Best spotting scope for sheep hunting

[treetrimmer01]

I drew a sheep tag and I need to seriously upgrade my spotting scope. With the tag I drew money won't be much of an object. What's the best spotting scope for sheep hunting? I'd like to find a used one so I can sell it when I'm done (if I keep it my lady might kill me). Lol

 

[bigngreen]

I really liked my Vortex Razor 11-33x50 on my pack working in on sheep, from the trucks or camps we used the big Vortex Razor 85mm and we were picking up sheep other guys weren't able to find, then up close I could pull my little one out and watch without a pile of extra weight.

 

[Sully2]

I bought an 80mm Zeiss!

 

[Pdvdh]

I use a Zeiss Diascope, 15-45x65mm. Not saying it's THE best. It's what I've settled on for backpack hunting for sheep. Used to own a Bushnell with replaceable eyepower pieces. Then a Leupold 12-40x. Wanted a little more power so upgraded to the Zeiss, with 45 power magnification. It works pretty well, in a reasonably compact spotting scope.

 

[jakelly]

You are in luck, because I have an 11-33x50 Vortex Razor HD for sale used in the classifieds (shameless plug). I bought it for Montana pack hunting and I would be surprised if you could squeeze any more performance per dollar or ounce. They're ideal for this.

 

[Browninglover1]

There seem to be two trains of thought for sheep, small and light to save pack weight or a large spotter that significantly outperforms the little spotter and is worth the weight in your pack.

If going small I'd buy the little Razor as I think it's a phenomenal buy. If going large I'd buy a Meopta S2 with the 30-60x WA eyepiece. I spent all last year using compact 8x30 binos and the big Meopta and honestly there were zero times that the extra weight and size of the Meopta bothered me. Sure I would have liked it to weigh half as much but the view it offered was worth the weight and I never considered pulling it from my pack. Maybe after a week chasing sheep I'd change my mind but it seems a lot of guys think the big girls are worth the trouble.

 

[WRO]

Optics4Rent - Swarovski 20-60 x 65 HD Spotting Scope Rental

Here is another option..

I personally wouldn't skimp on weight or quality, I carry a Swaro STX 85 and it saves me a ton of walking. One of my elk clients brought a razor 85 last year, and IMHO its no where near the quality or effectiveness of a good piece of Euro glass like the Swaro, Leica, or Meopta. Another option is a Kowa promiar, best piece of Asian glass I have ever handled.

 

[treetrimmer01]

Hey thanks for the input everyone. I think I'm leaning towards the meopta s2 30-60 wa. Is 30x going to be to much for just scanning for animals or does the wide angle help with that? Also straight or angled body? Thanks for the help.