Range finder or spotting scope?

[mnhunter2]

If we get drawn I will be going on my first SD antelope hunt this fall and I would like to add one of these to my hunting gear so I am looking for ideas as to which one is more usefull. I will be shooting my 300WTBY with a 4-12 swarovski scope with 168 gr berger bullets that has worked great for deer out to 500yds.

 

[kiwi3006]

Rangefinder. No point being able to see them if you don't know how far away they are.

Stu.

 

[ATH]

To shoot far enough to need a spotting scope in a hunting situation, you first need a rangefinder.

The caveat is if you are truly trophy hunting. At least for me, antelope bucks are difficult to judge. You would need a spotting scope to really determine if it is a shooter, even before the range you need a rangefinder to shoot.

 

[pyroducksx3]

Rangefinder and dont get anything less than a Lieca and borrow a spotting scope. I'm sure a friend has one.

 

[tenwalker]

+++++ On buy the Lieca and borrow a spotting scope. My Lieca did a great job last fall. I would borrow out my spotting scope before I would borrow out my Lieca. Dale

 

[trebark]

+++++ On buy the Lieca and borrow a spotting scope. My Lieca did a great job last fall. I would borrow out my spotting scope before I would borrow out my Lieca. Dale

+1...buy a rangefiner, borrow a spotting scope.

 

[squirrelduster]

+1...buy a rangefiner, borrow a spotting scope.

Great call. I recently purchased a Leica and it is amazing. Great optics and reads really well.

 

[bigngreen]

Range finder! Antelope are easy to see but hard to range, and you can't hit it if you don't have a range.

 

[Bob33]

Rangefinder. Get a Leica and you will not be disappointed.

 

[JARHEAD1371]

Last year my new 1500 Bushnell wouldn't range antelope at around 700 yds. My wife and I missed the opportunity at a couple of book bucks because of that ***. I returned it the next day and I'm ordering a Swarovski range finder tonight. IMO, like others have said, buy the best range finder you can afford. The grass, sage, and miles of wide open spaces make an excellent laser a necessity. That is of course unless you know someone that has a Swaro you can borrow, then buy a spotter.

What area did you apply for?