under $200 before tripod. I'm not opposed to buying a used but better quality one for that price, but still am looking a little more compact. Typical views for us might be 1/4 to 1/2 a mile or so, so this would be used more to better identify elk we can already see with our rifle scope or binos. So not really the traditional getting on a high point and classing for 4 miles and hours at a time to spot them. I know the tabletop tripod that comes with the Gosky one I updated is junk, so that's part of why my budget is not great as I'm going to spend additional $ on a better tripod anyway.

Any suggestions of entry level optics to look at? Or should I just strap the padded soft-case this one came with to the outside of my pack and be done with it? We mostly hunt from the truck on afternoon and evening sits so it's not an issue of weight, just size in backpack. Any help is much appreciated!

Link to the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KFTV8WM?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

Unless you are trying to tell if the elk is a 300 bull and not a 330 bull, just get a good tripod and set your binos on that. What type of binos are you using?

 

[dcremin]

Unless you are trying to tell if the elk is a 300 bull and not a 330 bull, just get a good tripod and set your binos on that. What type of binos are you using?

Good question - I have a pair of Celestron 10x42 binos. Main reason for that size is whitetail hunting in Wisconsin but fit the bill for a good on-the-go size for elk hunting too. If I ditched the spotting scope entirely and just used binos on a tripod, what size binos would you suggest?

 

[MuleyFever]

I wouldn't even bother with a spotter in your situation. I also wouldn't bother with a low end spotter. Take that money and upgrade your binos. Or just save another year to get something better.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

Good question - I have a pair of Celestron 10x42 binos. Main reason for that size is whitetail hunting in Wisconsin but fit the bill for a good on-the-go size for elk hunting too. If I ditched the spotting scope entirely and just used binos on a tripod, what size binos would you suggest?

10x42's will work just fine

 

[Smokeslider]

I'd vote the same as other responders, ditch the spotting scope for now and use your binos with tripod. 10X binos are a good happy medium for your situation.

 

[WI in the west]

I agree with above get a tripod for the binos. You 100% will not be happy with a $200 spotting scope they are junk in my opinion. You can spend that money on alot of better things (not just optics) given your situation

 

[Ralphie]

I’d ditch the spotter and Probably the tripod. Glassing for cow elk ain’t glassing for mule deer. And that isn’t an insult to cow elk hunting. It’s one of the most fun hunts I do.

I know the YouTube heros won’t like that.

 

[Tobe_B]

Years ago I did something similar. Started elk hunting, wanted to try a spotter, bought a cheap one from amazon. Total mistake, it was worthless. My binos were way better glass and could tell me just as much, if not more, about what game I was looking at.

I just use one of my trekking poles to stabilize my binos. I do have a spotter and tripod, but unless I'm hunting in certain areas I don't even carry it. For a cow elk hunt you really just need to spot them and get moving.

 

[jimh406]

You can easily see an Elk with your eyes at 1/4 to 1/2 miles especially if they are moving at all. They are absolutely giant in every way compared to most whitetails. As long as you can tell the Elk doesn't have antlers with your binoculars, you should be fine.

 

[stank.243]

If you are set on a spotter I have this one and I don’t think it’s that bad. It’s no swaro but definitely works for my needs. Camera land is also a sponsor and is great to work with: https://cameralandny.com/shop/athlo...7829-0138-971e-00163ecd2826?variation=2247721

But as said above spotters definitely aren’t necessary. I use a trekking pole as a monopod with my binos most of the time and it works great.

 

[deltadukman]

10x42’s on a decent tripod. I got a slik from cameraland and a azaik adapter. I could see WAY further than I wanted to walk. I was very impressed with the setup. Granted they are swaro 10x42’s, I left them in my chest harness with the adapter on the barrel of the binos and I unclipped them when I wanted to put them on a tripod.

 

[Indian Summer]

A spotter is an investment. Not something you just jump on and not something you cut corners on. If you don’t own a quality spotting scope you won’t carry it. It’ll stay in the truck or at camp. For $200 you won’t get something good in low light or that’s going to show more detail than good binos.

What’s your goal? To tell if it’s a bull or cow or are you looking for a certain class bull?

I don’t think the time is right for you for this particular purpose.

 

[CMF]

I wouldn't even bother with a spotter in your situation. I also wouldn't bother with a low end spotter. Take that money and upgrade your binos. Or just save another year to get something better.

I second this. I've tried a couple of cheap spotters and even a real old leupold of my buddys and found my 8x42 Diamondbacks to be just as good. For the distance, your talking about I'm not even sure I would bother with a tripod.

 

[dcremin]

Thanks for all the replies, you certainly have given me something to think about with a tripod and better binoculars over a spotter. I actually have some larger Nikon 10 x 42 binoculars as well as some mid-sized (also 10x42) Celestron ones I have, so maybe I should rig up the Nikon binos on a tripod since it's a little larger and use that as my go-to on a tripod.

To be clear in a lot of areas we hunt we can see much, much further out than 1/4 to 1/2 mile, we just can't always get there or it's land we can't hunt on for various reasons. Pre fire the group more or less had their hot spots they would drive to and do sit at or do short walk hunts (I type this carefully, but slightly older hunting crew that doesn't do a lot of walking anymore). Not sure post-fire how that plan will change, but this is only my second trip out there so I'm the young blood in the group. It is also late rifle season so sometimes the snow prevents us from getting certain places - last time we got 36 inches of snow and were lucky to harvest a cow right as it started snowing and get her out just before the roads became messy.

Again, thank you for all the replies and keep them coming if any other viewpoints or votes! Sounds like I'll be returning this one and going a different route.

 

[Stalk’nAwe]

I’ll agree with what’s been stated above and just say I’ve never once said on an elk hunt “damn wish I had my spotter!” Put that 200 towards anything else for your trip or in a Mason jar to start savin for a good spotter cuz amigo, there ain’t a spotting scope for 200 bucks that’s any good