Who caries binos while rifle hunting

MT_elk said:
The question should be, who doesn't carry binos when hunting? Binos are a MUST!
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I don't here in Iowa. I bow hunt more than anything, 9 out of 10 times I am hunting I cant see more than 80 yards. If I am hunting with a gun I typically still use my scope to look at the deer weather I am going to shoot it or not. I don't hunt in areas where there are other people hunting so it isn't a concern of looking through my scope at someone.

I do carry them if I am out with my kids so I can look stuff over. The extra weight isn't need 90% of the time for what I do.
 
Binos for sure, My rifle only points at things I intend on killing and I'll assume the same about one pointing at me.
 
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I had someone scope me last fall on a WIA in Wyoming. Talk about being PO'd. The moron jumped on his UTV and was out of there by the time we made it his way. Probably just as well.
 
If the majority of your hunting is in the woods where sight distance is less than 100 yards, Binos are still a good option. You reduce eye strain, and you have a better chance of identifying your target and increasing your selectivity on critters you take. I know I've shot critters that if I had better optics, I wouldn't have taken or had misidentified the size of the rack, etc.

The pros of Binos far outweigh the cost, or the weight of carrying. That's also what is nice about a good chest pack - it distributes the weight so you don't really know it's there. The added safety of not using your scope as your scouting tool is also important to take in to consideration. I don't doubt that you've never put your scope on a human, but it only takes once, and the weight of binoculars will seem insignificant if an accident occurs.

Good luck & good hunting!
 
mtmiller said:
Those ounces add up fast trudging up the mountains of Iowa.
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Nice smart ass reply good to know you are walking with me when I am hunting. I video most of my hunts. My pack is around 30 lbs. I have taken them in with me before and I just don't use them. Sorry I am not cool like you.
 
I'm sure you get the message by now, that pointing a gun at someone isn't good, and is called "Aggravated Assault". These days, you are lucky if you only get yelled at or cursed out. You could very possibly get a few incoming rounds if you point it at the wrong person.
Please never use your riflescope as a spotting scope. Thank you.
 
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Ben Lamb said:
If the majority of your hunting is in the woods where sight distance is less than 100 yards, Binos are still a good option. You reduce eye strain, and you have a better chance of identifying your target and increasing your selectivity on critters you take. I know I've shot critters that if I had better optics, I wouldn't have taken or had misidentified the size of the rack, etc.

The pros of Binos far outweigh the cost, or the weight of carrying. That's also what is nice about a good chest pack - it distributes the weight so you don't really know it's there. The added safety of not using your scope as your scouting tool is also important to take in to consideration. I don't doubt that you've never put your scope on a human, but it only takes once, and the weight of binoculars will seem insignificant if an accident occurs.

Good luck & good hunting!
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Again I am bow hunting most the times so if I can shoot it I can tell if it is what I want to shoot.

I am going Antelope hunting and I will be taking them with me. Will also have my spotting scope.
 
maxx said:
Again I am bow hunting most the times so if I can shoot it I can tell if it is what I want to shoot.

I am going Antelope hunting and I will be taking them with me. Will also have my spotting scope.
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I was responding to Majja. Sorry if you didn't get that.
 
Ben Lamb said:
I was responding to Majja. Sorry if you didn't get that.
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No problem I mentioned that I hunt most areas that I cant see far. If I was hunting open areas with my bow I would then take them. I take to much crap the way it is and I get tired of the clutter in my pack at times.
 
Laelkhunter said:
I'm sure you get the message by now, that pointing a gun at someone isn't good, and is called "Aggravated Assault". These days, you are lucky if you only get yelled at or cursed out. You could very possibly get a few incoming if you point it at the wrong person.
Please never use your riflescope as a spotting scope. Thank you.
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This. Using a scope as a spotting implement is plain stupid. Scopes are made for sighting, binos are made for looking at or for something. Anything within that field of view on a scope is essentially in the kill zone of that rifle. A cheap bino is better than using your rifle as a spotter.

It may not be healthy to be caught scoping someone out west.
 
Agree with all the responses about not using scopes for anything but aiming where you're going to fire.

The pack I bought (cheapo brand), came with a built in bino harness on the shoulder straps. It works ok, but doesn't hold it tight to the body like my normal bino harnesses do. I haven't used a fancy one and have no complaints.
 
maxx said:
If I am hunting with a gun I typically still use my scope to look at the deer weather I am going to shoot it or not. I don't hunt in areas where there are other people hunting so it isn't a concern of looking through my scope at someone.

I do carry them if I am out with my kids so I can look stuff over. The extra weight isn't need 90% of the time for what I do.
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Please reconsider this practice. This is in direct contradiction to the four firearms safety rules that we teach in Hunter's Ed. Also, by doing this you are promoting the practice to any other hunters that see what you do (which resonates much more with them than what you say).

No one should tolerate violation of basic firearms safety rules.
 
I completely agree about carrying binos so you don't scope another hunter. Just for another point of view though, I hunt almost exclusively on my own private land where I know who is hunting and who is not and where they are. I just started using binos a couple of years ago and I will never leave the house without them again, you will see more game and you'll see even more if you mount them on a tripod. I love the KUIU chest rig, it's like they aren't even there.
 
JLS said:
Please reconsider this practice. This is in direct contradiction to the four firearms safety rules that we teach in Hunter's Ed. Also, by doing this you are promoting the practice to any other hunters that see what you do (which resonates much more with them than what you say).

No one should tolerate violation of basic firearms safety rules.
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Please explain to me how this is a violation of basic firearm safety rules. I am hunting in an area where there are no people. The deer is 50 yards away and there is a backdrop behind it.

I pull up my scope to look at said deer. Decide not to shoot and put gun down.

I don't just hold the gun up and scan the woods looking for an animal. I don't use a scope to view people houses ect. Where I am deer hunting my eyes are my best weapon to see an animal. Scanning timber with optics doesn't do much for me. I am not hunting big areas.
 
maxx said:
Please explain to me how this is a violation of basic firearm safety rules. I am hunting in an area where there are no people. The deer is 50 yards away and there is a backdrop behind it.

I pull up my scope to look at said deer. Decide not to shoot and put gun down.

I don't just hold the gun up and scan the woods looking for an animal. I don't use a scope to view people houses ect. Where I am deer hunting my eyes are my best weapon to see an animal. Scanning timber with optics doesn't do much for me. I am not hunting big areas.
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What happens when the "deer" you pull your scope up to look at turns out to be some lost guy out for a walk in a brown coat, or your neighbors livestock that got through a fence? I'm not saying it's likely to be one of those things, but I highly doubt you were 100% sure of the nature of everything you ever put your scope on.
 
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