How far are you guys glassing game?

[180ls1]

Doing a little E-scouting for my upcoming (hope I draw) colorado deer hunt and realized I've never kept track of how far I've picked up animals. Obviously, a yellow late-season bull can be seen a long way off but how about a buck? I know it GREATLY depends on terrain, animal, snow, glass, stabilization, + other factors but I'd love to hear your input and discussion around the topic for most guys who run binos, spotters, and tripods.

I am looking for input like "I can consistently glass bucks at 1 mile." Not so much like what was your world record in perfect conditions, but please share any and all of it.

 

[Lungpopper]

You’re going to get a variety of answers.
For me it’s dictated by the terrain.

 

[HATCHET1]

Depends on where the road is...

 

[180ls1]

You’re going to get a variety of answers.
For me it’s dictated by the terrain.

Want to throw a number on it? 2,500 yards on an average d16 day?

 

[QuailSlayer]

Doing a little E-scouting for my upcoming (hope I draw) colorado deer hunt and realized I've never kept track of how far I've picked up animals. Obviously, a yellow late-season bull can be seen a long way off but how about a buck? I know it GREATLY depends on terrain, animal, snow, glass, stabilization, + other factors but I'd love to hear your input and discussion around the topic for most guys who run binos, spotters, and tripods.

I am looking for input like "I can consistently glass bucks at 1 mile." Not so much like what was your world record in perfect conditions, but please share any and all of it.

Like you mentioned, a lot depends on factors such heat waves, terrain, etc. I’m reaching out to 6 miles regularly with my 65mm HD spotting scope (w/tripod) from the house. And with snow on the ground it’s a lot easier viewing at those distances. Maybe a couple of miles with handheld binos (no tripod) but I can still reach out to ~ 5 miles w/the binos w/snow on the ground. But again, this is LONG range spotting, at least for me, for the above. Obviously won’t have great detail on a buck or bull.

Here is a pic from a couple of weeks ago from my house (and through a window) looking at the top of a ski chairlift using my spotting scope and a phoneskope attached to my phone…12.8 miles away as the crow flies.

For your comment about “consistent at 1 mile” would generally be yes. But the heat waves and mirages are the enemy sometimes. Good luck and keep us posted on what you end up with.

 

[Lungpopper]

Want to throw a number on it? 2,500 yards on an average d16 day?

Most of the 16 I’ll glass from 1,200 yards in. There are places that you can glass out further.

 

[ilovesprig]

Adam,

These pix are from X9-A...The deer in this bowl are at least a mile away...With the 10x42 Swaro's I could see deer, but I had no idea what they had in the way of bone...With the Vortex 15's, you could...X9-A is a glasser's dream.

 

[Lungpopper]

This was in AZ. Couldn’t find any bucks. But glassed up some Does out at 1,800 - 1,900 yards.



Last trip to New Mexico. Cows at 850.

 

[HATCHET1]

1/2 mile..ended up smoking him at 489..turn it up...light work..oh ..and they real small targets..really small..love me a good vapor trial..smells like..... Victory!

 

[HATCHET1]

I got kill videos for days at various distances ..Days I tell ya!! ..I will say...and I tell about 20 people this every year.. the first shot is always your best shot and easiest....so make it count.. regardless of distance ...I hate whitey .

 

[Lungpopper]

Truduct glassed this one up at .78 miles (1373) yards away. I was going to keep an eye on it for him. He killed an easy one while working his way over there.
Sooo I had to go kill it.

 

[180ls1]

Thanks, guys! What do you think about this spot? Lost of oak brush in the 2,000 - 2,500 range.

 

[Lungpopper]

Lot of country to glass. Is that pretty much south facing slopes ?

 

[180ls1]

Lot of country to glass. Is that pretty much south facing slopes ?

Yup, nailed it. Essentially perfectly south facing.

 

[TRICER]

1 mile with the 15s for sure. Problem with big glass is you can glass really far. It’s like your eyes are bigger than your stomach stuff. Glass animal up and it can take you hours to get there.

 

[baboltin]

It isn’t uncommon for me to glass up sheep at five miles as a crow flies. Sometime I have even spotted them 7 plus miles, but when I have it was with a btx/mag/115mm set up so my field of view is narrow but I can see extreme detail at distance for long times without any eye fatigue.

 

[BOWUNTR]

Miles... Ed F

 

[HATCHET1]

Days really.....

 

[sportyg]

This was in AZ. Couldn’t find any bucks. But glassed up some Does out at 1,800 - 1,900 yards.



Last trip to New Mexico. Cows at 850.

LOL 850yds away and they already knew you where there.