spotting scope

[Bean Counter]

Will you use from down in a valley to up at hills or from atop hills down into a valley? If you spend more time looking down than up, you may want to go with the straight scope.  PIcture trying to maintain a low profile on a high ridge and leaning forward to look through the angled eyepiece 

Angled is also nice if you're going to be using with a hunting partner. If you're relatively close in heigth you wont have to adjust from user to user, while you will have to for a straight scope.

Further, if you have a partner, I would go with an 80 over a 65 because of both the wider FOV and that it will gather more light at dawn/dusk.  The 80 will be heavier than the 65 but since you'll have a partner, one can carry the tripod, and the other, the scope.

[Intruder]

Intruder,
While I commend your recommendation that people examine their overall budget, I question the methodology in your generalization. 

In any case, Grizzlygibs has decided to save up $$$ for better glass than cheaper glass and I think that's something we can all come together and commend him on that

I think you make a good point.  Yes.... this is a certainly a generalization.  

My point is that with a budget a guy needs to make choices and IMO that for hunting scenarios a guy is going to get way more milaeage spending the majority of his budget on binos rather than spotters or rifle scopes.  There are decent ED glass spotters out there in the 600-900$ range.  Not as good as a Swaro but usable.  I guess I look at it based on time behind the eye pieces.  I spend sometimes hours a day behind my binos.  There are days on end I never look through my scope and/or spotter.  I look at binos a "essential" and spotters a lil more as a luxary.  Again just  my

[Bean Counter]

Time behind the glass: I can respect that perspective, as well.

In the interest of full disclosure I will admit that while I'm proud of my lower-mid range binos, I've been censoring myself from the $900+ pairs as I am afraid I wont be able to go back!!!

   Run and hide! ITS A TRAP!!!!!

[grizzlygibbs]

for where i will be hunting a spotting scope is essential.  I have had the luxury of hunting with family that has a budget spotter and it has paid off big time being an old school Bushnell.  its spot and stalk for me and looking from long distances and glassing with the spotter.  i never thought of the scenarios beancounter suggested and everyone's input is important to me to see everyone's point of view that i may have not thought of!  

Keep em coming.


Oh and beancounter, once you go to the dark side i am a firm believer that no you will never go back, and you wont want too either, and hopefully the warranty would keep you from going back!

[Intruder]

Will you use from down in a valley to up at hills or from atop hills down into a valley? If you spend more time looking down than up, you may want to go with the straight scope.  PIcture trying to maintain a low profile on a high ridge and leaning forward to look through the angled eyepiece

You don't necessarily have to have the eyepiece angled up so that your head is above the scope looking down into it.  I routinely have mine angled so it points to the side so I can be laying prone and simply turn my head to look into it.  That's very similar to how I'd use it at the range on a bench.  I can have the eye piece turned toward me so I can shoot and simply turn and look into it without getting up and getting behind it.

Best thing would be to see if you can try both styles out in the field... just mess around and see which 1 you like.  It's really more of a preference over performance kind of decission.  

[Intruder]

Time behind the glass: I can respect that perspective, as well.

In the interest of full disclosure I will admit that while I'm proud of my lower-mid range binos, I've been censoring myself from the $900+ pairs as I am afraid I wont be able to go back!!!

   Run and hide! ITS A TRAP!!!!!

That's funny.... 

[BIGBULLBALLS]

Here is a little theory of mine "let your optics do the hiking for you".  What I mean by this is if you see a buck 1 mile out with a cheap spotting scope he always looks better than he really is (image distortion).  With a spotter like the Swarovski HD you can accurately field judge the buck (within several inches) and decide wether or not he is a shooter.  A spot we hunt in Oregon we are glassing bulls at over a mile across a huge canyon.  You don't want to make a mistake and charge down the mountain and up the other side for a bull that isn't what you thought he was.  Save your money and buy the best.  Swarovski HD optics are the best

[scoyoc5]

does any have any experience with vortex spotting scopes? I've been checking them out online and they look like a decent scope.

[columbiaman]

does any have any experience with vortex spotting scopes? I've been checking them out online and they look like a decent scope.

they are ok, but very heavy. They are identical to Alpen scope in every way. (edit: I am referring to their skyline 80mm scope)

[Intruder]

does any have any experience with vortex spotting scopes? I've been checking them out online and they look like a decent scope.

I have one of the non-ED glass models.  It is the Stokes 15-45 x 65.  Paid $330ish for it. It compares favorably to the Nikon ProStaff spotter. One of the best value proposition out there.  Haven't looked through their higher end stuff.  Great warranty and customer service too.

[7mag.]

I bought a Sworo this year and was very concerned that I would have buyers remorse($2,800 is an s-load of money for me). My only comfort was that I purchased the very best. My concerns where put to rest when I took it to the field, it is worth every penny. Every time I use it, I am thankful that I spent the money when I had it. I have spotted more game that I would have otherwise not been able to see. Spend the money, you won't regret it.

[Red Dawg]

I am chiming in a little late but I will say that I own the lieca 62mm angled televid and I love it. It came with a 32 power eyepiece and it is money. I bought a cheap lightweight nikon tripod and it all fits in my pack just perfect. I can pick apart any animal at just about any distance. there just happens to be some great deals on ebay right now And I think you can pick one of these up for about 800 to 1000 bucks. great deal as far as I am concerned. Best bucks I have ever spent so far on optics.

[grizzlygibbs]

thanks for the tip i will look into that!

[high country]

have you given much thought to tripod mounted bino's? I just sold my pf 80 ed and fixed 30 leuy, it seems that my 12x50 leica's and 15x56 swaro's are considerably more friendly for long range and lengthy glassing sessions.

IMO, this is the catsass

[jjhunter]

I am with HC on the tripod mounted bino's.  I use my 10x and 15x Swaro's a majority of the time.  I also pack the 20-60 x 65 HD Swaro spotter.  There are many times when I have spotted big framed deer with the binos and put the Spotter on him to find that he was a 3x4, had a weak fork, etc. and saved me some serious miles.