Glassing Distance??

[FullCurlHunter]

I am scouting an area in CO using Google Earth. I have found a ridge that overlooks a huge valley and can see numerous high basins that are 3 to 4 miles away.

Will I be able to see Deer from this vantage point with:

A. 10x42 binoculars
B. 15x50 binoculars
C. 20 power spotting scope
D. 60 power spotting scope

I am just trying to get a feel for how close my scouting vantage point needs to be to find game with my binoculars and then focusing further with my spotter. Or if I need to get a lot closer than 3 to 4 miles away.

Thanks

 

[Deerlove]

D

 

[muleybull]

If you use a tripod to hold you steady, you should be able to glass them up that far off with your bino's. You just wont be able to tell how big he is until you get a scope on him.

www.muleybulloutfitters.com

 

[heartshot]

3-4 miles is a long way. With a spotter you will probably only be able to tell whether the general frame on a buck is a small, medium, or big.

 

[BuckSnort]

Your gonna have a hard time with heat waves at that distance...IMO

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[huntindad4]

Spotter IMO early morning and late evening otherwise alot of mirage.

Bill

 

[huntfishall1]

Probably goning to need the 60x spotter at those distances and even then it will be difficult to pick out deer, and even harder to determine size (especially antlers). Obvioulsly snow will help, and so will open ground. For me personally, looking through a high powered spotter, even the high end models, really strains my eyes if I use it too long. I usually prefer my 10x binos for glassing, then switching to my spotter to determine if the animal is within my standards.

 

[FullCurlHunter]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-16-10 AT 09:56PM (MST)[p]What is a good distance to use 10x binoculars for preliminary glassing and then be able to really scope them out once found?

Is it preferable to hunt/glass from across a canyon or get up on the mountain ridge above them and glass down potentially being seen/smelled?

Here is a picture of what I am talking about... The basin on the right is 3 miles away and the basin all the way on the left is 4 miles away. Would I be better off coming up the other side of the mountain and glassing down in?