Spotting Scopes: Observe and Sneak Up on Your Prey When It Least Expects

Hunting is a great activity that helps people connect with nature while also helping them test their skills, but they won’t be able to do the latter without the right equipment. Aside from wearing camouflage clothing, boots and a bag, you should also invest in a spotting scope.

This is literally a compact telescope that is perfect for providing high magnification for long-distance observation and looking at details at medium distances. Scopes for hunting are basically monocular telescopes with magnification between 20 – 80 times which makes them ideal for observing slower moving things.

Benefits of Having One

A man dressed in outdoor gear stands in a grassy, lightly wooded area, using a Swarovski spotting scope mounted on a tripod. He is focused on looking through the scope, which is set up under the partial shade of a tree. The background reveals a mix of trees, shrubs, and open landscape under a partly cloudy sky, indicating he is engaged in observing nature or wildlife.
source: Swarovski

Get Closer to Nature

Well, thanks to their great magnification spotting scopes will help you get closer to nature. With a tool like this, you’ll be able to see anything you like, even if it’s far away from you. Just imagine being able to see a deer or some kind of rare bird just like it’s in front of you, even if it is far away. Just priceless!!

These tools are perfect for helping you see something closer, clearer and better. Thanks to the great technology used for their creation, you’ll be also able to tell the body language it has and see whether your prey is relaxed, nervous or scared. Having a scope of this kind can certainly help you get to your prey and have a successful hunt whenever you want.

Eye Relief

When hunting, you really shouldn’t plan anything because you can’t know when the prey is going to appear. So you should prepare yourself for staring for hours in the distance through your scope waiting for it to come, and doing this can be quite tiring, especially on the eyes. Thankfully, a good and quality scope is made that way so that it won’t cause any eye strain and discomfort. Thanks to this, you will be able to get a full and clear picture without any blurriness, or eye and neck pain.

Digiscoping

Digiscoping is basically attaching your phone or any digital device with a camera to the spotting scopes to take pictures and videos while observing. Just imagine the beauty of having animals and nature sceneries captured on your phone in high-quality resolution… it’s just amazing! Thanks to this technology, you’ll be able to observe while showing your family and friends everything you have been able to see.

The Scope Numbers Explained

20 – 60 x 60

The most important thing you should know about this tool is that it has a magnification that starts at 20 and zooms to 60 times. Said in simple words, everything you see with a scope with this lens starts at 20 times larger than if seen with the naked eye, and it can zoom 60 times larger than the naked eye can see.

An important thing to know about this particular model is that it can zoom, and that is shown by the number 20 (the number before the two-second set of numbers indicates the zoom lens). The number after the X indicates the diameter of the objective lens shown in millimetres. Keep in mind that the size of the lens is important because the objective lens is the only way any light can enter the scope. Consequently, the larger the diameter of the lens, the brighter you’ll see.

8 x 25

As you may assume by now, this model has a fixed magnification of eight times, so anything you see through the scope will appear eight times larger than what you can see with the naked eye. However, keep in mind that this model comes with no zoom, so this is the largest you can see something. The 25 number indicates the lens diameter in millimetres. So, said in simple words, the first number you see is always the magnification and the second is the lens’s diameter expressed in millimetres.

What Is the Most Commonly Used Magnification For This Scope?

A collection of spotting scopes is displayed on a table set against a backdrop of rolling hills and a clear blue sky with scattered clouds. Two of the spotting scopes are mounted on tripods, standing upright, while several others lie on the table, showcasing different models and designs. The scenic landscape suggests a setting ideal for nature observation or birdwatching.
source: fieldandstream.com

Well, generally, 30 times is one of the most common fixed magnification users choose to use, however, the most common variable magnification they choose to use is between 15 and 60 times. A great tip for beginners is first to find the object with a small magnification and then change to a higher magnification in order to sharpen every detail.

An important thing you should know though is that the higher the lens of the scope, the heavier it will be. Even though any quality scope coming from trusted brands will be waterproof, when searching for the right one, make sure to have an anti-fog feature. These things are essential when outdoors under different weather conditions.

And lastly, make sure to put quality over quantity and price. The market is overwhelmed with stores claiming to give you everything for less money, but just like with everything else, you should be aware that quality things are pricier for a reason. They are made from exceptional quality materials and features in order to be durable and longer-lasting.