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Spotter for my situation

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outdoorAg View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: February/16/2007
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    Posted: February/28/2007 at 18:04

I will be hunting whitetail with a 4.5-14x44 Conquest on a .270wsm. A lot of my afternoon hunting takes place laying prone in tall grass on the edge of a wheat field. I decided not to go with a 6.5-20 var power scope because I didn't want to be so limted on my FOV and a deer at 25 yards looks terrible at 6.5 power! So for looking out into those longer distances in the field, I need something compact and light weight that I can carry with me. Something I can put in my pack with a small tripod (6in or so since I will be laying down), and set up next to me as I look out across the field and into the tree line surrounding it. I don't need this for any other reason. I'm not a bird watcher or a sky gazer and I won't be needing to see the holes I punch in paper at long distances. This is a pure hunting spotter.

 

Now I like the price and specs on the Leo Gold Ring 15-30X50mm. Light and Compact (11') and water/weather resistant. Any others I should look at? Price wise, I would love to keep this purchase around the $400 mark. Thanks for the help OT members.

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anweis View Drop Down
Optics Master
Optics Master


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/28/2007 at 18:52

You are right on the mark, go for it. I would have bought that small scope myself, but i needed something on top of a stick (monopod) so i got an angled scope. The GR miniscopes are very good. At $700 you can get a Nikon Fieldscope 50mm with 13-30 eyepiece - this thing is good enough to take on the hunt of your life to find mountain sheep or such. It is better than the Leupold.

 

If you want to see more/better with the 50mm spotting scope than with your rifle scope, you will need to give that baby some good support. A backack, or better yet, a compact Manfrotto tripod (they cost about $200 and are about 5 lbs.). But, the smallest tripods are too small for you to use when standing (unless you are 4 ft. tall).

Another option would be a $70 monopod - some of them extend 6 ft.

If you handhold that spotter at 15x you will not see much more than through the riflescope. At 30x you will see just shaky glimpses of hoofed critters.

 

Now, i would think that  for judging deer up to a few hundred yards you need a good pair of binoculars rather than a spotting scope.  



Edited by anweis
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outdoorAg View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: February/16/2007
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote outdoorAg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/28/2007 at 19:47
I should have clarified... I will be laying down - prone position, in these fields. Thats why I mentioned a short tripod. Gun will be sitting on a bipod.
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silver View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/28/2007 at 21:32

 

 

You can get some very solid and nice stuff for around 700 dollars.  I say that because I don't want you to through throwing good money after bad.  Bushnell and Nikon as some ok stuff in your price range. These are the only two that I would look at in that price range.  The other stuff just is not clear enough.

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lucznik View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/01/2007 at 09:07
Originally posted by silver silver wrote:

Bushnell and Nikon as some ok stuff in your price range. These are the only two that I would look at in that price range.  The other stuff just is not clear enough.

 

I don't agree.  While Nikon and Bushnell both have offerings at the quoted price limit that are very nice, (NIkon's Sky & Earth, Prostaff, and Spotter XL and the Bushnell Elite and/or Legend being the top contenders,) they are by no means the only decent/acceptable glass. For example:

  • The aforementioned 15-30x50 Leupold Gold Ring is a wonderfully clear spotter.  (The 10-20x40 Leupold is also a fantastic little unit that performs all out of proportion to its miniscule size.)
  • Kowa makes their 504 model which gets very good reviews - as do most of their scopes.
  • Vortex has their Nomad which, by all accounts is a great piece of glass.
  • Pentax has a new PF63 and although I've not yet seen one yet, their reputation for offering superior optics at great prices alone makes it worth consideration.

 

What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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outdoorAg View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote outdoorAg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/01/2007 at 11:15
Thanks for the input guys. Like I mentioned above, this is a spotter that I need to carry in my pack, sit on the ground next to me on a small tripod of some kind - like 6 inches or so - because I will be laying on the ground with my rifle on a bipod. This way I can use the spotter to glass the deer on the field. Minimal movement by using the spotter plus not having to throw a huge scope on the rifle are the main reasons I want this. I'm leaning towards the 15-30x50 Leo Gold Ring. I need to go hold that one, and its smaller counterpart in my hand. Don't think i will go with the 10-20, as my scope is going to be 4.5-14.

Lucznik - thanks for the recommendations. I will take a look at those as well. Just need something compact and small to carry with me, sit in the rain if I'm in the rain, get beat up in my pack, ect.
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anweis View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/01/2007 at 11:59

Originally posted by outdoorAg outdoorAg wrote:

I'm leaning towards the 15-30x50 Leo Gold Ring.

That is the one that fits your intended use perfectly. It will be a bit tricky to find the right tripod, i guess the ones called "table top" may work, but the height of your eyes when prone and the height of the tripod should match more or less. Don't forget about the height of the grass, you don't want to spend $500 only to end up looking at the bluestem 2 feet in front of you.



Edited by anweis
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outdoorAg View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote outdoorAg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/01/2007 at 12:12
Anweis - I think it is perfect as well. Compact, light weight, plenty of power. No need for more that will sacrifice on the size of the spotter. Good point about the grass. I ran into this with a scoped rifle as well. I usually just mat down some of the grass in front of me, leaving the grass on my sides and behind me. Still provides plenty of cover from my movements.
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