What spotting scopes and tripods are you guys using? I am looking for something in the $1,000 range for judging deer out to 500 yards or so. Straight eyepiece because I don't do much mountain hunting so looking up won't happen often.

For that price range cant go wrong with: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-viper-hd-15-45x65-straight.html

That's pretty much what i was thinking. I'd love to go Swaro, but that's not happening for a few years !

nealan said:

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That's pretty much what i was thinking. I'd love to go Swaro, but that's not happening for a few years !

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there's a guy on texasbowhunter selling one in mint condition for $425 right now


https://www.texasbowhunter.com/discussions/forums/forum/topics/classifieds/26837689-mid-range-spotting-scopes-mint-cond-priced-to-sell-vortex-hd-and-athlon

I wonder if this guy has references??? !!!

Great deal if so.

I guess you have to have an account to view? Takes me to a login page

nealan said:

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I wonder if this guy has references??? !!!

Great deal if so.

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he's an actual sponsor of the site and has been on there forever so he's legit. I think the classifieds section is the only one you have to have an actual account to access but it is free. Looks like it is in great shape. Still in the box and everything.

What size are you thinking?

I've got a Vortex Razor 20-60 that I carried for seaso . After, I added an 11-33 since I'm pack hunting out west and the smaller scope provided enough magnification with a significantly smaller size/weight.

I like the wider pov I get with the smaller scope and I can still size whether something is a big enough buck to pursue. I do however miss the ability to count the whiskers on a deers face with the 60x zoom.

I'm looking more in the 20-60 range.

I'm trying to get registered to have a look at it!

What objective size are you wanting? If you don't know, then will you be carrying your spotter a long distance, or will you just be shooting from a blind? Do you have, or are you willing to buy a good tripod? This matters if you are wanting something with a very high magnification.

C

I was going to suggest watching Rokslide classified as well.

Mostly judging deer from a blind, but it would be nice to be able to carry it on an elk or mule deer hunt out west some day. I think I will definitely need some type of tripod

I have two SLIK tripods, one with a fluid head. On two Canadian Rocky hunts I used three hiking sticks for tripod and worked like a champ. I wanted to reduce weight. I run a Swaro scope.

Son runs RRS tripod and it's awesome but both expensive and heavier than my Slik.

I've never shopped for tripods. So I have a lot to learn there

Have not been to one in years, but Hunters Extravaganza is coming up soon. There could be some optics vendors there that might shed some light on equipment. Just a thought.

nealan said:

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Mostly judging deer from a blind, but it would be nice to be able to carry it on an elk or mule deer hunt out west some day. I think I will definitely need some type of tripod

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If judging from a blind, then any good 60 to 85mm scope from within your very doable budget and from a decent manufacturer such as Vortex, Nikon, Leupold will work. Personally, I like the Pentax scopes paired with their XW fixed focal length eyepieces. Fixed eyepieces will give you a wider, brighter, and sharper image when compared to zoom eyepieces in the same product line. They are usually lighter in weight too, although that won't matter to someone scoping from a fixed position. A PF-80ED paired with an XW20 eyepiece will give you a wonderful image. Even their 65mm scope body with an XW20 works extremely well. I only use the XW20 on our PF-65ED angled body scope, and it works amazing well.

Right now on Amazon you can find a PF-80 with their higher-level SMC zoom lens (they make two different line of eyepieces) for $999. This is for the angled version though, but do consider that an angled scope will allow you to shorten the overall height of the tripod, thereby making it more stable. Also makes it a heck of a lot easier to view upwards, when that occasion eventually arrives. This is the lens that came with our PF80ED, although to be honest I actually use the XW 20 from our PF65 on it more often than not. Just remember that if going this route, it is the SMC EP you want, and not the other one. And by some chance you did get the PF-80 w/SMC on Amazon, make sure it is indeed the SMC EP and not the other zoom lens when it arrives.

That being said -- since you also mention western hunting, you might consider the Nikon Fieldscope ED50 with the 27x Wide DS fixed focal length eyepiece. Lots of hunters who lug their equipment up and down mountains swear by these. When people first pick them up, they don't believe that the light weight could produce a good image, then they are blown away at how good the image turns out. Just be aware that Nikon makes a number of eyepieces for this model, but it is only the 27x DS EP that is worth buying. The DS eyepiece is not easy to find, but they are out there, and can be found used as well. The "DS" stands for "digiscoping", and you can tell a DS eyepiece from a normal EP by the large bezel around the ocular lens. Just look at pictures of their various EP's and you will see what I mean. This combination makes for a phenomenal optical tool that is small and light enough for you to have with you at all times. During the Spring and early Summer, I keep ours in my truck, where it hardly takes up any space.

Vortex makes a 50mm scope too, but I've not used one. They do however seem to have a very good reputation.

C

Thanks I will check them out as well!

Quality of glass over magnification.

A 30x with really good glass will allow you to see better and farther than a 60x with mid grade glass that doesn't have good clarity.