Glass setup for backpack hunting

[livetooextreme]

I'm putting together a backpack in rifle elk hunt in my homestate of Idaho in some steep mountain terrain. I'll probably hike about 5 miles in. Mid to late October hunt. I mainly plan on glassing from high points into burns, timber, and open mountain sides...much like the style of hunting Randy Newberg does.

What should I use for glass? Should I do like 8x binos and a spotter. Or just run 10x binos, or 12x binos and maybe a tripod and forget the spotter to save weight. Weight is a big concern of mine because these mountains are super steep. I have some entry level Leupold 10x42s (BX1s). I don't plan on trophy hunting... But it will probably need to be a mature bull to make it worth hauling it out of the country I'll be in.

Thanks in advance.

 

[CampRipleyLF]

I use 8x42, compact enough and good enough magnification to spot game. The class is mid-grade but its the best that Nikon makes. I typically bring my binoculars and a spotter to hunt mule deer and elk. I bet you could get by with just binoculars if you want but its nice to get a closer look at the animal before closing the distance and I'm not a trophy hunter! Just want something decent...

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I think you could get along with just binos, as for the power 8 or 10 would probably be fine. I would personally pack the tripod though, it makes an amazing difference.

 

[Steve O]

You don’t really need anything more than 10x binos for elk. I would not pack the spotter. I always have a tripod and lately it is a Snipe Pod Granite Peak tripod.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

With 8x or 10x binos on a tripod you can gauge elk frame size at quite a distance. If the determination you need to make is between raghorn and mature bull I'd skip the spotter. Or if you're in the mood to upgrade glass, add a doubler for a couple of ounces.

 

[livetooextreme]

You don’t really need anything more than 10x binos for elk. I would not pack the spotter. I always have a tripod and lately it is a Snipe Pod Granite Peak tripod.

Thanks for the plug on the Granite Peak tripod. I checked out the KDC website and it seems very interesting and competitively priced. Have you ever used their 3L snipepod conversion?

 

[ssssnake529]

I use an 8x32 bino coupled with the new Kowa 554 lightweight spotting scope.

The binos are great for glassing large swaths of terrain, and the spotter is good for checking out specific pieces of ground, especially wooded sections.

I used to just carry 10x binos, but I've come across too many situations where I needed more magnification. Previously, regular spotting scopes were too heavy, and lightweight spotters had poor optical quality. The new Kowa 554 made carrying a spotter (with an ultralight tripod) feasible.

 

[livetooextreme]

I use an 8x32 bino coupled with the new Kowa 554 lightweight spotting scope.

The binos are great for glassing large swaths of terrain, and the spotter is good for checking out specific pieces of ground, especially wooded sections.

I used to just carry 10x binos, but I've come across too many situations where I needed more magnification. Previously, regular spotting scopes were too heavy, and lightweight spotters had poor optical quality. The new Kowa 554 made carrying a spotter (with an ultralight tripod) feasible.

I was just going to ask if anyone has ran a "compact" spotter. Just looked at the Kowa and it's probably out of my price range. I know with glass you get what you pay for, but unfortunately I'm constrained by $$. I've heard of the Nikon 50mm Fieldscope, Minox 50mm, Leupold Goldring 50mm, Vortex Razor 11-33 50mm....has anyone had any experience with these and are they worth it? I'm surprised by how good of reviews the Minox has for being as cheap as it is....the price makes me a leery.

 

[utahminer]

I use a pair of 10x42s and a lightweight spotter (Nikon ED50) when elk hunting. The little Nikon weighs almost nothing and then I can also put my binos on the tripod, if needed. That being said, my old hunting buddy and I didnt use a spotter for a handful of years and still killed bulls almost every year. The spotter saves walking and can help make quicker decisions if you will need close distance. Another option is a pair of switch power binos. I purchased a pair of the Leupold 10 - 15x42 switch powers about 5 years ago and I love them. There is a small lever by the focus adjuster that "swings-in" a second set of lens and instanty you go from 10 to 15x. This feature helped me put off buying a spotter for a couple more years while I was saving money and can save a fair amount of weight if I dont want to take a spotter. I hope that helps.

 

[Kiwi]

I use 10x geovids and for a closer look 18x VX6 scope. Works well for me.

 

[livetooextreme]

Thanks all for everyone's input. I think I'm going to try using the following glass setup: either 8x or 10x binos, coupled with a compact spotter such as the Leupold Gold Ring 15-30x50 or the Vortex 11-33x50. This will hopefully be a compromise between saving weight and pack space and having just enough glass to hopefully save me some boot leather in these rugged mountains. I'm also probably going to get the KDC glacier tripod or their snipepod bipod/tripod conversion setup. Thanks to Steve for pointing me to KDC.

 

[1_pointer]

Might want to take a look at the Theron Saker that's for sale on here. I doubt you can find a spotter as good for the $250 that's being asked for that one.

 

[brymoore]

Elk are easy to glass. Unless you’re hunting a trophy unit, I’d skip the spotter and tripod to save weight. You’re going to meet Jesus when you have to pack a bull five miles.

 

[Josh Kuntz]

I use 10x binos and the Vortex 11-33 spotter. The spotter is certainly not top tier glass but it does the job adequately of helping me identify animals that the binos simply cannot reach. That said, if I am planning to go deep or need to move fast, the spotter often stays in the truck. I tend to agree with others that foelr elk the most important thing is having good binos and a steady way to look through them, the spotter is a secondary tool.

 

[Irrelevant]

skip the spotter. Bino's on a tripod all the way.

 

[fmnjr]

You’re going to meet Jesus when you have to pack a bull five miles.

I would so like to have this problem to deal with this year! If I'm half dead, and have killed an elk, by hunt's end....I'll be so happy. Now, don't get me wrong, shooting one nearby would be just fine, hehe.

 

[livetooextreme]

Elk are easy to glass. Unless you’re hunting a trophy unit, I’d skip the spotter and tripod to save weight. You’re going to meet Jesus when you have to pack a bull five miles.

Haha!! Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. I've packed out a large cow and a small 5pt bull. But not that far and not a mature bull. That's why I'm trying to enlist my brother and a friend to go with me. We might pitch in and rent a lama to help with packing. The area we will be in can produce some big bulls.

Thanks for the input. I'm torn and go back and forth. Last year I glassed up a group of elk from a ways off with my 10x42 Leupolds and I could make out a bull but couldn't tell how big. I put a stock on them and turned out to be a raghorn. I would have shot it, but I couldn't get a clear lane. Having said that, for this hunt coming up, I probably don't want to waste a bunch of miles, and more importantly energy, on a raghorn. I keep thinking that maybe having a little more glass may be worth it.
Hmmmm, you guys have hot me thinking though.

 

[livetooextreme]

I guess now that I think about it. Maybe one of us could carry the binos and the other the spotter to split up the weight. I guess in the back of mind i realize there may be a good chance that I'll be on my own if I can't convince a buddy.

 

[ida homer]

Hopefully you can find a buddy. Me and a buddy use to split the weight of a tripod and a lightweight spotter.

It’s just a different deal when you throw in the weight of your camp, regardless of having 27 year old legs and having played sports most of my life. I enjoy elk hunting and I enjoy backpack hunting, I also enjoy the packout, the feeling when you get back to the truck couldn’t be sweeter.

But a solo elk packout of a 6x6 bull 5 legitimate miles will take you 3 days. I’d rather not spend more days of a week long hunt packing meat than actually hunting. To me the pursuit is the best part and won’t be eclipsed by the duration packing out a raghorn. I’d make exceptions for a giant bull certainly.

For me from now on it’s a spike or a 6x6 if it’s more than 2 miles from the truck.

 

[ida homer]

Sorry got side tracked. I carry my 10’s always, sometimes my lightweight 15’s and sometimes a lightweight 15-45x spotter.

The quality of the tag determines which of the 3 I take. I usually error on the side of lighter since elk are easy to spot and heavy to pack out.