Trade spotter for 18x binocular... Am I crazy?

[Ken Swenson]

Recently hit the reset button on my optics system, selling all of my binoculars and consolidating down to one pair of Swaro EL 12s. They are absolutely incredible glass. I still have my 1st gen Razor 85MM spotting scope that I've used on scouting/hunting trips in the past. Other than the occasional digiscoping session and antler counting, it has sat in the pack as a very heavy dead weight. I've recently entertained the idea of selling the spotting scope and using 18x binos in conjunction with the EL 12s on my mule deer hunts.

My question to any of you 18x bino users: At what range does the 18x drop off for identifying and field judging mule deer? I understand these could be two different ranges. I would love the upside of using the 18x for finding bedded deer and for long-range glassing (>1 mile) , as I've never been able to do this with my spotter due to eye strain. The only potential downfall to this trade would be the inability to identify bucks past a certain yardage.

What have your experiences been?

Thanks all

 

[hereinaz]

The 12s are good enough to spot game, you could switch to a better spotter like a Kowa 553 that is lighter and has significant better glass. You really can’t judge with 18s.

In my group there are guys who glass for Coues dear with fifteens, 18s and the 12 EL’s that you have. Clarity trumps magnification, so if you keep your 12s then you will just keep going back to them instead of using 18s that are lesser quality glass and clarity.

That’s my experience and experience watching the majority of Glaser’s here in Arizona. If you guys aren’t running a swaro bino or some other really clear glass, they will go with a BTX.

 

[rcook10]

I have maven b series 18x binos and can comfortably pick deer in brush outside of a mile. On high contrast backgrounds like snow or cheat grass it is really easy to field judge frames and points out to 2 or more if there is low mirage. I am much more efficient at looking at country and really enjoy the lack of eye strain. If you aren't looking to count inches but pick out mature animals 18x binos are really hard to beat IMO. I do pack a spotter for filming shots and taking pictures sometimes but it almost exclusively comes out for those two things, I did play with a magview bino adaptor which works pretty well too.