And Vortex and Hawke will be in your price range.

I absolutely love my Nikon Prostaff 7s 10x42s.  I like higher power bigger glass because I really only use it for longer distances when covering ground. I like Vortex products also.  I bought the Nikons earlier this year and I spent about an hour looking through both them and the equivalent Vortex glass at the store.  I felt the Nikons were brighter and they also were a few oz. lighter.  I definitely recommend 8x or 10x 42s vs smaller glass.  Just worth it for low light and close range fov.

99% of the time I just use my rangefinder. its basically just an 8x monocular. leupy Rx-1000 I think. AND it doubles as a rangefinder (how novel!!!!). Its not the best in low light. But it fits in a 1.5x3x4" (or so) pouch on my belt and weighs ounces, so I always have it on me. Easy to deploy, easy to re-stow, doesn't get tangled or in the way, or hurt your neck.

I mean.... most of the time we are hunting from a tree, and no matter what, our range is 30 yards or less.

Carrying a 8 or 10x bino isn't likely to help you kill anything. Basically I don't see much value in carrying binos for woods hunting. Unless you are a bird watcher or something. Not worth the hassle to carry or the cost.

Now if you are hunting out west and trying to pick out which buck to stalk or find bedded deer on a hillside or whatever. Makes sense to have quality optics.

I do have some vortex diamondbacks...10x I think. I use them for scouting for waterfowl, coyotes, spotting/judging critters for longer ranged devices, and spotting 3d rings. Great value bino. Wait for a sale (aka likely next week). But again, I don't think it will help you kill anything, it may even hurt due to it being a distraction.

that's my 2 cents.

I have been seeing a LOT of really good things about Vortex binos.  I have never handled any of them or looked through any.  
One set I was looking at last night that I had read quite a number of positive remarks about, and got a heads up about from another TRAD hunter, was the Vortex Vanquish 8x26..

I'll check out the others that you all mentioned.

Thanks for your help.  
Larry

I have a pair of Swarovski 8.5x42's.  Fantastic binoculars,  but for woods and tight cover hunting I most often have a pair of Vortex  6x32 around my neck.  I love the smaller size,  light weight,  and light gathering ability of them.

Carry my 6x32 Leupolds most of the time. I hunt areas that are pretty thick and I study the cover around me almost constantly. Last Saturday I spotted a big 8 in the thick stuff that I wouldn't have seen with the naked eye. Seeing him with the binos gave me time to get into shooting position. I didn't get the shot I needed but I didn't spook him off.  Good luck in picking your new glass!

I would not want more than 8X for woods hunting. I recently picked up a used 6x32 glass that is just outstanding for my needs. Just as bright as my 8.5x45 Nikon Monarchs and 6X is really mor than adequate.

I wish somebody would market an affordable 6X28 set. Now that would be ideal!

6-8x for me.

I like a 10x bino for open country hunts....but in the timber I want a bino I can hold steady with one hand of lower magnification.

I currently use a 8x for that but the 7x would be a good choice also, IMO.

I have 8x and 10x and I have a hard time holding the 10s still the 8s are perfect for me here in ND for looking out of a blind or out across the prairie .

8x32 vortex diamondbacks excellent glass good light gathering and lightweight and under your budget I believe mine were under 200 more like 170

My go to binos are a set of the Leupold 6x30 Yosimite. I hunt in some really thick areas, and the wider field of view really comes in handy. They are surprisingly bright for a $90 set of binos, too.

I still have and love my 6x30 Yosemites, I think they are perfect for really thick stuff. I do use Leica 10x a bit in more open country, that's my personal top end for hand holding.

When I watch videos of Texas hunting I'd think 8x might give an edge. They might be just more than Larry's planned budget, but I'd have Maven send out a 30 day trial of their compacts. You'd only be out some shipping if you don't like them.

I had a pair of those 6x Vortex Raptors and I didn't like them at all. Donated them at the very next banquet I attended. Any of you guys using them come from Yosemites and feel the opposite way?
Thom

One of the threads here convinced me to buy 10x42 Swarovskis.  My only regret is they went on sale about 45 days later for $200 less.

10x42 nikon pro staff 7 here

I have both 10x40 and 6x40 Vortex and love both. I do use the 8x40s most when I am hunting wooded areas. Checked out a pair of 8x40 Steiners, My daughter in laws and they were nice but much bulkier than my vortex 8x40s. Quite a difference in price too.

God bless, Steve

I would definitely pick 8x over 10x for the woods.  Field of view will be larger and low light performance will be better.  I only use my 10x binos for groundhogs and out west.  My favorite woods glass are 7x42 leicas.

Thanks everyone for the recommendations.

I'm gonna make a trip to BassPro and Gander Mountain to check what they have and see how the 8X feel.  I'll try any they have that are 6 or 7 too.

These Pentax 10X are really great binos, but they are just too heavy and cumbersome to use while I have to walk and carry other gear.  If I were in a tree stand, I could use these 10X, but not while stalking and trying to see hogs.