Who uses Binoculars calling? What kinds?

C

crowpopper

New member
I have always bought Cheapie Binocs. Usually 20-30 dollar compacts and a "good" pair of full size ones for $55
Well As usual my cheapies failed me last week when I needed em. Was out deer hunting in a buck only zone and saw a deer coming in. I needed my binocs to verify if it was doe or buck and when I pulled mine up they were black?? dont know what happened one lens was blury the other was black. had to pass on my only shot as it went through the thick stuff I had a good vital shot but not being able to verify sex I passed only to see it was in fact a small buck as it got in the clear and out of shotgun range
Well I like to carry my binocs on coyote stand too and Always find them lacking in one place or another weather it is one eye blury or both not quite focusing clear or dark edges ETC
I went to wal mart put my employee discount down and bough a pair of Leupold Cascade Green lines in 10x42
Man these are NICE
VERY VERY clear and crisp in both eyes. No eye fatigue that I can tell. Pretty light weight. Nice grip. I used them last night in my front yard . Moon was burning very bright I was looking at 3 deer in the field across from my house at 120 yards and could see them pretty good with not getting sore eyes
That was at 2 am also so it was basically the worst conditions I would even use binoculars. What do you use?
 
A lot of our sets are in thick cover and very tight quarters so bino's arent really necesary but when we are calling into some of the deep creek bottoms then I will carry my 12x50 leupolds. Also depends on if there is snow on the ground. When there is I usually dont carry bino's.
 
I hunt very wide open areas usually and on every stand you find me with my vortex viper HS 10x42 binos. They are incredibly clear
 
10x42 Swarovisions

Carry them on every stand. I always try and look before I get up. They have picked up a few extra coyotes every year for me. Most the time I look right before I am going to stand up and am done with my set. I have spotted coyotes either still coming in or some that are sitting down about 500 yds out and I at least know to keep trying.
 
10x42 Swarovski EL's. In my opinion (which may be biased since I live in the wide open west), top quality glass is the single most important hunting investment you can make - much more important than the rifle or any other thing you may use. In the course of a day I may shoot my rifle once, but I'll look through my binos for hours.
 
I did a bunch of research and found that for the money the Vortex Diamond backs were very hard to beat.
I went to Bass Pro to see them side by side. I looked at all of the major brands and then had my wife look at them. I went in at night because they have a large area to look at and in the low light of the night time. My wife picked the SKI bino's of course, but they were out of my price range and she picked the Vortex as a close second.

I also got 8's vs. 10's. The reason is that even on the open range the field of view is greater on the 8s and i can spot a coyote at 1000yrds without issue. I don't typically take a shot father than 500 and 8's work great for that. (they are lighter and smaller)
I mostly use them to spot the howler off in the distance, and as a rule I scan the area around me before i call the end of a stand, just in case a bobcat is sitting there in the shade watching. I have spotted cats at 350yrds with the 8's without issue. Also the no bull no fault lifetime promise is a strong selling point. Leopold is nice but they are proud of their product and their prices reflect that.
 
Bushnell 1600 Fusion Arc 10x42. Keeps me from having to carry and use a rangefinder (less to carry and less movement) + they're good binos.
 
I did not do a ton of research on Binocs. I usually do the research. But I looked at the local gun shops and they had mostly scopes in stock only one pair of cheapie binocs there.
I went to walmart and they had a few pair ranging from 15 bucks up to 277 which is what I got the Leuopolds for.
There was a pair of Nikons but they didnt have as nice of feel or clairity as the Leuopolds did either.
Plus add in the fact that I get a 10% discount at walmart for being an employee!
That took these down to $250 bucks Which Honestly I didnt think was a bad price at all for a nice product that I am sure will last.
I also see it has a lifetime warranty? Not sure how good they warranty their products but. I sent the card in anyways.
I also tested them out on the side of my house. We moved in here in july
I bought the house and made a deal to not buy the 4 acers next to use which is actually across the road from us and runs 1000 feet along the creek.
I didnt buy because it is all wetlands there and nothing can be built on it. I am sure it wont be sold!
I always look up the creek and in the woods with my old binos and never see anything. As I was looking today about 150 yards up through the thick stuff I spotted the creek has a bever dam
It is an active dam I would have never seen and didnt see with my old ones!
Once it freezes up for the winter I plan to snow shoe around the area anyways but I see it had a nice clearing back on the "pond" behind the dam
Great looking fox area and Perfect spot for my New .25 air rifle to sit and wait for some predators!
 
I depend on three pair of binoculars...One Nikon 8x32 that I've had since the early '70s ($110) and they've been bounced around the inside of my patrol car for almost 20 years and still going strong...$2.75 per year

One old (1943) Bausch & Lomb 7x50 that was made for the U.S. Navy that provide clarity well above most commercial ones available on today's market, but they are exceptionally heavy for carrying around in the field...I've had them since about 1960 when Military Surplus was really surplus ($25)...$0.50 per year..

The third pair are 10x40 Leupolds that I found in Las Cruces at the last PM Hunt for about $100 and have been really impressed with them for size and ease of use and clarity...It will probably be the last pair that I buy in my lifetime...

Quality doesn't have to cost an arm and leg, but going 'cheap' usually doesn't give the service on a cost per year basis either...
 
Leupold 8X. I like that amount of magnification because I use them for everything and 8X provides me with enough magnification in open areas but not too much to where I couldnt use them when I get in the trees.
 
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