Ep. 137 | Glassing 101 - More than Meets the Eye

[@joelp492]

I request "Glassing 102" for long range/ELR for reading wind speed/direction with a guest like Emil Praslick

[@VortexNation]

Noted!

[@Midnightrider1177]

So, not the most experienced hunter in the world, but all my hunting has been “out west” I’ve only ever used the 10x42 vipers and last season hunting elk and deer all over the state of Utah, I never even had the chance to bust out my 20-60 viper spotting scope, which surprised me greatly.

[@vincegordon6830]

Great video!

[@steffen707-]

Oh man, one handed texting, great tidbit at 1:17:30 I was the king of texting on my blue Motorola V262. Never lit matches in class, but I appreciate the extra insight into your personalities.

[@24kachina]

I hunt in Southern AZ. If you're just glassing from a fixed spot, put 12 or 15s on a tripod. Have 8 or 10s on your neck and use a walking stick monopod to scan around. And when walking and stalking, always have your walking stick/monopod and use it to rest chest binoculars. Make sure stick is tall enough that you don't have to bend or hunch over. I have a classic Stoney Point walking stick with a v notch top. I have to place the tip on the top of my left boot toe for optimum height.

[@steffen707-]

I'm totally using the "cap for stability" trick during my U. P. TURKEY hunt 2022

[@teampyle9835]

I'm the "less is more kind of guy" Less magnification = more field of view and usually better image quality. I usually hunt desert and I have yet to bring binoculars. My 2 tools I bring are a 4x range finder, which is good for quick glossing and ranging, and I bring my viper 15-45x spotting scope. And depending on how aggressive I want to hunt I will sometimes leave the spotting scope at Camp lighten the load.

[@ronws2007]

I have the Diamonback HD 12x50. Works fine for what I am doing, which is not very far. And I have the Vortex Ranger 1300 range finder. Also works for the distances I deal with. In fact, I have used it at a gun range to very 100 yards (ish). And that is farther than some of the spots in my hunting area (30 - 50 yards.)

[@johnandrosemarywyatt977]

For me, I find the directional arm on a tripod works best when it's pointed at me because when it's out front it's harder on my shoulder. When it's toward me, I can hang my arms down and close together so I'm not fighting gravity.

[@keithe2714]

Look close first. Use a Primos trigger stick great for placing binos on the top as you still hunt or sit.

[@brenn330]

I think we need a sasquach roar on the sound board

[@VortexNation]

Agreed - will bring this up to MC Ryan :)

[@Just_Samson]

Great vid. Only have two questions: 1. Is that a Tupac sticker on Ryan’s coffee tumbler? 😂 2. What’s on that Steamdeck? 🤔 😆 appreciate you guys

[@jesselost05420]

I think 12x50s and a spotter are best combo for western hunting in my experience. 10x42s are lacking a bit in my opinion (I have both). Plus you get more out of them on a tripod. The weight difference is not enough to go with the 10s in my opinion. If you worried about your spotter weight, time to lose some pounds off your stomach or pack less food haha.

[@ABa40032]

Awesome video, guys. I'm planning my first hunt out west (from PA going to Montana) and am wondering if I can get away without a spotter since I have the 5-25x50 Viper PST on my rifle. I also have 8x40 binos and my hunting partner has 12x50 binos. Is the spotter still necessary since I have a 25 power rifle scope? Also, since its our first hunt out west we probably won't be super picky. Thoughts?

[@ABa40032]

To clarify, I would never scan or grid search with a rifle scope.... but once I see a deer in the binos, my thoughts are to get a closer look with the rifle scope. Will this work?

[@VortexNation]

As you’ve already pointed out, one of the biggest issues that would come in to play is the fact that your riflescope is attached to your rifle, so it would require you to point your gun at stuff to get a closer look. If you’re absolutely sure it’s a deer and in a safe spot, then that’s totally fine, but in the situations that will arise where you’re not totally sure, pointing your gun at an unknown object certainly isn’t “ideal”. The binos you guys have between you will do a great deal of the work for the most part. A spotter can be nice, but unless you need to be really picky about which animal to go after or you’re hunting some tricky critters in some tough terrain (Like Coues deer in AZ, for example) then you should be able to get enough info with the bino’s alone to do what you need to do. What will you guys be hunting for and approx what side of Montana?

[@ABa40032]

@@VortexNation thanks for the response! We are looking at mule deer hunting in eastern Montana but also keeping the Dakotas in mind to cut down on driving and have more time to hunt. As I've never been west of the Mississippi, I am wondering how far the the typical glassing distances would be. Any thoughts on that? Or is it more of a case like Jim mentioned where you can see forever and you just glass areas where you can reasonably put a stalk on a deer?

[@VortexNation]

@@ABa40032 Of you're in Western SoDak, the terrain can be pretty hilly and thick with trees, so it's quite possible your glassing distances won't be that far - either within a few hundred yards or maybe across a valley to another hill in some pockets of trees, but still nothing crazy. In some of the more vast and open areas, it's quite likely you'll see further and be able to identify deer, but indeed, sometimes just because you can see deer doesn't mean you're in the right position, or THEY're in the right position for you to start making a stalk. Since you haven't been out there before, it's really best to probably go with the gear you've got, as it should reasonably get the job done, and then take inventory of what you had that worked, what you had that didn't work, and what you didn't have that you would really love to bring in the future.

[@eggbert191]

Relistening to the podcast but maybe I missed it. What do I want to see as far as the image? 2 separate images? Overlapping in the middle a bit? Or do I want my binos set so I see the 2 images on top of each other?

[@VortexNation]

You should basically see one image - the two should match up nicely to the point that you might be able to tell it's two images, but they shouldn't interfere or distract from one another. If it's really off-feeling, then either you may need to adjust the binos at the hinge, or your binoculars may have just lived a well-used life and need to come in for a tune up and re-alignment (Which we do for free) and then they'll be good as new!

[@jamesepler7156]

Team hunting. A division of labor, a division of equipment. Most important equipment; Knife, then rifle and solid third is binoculars. Every person should have these things if they leave their homes. On their person or in their vehicles.

[@thegreatwhitehunter105]

thermal imagers would work. The ones that my dad used back in the 1980's could spot a gopher from across an airfield.

[@CHAD-RYAN]

One of my fav things to do is use binos to look into tide pools.

[@thedirtygot9570]

My dad didn’t believe in my brand new 10x50’s in the early 80’s 8x32 is all you need he said! We would be glassing and within 5 minutes I would hear “John” let me them 10’s😂😂

[@bigfastdodge]

Tripods are cool but what about a good quality lightweight monopod? I like to use my binos on a shooting stick with my adapter so I don't have to carry a tripod

[@danielscott6909]

Thw different applications for a range finder would be my request

[@cpakkala]

Can't stand spotting scopes; give me an instant headache. Like you guys were saying, comfort is important, otherwise you just not going to do the glassing that you should be doing. I use quality 15x56 binos as a complete replacement for spotting Scopes and I've never found them to be lacking anywhere in California.

[@17hmr243]

a show on disabled shooters / hunters who cant walk far please

[@pauli2559]

Sporting scope stable mounts.

[@MindbodyMedic]

Have you guys commented much on big eyes?

[@steveneal8247]

Scatter graph

[@michaelgonzales2057]

He said " big knockers" 😂😂😂

[@17hmr243]

50:00 same at the range people who cant call by the clock 10ock 3" out ---- 7 ock 4" out

[@JacobTerherst]

PRS glassing.

[@JacobTerherst]

PRS glassing.