How I Use My Optics To Glass An Area

[IDAHO PREACHER]

GG

I now have a bushnell ($150) compact nikon ($250) 10 power nikon ($400)2 litlle ones ($50 each) total $900.00. If I would have started with swarovski 15 years ago I would of spent less. I never use the cheaper ones even my wife will grab the swarvo's first because of the quality and clarity. Like you said pay once and cry once don't settle for anything less. Saw a band of sheep tonight about like your pictures near challis tonight. They even have warning lights for them because they cross the road to salmon river for water. there were to many cars to stop and take pictures. IP

 

[IDAHO PREACHER]

Buffalobob
Your absolutly correct! I apoligize. BB or GG When glassing a area how long or how many times do you repeat glassing this area before moving on? If it is morning do you tend to stay longer glassing cause of shadow changes are more frequent as the sun comes up? BB was glassing in the Salmon area quite different than where you are at and how? IP

 

[Buffalobob]

Today I was glassing Md Whitetail deer at ranges from 800 yards to past 2K. You would think that when there is a good snow background that a deer could not simply vanish but they do. It took me maybe two minutes to get the rifle set up and by then they were gone. There is a lot to learn.

 

[goodgrouper]

BB or GG When glassing a area how long or how many times do you repeat glassing this area before moving on? If it is morning do you tend to stay longer glassing cause of shadow changes are more frequent as the sun comes up? BB was glassing in the Salmon area quite different than where you are at and how? IP

I look at the same areas of high probability many, many times until I'm convinced there are no animals. This may take an hour or all day. But if I'm going to move to a new area to glass, I try not to move until the morning "commute" is over. Usually around 10:00 a.m. The middle of the day is the best time to stop glassing if you're going to re-locate.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

This is a great thread and the most important part of hunting. Hunters who are succesful year in and year out know how to glass. If you can't find it you can't shoot it I don't care what kind of rifle you got. Unfortunately most hunters are way lax in this area. I have hunted right behind groups of hunters many times and taken great animals right behind them because they were not good glassers. Just this year two guys came through the basin we were camped in for elk. They hunted all day and left disgusted that they were seeing sign but the elk must have left the country and they were headed for home. During the day in the same basin I watched those guys all day looking and spotted 50-60 elk scattered around the slopes of that basin. I knew where to look, how to look and the discipline to keep looking because I knew they were there.

One very important thing. Keep your glasses perfectly still while searching out every square inch of space inside your field of view until you are certain nothing is abnormal in that field before moving on. Then pick another likely spot and continue the process. You have to know how to let the glass become an extended part of your body and a part of your eyes and this is much easier said than done. People who are excellent glassers know what I mean. But you just get in the zone is the best way I can describe it. The only thing on your mind is complete concentration on your target area and you just become a part of that area with complete feel of anything that moves or is abnormal about the area. I have spotted bark falling off a tree from a woodpecker at 1000 yards then found the woodpecker. That is being in the zone. If it is there and your in the zone you will spot it. I have looked at a spot for extended periods because it just wasn't right but nothing definable was there until the sun got right and the slightest movement revealed the shiny nose or antler of a monster. Also as stated earlier if you are not spotting numerous trophy rocks/logs you are not glassing properly. If you are not seeing individual twigs, grass clumps etc. you are not glassing properly.

Through the years many times I was underglassed compared to many of the people I hunted with. However I was a better glasser and spotted way more game than people with much better glass. Better glass is better, but better glassing skills is best.

 

[Buffalobob]

Keep your glasses perfectly still

That is something important and I learned it the hard way this year.

I use a monopod with my binoculars to help keep them steady and try to be sitting down so I am steady.

 

[grit]

I like to rest my binos on top of my spotter. I have a nice fluid head for filming on my tripod. The extra stability is amazing. Then, when I spot something to check out my scope is almost on it allready.

 

[sscoyote]

Great writeup GG. Can't wait to try me new Kowa Highlanders for coyotes. If i can't spot 'em with that than i'm probably waisting my time.

 

[RedRabbit]

Definitely keep the binos still and move your eyes through the field of view, rather than pan the binos. The flick of an ear or tail of a coues, step of a leg, or bobbing head of a woodpecker is really hard to see if the bino is moving. For that reason, even 10x do much better on a tripod, even if one does not have 15x. On a recent coues hunt, I had to always keep from being hasty and panning, and kept telling myself I was looking for a jack rabbit under a bush.

I like to start with the close ridges and slopes, and look for the obvious deer that may be out in the open. Then I will go from left2right, top2bottom in a grid picking apart the details. I usually go from the near slope and then move to the next distant slope. Often, I will go back to a slope again as deer may have moved out from behind a tree.

Draping a dark cloth over the head and binos will block light from the side and make it easier to see detail as well as prevent eye fatigue. Use an eye patch with a spotting scope also.

Sometimes a Crazy Creek chair providing back support is nice for sitting many hours behind the binos, rather than just a foam pad.

Doug~RR

 

[HUAINAMACHERO]

Thanks a lot for the teaching guys. I have learned a lot from this thread.

Armando

 

[padreweis]

Great thread with awesome info. Another trick I was taught and learned works through experience is when spending a lot of time behind your spotting scope (especially if it is not one of great quality) is to use your non-shooting eye. This will save your "shootin eye" for doing business when the time comes.

Happy Huntin!

 

[rcdinaz]

New to the forum but this is a great thread!

Go on a sheep hunt at least once, join your local sheep society and volunteer to help a hunter that gets drawn. It will change your level of patience and capabilities in amazing ways. I learned more and developed better skills in one season of sheep hunting than pretty much every hunting season prior put together. The old guys in the sheep club had an incredible amount of knowledge more than I ever received from professional guides or others I have hunted with.

Also, i cant say enough about my Swaro 15x56's. Vortex has something for cheaper that is almost comparable a must have in my opinion.

 

[yobuck]

very good thread. lots of good stuff.
ive been using large tripod mounted glasses for about 40 years in my home state of pa.
technique can vary somewhat depending on location and species sought.
i think its very important to just use your eyes to scan the area before serious glassing.
its also a good idea to do that occaisionaly while glassing. take a five minit break and look around.
type and size of optics is another varieable. in pa. most l/r hunters use twin spotters.
one thing that is not varieable is the use of a tripod.
a good solid tripod is absolutly essential for serious glassing regardless of size and type of glasses. monopods just wont cut it.

 

[RDM416]

Great thread and some very good glassing instruction from GG. I spend a lot of time guiding and hunting elk in southern NM. Much of the area is fairly open, but boy can those elk hide.....

One thing I do that I would like to add: When I set up to glass an area I will make a quick scan of the area I plan to glass..... either with the binos or spotting scope depending on the distance. Then I will start my methodical glassing and slow way down. I have many times spotted elk right off on my "scan". If I had simply started with my slow glassing they may have been gone by the time I got to them, or I may have lost half an hour or more of precious daylight on an evening hunt. So, for me, quick scan, then slow down and get serious.