What do you use for spotting.

[rabbit fingers]

What do you use for spotting varmints/ targets etc waaaayyyy out there? If weight is NOT an issue what would you recommend?

[MalcW?]

A decent spotting scope with a 20-60x zoom eye piece.

 

I have a Swaro that fits into a window mount. You can count a rabbits whiskers at 300m. Beats using bino's.

[varmartin]

8x40 binos...have never used anything more than that.

if I am prone and spotting ,I use my NXS wound back to 8 mag then crank it up and take aim...

[TonyH]

Steiner 8x56 binocular. Quite big & heavy, but optically good and with a 7mm exit pupil diameter they make it quite easy to pick up distant varmints even in shade or dusk conditions. Compromise on optics is self defeating, and even if you go for top end optics such as Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, choosing a small bino because it's easier to carry is an exercise in futility. If you want to see stuff in difficult conditions, you need big glass. I wouldn't use a spotting scope - really high-mag glass is just too awkward to use, difficult to pick things up in the first place then find them again afterwards, and a scope really needs a solid support too such as a decent tripod or sandbag - even more to carry...

Tony

[Gandy]

I use binos but I know of a bloke who uses a scope on a stock only, its strange when you first see it because it looks like he is carrying 2 rifles.

[Gandy]

I use binos but I know of a bloke who uses a scope on a stock only, its strange when you first see it because it looks like he is carrying 2 rifles.

[onehole]

Not really what your after but I just use a pair of "genuine" DDR Carl Zeiss Jena 7x50{Night Glass} binos,they keep up with any of the rest and were cheap to find on E bay!!!So I have one or two spare pairs.The 10x50 version is also very good. They are not so cheap now I believe as some have realised how good they are.I think that using a high mag "whatever" over a long period of time can put a strain on your eyes especially if your using one eye all the time.Guess its ok for short periods like spotting your shots on the range but looking for varmints I prefer the old bins.May one day run to range finding bins but not in the near future.

If you fancy a pair of older "Jena,s" watch out for fakes!!! Genuine ones must have 7 digit serial numbers,have "DDR" on them and the better ones have Zeiss T3M lens coating.Price range is about £120 to over £250 for a minter.

[rabbit fingers]

Been thinking about it a bit more.I think the ideal would be binoculars with variable mag between about 10 up to 25 or 30 don't care about weight because they get carried from the car to a static point 10ft away. Extended periods( 3-4hrs) of one eye viewing gives me a headache otherwise I'd just use the scope. Any recommendations?

[TonyH]

Been thinking about it a bit more.I think the ideal would be binoculars with variable mag between about 10 up to 25 or 30 don't care about weight because they get carried from the car to a static point 10ft away. Extended periods( 3-4hrs) of one eye viewing gives me a headache otherwise I'd just use the scope. Any recommendations?

I see what you mean, but I don't know of any good quality variable-mag binoculars. More crucially, I think high magnification is over-rated. Many years ago I worked in retail and sold a great many binoculars, mostly cheap stuff; it was very often the case that potential purchasers were drawn to the higher powered models, meaning 10x, 12x and even 15x; I would always advise them against this. The higher the magnification, the more difficult it is to hold a binocular steady: any degree of shake is magnified according to the power of the binocular. Anyone who tells you his hands are rock solid is mistaken: I forget the figure in Herz but there's an inherent, natural degree of shake. If your hands don't shake at all, you're dead. It is no accident that standard issue military binoculars are 7x or 8x, a figure that the average person can hold fairly steadily, and under the stress of combat this is certainly going to be a practical maximum. In the field, especially trying to spot small varmints, maximum clarity is required: if you're using a 10x or 12x binocular clarity will be degraded by body shake, and the wonderful potential of that pair of Leica, Zeiss etc that you paid a grand for is largely wasted. The best way to spot things is to use a binocular you can hold steady, preferably braced - I use mine prone or seated, elbows braced on the ground or my knees, spare fingers clamped onto a peaked cap - and which admits as much light as possible. This is why I regard my 8x56 as an ideal varminting binocular, though Steiner is of modest optical quality compared with the top brands. But I'd happily swap it with the most impressive binocular I ever tried, the Fujinon FMTR-SX 7x50. If you have a partner spotting for you, and/or you're in a vehicle where you can support something very solidly with a clamp or tripod, then sure, try a spotting scope - but it's difficult to pick things up when using very high magnification, and even harder to find them again afterwards. Just my thoughts.

Tony

[MalcW?]

Been thinking about it a bit more.I think the ideal would be binoculars with variable mag between about 10 up to 25 or 30 don't care about weight because they get carried from the car to a static point 10ft away. Extended periods( 3-4hrs) of one eye viewing gives me a headache otherwise I'd just use the scope. Any recommendations?

 

Learn to use the spotting scope with both eyes open. Might take a bit of time to master but once done you'll see the benefits.

[MalcW?]

Good quality bino are fine for scanning and intermittent observation. But if you really want to examine a piece of ground or assess a particular beast from a decent distance there's nothing to compare with a good quality variable power spotting scope. Chalk and cheese.

 

I have a few american friends who spend a great deal of time long distance hunting from given vantage points and set locations. To a man they either use spotting scopes or very high power bino's on tripods backed up with quality 8X56 or 7X42 bino's . When you only get one or two tags a season and you want that monster buck for the den wall you make sure you know exactly what's on the ground before deciding to taking the shot.

[6.5shooter]

I use a leupold spotting scope. Its high magnification is goot for spotting shots on paper/ steel etc at long range but it almost always needs support from loening against something or tripod etc.

I use it for varminting but its not ideal, i want to buy a set of binoculars for this but just havent got the money saved yet as it always seems to be spent on guns.

 

Garry

[terryh]

Garry,

 

For deer etc. a set of Pentax roof prism binos but for more static longer range I've swapped from my Kowa to the Zeiss Spotter 60, talk about opening you eye's 20-60 zoom plus it FFP and has a mildot ret. so can be used for giving corrections accuratly. Needs to be used with a reasonable tripod.

 

Terry

[nemasis243]

I use a set of 7x42 Swaro bins , you can see rabbits out to a 1000yrds with them no probs,

I have tried using spotting scopes to do the job but they have too much mag and not a very wipe field of vison .

[TonyH]

I use a set of 7x42 Swaro bins , you can see rabbits out to a 1000yrds with them no probs,

I have tried using spotting scopes to do the job but they have too much mag and not a very wipe field of vison .

There you go Nemesis, exactly what I said but in far fewer words! A Swaro 7x42 will be at least as bright as a mediocre 7x50, and what you say echoes my experience: something really sharp & bright, that you can hold steady, lets you pick up those small targets far easier than something with high mag.

Regards, Tony

[6.5shooter]

What model of 7x42 swaros?

Its very tempting ti add a pair onto my wish list now. Are they slc's or whats the difference in the swaro models?

My knowledge of binoculars is very little but want to get me a good pair and spend my money wisely.

 

Cheers

 

Garry

[Gandy]

7x42 swarros here too, I'm always amazed how they perform in the half light when stalking.

[Barrelsniffer]

I have a few glass

 

Main one is leica 10x42 bino which is what i usually carry they do a superb job also a pocket pair of 8x20 bino again very good,then i have x2 swarovski scope one is STS 60 straight with x30 mag eyepiece and a ATS 85 (angled)with 20x60 eyepiece only use these when doing load development on range or field,both amazing scopes very clear and sharp images...why 2 just happen to have 2 prob sell one when needed.

 

Mick

[tackb]

always have my 8x32 el's with me and for range/static shooting i use a mark 4 leupold spotting scope with mildot which make fast spotter corrections easy , but 'if' i take a telescope for walking/stalking i have an optolyth 30x80 draw scope (amazing optics)

[Chris-NZ]

Beyond decent main binos, something along the line of a reasonable quality 15-45X spotting scope would fill a large hole. Do Nikon do something along these specs? If so, they could be ideal.

 

I have a compact 20X Kowa which I occasionally drag along with the main Geovid 10x42s. My ex-fullbore 77mm Kowa ain't very portable..

 

Chris-NZ

[CZ Varminter]

£10 Aldi special guys, lol. Comes with a 3yr warranty and i have never had a problem with it, yeah optically its not a top 3 (obviously) but is ideal out to say 800yrds can see a pigeon rabbit or anything that size, well on 60x in order to identify. Brill for what i need.

 

Sorry i know... but i cant afford half the gear you guys have! ;-)

 

J

[Offroad Gary]

I scan with EL 8.5 x 42 bins and when I need a closer look I use an sts65 20-60 spotting scope. I guide a little on a prestigous roe stalking estate and the problems that you encounter with ze germans are minimised by the spotting scope. You simply locate your buck, get it in the spotter, crank it up to 60x and say to "fritz" - do you want to shoot that buck?- then he can say yes or non then you stalk in and shoot it (or not!!). No disappointments, no arguments about quality and no wasted effort to get close to the wrong animal. Every serious roe stalker should have one, if head quality is a factor in your management policy. Great for the kids to use too - one item of spend that the long haired general can't complain about. Also used to watch active earths etc...

[stag1933]

It depends whether I am out during the day or at dusk/dawn and where I am stalking.

 

For woodland at dawn and dusk I use a pair of Optolyth Royals 8X56 with roof prisms and for daytime use on the mountains for Reds, Sika etc I have an Optolyth 30X75 single-draw spotting scope and a pair of Eschenbach 7X42B `alwetter` Trophy AS/D roof prism binoculars.

 

All of these I have had for many years and I they have given me excellent trouble-free service.

 

HWH.

[Ratwhiskers]

10x42 (excellent detail at longer ranges) Swaro's........ But mostly for keeping an eye on Hubert

[Finman]

Swaros 10x42 here too! I have a cheap Aldi spotting scope but I doubt I've used it more than 2 times and always at the range to see targets. But the swaros are top stuff, whether in the hill, the savanah or the sea, I never had anything at all to complain about!

 

Finman