Binoculars-Do I use them or not?

Rustydog

Rustydog

New member
After reading the post about what to carry on my coyote stands, I noticed some/most people carry binos. While I do carry them, I am always hesitant to use them because they create extra movement. However, if that many people use them consistantly, maybe I'm missing the boat by not using them at all.

I would really appreciate any advice. (I hunt both the wide open spaces of Central and Eastern Oregon as well as small plots of ground in Western Oregon.)

Looking forward to some ideas.

Rustydog
 
I hunt eastern Washington, which is similar terrain. When walking to my stands I stop and scan every 100 yds or so. There have been times when I spot coyotes moving with me keeping what they feel is a safe distance in front of me. Sometimes they offer a shot sometimes not, but I walk and scan walk and scan. Particularly if I'm about to crest a ridge, hill, dune, or high ground of any sort, I stop and scan before I cross over. I've caught coyotes out in the open doing this. This is good because you can just duck down and ease up onto the rise and take a shot. Once on stand, I give everything the once over before I start calling, make some mental notes of the area and anything that may look like a coyote, and maybe establish some land marks and yardage estimates. Once I start calling,I don't go to the bino's until I'm ready to leave, then I give every a good look again just to make sure I didn't miss something. Sometimes you might have something hang up on you thats out on the fringe of your naked eye range too. I will pull them up very slowly, like molasses in winter slow and have a look. Thats how I use mine,hope it helps.
 
I hunt the same sort of open country you do, just in Nevada sometimes eastern Oregon. I have thought about this too, but I have opted to not use bino's due to the additional movement and it limits your sight picture. you might get busted by a dog that is coming in from the side real close while they are on your eyes. I can spot most dogs coming from the white chest movement amongst the sage well out past 500yds. And I don't lose the close in periphial vision. I honestly don't think I have had but a few times that they would have been beneficial except when a dog holds up and is not moving and you think you see one. Then, I just slowly tip the rifle scope up on the Shooting sticks and take a look through the scope. Since they are hunting that rabbit, they are pretty keyed in on the location, so if you pick good calling spots with the vantage edge, I don't think you really need them.
 
NV30378, I agree with you, I don't use them for predator hunting either. I see no need for it, plus it's something extra to carry. I watch incoming critters through my scope also. When they stop where I can get a shot, they usually die.
 
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All of the responses make perfect sense to me. I really think however that the way Noel uses the binos are the way to go. I can't count the number of times I try to sneak into a stand always wondering if I'm being seen or pushing yotes in front of me.

From the comments by others, it appears that there are advantages and disadvantages to both, as is usually the case, but using them like Noel does looks like a winner for me. Thanks!


Rustydog
 
I wouldn't think of going calling without mine, whether in the wide open, [no shortage of that around here] or the cover. I don't glass on the way to my stands. I try to get there as quickly as possible. Any coyote that is laying up in the area is likely to see me approach. Any time I spend stopping and glassing increases the chances of being seen.

If I get busted on the way to the stand, I continue on quickly and get set up. I always sit on the ground or get prone to call. I can usually stop them in gun range or call them back even after being busted, if I get down and dirty and talk some trash to him. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Most stands of course I get set up without seeing any coyotes. I call[usually howl] a few times, and then I glass. Often I see coyotes coming that I wouldn't see with the naked eye. As far as coyotes seeing me using binos,I ain't worried about it. Often I will see coyotes coming from a mile+. I may have to move my bodacious self 50 yds. or more because of the way they are coming. As long as the coyote is moving, I will move. If he doesn't see me, he sure wo'nt see the binos. If he stops though I stay still. Some clients that don't hunt this way find it some what unorthodox /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif, unusual, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif and yet exhilerating. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

No coyotes ....I call again, maybe for a few minutes , then glass. I don't worry about movement. If the coyote is close enough to see with the maked eye, I don't need the binos. If he is far enough away for me to use the binos, he is unlikely to see me slowly bring the binos to my eyes or scan with them. I would never use my scope instead of binos as the coyote is much more likely to see me shoulder the gun and scan with it. Not to mention that my gun is a tad heavier than my binos. Why not use the tools for what they were intended.

Many times I was ready to quit a stand, had one final look with the binos and saw coyotes that I wouldn't have seen and would have walked away from instead.

I use them for all kinds of hunting and get to the point where I feel uncomfortable without them.
 
I completely agree with Redfrog. I do the same---call, then scan if nothing is coming and so on. I have spotted many a coyote "way" out there that I would have never seen without the glasses. And the little movement it takes is defeinetly worth it. As far as using your rifle/scope for binos---forget it---that IS too much movement!
 
I use them in between stands. While using cover to move, when I get to an opening I will glass it before calling or moving on to the next stand. I have caught several coyotes "mouseing" in a pasture that were unaware I was in the world doing this.

Once on stand I don't use them though because I feel if they are coming to the call they know where I'm at and are looking for the rabbit and what's making him yell, if I get busted "glassing" a coyote I hope my finger isn't to far from the trigger.
 
I always ID the critters with eyes or binos before laying the scope on them. Always be sure of your target (and what is beyond it). Never point a firearm at anything you ain't willing to destroy.

I was glassing an area for coyotes, as I had just settled into a new stand and saw this guy in the distance. He was walking with a rifle slung over his shoulder and he must have seen my movement with the binoculars. This idiot shoulders his rifle and aims it at me! I yelled at him, about 400 yards distant. After the yell, he lowered the rifle. I almost had to shoot him in self-defense. I packed up my stuff and drove to a different county.

It is rude to aim rifles at things as a method of target identification.

I carry a 8x30mm Steiner binocular(s) under my NatGear 3-D jacket (it is nicely ventilated), whenever I am in the field and on the hunt. Well, that and the Glock M-20 (10mm). And the rifle.

That is what I think.

(edited for the PS)
PS: I have been using a hunting method similar to the walk to the stand and then glass the area very well, while the natural sounds come back. Once calling begins, I do not glass until I am about to depart. Critters can get fairly close before I see them so I do not need to glass while calling--too much movement for close inbound critters.
 
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I sometimes carry a pair of compact binos. They come in handy to check out those things you see that you aren't quite sure if it's a critter or a rock. I like to take one final scan of the area before leaving too.
 
I pretty much do like Noel and the Frog do it. I hunt some pretty open country, and can't count the times that I have spotted a coyote in the distance when I stopped on my way going over a rise and glassed in the distance. I also have spotted one at the end of my set on several occasions, just before getting up, took a once over the terrain, only to see one that was coming, but takin' it's dear 'ol time getting there! If and when I forget them when I go hunting now, it makes me feel darn near naked for the day!!
 
Since I got old I use them alot, redfrog and others got it right. depends on your stand too, if you can only see 100 yards?? I like to look when I set up, when I have called a while. before I get up. sometimes they are close but all you can see is a ear.
Carl
 
Oh boy, not again. Glassing with a scope? Scanning with a scope? I don't think Anybody said anything about that. I believe they were talking about putting the scope on the in-coming animal or looking at it through the a scope.

Nobody said anything about putting the crosshairs on anything other then a predator, unless I missed something?

The topic is about using binoculars when predator hunting, some say why they use them, others say why they don't. I think it should be kept at that.
 
Haven't been able to take my binocs with me yet. Got enough dang gear to drag around with me, got scope and a rangefinder which goes 5x...i can't seem to leave the truck with them around my neck. Although i do scan with the rangefinder, not the greatest optics but better than nothing i suppose. Love the idea, just haven't gotten myself used to the luxery yet i guess. I guess i'm givin em a bit of a chance cause i'm an extra nice guy...yeah right, lol.

B /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
Use em. They not only give me an advantage to spotting yotes at a distance but also give me an opportunity to see the other critters out there. Muleys, Elk, etc... What have you got to loose? Joey
 
I wouldn't go into the field without my binoculars. They mainly get used right before leaving the stand to make sure no coyotes are hung up, but will sometimes get used to identify something that just doesn't look quite right.

Someone posted about carrying a rangefinder on stand and leaving binos behind. This doesn't make any sense to me because 99% of the coyotes I've killed were hard chargers and never gave enough time to range even if I wanted to. I shoot either a .17 Remington or a .22-250, both of which shoot flat enough to 300 yards or a little beyond that I don't need to know if the coyote is at exactly 268 yards. I also figure there's a point that if they're out too far, they get a free pass. My goal in calling is to get them in as close as possible, not to practice my long range sniping skills.

Know your limits/shooting abilities, practice eye-balling distances by visualizing football fields, hold on fur or you'll probably shoot high, take a slow breath, and squeeze the trigger.

I guess I could see where a rangefinder might be needed if you're hunting with a bow or muzzleloader, or if you get a lot of coyotes that hang up a long ways out and stand still like a prairie dog, but I don't understand the need for one when shooting called coyotes with a fast shooting centerfire...
 
I'm mostly a bowhunter so my bushnell yardage pro scout always comes with me. I don't have much long range shooting practice but i've ranged one at 248 yrds and dropped it, and shot another one freehand and ranged after and 250 yrds and no trouble with it either. However, i shoot 95 grain out of my .243 so if i had to shoot 300 i have a table plotted just so i can be sure...if i have the time to range one thats far enough out there for me to not be sure on 50 or so yards then its what makes me more comfortable. The more i use it the more accurate my eyeball gets too. There are guys quite comfy to 400 yrds etc. and they may not need a rangefinder...not me. My furthest is 250 so far...but if i get one that hangs at 300 i'll have better odds if i know forsure and can consult the table on the side of my stock. Most of em i like shootin close like you though...100 yrds or less is best. So what would i rather have between a binoc and a rangefinder around my neck? I simply choose the rangefinder...just because i can. I'm not sure its better of the two choices but i think it is for me.

B
 
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