Time for a new spotter

[warmer]

It's time to move up from my vintage $199 Bushnell spotter. My son drew a Black Hills bighorn sheep tag and this seems like the best excuse I can come up with to justify it! The budget is $500. Before you start with the shit, I don't use a spotter more than 3 times a year, so a $3000 Swaro is out. Looking at Leupold or Vortex. Haven't had a chance to actually look thru both side by side, but that's on the agenda for this weekend.
Ok, start the beatings.
And I do have both if my eyes, but only plan on using one to look thru the spotter. Hope the Wardens don't read this.

 

[MtnElk]

I would contact @schmalts and ask him about Athleon... I love mine!

 

[perma]

It's time to move up from my vintage $199 Bushnell spotter. My son drew a Black Hills bighorn sheep tag and this seems like the best excuse I can come up with to justify it! The budget is $500. Before you start with the shit, I don't use a spotter more than 3 times a year, so a $3000 Swaro is out. Looking at Leupold or Vortex. Haven't had a chance to actually look thru both side by side, but that's on the agenda for this weekend.
Ok, start the beatings.
And I do have both if my eyes, but only plan on using one to look thru the spotter. Hope the Wardens don't read this.

Skip the Gen 1 Razor unless you get a smoking deal on one. Cheaper cost but the glass quality is not there. It’s enough to tell a cow from a bull but I had some difficult time counting points on one.

 

[ccc23454]

Just get better set of bigger binos if your not willing to spend on a kowa or swaro spotter. Good glass aint cheap, cheap glass aint worth it!

 

[trb]

What magnification are you looking for? Are you using it from a vehicle or carrying it in 5 miles?

I value lightweight for backcountry stuff, so in terms of cost/weight I have found the Kowa tsn-501 to be adequate. Compares favorably to the mid range Vortex models. Not sure it's what you're looking for if you really want to get really closeup ram photos from 1+ miles out.

 

[mtmiller]

Not what you asked for, but have you thought about renting. I don't know the best places to rent, but here was a quick search. Here is a Kowa 77mm for less than $20/day for a couple weeks. I didn't look at Swaros since the 80 was out of stock, but I am certain you can find similar rental places if you are interested in going that route. As mentioned earlier, buy a $500 spotter will probably not make you happy and not get used again any way.

If you are hunting bhs in the Hills you won't be sitting behind it much.

Congrats to your son on the tag.

 

[warmer]

Not what you asked for, but have you thought about renting. I don't know the best places to rent, but here was a quick search. Here is a Kowa 77mm for less than $20/day for a couple weeks. I didn't look at Swaros since the 80 was out of stock, but I am certain you can find similar rental places if you are interested in going that route. As mentioned earlier, buy a $500 spotter will probably not make you happy and not get used again any way.

If you are hunting bhs in the Hills you won't be sitting behind it much.

Congrats to your son on the tag. View attachment 289209

Thanks for the help. Got any smoker rams down around elk mountain? You are a fantastic photographer if I remember correctly.

 

[MaddH]

Could buy a good spotter and sell it after the hunt. Alpha glass holds its value pretty well. And yes there’s a huge difference between cheap glass and alpha glass

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I would rent.

 

[buckbull]

For a sheep hunt I would just rent the best glass I could afford; especially at the prices mtmiller is showing.

Sometimes cameralandny.com has good deals on demo models.

 

[LuketheDog]

Kowa 664 and Maven s1a

Morrison, CO Kowa is brand spanking new, it hasn't left the porch and is the 20-60x eye piece. Maven is well used but also well loved. Functions perfect, glass is perfect, exterior shows use and one spot on the sliding sun shade has a ding shown in pics. This is a fluorite spotter. Fee free...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[mtmuley]

Kowa 664 and Maven s1a

Morrison, CO Kowa is brand spanking new, it hasn't left the porch and is the 20-60x eye piece. Maven is well used but also well loved. Functions perfect, glass is perfect, exterior shows use and one spot on the sliding sun shade has a ding shown in pics. This is a fluorite spotter. Fee free...

www.hunttalk.com

That Kowa is a great deal. mtmuley

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

It's time to move up from my vintage $199 Bushnell spotter. My son drew a Black Hills bighorn sheep tag and this seems like the best excuse I can come up with to justify it! The budget is $500. Before you start with the shit, I don't use a spotter more than 3 times a year, so a $3000 Swaro is out. Looking at Leupold or Vortex. Haven't had a chance to actually look thru both side by side, but that's on the agenda for this weekend.
Ok, start the beatings.
And I do have both if my eyes, but only plan on using one to look thru the spotter. Hope the Wardens don't read this.

I have an Athlon for right around that $500 mark from schmalts here. Let me know if you want to look through it, we're in the same rough area.


I love it for the hunting I do, and I think it'll be up for a hills hunt.

 

[brymoore]

Start working at Uber/Door Dash in your spare time until you can afford a Swaro.

 

[Snowhunter11]

Leupold SX4 spotter for $599 on sale periodically. 15x45-65mm. You may not be able to count age rings at two miles.. however last weekend I watched people 2.2 mile across lake. Could see a good deal of detail. I highly recommend. My 2c

 

[perma]

That Kowa is a great deal. mtmuley

If it was angled I’d buy it

 

[FREAK]

Buy that spotter listed by @MTTW . You can’t get that setup for less than 3k. He’s giving that thing away.

 

[warmer]

Start working at Uber/Door Dash in your spare time until you can afford a Swaro.

WTF is “spare time”?