So, here's the deal. I find myself in poor glassing country much of the time, and I'm loving my new zeiss sfl 8x30's, but I find something occasionally that I want a closer look at, but it's not worth lugging around my 15's or a kowa 554. So, I'm thinking that the 502 is the ticket.
Please keep in mind that I hate glassing with spotting scopes, this is just strictly a quick look type optic, then back to 8's or 15's, and I want it to perform out to 1000 yards or so. Not counting antler scores, just looking for mature muley bucks is all.
If I can hold it steady off my connected trekking poles (quick stix/bipod) for a quick view that would be a bonus as I prefer to leave the tripod unless I'm in an area where the glassing is actually good. Then I'd just bring my alpha 15's and leave poorish quality 502 at camp.
I was looking at what might have been a big muley 1500 ft above me recently, but I didn't climb the mountain because I wasn't sure enough. 20x with a kowa 502 would have been plenty, and well worth the 14oz in the pack.
I have seen one in action at about a mile (thanks Jake!) And the image was poor but we could tell it was a nice whitetail buck via digiscoping. So, I guess I'm mostly hunting for something even lighter for such limited use. A 20x monocular would work, but doesn't look like such a thing exists.
I appreciate any advise you have to offer!
Please keep in mind that I hate glassing with spotting scopes, this is just strictly a quick look type optic, then back to 8's or 15's, and I want it to perform out to 1000 yards or so. Not counting antler scores, just looking for mature muley bucks is all.
If I can hold it steady off my connected trekking poles (quick stix/bipod) for a quick view that would be a bonus as I prefer to leave the tripod unless I'm in an area where the glassing is actually good. Then I'd just bring my alpha 15's and leave poorish quality 502 at camp.
I was looking at what might have been a big muley 1500 ft above me recently, but I didn't climb the mountain because I wasn't sure enough. 20x with a kowa 502 would have been plenty, and well worth the 14oz in the pack.
I have seen one in action at about a mile (thanks Jake!) And the image was poor but we could tell it was a nice whitetail buck via digiscoping. So, I guess I'm mostly hunting for something even lighter for such limited use. A 20x monocular would work, but doesn't look like such a thing exists.
I appreciate any advise you have to offer!
