Glassing Question

[DaleT]

Do many people glass with 10X binos?????

I always hear about people using 15X, and I am wondering if I will be wasting my time with a pair of 10x42 EL's on a good tripod.

Any info on this would be helpful.

 

[mickeyelk]

Any glass that you have will do great from a tripod. I have the EL 10x42's and love using them from my tripod. It's less strain on your eyes and allot more steadier. Kerry

 

[deerbedead]

I have the Leica 10x42's and use them to glass with wherever I hunt, including Wyoming high country. I also have the Swarovski 15x56's. Both are excellent glass, and if I can use the 15's I will. It is almost like the difference in watching tv on a big screen, compared to a 26" screen.
You can make do with the 10's as long as you never try the 15's!
My hunting partner and I backpacked into the grey's river a couple of years ago and I let him use my 10's and I used the 15's and honest to goodness, I spotted every single deer we found first. I packed a tripod and mounted the 15's on it and started finding deer. The 15's really shine when you have to glass long distance across canyons or big basins. They're quite heavy though.
Hope this helps.
Travis

 

[Bura Nut]

When I am moving I use the 10x's and will use them on the tripod which works substantially better than freehanding. I set up and exclusively use 15's if I am going to spend time glassing. like the person said before me, its like the difference in a big screen versus a regular 20" tv. You should start using a tripod immediately with your 10's and save up for 15's....... Thanks, Allen Taylor......

 

[jims]

I have always heard 15's are great for long range spotting in open country off a tripod but have yet to try it. I guess I'm a bit old fashion because I have always used 10's for spotting game plus a spotting scope to field judge. Obviously you should buy particular optics that are best suited for your particular method of hunting (and your budget).

If you are still hunting and trying to hand-hold binocs the 15's would be next to impossible to use. 8's or 10s are very useful for still hunting and glassing at fairly close range in thick brush; however, I can see how the 15's would be a lot easier on the eyes and provide a wide field of view for long range spotting compared to looking through a spotting scope all day. An added benefit of the 15's would be higher power than the 10's for locating game.

I've always used the 10's for spotting game and then a tripod and spotting scope for zooming in to judge game. If I had the choice between a 10x binoc plus a spotting scope or just carrying a 15 power binoc I would choose the deadly dual any day! You wouldn't believe how many miles of hiking a high quality spotting scope has saved me over the years! I can usually tell the difference between a 170 and 180+ buck at long range with spotting scope but have a feeling I'd have to hike closer to judge if I only had 15x's? I can't imagine trying to field judge dinky antlered coues deer at long range but the coues guys best buddy seems to be 15's...I have a feeling they likely have a spotting scope on a tripod as well?

If limited to 15 power you will have a lot tougher time field judging game at long distance compared to cranking up the power on a spotting scope! Obviously if you are in a hunting situation where you are carrying everything on your back there is only so much you can carry. Conversely, if you are hunting from a truck or where bulk is no option it may be worth having all the optics you can afford and use!

Another thing to consider is what species you will be hunting? If you are hunting horned game such as mtn goat, antelope, and sheep where fraction of inches in mass and horn length is the difference between an average animal or a trophy the spotting scope is going to be a lot better for judging these critters than a 15 power binoc! I often find myself cranking up the power on my spotting scope even at short range to get a better idea of tine length, mass, number of pts etc. If a 9" mtn goat billy is considered good but a 9 1/2" billy is a true trophy...I think you get the picture?

Just a few things to ponder! I'm going to have to break down and buy myself a pair of 15's one of these days because I'm sure there are some great benefits I'm currently missing out on!

 

[DaleT]

Thanks for the opionions. I will be Muledeer hunting, but I have no idea what the distances will be. I believe out to 1000 yards I should be fine. After that I will probably not be very effectiove.

 

[cabinfever]

I have always had better than average optics, and this year I broke down and bought the 20-60x80mm swarovski spotting scope and the 10x42 SLC's. I also bought the tripod adapter for the biono's and they work awesome on a tripod. As already mentioned, any glass on a tripod is much more effective. I will definately own the 15x56 real soon. It is amazing how many animals I'm spotting now, and it's so much more enjoyable looking through quality glass.

Mike

 

[DaleT]

I agree with the quality thing. That's why I bought the 10x42 EL's. I believe they are the ones you use the most and I can use them for a lot of other things as well all year long.

The problem I have with the 15's is the amount I will use them per year, as compared to the price. I wouldn't mind spending $2,000 on them if I could use them more than 1 week per year.

If I lived out west, I would already own them.