3 Best Spotting Scopes For The Hunters
When the animal you’ve waited years to see is in your sight, how can you make sure you’ve got the scope to spot it every time?
Finding the very best spotting scopes can arm you with the method you need to see your target in detail whether the light is failing, or you are approaching from a serious distance. Read on to find our top picks for hunters and how they can make your hunting experience easier.
Top 3 Spotting Scopes for Hunters
1. Konuspot 100 20-60×100 Spotting Scope
This scope is ideal for taking out on your hunting trips, but also suitable for birding.
It has exceptional coated optics making it ideal for use at any time of the day and in varied conditions. Fog, humidity, and even rain don’t stop you from getting a clear image.
The 100mm lens is impressive, with 20x to 60x magnification at a strong level of image quality. No matter how much you zoom in, you will see a strong contrast of colors and be able to track animals. You have an 88 feet field of view at 20x magnification, which drops to 44 feet at full magnification levels.
The Konuspot-100 is rugged, too. It has an antishock barrier in the form of a rubber casing. You can rest assured that it will stand up to the rigors of hunting.
Features include:
- Magnification/diameter: 20-60×100
- Ø Objective: 100mm
- Field of view at 1000 m (1000 yd.): 29m/88ft at 20x – 15m/44ft at 60x
- Exit pupil: 5 mm at 20x – 1.67 mm at 60x
- Weight: 74oz
- Length:19.6”
2. ZEISS Conquest Gavia 85 Spotting Scope
The ZEISS Conquest Gavia 85 is a small scope from a huge brand. ZEISS has been a big name in the world of optics for decades, and though this costs a little more it is extremely high quality, with exceptional coated optics.
Unique for its class and size, this scope offers a short close-focus designed to pick up on small targets. This makes it a great choice for hunters to pick their prey.
Even though it is small and lightweight, there is a clear and vivid lens that can provide you with a bright image at all times of the day and from all distances. The lens also has numerous digiscoping tools to connect to your DSLR camera and take photographs.
The magnification quality even up at 60x is very impressive. The images are rendered in exceptional detail meaning you won’t miss out on your target. The Conquest Gavia 85 also has a tripod plate that is widely compatible so you can connect it to a range of sturdy tripods to keep the image stable and steady.
Features include:
- Magnification/diameter: 30-60x85
- Field of view at 1000 m (1000 yd): 99ft at 30x – 69 ft at 60x
- Exit pupil: 7 mm at 30x
- Weight: 60 oz
- Length: 15.7”
3. Alpen Shasta Ridge 20-60x80 Waterproof Spotting Scopes
The Alpen Shasta Ridge is a great option for those who often go hunting in less-than-perfect conditions. It’s good for foggy conditions and it is waterproof. Even if the conditions aren’t on your side, you can enjoy the clarity of the image even at 1000 yards.
The extra-low dispersion glass and twist-up eyecup make it easy to use and give you plenty of quality and contrast, and avoid eye strain when using it for long periods of time. The optics are multi-coated, too.
Like a lot of the top spotting scopes for birding or for hunters, this has double tripod adapters. You can ensure that your Alpen Shasta Ridge fits any tripod for easy use and for panning across the landscape if you need to.
- Magnification/diameter: 20-60 x 85
- Field of view at 1000 m (1000 yd): 131- 43.5ft
- Exit pupil: 4.1-1.3mm
- Weight: 68 oz
- Length: 15.5”
Choosing A Spotting Scope For Hunters
There are some crucial considerations to ensure you get high-quality spotting scopes. Steer clear of cheap optical products with bad reviews. They can impact your vision, and it is not worth taking the risk.
Opt For a Zoom Lens
In the current market, even the mid range scopes can have brilliant lenses that have the capability to zoom. Hunters need to zoom in to track their targets. You don’t want to lose quality in the process as some cheaper lenses do. It’s crucial that even when zooming, lenses retain a lot of light, contrast, and image quality.
Lenses with at least a 60mm diameter tend to give clear images but at 85mm, even more light will be able to enter the scope. Retaining high contrast means that you will be able to see objects and animals more clearly in the distance. Moving targets will pop more out of the background. This is helpful for a hunter.
Get a Tripod (and a Tripod-Compatible Hunting Scope)
At the range, even if you have the best scope in the world, you won’t be able to capture anything if it isn’t mounted. You’re going to be zooming and tracking targets. Even tiny movements at an extreme zoom can throw off the image and make it impossible to follow an animal.
This means you need a quality tripod and a scope that can securely fit. Many of the top scopes have adapters to fit multiple types of tripods.
Consider Glass Quality
Glass quality is the most crucial consideration when you are looking to buy a hunting scope. Better glass lenses have HD or ED lenses. ED stands for extra-low dispersion which provides a great level of quality even when light is very scarce.
Glass is also coated to provide even more clarity and sharpness. Fluorite coating provides less chromatic aberration. A phenomenon that can distort the images fed into the scope.
If you are going to prioritize one aspect of the scope, make it the quality of the glass used.
Conclusion
Make sure you are never let down by your scope again. A magnifying lens with multi-coated optics doesn’t have to cost the earth. The Konuspot-100 is an example of great optics and reliable features at a reasonable price. Mount it for a secure image and snipe your target from miles away.
Distance no longer has to be an obstacle. Making the right decision on choosing the best spotting scopes means decades of reliable use. The perfect companion to help you track your targets every time.