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What Hunters Want |
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Troubador
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/03/2017 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 58 |
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OK guys, the question of focus speed is getting interesting.
Slow to medium / medium fast is the vote so far. Nobody wants to be overshooting focus and the focus needs to work with gloves too. We have one vote for the setting of the focus and then wanting to not have to touch it again during the hunt. Sounds like Conquest HD 8x32 would be too fast at from 2.5 miles to 3 yds in half a turn. Zeiss SF does the same in just one turn so its a mite faster than Zeiss's HT which takes 1.2 turns. Something around the SF or HT speed sounds about right for you guys and I'm guessing a fairly large focus wheel is good when wearing gloves. I find it gives greater control even without gloves. Lee |
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Canuck Bob
Optics Apprentice Joined: April/07/2010 Location: Alberta, Canada Status: Offline Points: 84 |
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I'm no expert on binos and just bought a pair of 8X30 porro cf to get into wildlife viewing please note tis in regards to my opinions.
I was a very good hunter who preferred peep sights in the boreal forest, open prairie and badlands, and the Rockie's east face and my favorite the bush in the foothills. I bought some cheap 7X35 years ago, first of three binoculars. They were porroos with a plate on the focus adjuster to make focusing easier, not my favorite feature. They supplied a need as it became necessary to judge antlers later in my hunting to decide if game was legal at a distance. My opinion since researching and buying a 8X30 porro for general use. Fine focus makes things jump out of the bush so normal focal depth is ok. 8X is my max. If I still hunted I would prefer a 7X35 or 6X30 for the 5MM exit pupil. A decent field of view is a requirement for hunting IMO. Hunting stuff to look at happens in low light. I shake too much for anything higher than 8X. My old 7X35 met my hunting needs perfectly. I once stalked and followed a grizzly and two cubs across a wide ravine for an afternoon in a high mountain saddle. Still my fondest hunting memory even though no way I would shoot her. The bidget 7X35s worked for my needs. They matched my needs. I suggest this as the main decision driving any hunter. A pair fine tuned to work in three different African nations, a possible Antelope hunt in Colorado, a coastal bear hunt in BC, etc, seems to be dubius economy. Specially if I hunt often every year in upper Michigan for deer and coyotes.
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Klamath
Optics Master Joined: May/20/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1308 |
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Lee,
Been away from here for a few days, nice to see a familiar name show up. Welcome to OT. You will not find Dennis here. I have said on BF several times that I see no basic difference between a birding and a hunting binocular. Note I agree with Bill about perceptions. Good low light performance comes in handy. I may not use it a lot, but it can be a deal maker. If in denser stuff, I tend to like a bit of a warm color balance. Otherwise I like color neutral with proper color rendition and excellent contrast. Dedicated hunting binoculars can be slower on focus than birding ones. We tend to look at that pile of brush patch over there a lot and the idea is to sort out the buck that may or may not be there. Slow focus can let you roll through the different depths somewhat easier. However the key is to use a binocular you are familiar with. I could care less about the flat field, but don't want excessive curvature or distortion at the edge either. I do a lot of birding when I'm hunting. Actions of other animals can tell quite a tale if one is observant about what is going on. You are well aware of the idea of the overall size differences of a larger vs a smaller field, and peripheral vision is pretty useful. I don't need a particularly wide field, but it is something I will take when choosing between two glasses. I want one that fits my hands and face, particularly around the eyes and one that carries well and does not weigh a lot. Weight is more important to a hunter as we tend to have more gear than a birder, or at least some birders. Cheers Steve C |
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Steve
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted". William Bruce Cameron |
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urbaneruralite
Optics Journeyman Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 479 |
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Wide FOV is the first spec. I look for. Movement when sitting in a stand needs to be kept to a minimum. Second is weight. If I am carrying a pack, a climbing stand and a rifle, I am concerned about weight. Third is low light capability as good as or slightly better than my scope.
Always have liked the idea of integral lens caps.
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Troubador
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/03/2017 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 58 |
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Hi Steve, great to meet you on here too. The main difference that seems to emerge concerns focusing speed. Based on this very small sample of replies, a modest speed of focus is definitely on the hunter's wish-list. I can understand the wish for light weight. I don't carry a scope and tripod much but often have a DSLR and three lenses as well as food and drink and wet weather gear. It all adds up so you trim it where you can. Lee |
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Troubador
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/03/2017 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 58 |
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Short, sweet and to the point. Great. Thanks for your input UR. Lee |
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budperm
Optics Retard show me your sheep!! Joined: January/01/2009 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31710 |
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Man.... first the lottery then look out mulies here I come!
Nice Buck!
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"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
--Thomas Jefferson |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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JG always seems to find some pretty nice deer. I don't much believe in luck.
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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Yeah when history repeats itself multiple times, you gotta kinda rule out luck from the equation. JG has a bad habit of stumbling onto some reallly exceptional mulies, time and time again...damn his hide... so I'm gonna say he not only knows where to find them, but makes his own "luck" once he gets there! It's uncanny how much luckier one gets the harder they work!
I had no such luck on my south TX hunt. I saw a few deer and a couple "decent" bucks that I might have shot in my usual NE TX stomping grounds, but none met the standards of an above average mature buck for that region, so I passed on them. The weather didn't cooperate either, staying in the low 80's with high winds the whole time I was there. |
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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