1 good spotter vs. 3 lesser? What would you do?

elks96 · Aug 9, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Aug-09-16 AT 10:39PM (MST)[p]So this fall my wife is chasing mule deer by bow. We are hunting areas with good road access and will be spotting from a truck or hiking a couple miles at most and spotting! Most likely from truck and camp chairs etc. I have one crapppy leupold scope I bought 8 years ago for $400. I have a used pair of 10x40 swaros for binoc and she has a good pair of vortex binoculars.

My dilemma is this... I have around 1500 to spend on glass this fall! $1000 cash and $500 candelas points!

I was originally going vortex 20-60... But now I am thinking about getting 3 Diamond back scopes instead, allowing myself to have a scope, my wife and kids.

My kids each have a $100 pair of bushnell binocs not sure they need a scope.

Also considering a viper xd and a diamond back. Since we have decent binoculars I am wanting a larger power like the 20-60?

Would we find it helpful to have a 15-45 and a 20-60 as I could swing both in the viper hd?

Mbogo · Aug 9, 2016

Not sure how old your kids are so that might change my opinion but if they are young then having them glassing with spotting scopes probably won't help find a deer that much.
I definitely think you should keep them involved and you mentioned already having bought them all binoculars. Kudos to you for that.

My opinion would be to sell your Cabelas points (if that is even possible, not sure what those are) for a discount, say $400. Then sell some other piece of hunting equipment that you just had to have but never use. Gun, bow, whatever you have but never use that you can get another $600-$800 for.(I think we all end up buying stuff that we think we "need" and then never use. I know I do.)

Now you have enough cash to buy a used Swarovski HD spotting scope. I am always surprised how much used Swarovski there is floating around the internet for sale. Look in this site's classifieds for example, there are multiple great scopes for sale. You will never have to buy another spotting scope in my opinion. And you will never "want" for more, or wonder what it would be like if you had "just bought a little nicer scope".

Just one guys opinion.

Good luck this year to you and your wife. I hope you get to post up a bruiser.

theox · Aug 9, 2016

Buy one good spotter! While the Diamondbacks will work the razor will outshine a lot! It will make a big difference being able to zoom at 60x and actually have good clarity vs a Diamondbacks poor to fair quality at 60x.
Use binos to glass and share the better spotter. Use ur old leupold also if u want but. I don't think u need 3 lesser spotters when u can share a great one.

Tristate · Aug 10, 2016

Buy one good spotter and by the absolute best glass you can find a way to buy.

Most people spend the most money on weapon and accessories for it. If you want to consistently kill mature game spend more money on optics than weapons.

BIGJOHNT · Aug 10, 2016

It's a good time to buy a Vortex Razor right now. The new model is coming out and there are selling out the old ones. I think most have the 65 mm at 899.00 and the 85 mm at 1199.00. Buy one good spotter and put a Phoneskope on it and the whole family can watch it right on your screen. I just check Cabelas and online it said they where back ordered. I would check the store or buy from another supplier. Like camera land or Optics planet.

257Tony · Aug 10, 2016

Definitely grab the 85mm razor at the $1200 price point, like John said. Use your $500 Cabela's Money and some cash, you'll have around $300 left over that could go towards other gear or a cheaper spotted for the kids.

BIGJOHNT · Aug 10, 2016

>It's a good time to buy
>a Vortex Razor right now.
>The new model is coming
>out and there are selling
>out the old ones. I
>think most have the 65
>mm at 899.00 and the
>85 mm at 1199.00. Buy
>one good spotter and put
>a Phoneskope on it and
>the whole family can watch
>it right on your screen.
>I just check Cabelas and
>online it said they where
>back ordered. I would check
>the store or buy from
>another supplier. Like camera land
>or Optics planet.

http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos_2016/51578image.jpeg
Here is a picture with a Phoneskope and a 85 mm straight Razor.

WillardHunter · Aug 10, 2016

I have been in the same dilemma this year.... I finally talked to a close friend of mine in Layton, UT at Fire Arms Pro. He recommended I look at the Athlon glass... They are a newer company coming from employees of Bushnell... I ended up getting a 20-60x85 Ares and love it... very clear glass and as I looked through them, the Razor HD, and Swarv... I couldn't tell that much difference zoomed in at 60x... I also bought Athlons high end 10x42 Binos.. total came to just about $1,300 for both. I saved a bunch and keep my Cabela's points for a good bino case/harness and a new trail cam. Just my 2 cents but worth checking out.

Zeke · Aug 10, 2016

My wife has 3 tags this year and will spend a total of 3 minutes using a spotting scope! Most wives are like mine but I have no idea about yours.

Buy ONE and buy the very best you can afford.

You can kill something with a 100 dollar bow but great optics can really tip the odds in your favor in a hurry!

Zeke

Gadjet · Aug 10, 2016

I just completed my spotting scope search last weekend. I really had my heart set on a razor. When I went to Cabelas they had the ATS 20-60x65 Swarovski marked down from about 2300 to 1700. I spent a couple hundred more than planned,but got twice the scope in the process.I am very impressed with the low light performance out of the Swaros! Good luck!

TR175 · Aug 10, 2016

Take a look at a Nightforce, Meopta or Cableas Euro scope. They are all the same and made by Meopta. You'll be pleasantly surprised like I was. Did a side by side comparison with all 3 scopes Swaro HD, Razor HD and the Nightforce. Again, I and many others were very surprised that day.

Vanilla · Aug 10, 2016

Definitely 1 good spotter. Buy the best you can afford. The Razor suggestion in that price point was a good one. But if you're bow hunters, don't discount the 65mm Razor, and save money for other stuff.

Blackie6 · Aug 11, 2016

You can get the razor on camo fire today. 65 and 85

BIGJOHNT · Aug 11, 2016

>You can get the razor on
>camo fire today. 65 and
>85

Yes 899.99 and 1174.99 At that price you could use them for a year or two and resell them . I would think you can almost sell them for what you paid for them.

cjg_beef · Aug 11, 2016

Buy yourself the razor 85mm and spend the leftover on a good tripod. You can have a great spotter but a crappy tripod will make spotting a pain. Getting 3 cheaper spotters is not the best idea. You'll be glad you have a rally good spotter versus 3 that are marginal.

Workman Predator Calls Field Staff
http://www.workmanpredatorcalls.com

mntman · Aug 12, 2016

If you already have enough pieces of glass to go around for everyone, then I'd buy 1 nice one. in a year or two, you can upgrade another one and so on.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

NVBighorn · Aug 12, 2016

This

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID49/11447.html

www.sportsmensaccess.org

tunacan · Aug 12, 2016

Save yourself some money. Check out ZenRay

desertpointbrian · Aug 13, 2016

>Save yourself some money. Check
>out ZenRay

Plus one on the zen ray great scope

desertpointbrian · Aug 13, 2016

>Buy one good spotter and by
>the absolute best glass you
>can find a way to
>buy.
>
>Most people spend the most money
>on weapon and accessories for
>it. If you want
>to consistently kill mature game
>spend more money on optics
>than weapons.

How would you know all of your hunts are high fenced private property gigs