Binoculars

[Scott Tschirhart]

Probably 20 years ago I started using binoculars while hunting. I had used them in police work to good effect but after having a friend looking for and at me through his rifle scope, I found binoculars to be essential. I use them even when hunting with a revolver.

I’ve started keeping a pair of binoculars hand in the front seat of my truck and I find that I use them all the time. And I’m better with them because I use them more.

What are your thoughts about binoculars?

[ndcowboy]

I use them just about daily around the ranch and constantly when hunting. Rifle scopes are for shooting, not scanning!

[Bearskinner]

I will wear a small pair in a chest holder while out stalking in cover, where it’s nice to be able to look into brush and pick up all aspects of an animal. I have had a large set of Zeiss night Owl’s for 30 years. There heavy and not an easy carry, but for long distance clarity, Especially under low light conditions, great glass is a must. Once you use really good glass, it’s hard no to have them available.

[Bill in Oregon]

If you have ever been "scoped" by another hunter, it is both unsettling and infuriating, in addition to being irresponsibly dangerous. I'm a binocular believer, although I left my best pair of Nikons with my PH's father in Namibia some years back. Currently have Nikon Monarch 8X36s and a smaller pair in the truck. When visiting a friend in Port Ludlow on Puget Sound, he let me try out his heavy tripod-mounted 20-power marine binoculars. Wow. He uses them to spot friends' yachts, orcas, and Trident submarines returning to base at Bangor. Whole different lifestyle from mine, I promise you!

[Drawdown]

Ive been a serious lifelong squirrel hunter all my life, and when season opens, aug-sept, it's a easy sneak, closeup game, you easily pick up limbs moving, hear them easily (back when I could hear anyways), they're up in trees 95% time. Come mid Oct, trees begin shedding all their mast, squirrels begin to stay on ground more and more, and by early Nov, leaves are gone. Easy spot squirrels at distance, but difficult to sneak on! But it's the funnest time year to hunt them. About 20 years ago, I finally got me a set of Burris 8x32 binoculars. These mountains are steep, rough, thick, and in my old age, the binoculars sure made a difference. Spot squirrels from next ridge over, or similar. In other words you see where there's a group squirrels worth the walk to get too. But, you gotta put em to use, time get comfortable and sit to use them. Then I'd know where to go, put em up in my pack, get close and sit still, because they'll hear you, but after setting up, be still a while, they go back to their usual business. Then a good 22 you can pick em off 1 by 1, because you know they're there and the waits worth it!
Then I turned into mostly a deer hunter, same circumstances, but by now, I'm wearing glasses, and I do not like heavy binoculars in my way around my neck, or the binocular harness or any that. In other words I for most part quit using em. The way my vision is, I can't look thru my glasses, into binoculars. Too slow and too much movement to use them! I finally got me a Burris 8x Monocular. It's small, fits into a shirt or jacket pocket, and I can force my glasses down enough to peak thru to get a look. It works for me! I don't really use it enough, but at distances I'm looking, 50-200yds it's perfect!
Binoculars work if you put em to use, but for my circumstances I prefer the monocular. If I hunted the west longer ranges, I'm sure they're very beneficial, I would use em for sure!
Squirrels are a small critter, that when on ground, in leaves, hard to see, but time with glass you'll find em. Using glass is worth the time and effort if you put em to use, but also way my eyes are, if I glass long, when I return to my glasses, I can't see as good or focus at regular distances. So I just use my monocular for short times, too define things I think are looking into. But for often long range looking where the grounds flatter more open, I'd definitely put a good pair binoculars to more use!

[AmBraCol]

The downside to binoculars is if you set them down somewhere. Years ago I qualified for a Colorado resident hunting permit and a friend bought me an either sex elk tag. Another friend got permission from his brother to take me elk hunting on the family ranch. We hunted hard and glassed a lot. I can't remember what we were using, but he had a very nice pair of binoculars and I was probably using something borrowed from my wife's uncle. Anyway, we were up on a cliff top looking around the valley below us and we spotted a herd moving through. I was after a cow but he wanted me to get a bull. After we spotted the herd we scouted for the best route to ambush them along their path and then took off "to cut them off at the pass".

After running up a slope I got a good look at the herd and picked an elk out to the side with no risk of a double from a full penetration shot and got my elk. He then went back to the truck to bring it around (where's the best place to shoot an elk? Next to a pickup!) while I went straight down to start field dressing it. We got the elk back to the shed, strung it up and skinned it and by then it was time to call it a night.

The next day he asked me about his binoculars. We searched the pickup cab and he eventually figured he'd set them down. Up on the ridge. That was in '98. To the best of our knowledge they're still there. He's never managed to find the exact spot where we sat and glassed from. It's private property so the probability of someone else coming through and picking them up is very low. He's been up several times and they've had other hunters on the same section, and they're still missing in action.

So whatever you do - make sure you don't set 'em down!

[Scott Tschirhart]

My hunting Leila’s are in a Marsupial chest pouch. No neck pain.

Mr truck binoculars are a pair of Vortex and they have a strap that I put around my neck whenever I use them. Today’s binoculars are much lighter and brighter than what we had in the 1980s

[Drawdown]

The downside to binoculars is if you set them down somewhere. Years ago I qualified for a Colorado resident hunting permit and a friend bought me an either sex elk tag. Another friend got permission from his brother to take me elk hunting on the family ranch. We hunted hard and glassed a lot. I can't remember what we were using, but he had a very nice pair of binoculars and I was probably using something borrowed from my wife's uncle. Anyway, we were up on a cliff top looking around the valley below us and we spotted a herd moving through. I was after a cow but he wanted me to get a bull. After we spotted the herd we scouted for the best route to ambush them along their path and then took off "to cut them off at the pass".

After running up a slope I got a good look at the herd and picked an elk out to the side with no risk of a double from a full penetration shot and got my elk. He then went back to the truck to bring it around (where's the best place to shoot an elk? Next to a pickup!) while I went straight down to start field dressing it. We got the elk back to the shed, strung it up and skinned it and by then it was time to call it a night.

The next day he asked me about his binoculars. We searched the pickup cab and he eventually figured he'd set them down. Up on the ridge. That was in '98. To the best of our knowledge they're still there. He's never managed to find the exact spot where we sat and glassed from. It's private property so the probability of someone else coming through and picking them up is very low. He's been up several times and they've had other hunters on the same section, and they're still missing in action.

So whatever you do - make sure you don't set 'em down!

Another reason I like my monocular. Neck strap on, but small, light, in my shirt pocket when I need it, easily back into it when done. I carried my binoculars usually in a shoulder bag or rucksack, and often laying on ground. There's some dandy small binoculars if you're willing fork out the $, but not me. They're still pretty big and in the way for my use!

[Grizz]

at sea, and closing with the shore binoculars are a necessity. years ago I bought a Fujinon 7x35 IF that was amazing for our needs. Japanese glass was developed from german optics when japan was allied with germany, thus high quality. 7x35 was recommended because it was less bothered by boat motion. Yup, boats make motions....

fast forward to a Tx trip at a lgs, sitting in a case was the last Vortex 8x28 CF in the store. wow. WOW. Bought that one before my grandson could . . . lightweight, compact, great optics, the new levels of optical clarity make the ridges of the craters on the moon discernible. they are inexpensive, but I wouldn't call them cheap... the fuji seems a little muddy now, and kludgy for a 2Runner.

†
grizz

[GunnyMack]

A couple years ago we did a big addition for a nice lady, she gave each of us a $100 Cabelas gift card. I put mine towards a pair of Vortex 10x binos. They live in my truck in a chest pack.
I have a forgotten brand of 10x at the house as well as a pair of 8x Steiners but they are miniature binos and the low light is poor.

[JimT]

For more than 20 years I carried a small pair of 8 power binoculars ...hunted all over carrying them and using them. I really liked the way they worked for me. In the move to Africa they were lost and after I moved back to the US I bought a pair of larger binoculars and have them handy. They are 12 X 42 and work well for me.

[marlinman93]

I have a small pair of 10x compact binoculars and they only get used for hunting trips. It wont stop the idiots from looking at me through a scoped rifle though.

[AJMD429]

.
In the 1970s I got a pair of Sears and Roebuck 7 x 50 binoculars and really liked them because the so-called light gathering phenomenon was really apparent. When I was too dark to see something I would use the binoculars and see it very clearly.

They were not particularly rugged, but one time when I got completely saturated during a rainstorm, they had water droplets in them, so I just simply took them apart and put them in the oven with the warming drawer below, providing enough heat to dry them out overnight. I reassembled them, and they’ve been fine ever cents.

As the optics got better, I realized you SUPPOSEDLY don’t need objectives that large to do the same thing, although I can’t say I’ve been as impressed with any binoculars in terms of ‘light gathering’ even much higher quality ones that have good resolution, but really not that same light gathering affect.

Setting aside a light gathering effect and looking at clarity, you certainly get what you pay for. The hundred dollar binoculars are better than the $50 ones, which I already knew, but when I tried my son’s $200 pair, I realized they actually were better than my hundred dollar pair which I didn’t think was possible. A few years later as he got into more professional grade equipment, we went to a Cabelas and looked at their binoculars and the $400 ones certainly were better than the $200 ones, the $800 ones were even better, and to my surprise, the $1600 ones were actually very obviously better than the 800 clarity and discerning fine detail.

[TraderVic]

I use binoculars a fair amount, both hunting, here at my farm and also out truck camping. I have two pair of 10 x 42's, one is a Leupold, the other is a Vortex. I also have an 8 x 40 monocular I sometimes use turkey hunting and muzzleloading for deer when I want less bulk and travel lighter.
I have a front harness that holds the binocs against my chest for hunting.
In my opinion, either spend the money for quality optics, or don't bother. You'll absolutely regret buying cheap as soon as you use a quality pair belonging to someone else.
Like the old saying goes, "when you buy quality you only cry once"

[TraderVic]

I forgot to mention, I usually keep the Leupold's in my Jon boat during the warm season. I run rivers a lot.

[Bruce Scott]

I have a pair of German Hensoldt 8 x 30s like these that I carry when out in the bush - very rugged and good optics. The rubber lens caps on mine are long gone.

[Griff]

I hunt with a pair of Cabela's 10x25 that I bought some 40 years ago. They stay with me nearly all the time. I'm sure there's better glass today... but these still do the job. I never researched who they were actually made by, but whoever it was, they're still great.

[jeepnik]

My uncle introduced me to binoculars. A fairly inexpensive pair (hey I was twelve) for my birthday. It opened an entirely new world. Over the years I upgraded and currently a number of pairs. My all around use are Stiener Military/Marine. My favorite are a pair of Zeiss 10x42's. A few years ago I discovered image stabilized and currently use a pair of Cannon 10x42's Stabilization is a game changer.

[Shasta]

Binoculars play a very important role for me as I regularly shoot Lever Action Silhouette matches that require careful spotting for my shooting partner. When I was still a deer hunter, I treated myself to a very expensive pair of Leica 8x42 that have proven to be top quality for hunting and perfect for the silhouette game. I bought my wife a pair of Leica 8x32 for bird watching, but they were unfortunately lost when our place burned in 2018. I have since replaced them with a set of Zeiss 10x42 that the wife likes even better for her bird watching. The last binoculars I bought was a small set of Vortex 10x28 for my duck hunting bag. They are surprisingly clear for being relatively inexpensive. The last two rifle scopes I bought were Vortex and I must say they are very fine optics.

Shasta

[Ysabel Kid]

...after having a friend looking for and at me through his rifle scope...

I'm not sure that person would still be a friend!

[KWK]

Another reason I like my monocular.

I'm in that camp. A small Zeiss monocular is all I have.

[horsesoldier03]

I have a set of NIKON and a set of Bushnell. I actually favor the BUSHNELL the most. I have seen the same situation of using a rifle scope to look at something you didnt intend to shoot.

[Scott Tschirhart]

...after having a friend looking for and at me through his rifle scope...

I'm not sure that person would still be a friend!

I don’t take him hunting anymore. Not so much for that incident but because of his reaction to a guy who approached us in a parking lot. This guy was so proud of his deer and wanted to share with us. I thought it was terrible to insult this man. Especially when we had not harvested anything.

[samsi]

I've used a set of Burris 10x50 roof prisms for the last 15 years or so. Besides the obvious open country use, I've found binos are great for spotting stuff in timber. It's pretty amazing how close you can be to elk without seeing them until you start scanning while rolling the focus in and out.

I've also got an old set of 7x42 JC Penny field glasses from the '70's that are surprisingly good, though they need new eyepiece cups since the originals were eaten by mice when I left them in a hangar. If anyone knows a source for old bino parts I'd appreciate the info.

Another good low cost optic are the old Nikon Action series binos from the 70's to early '80's. I think they were $40 or so back then and have pretty great optics for the money.

[BobM]

I keep a set of 10x42 Leupolds in the truck. I have a better pair of 10x42 Leupolds that I take when I know I’m going to use them. I recently bought a pair of Vortex 8x36 I’ve been taking squirrel hunting. They’re lighter and more compact but pretty good optically.

[Scott Tschirhart]

My Vortex pair rides in the truck all the time because they come with a great zipper case that protects from bumps and keeps the dust off.

[Drawdown]

I took my 8x32 Burris today but never got em out backpack, I was going to still hunt SLOW, sit often, and leaves off now, binoculars could make a difference, but my hunt was over in less than hour.
But way back before I got them, I had my heart set on a quality brand (which I don't remember), in 7x32 or 36? Reason being I done long read either John Wooters or Francis Sell, maybe both? But they described the superiority of the 7x in type hunting I do here. Mostly glossing less than yds, and still hunting the movement while standing wasn't near as negative as with more x. Those guys knowledge what worked! My 8x or good but I wish now id forked out the $ for them!

[Bullard4075]

Started using a chest harness probably 30 years ago and now it is almost as important as my Vortex 10x42 glasses. I now (last 10-12 years or so ) use a KUIU bino harness (https://www.kuiu.com/collections/bino-harness) for my yearly Alaska hunting trips. It is even better as it has extra pockets and attach points for wind meters,rangefinders and such. A rain fly protects all during inclement weather which is always some aspect it seems of every trip. I'll be taking a simple chest harness, maybe in a simple neck strap to a guided South Africa trip (my first) in February. I don't know if I even need binos at all. I'll see if they have a suggested equipment/clothes list. Any advice from those who have been there would be welcome.

[FLINT]

I've always read about using binoculars while hunting, but I can't figure out what I'd do with them. Seems like they'd just be in the way. Plus picking them up and looking around seems like a great way to scare away deer. Where I hunt you have to be VERY still or the deer will spot you and run off. Can't be waving binoculars around. Plus, where I hunt, if you can't really see far enough to warrant binoculars, plus I've always had very good vision. Looking through optics it the woods and brush, is actually worse than with your eyes as you loose your 3D vision and the optics seem to not be able to see "through" the brush as well as your eyes. and finally, where I hunt, when deer do come around, you don't have time to be analyzing them with binoculars, you have to shoot and sometimes quickly.

so, no, apparently I'm the only one who doesn't use them and can't figure out how they would help anything, at least for the way I hunt deer in the virginia forests.

[Ray Newman]

I have an approximate 35 year-old pair of Seiner 10x50 binoculars. A bit heavy but the clarity even in low light conditions is amazing – good light and color transition.

As a Fellow Shooter advised me purchase binoculars and a spotting scope from a company that will take returns. John always said that in the store and under lights, they all look good, but in low light conditions is “where the rubber meets the road.”

At one of the SHOT shows (circa 1995?) I looked at binoculars and spotting scopes. KOWA representative observed me and when I came to his booth, we started talking about what I learned. Told him a few looked good. He said “OK, now focus on the very far corner of the roof and what do you see?" That part of the roof was not illuminated and painted black. Told him I could see the supports and the bolts tying it all together. He then advised me buy from a dealer who will accept returns and look through the glass under low light, adverse conditions, look into shadows, etc. On a whim, I re-examined the other company’s optics in the same manner. Except for Leica and Swarovski, I could not see as much. I saved up the egg money and about a year os so later, bought a KOWA. Now I know optics has have greatly improved over the last 20 or so years, but I think the advice is still sound.

[Mark in MO]

I've also got an old set of 7x42 JC Penny field glasses from the '70's that are surprisingly good, though they need new eyepiece cups since the originals were eaten by mice when I left them in a hangar. If anyone knows a source for old bino parts I'd appreciate the info.

Funny you mention JC Penney binoculars. I have a 7x35 pair that I got as a teenager back in the mid 70's when my mother worked at Penneys. They've been carried over countless miles and given outstanding service for years. They now reside on the desk by the patio doors to view the birds at our feeders and are still good glass considering their age. I replaced them about 15 years ago or more with a 10x42 Kahles pair. If I'm hunting those Kahles are with me.