Spotting Scope vs higher power rifle scope for backpack hunts

[sp6x6]

I was lucky and had spots I hunted for years and never saw another boot print,still have some.

 

[packgoatguy]

I get tired of these rifle safety lessons. NO one here mentioned using a spotting scope instead of a spotting scope for searching the countryside.

It seems you find game with the binos and somehow your scope has a heat seeker guidance system so nothing is ever displayed in your scope except the game animal. And I suppose you have never scoped an animal and decided, because of better glass, to pass on it.

Thank you. While I appreciate and applaud everyone's perfect track record with their hunting ethics and safety practices... it was not necessarily the point of the convo. However, the points made are apt. That said, I can see how my original comments could be easily misconstrued. I was not suggesting that I use or would use my riflescope to scan aimlessly across the hillsides, "scoping" every hunter in sight just for the fun of it. Perhaps my approach is not the same as everyone's, but I spend about 99% of my time behind my binos glassing the "big picture." When I see something of interest, I give it a second look with the spotting scope. That is not to say that this practice couldn't be slightly modified for safety purposes if all that was on hand for higher magnification purposes was a rifle scope. After all, I can tell a deer is a deer at out to 1200 yards with my 10 power binos... but I cant distinctively see antlers beyond about 500 yards without the spotter or a good scope (especially smaller "meat bucks"). The purpose of the spotting scope (and likewise a rifle scope) isn't for me to decide if a critter is a deer or a human... that is usually pretty evident with the binos and within a yardage that any glass is going to be useful.

One thought though... to the poster advocating for "self defense" if he ever gets scoped out??? Sure would have been a much sadder ending to the several other stories shared here... where other hunters accidentally scoped out another. Guess what guys... news flash.. we are all human. Mistakes happen.

 

[LeddSlinger]

So recently, I was reading reviews about a particular scope (Leupold VX6 7-42x56) and quite a few of the comments had me intrigued: basically stating that they found the higher zoom capability to be enough that they were leaving their spotting scopes at home on trips when weight mattered....

Is this a new thing? Anyone else here doing this? Essentially foregoing the spotting scope altogether, and just getting a rifle scope that can do "double duty"?

Here is the math: typical "hunting" scope (2x6, 3x9, 4x14, etc) is going to be between 10oz and 22oz. Then a typical 30, 45, or 65 power spotting scope is going to weigh in anywhere from 30 to 80 ounces for the "compact" or lightweight models. Between your hunting scope and a good spotter, that is a lot of pounds on your feet...

Instead, a scope like the Leupold gives one a 42 power zoom level, and only weighs 25 ounces. Or a scope like the "March Optics 10-60x52" only weighs 26 ounces... which would shave off a pound or two compared to the option of carrying a regular rifle scope plus a spotter.

I believe the most common approach is to have a quality set of 8-10 power binos (for wide field of view). Then a quality spotter for picking out critters that the binos quite didn't have the power for. Then a quality rifle scope for taking the shot.

I tend to only use a spotter when I need to make sure a critter is worth making a trip across some vast valley to get in on, or to count tines to verify its legality, or to pick out an ear or hoof sticking out of a stand of sage brush to identify a bedded buck... However, could this be accomplished just as well with a better riflescope?

Pros and Cons?

I would completely disagree with anyone that says a riflescope can replace a good spotting scope.

A spotting scope is much more useful in the field if you know how to use it properly. I carry a nice set of 10x42 binoculars (just purchased Leica Noctivid) for scanning mountainsides and picking out critters that are more clearly visible. I will break out the spotter (Swarovski ATX) if I see animals at ranges the binoculars cannot make out details on. But I will also sit down for long glassing sessions with my spotter scanning all the nooks and crannies and dark shadows under trees at long ranges. I have found more bedded and partially hidden animals that my binoculars missed than I can remember by spending long periods behind the spotter.

A riflescope would be ok if you only want to have a quick look at an animal you have already located with binoculars, but it would very ineffective and uncomfortable for scanning to find hidden critters.

I tried leaving the spotting scope behind a couple times over the years whike heading into the high country thinking my 4.5-30x riflescope would be good enough. Both times I ended up cussing myself for not bringing the spotter. Never again. In my opinion from many years of hunting high country in the Rocky Mountains, wide open plains, and river breaks of Montana, there is no riflescope on the planet that can replace a good spotting scope for if you want to have a higher success rate at trophy hunting.

I like doing everything possible to increase my chances on bucks like this one I took 2 years ago. A good spotting scope is an absolute "must have" in my book. I spent 4 days on this hunt and what seemed like endless hours behind my spotting scope before finally locating this Bruin in his bed then ultimately making the stock and putting him to rest. 201-2/8" B&C

 

[tmmcampbell]

One, I mentioned self defense in a legal sense. Not that I would start shooting.

Two, someone pointing a gun at me is not a mistake. At best it is gross negligence.

I stand by my two points. 1. Scoping with a rifle is dangerous. 2. I don't believe anyone should point a gun at something they don't intend to shoot. Years ago I had a hunting partner that was looking at an antelope through his scope during deer season. His story is the gun just went off. Long story short he illegally killed an antelope. I don't hunt with him anymore.

Nice buck drilldog.

 

[packgoatguy]

For those of you running all three (binos, spotter, and rifle scope) what is the optimal combo of zoom/objective diameters? (i.e., 8x binos, 45x spotter, and 18x rifle scope? or what is your preferred? assuming long range/backpacking style hunt where weight matters)

 

[Rich Coyle]

Maybe we read the op post differently. When he said,



I take trying to pick an ear or hoof sticking out of sagebrush to "mention" using a scope to search the country side.

So quite being so self-righteous about me being self-righteous .

I guess you didn't get the part where he already found something he wanted to verify.

 

[LeddSlinger]

For those of you running all three (binos, spotter, and rifle scope) what is the optimal combo of zoom/objective diameters? (i.e., 8x binos, 45x spotter, and 18x rifle scope? or what is your preferred? assuming long range/backpacking style hunt where weight matters)

That is totally a personal preference on what a person likes for magnification and might also be partly based on a person's physical fitness level.

I know people that use 8x32 binoculars and lower power 4-12x rifle scopes with small spotters in the high country. That's fine. Its whatever you are comfortable with.

I personally like higher magnification and will pack the extra weight to get the advantage it gives me on finding animals and making accurate shots. So for me, my packing optics this upcoming fall will be 10x42 Leica Noctivid binos, Swarovski ATX spotter with 65mm obj and 1.7x mag extender, and Trijicon Accupower 4.5-30x56 riflescope.

If hunting on the plains where hiking is easier and a good amount of glassing can be done from the truck, I will bring my 95mm objective for the Swarovski ATX.

 

[sp6x6]

10x32 EL,March 3-24x52,Leo 15-45x60,because its my smallest spotter,do have a 20x leo also.My next wish scope is a Kowa 554,comes in at 28 oz.

 

[Humanmack]

It's one thing to use your rifle scope to look at a what you know is a deer and decide if your going to shoot the deer. To use a scope on a rifle to point at something to identify what it is is insane. Breaks basic rule of firearm safety.

Good rule of thumb if you are a hard core trophy hunter type take the spotting scope. If your not to concerned with trophy quality leave it at the truck.

Had to chime in - using the riflescope for spotting is breaking one of The Ten Commandments of Hunter Safety and an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Had to chime in - using the riflescope for spotting is breaking one of The Ten Commandments of Hunter Safety and an accident waiting to happen.

Tell us you never looked at game and didn't shoot. Or you always know before you bring up your rifle you are going to fire?

 

[packgoatguy]

10x32 EL,March 3-24x52,Leo 15-45x60,because its my smallest spotter,do have a 20x leo also.My next wish scope is a Kowa 554,comes in at 28 oz.

I need to put my hands on a little Kowa. Ive heard good things about them. Wondering if it is good enough glass to replace a bigger scope option.

 

[LeddSlinger]

Everybody looks at animals in their rifle scope and then decides not to shoot from time to time. Any body who says they've never done that is a liar.

The morons that you see out there looking at you with a rifle barrel pointed your direction are usually not carrying binoculars either. The riflescope is their only means of magnified optics. Is it right to do that? Absolutely not, but sometimes you just cant fix stupid. I know a few people who do not carry binoculars or a spotting scope in the field, only their rifle, and they are the absolute least successful hunters I have ever met.

 

[gbett308]

Well I look through the scope. But only after scanning the area with my binos. If I see that it's unsafe then I don't point my rifle in that direction.

To be safe when using the rifle scope, unload the rifle or keep unloaded until you have a confirmed target to aim at.

 

[xsn10s]

To be safe when using the rifle scope, unload the rifle or keep unloaded until you have a confirmed target to aim at.

I don't use my rifle scope to scan an area period. There was one instance where I had a detachable scope that I removed to scan an area but found it a poor practice. So now I scan using my binos. Scanning an area for game with a binos or spotting scope is completely different scenario than scanning with a rifle/ rifle scope. Now if people like the OP want more detail on horns then yes a quality spotting scope is the best tool IMO.