I was just curious as to what everyone would say is the reasonable glassing distance with 10x42s? Of course some of it will depend on environmental conditions as well as optical quality. Let's use elk for the example and wanting to be able to know that it's a branch antler bull, also glassing off a tripod. 1000yds? Thanks! I'm interested to see what everyone has to say
Reasonable glassing distance with 10x42s
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fowladdict
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I have mid-levelish glass in 10x42. I can distinguish a branch antlered bull at 1,000 yards. A spike, prolly not.
Just measured it on OnX I know exactly where I was sitting and exactly where the bull was. 1.53 miles. Unfortunately, he was smarter than I was and gave us the slip. Obviously, I couldnt get details at that distance, but I could tell it was a branch antlered bull for sure.
noharleyyet
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Up in CO Grand Mesa country the last of October with 10/42 Pures, I could spot crystal clear Juniper and Oak Piranha for miles.
BackofBeyond
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That’s money well spent!
Hunting Wife
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Just to tell branch antlered bull? 1.5 to 2 miles pretty routinely. I don’t use a tripod- just lean back on my pack and elbows on knees. That’s in open country, and obviously not counting points and not picking out spikes at that distance.
mtnkid85
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Yea, with good environmental factors waay more than 1000yrds. 1.5-2 miles for sure, especially if you can sit and watch them, sometimes you need them to walk through an opening or for him to just turn his head.
Not that this is a particularly great picture capturing the bulls rack, but here is a image that was taken just holding my phone up to a pair of 10x Els balanced on my knee. The ridge was ~2.14miles away, theres a bull under one of the trees in the middle on the lower track. That fact that he was a branch antlered bull was obvious in the moment.
Not that this is a particularly great picture capturing the bulls rack, but here is a image that was taken just holding my phone up to a pair of 10x Els balanced on my knee. The ridge was ~2.14miles away, theres a bull under one of the trees in the middle on the lower track. That fact that he was a branch antlered bull was obvious in the moment.
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Bluffgruff
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Freehanding 10x42 razors a few days ago, I was picking up spikes and raghorns at 1.8 miles into the sun, but elk were in the shade, background was snow.
Speeddmn
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This was with diamond back 10x42’s. Could I tell there was a raghorn or bigger in there, no. I could tell there was legal elk for the unit. No one ever tells you 2.5 miles as a crow flys turns into an 11 mile hike! Hahah
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Rzrbck918
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With proper conditions, easily a mile or more.
antlerradar
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Counting points is what they make spotting scopes for.
WNC2500
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@noharleyyet Do you have any EL's? Have you compared any of the Swaro models? Were the Pures better than EL's, or SLC 's? I probably know that answer but a drastic difference??
I sooo want a pair of 12x42 Pures
I have 10x42 EL’s and I personally feel the Pures are a little better. They’re a lot more comfortable to hold too in my opinion.
I think if I was going to jump up I would get the 12x Pures
Salmonchaser
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So back to the distance question. I bought a pair of pures, they are quite extraordinary.
I can easily distinguish a good bull or from a rag horn a very long way away in good light. If the elk is standing still I can also judge a Colorado rag horn to have that five inch fifth point at about 400 at the end of the day. Here in Oregon I hunt a spike only unit, lotta of fork horns. The point only needs to be long enough to hang a ring on it. In good light at 350 I could see one clean spike while the other side was forked. That makes him legal.
I can easily distinguish a good bull or from a rag horn a very long way away in good light. If the elk is standing still I can also judge a Colorado rag horn to have that five inch fifth point at about 400 at the end of the day. Here in Oregon I hunt a spike only unit, lotta of fork horns. The point only needs to be long enough to hang a ring on it. In good light at 350 I could see one clean spike while the other side was forked. That makes him legal.
