I have been reading a lot of Whitetail threads as of late dealing with stand hunting. The latest on "Creature Comforts" prompted me to start this thread.
In several of the threads, posters have commented that binoculars serve no purpose as they hunt hunt thick stuff with not much visibility. In my mind, stands with limited visibility is when binoculars are the most valuable!
I use my binoculars for passing time on slow days in the stand. I dissect each piece of cover a little at a time. Many times I pick up movement that I could never have seen with the naked eye. May be a squirrel or a turkey, but I have picked out quite a few deer as well. Spotting deer deep in the woods or a thicket gives me the opportunity to tickle the antlers, snort/wheeze, or hit the grunt or can call to try to divert them to my stand.
Several years ago, a good friend wanted to start deer hunting. I set him up in a spot on my hunting property where I KNEW he'd see deer movement and at least have a chance to shoot a doe. He hunted the first weekend in November and told me he'd seen no deer. I was positioned to the north of his stand and glassed several deer moving in his direction and was baffled that none had made it to where he would at least seen them!?
I asked him if he had used his binoculars and he said he hadn't and there was no reason to as it was "too thick" to see anything. I asked him to humor me and give glassing a shot. AT LEAST glass the area before making any movement-getting a sandwich, drink, standing, setting down, relieving himself. The following weekend he counted 13 deer over a morning and afternoon on Saturday and on Sunday he shot a 6x4 that dressed 203#! He watched the buck for over 15 minutes and admitted that if he hadn't used the glasses he would never have seen the deer until it was right on top of him.....assuming he didn't spook the deer by fidgeting around getting a drink!
I just had 2 long fruitless sets this weekend that were made more tolerable by glassing and I am pretty sure I didn't spook any deer or miss seeing any off in the distance.....at least I'm pretty sure I didn't! :rolleyes:
I first tried this after hearing Uncle Barry and Uncle Gene talk about using binoculars at a seminar they gave at the Cloverdale Traditional Shoot. They seem to know a little about Whitails so I figured I'd give it a try! :smileystooges:
Hunt hard, hunt safe>>>------>Mike
I feel naked in the woods without my bInos, and can't agree more with what your saying!
Got a pair for christmas last year. Carried them the first time the other day and was in my tree glassing and found a nice rub in some brush that I would have never saw without the binos! I'm sold on them now
I think binoculars are very valuable, thick cover or open terrain. Using them in the thick stuff will consistently let you see deer or other critters that you might otherwise have missed seeing. And as you say, they can add to your enjoyment on slow days. It isn't likely you would see me in the woods without them during hunting season.
Binoculars always. Once you begin to use them on a regular basis, you will never understand how you ever did without them.
Some really good points Mike.I can't be without them,open country or thick.When I was in high school,back in the '60's I bummed a little pair of opera type glasses from Mom and I used those when I still hunted thick,Eastern woods.They were very low power but they helped me pick out deer ears,noses,parts of lower legs long before I had a chance to blunder on and spook them.
I even carry them during the summer when hiking.I like to slip along,just like in hunting season and if I see a bear or other animal,I just hold up and observe till it moves on then I do.
Binoculars always. Once you begin to use them on a regular basis, you will never understand how you ever did without them.
Cannot agree more and the only problem I have is: why did it take so long for me to start carrying a set?
a few things I have discovered over the past 10 years or so with binos in the whitetail woods:
- better glass is better glass and although you do not need to break the bank to get good glass if you go cheap you will regret it.
- for my application in the midwest less is best and I have a set of 10x26 that are perfect
- there are trade-offs but I like the lightest glass I can carry that stil has enough power and quality to meet my needs. The latest pair I am using barely registers hanging from my shoulders.
- Get a shoulder harness - they are cheap and even if they were not, you will not regret it. Not even a little bit.
- the first time you ID a shooter buck in low light that you would not otherwise have known even had antlers you will forget whatever you paid for the glass
Great thread Mike! :clapper:
I can never figure guys out that don't use bino's, just doesn't make any sense to me :dunno:
Never leave home without them!
I always have mine with me whenever I go in the woods. I have a pair of leica 8x32s that in my opinion are absolutely perfect for whitetailing.
I always keep a pair of binoculars in my pack . They can be very helpfull at times , darker areas , low lighting etc. :archer2:
I have some cheaper Bushnell 8X25 H20s which I like a lot, except for one thing: they fog up on the OUTSIDE of the pupil lenses when I put them up to my eyes when it's the least bit cold outside. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?
I have the same Leica's Jon....awesome!
QuoteOriginally posted by TOEJAMMER:
Binoculars always. Once you begin to use them on a regular basis, you will never understand how you ever did without them.
Plus 1000! I've seen many deer and even a bear I would have never seen without them. I feel naked without mine.
I agree completely, I picked a nice 9 pt bedded down yesterday, the rack was all I could see. Never would have seen him without my bino's, never got close enough for a shot though...
I am with ishoot4thrills, outside of the pupils fog up fast when its cold outside, I've got monarch 10x42's and am always wiping the fog off.
Doug. . . are you wearing a face net or mask while doing this ?
ChuckC
Yes sir Mike, feel naked without 'em :D
Multi tool use, for sure. Magnifying glass, fire starter, too. And when still hunting to a stand, can check to see if the party has already started! :bigsmyl:
I never hunt without my binos
I would rather hunt without my bow than without my binos. Besides spotting deer, checking out any movement, they have come in very handy to help me recover a couple deer that had a less than desirable hit and very poor blood.
I have a small pair of Bushnell Legend 8 x 26 Waterproof (they really are) that I use as much in thick cover as I do open woods. When I see a glimpse of back or leg I can concentrate on the magnified and narrow depth in focus and "peel" through the thick tangle to make out details of the deer. They are small and light enough they don't bother me. I have a back bungee to hold them to my chest out of the way when leaning, walking or drawing.
The problem I have is finding what I am looking at with my naked eyes, in the binoculars. Sometimes I will actullay see a deer, but can't find it in the binos. Don't know if I have the wrong power for the job in the thick stuff, or what.
Definitely. If you are planning to call to a buck if you get one close how can bino's not be needed? I don't get it either. Always have my Nikon's on my chest.
I carry my 10x42's with me all the time, although I'll admit I havent used them as much as I should. Good reminder.
QuoteOriginally posted by ChuckC:
Doug. . . are you wearing a face net or mask while doing this ?
ChuckC
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. It doesn't matter either way, they get fogged up on the outside of the pupil lenses when it's cold.
My personal take on glass...
1. Buy the absolute best glass you can afford. Cheap or low quality glass is worse than no glass at all. The image clarity--particularly around the edge of the lenses--is crappy on cheap binos and it WILL fatigue your eyes to use it. Because it makes your eyes tired and sore you will not use it much or at all. Which means you have a really expensive neck weight you are lugging around he woods instead of a cheap, marginal, pair of binos.
In comparison, a good pair of binos will produce clear images all the way out to the edge of the lenses. This make it easy for your eyes to use. and because of this you will enjoy them AND use them more. Which is the whole point of this exercise ladies and gents. Your binos are your X-ray vision and only work if you uses them more than not.
The next time you go to a sporting goods counter try several pairs on binos and don't look through the middle of the lens. Even cheapos are clear in the middle. Make a conscious effort to look through each lens separately and look around the edges at something with a straight line about 50-100 yards away... You will literally see why the expensive glass costs what it does. In the blind your eyes will feel the difference and fatique less.
In the eastern US most any bino over 8X is too much magnification. 7 or 8X is far more useful in the hardwood forests. First, its easier to get on a moving animal with lower magnification. But more significantly is the lower power will have a far superior depth of field--the clarity of the image will extend farther into the clutter of leaves and trees! This is what you want when you are trying to pick out a few hairs, or a flick of a tail, or an eye among the branches and leaves. If you doubt this sometime take a 4x rifle scope and look into the woods and take a 12X scope and look into the woods. Notice how the 4X can see with greater clarity deeper into the woods! Again...that's what you need in the woods...not more magnification.
Out west its a different ballgame and a pair of 10x Binos is what you want.
That's my take. I'm far from a rich man but I bit the bullet and bought a pair of Swarovskis a decade ago. If I lost them tomorrow I'd buy another pair before the week was out...in a heartbeat!
QuoteOriginally posted by ishoot4thrills:
I have some cheaper Bushnell 8X25 H20s which I like a lot, except for one thing: they fog up on the OUTSIDE of the pupil lenses when I put them up to my eyes when it's the least bit cold outside. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?
There is a product called Cat Crap (no joke)sold at sporting goods stores. It prevents fogging on binos and scopes.
Billy
If I'm taking my bow out, the Steiners are along for the ride!
QuoteOriginally posted by Guru:
I have the same Leica's Jon....awesome!
I do too, Curt -- a newer pair of Leica 8x32 Ultravid HD and an older version of the Leica 8x32 that is heavier and bulkier but still fantastic. I also love my Swarovski 8x30 SLC which is almost as nice as the Leicas, and there are several others of those two brands I own in various powers that are amazing. Some others I own are top of the line binoculars from Burris, Bausch & Lomb (Bushnell), and Vortex that are still very good optics. The combination of my Leica 8x32 Ultravid HD binos, Leica 10x42 Geovid rangefinder binos, Swarovski 15x56 SLC binos, and Swarovski 20-60x80 HD spotting scope does just about everything well, although I sometimes carry other optics. If I could have only one for everything, it would be the 8x32 Ultravids.
Allan
O.K. I'm sure at least most of us hunted without binos at one time or another. I hunted without them for at least 10 years. The deal is though...I get more enjoyment out of my hunt WITH binoculars. They simply allow me to see more of the things I might otherwise miss. One of the coolest things was a staredown I had with a nearby owl. Watching a parade of 13 rather large gobblers was another. Deer aren't the only things to look for out there.
:campfire:
With the bino harnesses like the one from Crooked Horn or the Wensels there really isn't a reason to not bring your binos.
I'm with Tom. There is a lot of neat stuff to see besides antlers.
I had the Swaro 8x30 SLC and bought a Vortex Viper 6x32. After spending some time in the woods I sold the SLCs. Try a good quality 6x or 6.5 in the deep woods, they will really surprise you.
Leika 8x20BR fits in any pocket and works fine here in RI where anyplace with 50' visibility is considered wide open spaces.
I would almost rather leave home without my bow than my binoculars!
I don't think they are mandatory but I always have them with me. I'd much rather forget the binos than the bow! I'm sure I spend a lot more time looking at other animals with them than I do deer. They can make a slow deer movement day much more interesting.
I've got the Leica 8x32's also and have had them for a number of years. If I'm in the woods those go with me.
I have the Swarovski 8x30 SLC to look at who's who in the woods. I do not glass all the time, just when I see movement.
Key tool next to my bow.
I agree Mike. The thick stuff is where binos really shine unless your glassing big areas.
It breaks some of the boredom and just makes hunting even more fun. You can catch deer at that early pink light that you might otherwise not see. I love my 8x32 Sightron binos. They are not by any means high end but my eyes and head dont hurt from using them for long periods.
QuoteOriginally posted by scharms:
If I'm taking my bow out, the Steiners are along for the ride!
I also use steiner 8x22's and for the terrain here which is brushy and woodsy stuff, maybe glassing across ponds they are perfect.
luv to try the baby leica's or swarovski's too!
I never leave home without mine!!
I learned that you should spend all that you can afford on optics. I bought a pair of Nikon Monarchs several years ago. I even use them while going into stand in the morning. I can see things in the dark with them that I don't see with naked eye. Looking into brush has allowed me to find many deer that I never knew were in the area. I shot a deer a couple of years ago in rifle season while it was bedded in the brush. I could not see it there until I started glassing. It was only 60 yards away.
Especially important here in PA where we have an antler point restriction. On a nervous buck twisting his head from side to side, they are a necessary tool.
Maybe this old dog will try a "not-so-new" trick and start packing his binos.
Thanks for some great insight and good common sense.
God bless,Mudd
Agree, agree, agree. I have a pair of Steiners. They are about the smallest in size and power that Steiner makes. I don't have them in front of me right now so were dealing with my memory. I think they are 8X40. The other thing I love about these Steiners, they're always in focus. From 15 yards to infinity. No constant focusing. Huge benefit.
I also have a "Bino Bra", at least that is what I think it is called. Keeps the bino's from swinging around while you walk or bend over.
I have a pair of 6x32 Vortex. One of the best hunting investments I ever made. Wide field of view with knock your eyes out brilliance. They hang on the same hook as my bow and always travel together.
Ahhh... one more thing for the Christmas list!
Binocs are always a must for me. They are always an asset, the only thing that cover, thick or open will deside is what power to use not weather to use them or not.