Binocular vs Spotting Scope Trade Off

[Brent]

Doug,

Here's a link you can get the steel plate scoop from. http://www.longrangehunting.com/cgi-...c&f=1&t=000634

I been using 3"x5" index cards for testing at 200 yards, man I can staple a bunch of them up! Throw them in a card file later, info on the back, organize them however you like type deal.

I'll have to go look for the larger ones for farther out shooting.
I have a stensile template I cut out and I just lay it on top of the cards and trace the diamond with a Sharpie.

[Tim Behle]

dwm,

A lot of it depends on the type of terrain you hunt in.

I do most of my hunting on wide open flat ground. Therefore I can get by with binoculars better than someone who mostly hunts in the hills and brush.

Tim

[Randy in Va]

I will add one more point to this discussion that might not be known even to some old timers.

We all know that power and clarity are important factors for hunting. For me, equally important is color. Getting true color costs more than getting clarity. You can accomplish great things if you have both.

I know many have said that color was not that important for hunting. If the game is moving I agree, but if still and you have to
isolate it from it's surroundings like I do with groundhogs at distance, color gives up more targets than clarity and the image. Color first draws me to the object for additional study.

In short I seek:
1) movement
2) color
3) image matching

Yes, it costs a lot more.

[QuietHunter]

I use binoculars to find animals and a spotting scope for closer examination.
Elk and sheep can be seen miles away at 10x if you know what you are looking for. Deer tend to blend in a bit better and are not as easy to see at really long ranges unless they have an unusual background.
I use Zeiss Classic 10x40, but I have been impressed with the clarity of the Leica.

Spotting scopes are great for getting details or figuring out exactly what you are looking at. I rarely carry a spotting scope for elk unless it is a trophy hunt. I use one all the time for sheep. With a good spotting scope (really like the Leica), you can tell age within a year or two at half a mile.

I can see where Big Eyes would be beneficial for long range setups and for locating spotter rounds.

[Dan Conzo]

Of like quality and power two eyes are always better than one. Just common sense.
I suppose if you only had one good eye this would be questionable. After using "big eyes" for a long time, a spotting scope wouldn't even be an option.

Dan