^^^ Lot of wisdom right there. I started with a cheaper spotting scope that went up to 60x and the optics sucked. I took it back to the gun store and ordered a Leupold gold Ring spotter from 12-40x and haven't looked back since (no pun intended). As I get older, I've found that there really is no substitute for good glass. Easier on the eyes and you see more with it. I hunt mostly local with much shorter distances (usually under 300 yards) but am very curious about what it's like hunting in Wyoming and what works well there.
For the OP, let us know what you decide on and how well it works. From your description above, it sounds like you're doing something similar to the Coues deer hunters. Here's a link to an older article (2015) that discusses the differences and advantages of 12x versus 15x for spotting and hunting animals at longer distances.
https://gilavalleyoutdoor.com/1215-h...ging-the-game/