How do you use optics when deer hunting?

[goosifer]

How do you use optics (binoculars, monocular and or range finder) when you deer hunt? (I realize it is a function of where you are hunting (open fields or mountains vs thick brush or dense forest, etc.) and how you are hunting (up high from a treestand vs. still hunting on the ground, etc.)

For the area and style you hunt, how much of your time do you spend "glassing" for deer vs just using your eyes to scan? Do you scan left to right, far to near or near to far, left to right? Do you have the binoculars case strapped to your chest, or just a strap around the back of your neck? What size magnification do you use? Fixed or variable?

I understand that optics are one of many tools a hunter can use. I just want to make sure I am using them appropriately, not too much or too little. FWIW, I currently just use a 6X range finder to scan the fields from a treestand. I just bought a pair of binoculars with a variable higher magnification I want to start using. Thanks.

[ATbuckhunter]

Depends during the season. During bow season I usually just use my rangefinder to look at deer, but most of the time theyre close enough not to need it. Now during rifle season Ill use my eye and then use my scope if its needed

[ApexerER]

I hunted a lot of years without a good set of Binos. I am not sure what I was thinking. I use them all the time. I use a Bino harness and they are on my chest at all times. Even during Rifle season. I glass most of the deer I see. We have a self imposed 6 or better rule on our lease so I am usually glassing bucks if I see them and looking for antlers when they are in the thick stuff and I see movement. Although every buck I have killed with my rifle I haven't used the binos on. I just said oh, that's a good buck and got the crosshairs on them. I still use the binos during rifle season but it is more for when I see doe to try and pick out a buck that may be following or nearby. I use my rangefinder to range the trees around me and make mental notes. I also use it to range deer that I don't intend to shoot. I guess their range and see how close I am. This year was the first time I ranged a deer I intended to shoot. I had a beautiful buck come in and I was already stood up with bow in hand. I didn't want to screw anything up and he had no idea I was there so I ranged him at 26yds. I leave my single pin at 25yds so I was golden and I shot about two feet over his back. Still not sure what I did wrong and haven't had another encounter with him. I also use my binos to find out that log, rock, leaning tree, or leaf flapping in the wind that you think is a ear movement or tail flick to find out it is exactly what it is and not a deer. Oh, I also leave my range finder around my neck and once it is rifle season I take it out of the pack....

Good post, I'll be curious what others respond. 

[airedale]

When woods hunting I move around a lot so I go light and carry a pair of good quality compact binoculars no matter what game I am after, they are indispensable for identification of everything. In open country for Deer and Varmints I will sacrifice a bit of weight and carry higher power full size binoculars of good quality for the same reason as above.

Al

Edited November 20, 2019 by airedale

[Jeremy K]

I wear my binocs on a harness ,I usually don't reach for them til I see something with my eyes first.

[BizCT]

Binocs on neck. I always full scope out a rack before shooting bow/xbow/gun. I also glass time to time far away spots and sometimes catch things the naked eye wont.

[Al Bundy]

Varying opinions on this subject.  I have a rangefinder which I use quite a bit during xbow and never during gun. Me and the Mrs. Share it. What I do is pick a tree or object in each direction from where I am sitting and range it. I can use these as reference points to help judge distance. I will also range something at 40 or 50 yards so I know what my limit is. When a deer comes through I can concentrate on the deer and shooting it instead of fumbling with glass for more info.  If you are good with distances, I dont really see a need for a range finder. I am not good at distances and find this a great tool.

For binos,  I bought a nice pair of variable I think 10x a few years ago for the Mrs. as she wanted it. I have not gotten good at using them though. I do carry on a strap around my neck, when I carry it. I have not had a need to glass a deer before shooting it yet. I mostly listen and look.  However my hunting buddy constantly uses his binos and glasses like crazy. He consistently sees deer and swears by binos. Hes most times on the ground, standing, looking. Our area is fairly thick and shooting and glassing distances are well under 100 yards.  The Mrs. though hunts an open field and mostly uses the binos. For her, in the open field, she sees much further and using glass is a great tool. 

 

 

 

[BowmanMike]

I use a rangefinder for bow season,pre range trees from the stand. I have no magnification on mine,so ranging is all it is good for.

I have a pair of heavy 10x42 binos on a chest harness for bow and gun hunting. I still hunt a lot during both seasons and use the binos to check out thick stuff after scanning the area with my eyes. It also helps if you spot one deer,look for the company that is hiding close by.

I find binos are well worth the weight.

[Nomad]

Never used a range finder, I shoot my deer in bow 20 yards and under  .

Always carry binoculars, I scan from time to time, but mostly use them on deer I see out in fields , or a bit off in the woods .

[Buckmaster7600]

Very very rarely, I got a bino harness this year thinking it would be nice to have binos while tracking and I haven’t used them once so far and will likely never carry them again. I haven’t ever used a range finder on a deer and have owned one for at least 15 years.


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[The_Real_TCIII]

My binos are most important to me after a shot, I reach for them immediately (once theres no possibility of a second shot actually)

[goosifer]

Interesting. Implicitly, I was thinking about the use of optics to help me find a deer, but many people use them after they've spotted a deer. I just never really considered that aspect. For me, as I don't have depth perception, as soon as I spot a deer I grab my rangefinder, unless I had a ranged reference tree nearby.

[Al Bundy]

You know what else you could do goose. If you hunt from mostly the same few places, you can range trees or objects and spray paint them. So a tree is 20 yards away, spray paint a big 20 on it.  Get a few of these around and at least for bow/xbow should be helpful.  Wont help you see deer but hopefully will help drop them once you see them.  

[dbHunterNY]

scope to shoot. most of the time i use my rangefinder that's 6x magnification cord crossing over my left shoulder and resting on my right side. i use that all season rifle or bow. i bring 10x42 better glass nikon binos if i know i'll just be hunting watching fields for more power and brighter last light field of view. lighter than the binos too. if my dad is a snow bird and i'm hunting the farm then i might hijack his nice 12x50 vortex binos i bought him.

[Hunter007]

I use a light weight monocular .

There are always times when you want to see farther in the distance.  Especially on public land  they are  helpful to pick out the  guys  who don't use orange and avoid hunting to close to them  .

[cdbing]

I have been using a rangefinder for bowhunting for the last 10 yrs even though most of my shots taken are within 20 yds. I range trees, etc to have known distances around the stand. I don't typically range deer themselves unless I am posting or texting about the deer I saw out of range. LOL.

I use binos when scouting to reduce my impact. Haven't used binos while bowhunting and figure I am already carrying or wearing enough stuff as it is. If I were to rifle hunt, I would use binos, to look for deer, identify questionable objects, etc. but I very seldom rifle hunt. I don't like the idea of using a rifle scope to scan for deer even if the rifle does not have a round in the chamber.

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[MPHunter]

Don't use binos. I wear glasses while hunting and have a hard time using them. I hunt woods only and can only shoot out to 75 max in most spots. If I need to get a better look at a deer that is out of range, I use my rifle scope.