Why would I need a 20-60X85MM spotting scope?

[Toptuna]

I am looking at Vortex's spotting scopes. I am wondering why I would need the largest one. I was thinking this scope would be best suited for road hunting and not pack hunting like I mostly do. I hunt the desert but just am not sold on needing the 85mm spotting scope.

I am thinking the 16-48X65mm would be ok. I would also like to attach it to my DSLR, gopro or iPhone as well. Of course I was going to buy their best tripod because I think a spotting scope would due useless without a solid foundation. Any opinions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[HARPERC]

So many good optics to choose from these days. Pick one that works for your hunting style and live with those limitations. I have the big Swarovski it's limits are either a shooter/spotter team or too big in many situations.

On 60x looking at the moon is the best use I've found for it. I think you will find even 48x a little unusable in many situations.

When they are used in the parameters they are designed for nothing beats them, but in a pack, and you are literally trading meals or spare socks for more optic its a bad trade.

I agree better bipods are the way to go, but again packing it forces decisions, and weighing it against a better tent and I would choose shelter.

Having the best equipment on the mountain is great, but first you've got to get it on the mountain.

 

[Toptuna]

So many good optics to choose from these days. Pick one that works for your hunting style and live with those limitations. I have the big Swarovski it's limits are either a shooter/spotter team or too big in many situations.

On 60x looking at the moon is the best use I've found for it. I think you will find even 48x a little unusable in many situations.

When they are used in the parameters they are designed for nothing beats them, but in a pack, and you are literally trading meals or spare socks for more optic its a bad trade.

I agree better bipods are the way to go, but again packing it forces decisions, and weighing it against a better tent and I would choose shelter.

Having the best equipment on the mountain is great, but first you've got to get it on the mountain.

Ya it sounds like a give and take. Most of
The time I won't be pack hunting but 90% of the time I hike 2-5 miles in.

Also FOV is something to consider if
Patterning hills.

So much to consider. Maybe just buy all three? Ahahha I wish.

 

[HARPERC]

So much to consider. Maybe just buy all three? Ahahha I wish.

The only thing that prevents me from becoming a total optics junkie is the money.

 

[FearNoWind]

I like to choose a scope by considering, in order:
1. How much do I have to spend? It doesn't make much sense for me to drool over a scope that I can't afford.
2. What do I want to look at? If it's a 5 inch target at 1000 yards and I want to see bullet holes I need on type. If I want to see if the target has antlers at the same distance I need another type.
3. What field of view do I need at the minumum/maximum distances I intend to use it. Too much magnification means I'm overwhelmed with visual overload at short distances and too little means I'm disappointed by having too much irrelevant stuff in the picture at longer ranges.
4. What quality of optics do I need. Seeing a bullet hole in a 1000 yard target requires the best I can find but putting antlers on a deer at that distance doesn't require a Hubble telescope.
5. How much weight to I want to carry? If I just need to haul it out of the truck for a few feet to set up I can handle more weight without fatigue than I can If I have to carry it for mile after mile in the outback.
6. What kind and what weight tripod (or other support) do I want to carry? A
heavy tripod is required if I want to take the shake out of a scope with greater magnification but a light weight tripod will work for a scope with less power and weight takes me back to the "how much weight do I want to carry and how far"?
7. How much power do I really need? I often find myself reducing the power settings on my scope at the range because mirage creates more interference with increased power. A dancing target isn't a good target and identifying game dancing in the mirage isn't much fun either.
Other factors, like ruggedness of the covering, eye relief, etc. are in my closing considerations.

 

[Toptuna]

I like to choose a scope by considering, in order:
1. How much do I have to spend? It doesn't make much sense for me to drool over a scope that I can't afford.
2. What do I want to look at? If it's a 5 inch target at 1000 yards and I want to see bullet holes I need on type. If I want to see if the target has antlers at the same distance I need another type.
3. What field of view do I need at the minumum/maximum distances I intend to use it. Too much magnification means I'm overwhelmed with visual overload at short distances and too little means I'm disappointed by having too much irrelevant stuff in the picture at longer ranges.
4. What quality of optics do I need. Seeing a bullet hole in a 1000 yard target requires the best I can find but putting antlers on a deer at that distance doesn't require a Hubble telescope.
5. How much weight to I want to carry? If I just need to haul it out of the truck for a few feet to set up I can handle more weight without fatigue than I can If I have to carry it for mile after mile in the outback.
6. What kind and what weight tripod (or other support) do I want to carry? A
heavy tripod is required if I want to take the shake out of a scope with greater magnification but a light weight tripod will work for a scope with less power and weight takes me back to the "how much weight do I want to carry and how far"?
7. How much power do I really need? I often find myself reducing the power settings on my scope at the range because mirage creates more interference with increased power. A dancing target isn't a good target and identifying game dancing in the mirage isn't much fun either.
Other factors, like ruggedness of the covering, eye relief, etc. are in my closing considerations.

Fantastic info. I will take this into account. I am not worried too much on price.

What spotting scope do you have?

 

[7magcreedmoor]

I bought the 20-60x85 several years ago on super sale when the price was just too good to pass up. Max magnification isn't something I used often, because of (others have mentioned) mirage, vibration from wind on the hillside, etc. When the 30x ranging reticle eyepiece became available, I jumped on that and haven't used the zoom since. Being able to use the MOA grid for target size evaluation, spotting shot corrections and such is great, and 30x is plenty of mag for most situations. When I go to the range alone, I run a camera through the scope to critique my shots after the fact, which is often helpful. I really don't miss the zoom at all. The scope is NOT a lightweight by any standard, though, and I don't see carrying it for a week long back-country boot-born hunt. The new 50mm compact scope looks very attractive for that type of hunting, if only they make a reticle eyepiece (the one I have isn't interchangeable) available soon....

 

[desertbull]

I hunt desert too and I MUCH prefer tripod mounted binoculars over a spotting scope. I've had several spotting scopes but always end up selling them because I never use it and it's just extra weight.

The 12 or 15x Vortex Vipers are very good. Swarovski also, obviously.

A lot of people are selling their Swarovski 15x56 SLC's, long considered the standard long distance glassing binocs for hunters, now that the new EL 12x are out.

You can get relatively good deals if you look around on the various western hunting hunting sites classifieds.

There have been several pairs for sale on coueswhitetail.com in the last few months at great prices.

 

[Toptuna]

I hunt desert too and I MUCH prefer tripod mounted binoculars over a spotting scope. I've had several spotting scopes but always end up selling them because I never use it and it's just extra weight.

The 12 or 15x Vortex Vipers are very good. Swarovski also, obviously.

A lot of people are selling their Swarovski 15x56 SLC's, long considered the standard long distance glassing binocs for hunters, now that the new EL 12x are out.

You can get relatively good deals if you look around on the various western hunting hunting sites classifieds.

There have been several pairs for sale on coueswhitetail.com in the last few months at great prices.

Well my next purchase was gonna be a set of high quality binos that I could pick and choose wether to use the binos or spotting scope. I currently have a set of vortex 10x binos that have done the job but I have a long range rifle now so I need some more. So at this point I have not put thought into binos for a tripod but I am committed in the next year in a half to get a pair.

Thanks for reply.

 

[FearNoWind]

What spotting scope do you have?

My range spotting scope is Alpen 20-60X80 Angle Eyepiece Waterproof Porro-Prism Spotting Scope. They run about $400. Nothing fancy but good optics with all the power I need, if I need it, and low enough power when I don't.
I don't use a scope for hunting; I prefer binoculars for the field.
If you're interested in binos for hunting, "desertbull" had what I believe is a great idea for getting hold of a set of Swarovski 15x56 SLC binos. I don't know what your style of hunting is, but if you're a hunter who shows up a couple of days prior to opening day of the season and scouts the area for game that you can monitor day after day and learn its habits so you don't have to take unnecessarily long shots through trees and shrubs, the 15x Swarovski would IMO be an excellent way to go. But, lest we forget, you still need a spotting scope.