I just got started hunting out west this year for antelope and I used an old pair of 10x50 binoculars. They worked o.k. but I definitely need to upgrade. I would eventually like to have a nice set of binoculars and a spotting scope. I looked at and tried several different brands at Cabela's and for my price range I liked the Vortex Viper HD 10x42 and the Vortex Viper HD 15x45x65 spotting scope. I would use these for antelope and mule deer. At this time I will likely only do antelope in WY next year and mule deer sometime in the future. It's possible I could get both binoculars and a spotting scope before next fall but if you could only buy one at this time, which one would you get?
If you could only buy one right now, would you go with binoculars or spotting scope?
- Thread starter Ernie C.
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Calbuck
Active Member
Get the binos first..you can really locate a lot of game with a good pair. I rarely use my spotter until I find something in the binocs that looks interesting. That's my opinion anyway...
NVBird'n'Big
Veteran member
Binos first. While a spotting scope is important you definitely have your eyes behind the binos a lot more often. Generally, you are finding animals with your binos and then putting the spotter on them to take a closer look. I got the Viper HD 10x42s this year and I absolutely love them. If you are serious about buying talk to Hardstalk (solooutdoor.com), he is a real stand up dude and it was a pleasure buying optics from him, I know a lot of guys around here feel the same.
mnhoundman
Veteran member
Yup what calbuck said. I go with good binos first, you can spot alot of game with good binos. I did my first high country mule deer hunt this year and only used my scope when I found something interesting, but some guys will look through scope a lot. I think it's what ever you are used to. I never used a scope before so it was hard for me to stare through it. Much better with binos for me, just my 2 ccents.
ElkTrout
Veteran member
I agree, binos first. Mine never leave me when scouting and or hunting. I use them to cover a lot of ground. When I find something I want to take a closer look at I pull out the spotter.
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Musket Man
Veteran member
If you are ok with using the binos you have another year I would get the spotter. A spotter will help you alot judging antelope and you have binos so I would get what you dont have first.
packer58
Very Active Member
Ernie, purchase the best binoc's you can afford first would be my advice, also pick up a bino tripod adaptor, trust me, it will take your glassing to a new level.
I'd have to agree with MM, especially for antelope to go with the spotter first. I bought binos first and do use them the most. That said, for judging animals I can't stand to be without my spotter. Even in the Midwest looking at whitetail I end up putting the spotter on the tripod or window almost every time I'm watching a buck I may be interested in. For example when scouting before muzzle loader season I spotted a great buck through my 10x42 Leica binos at about 1/2 mile. I knew he had a great frame and spread. When I put him in the Swaro spotter I also knew he had a broken G2 and about 2" broke off a brow tine. I could also tell he was likely a 4.5yr old buck by what I saw. It also helped age him that I identified him as one I had on camera last year based off a bulge that always looked like it may become a drop tine on his right main beam. Knowing what buck he was for sure let me use his habits from last year to help pattern him. I didn't shoot him, I took another buck and he has broken more points since then (hopefully next year I'll get to hunt him). When next season rolls around I will have two years worth of patterning to use. I learned a lot about keeping a journal for future seasons from Mike Eastman's books, it helps.
Anyway, when antelope hunting I really want the spotter to judge them before putting the time and effort into a stalk. Antelope are hard to judge anyway and a broken tip, mass measurements, it all makes a difference. I only get so many days with so many daylight hours to spend when heading out west to hunt, I want to make the most of them. I'd get the spotter and a good tripod now and try real hard to get the binos before the muley hunt down the road. You will never regret buying good glass. After having it I regret waiting so long.
Vortex is the best value in optics if they work for your eyes. I always wish the eyecups on the binos screwed out one more turn for my eyes. I went with Leica Geovid HD 10x42 binos and a Swaro 20-60x80 spotter. I have tried several Vortex binos and thought the optics were good, but the eye relief just wasn't right for me. The guy I hunt with bought a used Swaro spotter and sold his Razor too. I also have a Nikon ED50 spotter I really like, and my buddy hates it. Try to actually look through whatever you are considering before making a purchase and find what fits your eyes and budget. I'd buy your favorite with each purchase, not try to do it all at once. Save up and buy your favorite in the next type optic the next time you get enough set back. I'd have spent way less in the long run doing it that way instead of buying something and then selling it used to take the next step.
I have a couple tripods I like too, a Promaster 525T for carrying, and a Swarovski aluminum one for glassing where I don't have to pack it far. I have the Promaster 6160 heads on both. There are better out there but they work for me. I really like the looks of the Outdoorsman short-medium tripod with their heads if I was doing it over again today. I don't have any experience with them personally and would want to before buying for the cost. I have the Cabelas window mount for the spotter and like it.
These are just one man's opinion and there are more knowledgeable people on here than me. Bitterroot Bulls helped me a lot getting to where I am. Hope I can help you a bit the way he did me.
Anyway, when antelope hunting I really want the spotter to judge them before putting the time and effort into a stalk. Antelope are hard to judge anyway and a broken tip, mass measurements, it all makes a difference. I only get so many days with so many daylight hours to spend when heading out west to hunt, I want to make the most of them. I'd get the spotter and a good tripod now and try real hard to get the binos before the muley hunt down the road. You will never regret buying good glass. After having it I regret waiting so long.
Vortex is the best value in optics if they work for your eyes. I always wish the eyecups on the binos screwed out one more turn for my eyes. I went with Leica Geovid HD 10x42 binos and a Swaro 20-60x80 spotter. I have tried several Vortex binos and thought the optics were good, but the eye relief just wasn't right for me. The guy I hunt with bought a used Swaro spotter and sold his Razor too. I also have a Nikon ED50 spotter I really like, and my buddy hates it. Try to actually look through whatever you are considering before making a purchase and find what fits your eyes and budget. I'd buy your favorite with each purchase, not try to do it all at once. Save up and buy your favorite in the next type optic the next time you get enough set back. I'd have spent way less in the long run doing it that way instead of buying something and then selling it used to take the next step.
I have a couple tripods I like too, a Promaster 525T for carrying, and a Swarovski aluminum one for glassing where I don't have to pack it far. I have the Promaster 6160 heads on both. There are better out there but they work for me. I really like the looks of the Outdoorsman short-medium tripod with their heads if I was doing it over again today. I don't have any experience with them personally and would want to before buying for the cost. I have the Cabelas window mount for the spotter and like it.
These are just one man's opinion and there are more knowledgeable people on here than me. Bitterroot Bulls helped me a lot getting to where I am. Hope I can help you a bit the way he did me.
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BigSurArcher
Very Active Member
I would get the binos first, and set them up for glassing off a tripod. It's amazing how much you can pick up at long range with good 10x binos when they are rock steady. As well as this tactic works though, judging a borderline shooter antelope of all things best be done with a scope.
Outdoorsmans makes the very best bino-tripod adapter by the way. Great piece of equipment.
Outdoorsmans makes the very best bino-tripod adapter by the way. Great piece of equipment.
firebeck
Very Active Member
MountainHigh
Active Member
I think it depends on what you are doing, if you are trophy hunting then I think a spotting scope is invaluable for really looking over an animal and would get that first. If you are just wanting to find animals better period than get a good pair of binos for sure.
Hilltop
Veteran member
If you could only afford one or the other, I would considering buying both used. For the price of one new, you can likely get both used and be in a much better position for your hunt. Vortex optics have a transferable warranty so your not really taking a gamble buying used.
CrossCreeks
Veteran member
I don't know exactly your budget but if I was hunting open country above timber for deer and I could only take one set of optics with me I'd go for a set of 15x binos. I know this is not one of the options u gave and its a little outside the box but on a tripod they are awesome. And u CAN freehand them if necessary. Around the neck they are not comfortable but u will find more game at distance. Now, in the timber I'd get some 10x but then again u already have some old ones. They should be fine. Maybe they are old and possibly not the best at low light but the 15x will get you thru the early part of the day and then the 10x u already have will get u thru your stalk.
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Shooter09
New Member
Blackbear74
New Member
I'm in the exact same position as the OP, but I throw a little mountain elk/bear hunting into the mix. I've got a cheapo spotting scope and I've gone through two pairs of cheapo binos. I don't even both anymore with the spotter because I lose so much light and it is so unclear on max zoom that it's a waste if time for me to even pack it. The cheapo Bushnell Powerview binos I use keep breaking so I just wind up buying another pair.
I think that in my situation that I'm going with the spotter now and I'll save for the binos.
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I think that in my situation that I'm going with the spotter now and I'll save for the binos.
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I bought at the time in 2002 the highest end binoculars I could afford, I have used them bow hunting at 50 yards to antelope hunting at a mile. I bought a spotting scope a few years later I use it, but it's like a classical car the scenario has to be right to use it my binos are like my work truck they get used everyday I go hunting no mater what I'm hunting or where I'm at.
Many have already said this, but to me, the most important thing is to "buy the best you can afford!" I really wanted some Swarovski's, but that was not in the budget, I looked around and found a pair of Kahles (Made by Swarovski) at half the price. I never go without them. At the same time, I bought a cheap spotting scope, and got rid of it a couple years later. When I get one, it will be the best I can afford. So I went with Binos' first. I do think it makes a difference where you hunt, in Iowa, the spotting scope is not something that I would use as much as if I was out west.
