I need some help guys. I am planning to bite the bullet and buy my first high end optics next year and would like some input from guys who have experience with the optics I am looking at. Here is what I am looking at:
1. Budget is under $2,500 (which includes a hopeful resale value of my current cheaper spotter). This is pretty set in stone and I am going to be scraping to make that much happen so please don't tell me to buy $10,000 in optics in one year. And yes, $2,500 is more than the value of my vehicle so I'm not driving a $50,000 truck and skimping on optics!
2. I also don't want to buy anything I will want to upgrade in the future at this point.
3. I will be hunting mule deer in colorado, elk in wyoming, coues deer in arizona, and others over the next few years.
4. I do like to hunt "big" animals for the given area/tag but at the end of the day I won't be counting inches trying to decide if a buck is a shooter. To me big is big enough.
Based on the research I have done I have pretty much narrowed my search down to either 10x42 or 15x56 Swaro SLCs (see #2 above). If I opt for the 10x42s they will be my only optics for at least the next three years or so until I can swing for a nice spotter. If I go with the 15s I will hang onto my cheaper 10x42s I currently have to keep in my harness and glass with the 15's off of a tripod. i do feel like the 15s will be enough for to decide if an animal is what I would consider a shooter (see #4 above) and would bridge the gap nicely between glassing with binos and a spotter. However, I understand 10s are way more versatile.
Do you guys think I would be better off with a only a pair of high quality 10s or a pair of lower end 10's for up close and high end 15s for any real glassing (I cant hand hold 10s steady enough to glass with at any distance so a tripod id a given regardless). As stated above I do feel like a spotter of the quality I want is something that will have to wait a few years!
Also, I am pretty knew (very knew) to this glassing game so any advice from guys who have been doing this a long time would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Nate
1. Budget is under $2,500 (which includes a hopeful resale value of my current cheaper spotter). This is pretty set in stone and I am going to be scraping to make that much happen so please don't tell me to buy $10,000 in optics in one year. And yes, $2,500 is more than the value of my vehicle so I'm not driving a $50,000 truck and skimping on optics!
2. I also don't want to buy anything I will want to upgrade in the future at this point.
3. I will be hunting mule deer in colorado, elk in wyoming, coues deer in arizona, and others over the next few years.
4. I do like to hunt "big" animals for the given area/tag but at the end of the day I won't be counting inches trying to decide if a buck is a shooter. To me big is big enough.
Based on the research I have done I have pretty much narrowed my search down to either 10x42 or 15x56 Swaro SLCs (see #2 above). If I opt for the 10x42s they will be my only optics for at least the next three years or so until I can swing for a nice spotter. If I go with the 15s I will hang onto my cheaper 10x42s I currently have to keep in my harness and glass with the 15's off of a tripod. i do feel like the 15s will be enough for to decide if an animal is what I would consider a shooter (see #4 above) and would bridge the gap nicely between glassing with binos and a spotter. However, I understand 10s are way more versatile.
Do you guys think I would be better off with a only a pair of high quality 10s or a pair of lower end 10's for up close and high end 15s for any real glassing (I cant hand hold 10s steady enough to glass with at any distance so a tripod id a given regardless). As stated above I do feel like a spotter of the quality I want is something that will have to wait a few years!
Also, I am pretty knew (very knew) to this glassing game so any advice from guys who have been doing this a long time would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Nate
