Speedo
Well-Known Member
I have done all of my hunting for the last 40 some odd years in Alaska for moose, caribou, sheep, bears and predators. Some of the things that I have learned have been discussed and some haven't. One thing that everyone agrees on is that you need to have good glass so I won't get into that one.
Binos need to be held as steady as possible and when you're set up in one place there are any number of ways that you can accomplish that.
Let's discuss what happens once you've spotted what you're looking for. Do you have landmarks that you've located through your binos so that you can find it again? Do you have landmarks so that you can put your hunting partner on to the same animal? If you can find the animal but you have trouble getting your partner to find it you're wasting, what could be, valuable time. Depending on the critter that you are hunting, the time of day and the distance from the animal that you've spotted time can be a critical. My wife and I have hunted together for a long time and I usually can put her onto an animal that I have spotted by just refrencing 2 or 3 landmarks before she can find it and vice versa. If you haven't hunted with someone before it might take a bit of time for you to be able to get them to see the same animal you have spotted. Once you have landmarks so that you can find the animal again when you move the binos away from the animal that you are watching you need to be able to point it out with reference points that you can see with the naked eye. Once you have them close you can both go to the binos and use smaller landmarks to get to the animal. References can be things that are visible on a skyline, odd colored rocks, ponds, bend in a creek or river. If you spot from the same area frequently you might even consider naming some of the more noticeable landmarks. If everyone is on the same page you can relay directions to another person without taking your eyes off of your binos.
I've hunted for moose in the same area for more than 20 years and I have the advantage of knowing that area very well. I know where to expect to find moose, where they are lilely to head off to if they are pushed and how to find them again. I also have different rocks, bushes, dead trees etc. that resemble parts of animals memorized so that I don't waste time checking them out yet again to verify that they aren't animals.
If you are taking everything with you on a stalk then you just load everything up and go once you have decided on a plan for the stalk. On the other hand if you are only taking what you need for the stalk you should already have those things decided on ahead of time so that you don't start making decisions about what to take with you, in the case of moose it usually isn't all that important but for caribou and bears wasting time could mean a missed opportunity.
Gus
Binos need to be held as steady as possible and when you're set up in one place there are any number of ways that you can accomplish that.
Let's discuss what happens once you've spotted what you're looking for. Do you have landmarks that you've located through your binos so that you can find it again? Do you have landmarks so that you can put your hunting partner on to the same animal? If you can find the animal but you have trouble getting your partner to find it you're wasting, what could be, valuable time. Depending on the critter that you are hunting, the time of day and the distance from the animal that you've spotted time can be a critical. My wife and I have hunted together for a long time and I usually can put her onto an animal that I have spotted by just refrencing 2 or 3 landmarks before she can find it and vice versa. If you haven't hunted with someone before it might take a bit of time for you to be able to get them to see the same animal you have spotted. Once you have landmarks so that you can find the animal again when you move the binos away from the animal that you are watching you need to be able to point it out with reference points that you can see with the naked eye. Once you have them close you can both go to the binos and use smaller landmarks to get to the animal. References can be things that are visible on a skyline, odd colored rocks, ponds, bend in a creek or river. If you spot from the same area frequently you might even consider naming some of the more noticeable landmarks. If everyone is on the same page you can relay directions to another person without taking your eyes off of your binos.
I've hunted for moose in the same area for more than 20 years and I have the advantage of knowing that area very well. I know where to expect to find moose, where they are lilely to head off to if they are pushed and how to find them again. I also have different rocks, bushes, dead trees etc. that resemble parts of animals memorized so that I don't waste time checking them out yet again to verify that they aren't animals.
If you are taking everything with you on a stalk then you just load everything up and go once you have decided on a plan for the stalk. On the other hand if you are only taking what you need for the stalk you should already have those things decided on ahead of time so that you don't start making decisions about what to take with you, in the case of moose it usually isn't all that important but for caribou and bears wasting time could mean a missed opportunity.
Gus
