binos or spotting scope advice

[Madison COunty]

I am wondering if it is necessary on a rifle hunt to have both a quality pair of binos (10x42 vipers) and a spotting scope of if you can just use your binos and your rifle scope? Just curious

[AmericanBwana]

I carry my Bino's during rifle hunts.

And I would avoid using your rifle scope for anything except lining up a shot at your quarry.


AB

[Swede]

For long range viewing and determining if an animal is a trophy, there is nothing that can beat a good spotting scope. It will not only save you a lot of leg work, but increase the number of animals you find. Where and how I generally hunt, a spotting scope is useless.

[Lefty]

For long range viewing and determining if an animal is a trophy, there is nothing that can beat a good spotting scope. It will not only save you a lot of leg work, but increase the number of animals you find. Where and how I generally hunt, a spotting scope is useless.

plus 1
Still need binos too.
My first rifle elk hunt I had a bull in some thick brushy lodgepole 35-55 yards. I eventually saw he was a legal bull however after 10 minutes I moved too much and he bugged out . Naked eye I could have never made out that he was anything other than brown

[FemoralArchery]

Spotters aren't necessary, but I like to take pictures through my spotter, so mine goes everywhere I do.

[Indian Summer]

Madison... remember every piece of gear is essentially a tool for a specific task. So the first question is am I attempting to perform this task? Binos are a multi task tool. You can use them to locate game. You can also use them to tell which sex an animal is from a distance. If they are close enough you may be able to judge the size of the animal. I have some top of the line glass. I can look from a certain distance and say yes, those are elk. Depending on the distance I may be able to say that is a bull. Maybe not. To take it a step further I may be able to judge the size of the animal.... based on my experience of course. Obviously a spotting scope is used to make these calls at further distances.

Therefore you have to ask yourself three things: 1) Will I be hunting in an area that is fairly open and I will be looking for/at game at long distances? There IS a difference between looking FOR game, and looking AT game. 2) At this stage of my elk hunting career do I really care if it's a bull or a cow? 3) If it is a bull, do I care how big it is?

You can spot elk a long way off with 10 power binos. There's no question that if there is no snow on the ground it can be hard to pick out antlers at distances over 1000 yards. But you CAN see if there's one elk that looks bigger than the others, has a way lighter color, and is chasing the other ones all over the place: Bull!

Some places I hunt I am relying on my spotting scope big time. My plan is to get up to a high vantage point early and look for miles in every direction. That's another point worth mentioning.... I wouldn't carry it if I didn't actually have a plan to use it. A spotter isn't something I pack around the mountain "just in case". Some times I pack it up high, use it, leave it there and go hunt, then return to that spot to use the spotter again in the evening. Also... my standards vary depending on where I am, how late in the hunt it is, and how I did last year. lol So I may or may not be saying to myself: 6 points only. But at distances of a mile plus... the spotter may just be there because I'm saying: Bulls only.

Evaluate your hunting area, be realistic about your goals and last.... don't push the button prematurely on a spotter. They are one of the most expensive pieces of equipment you will ever buy and the last thing you should do is say: I'll buy this one for now until I can afford a better one. Always buy the best one you can afford and if you can't afford the one you want then you should wait until you can.