I recently bought the Pentax 8x43 DCF SP for $429 (+s/h) from the highly regarded www.bhphotovideo.com . I've previously used (and been happy with) the Pentax 10x50 DCF WP, but I'm now hunting in closer settings like those you describe. The 8x43 have a "relative brightness" of 29 and an exit pupil of 5.4mm vs. 25 and 5mm for the 10x50, so they should be even better in low light. They're also an inch shorter and 18% lighter.

Jim