good binuculars for white tail deer
 

I am looking for a good pair of eyes for deer hunting I have a pair Bushnell 10x42 but they are not very strong what exactly is the step up from that. Thanks

In what type of terrain do you hunt (dense woodlands, open fields, etc.), and how far do you need to see? What is your budget? You will probably get better responses if you narrow it down a bit. Some of the "experts" on internet sites (like this one) are pretty rough on fairly new posters that ask vague questions, others will be genuinely helpful but could use some quidelines for their recommendations.

I never felt the need to use more than 8X binoculars for whitetails, but I don't shoot over large crop fields.

The guy that posts here as OpticsCamp (although a dealer himself) seems to be a straight shooter.

Mostly wooded area and some open fields maybe 300 yards at the most is southern whitetail just some cornfields or greenfields. Maybe 150 dollars. Thanks buddy for the advise

[QUOTE=worth13;4105739]Mostly wooded area and some open fields maybe 300 yards at the most is southern whitetail just some cornfields or greenfields. Maybe 150 dollars. Thanks buddy for the advise[/duplicate

10x42 should be ideal for the type of hunting you are doing. I personally do not like Bushnell optics as I do not think they give the clarity other brands give.

A good step up would be a set od 10x42 Minox.

$150 is a tough price point for a significantly better set of binoculars. I have seen a few models in the $200 range that are better, and it is no trouble to get a fairly good set for somewhere around $300. If you can scratch up another few bucks to add to the budget you will have a much wider selection.

Nikon makes a good value binocular for hunting.

You can pick up a pair of 10x42 Minox for $119 which are a VERY good quality set of Binos. I have compared them to my set of Lecia 10x42 and found them to be lacking some what but there is a $1900 dollar difference in price. Would I turn around for the difference in price again? NOPE!

http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/minox.pl?page=62173





But I am sure your still asking the question what is the next step up right?

Everything optics comes with not only a price but a compromise.

The Compromise is size and weight and the users ability to hold them steady.

The next "logical" step up is going to be a set of 12x50.

While not nearly as compact you gain quite a bit more power and quite a bit more field of view. Much harder to hold steady which is a huge drawback and when it comes to hardwoods hunting and short range to medium range work the exessive power detract from the ability to use them.

Generally speaking 12x50 and up work best when mounted on a bipod or on a tri pod.

A decent set of 12x50 that are close to your budget are Nikon Extreme

http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/minox.pl?page=62173

Be sure to check with Opticscamp to see what he might have as he always has some deals floating around.

i just dont see the need for 10 or 12x binos in wooded areas and 300 yard fields. Your field of vision is going to be super small, i would say 8x at the most and probably 6x would serve you better. Ive got a some steiners in 8x that i like alot.

I have used 10X42 Redfield Rebel binos mule deer hunting, glassing 300-400 yards across canyons with no problem. I bought them on sale for $100 with an additional $25 rebate that brought the costs down to $75. I think they have a rebate deal going on now.

Sounds like 8x42 is where you need to be. Higher magnifications limit field of view and make it harder to keep a steady picture (more magnification = more shakiness). You don't need anything over 8x for 300 yards. Most guys prefer 8x over 10x, and anything 12x or above will get progressively more useless since they'll be heavier, have a smaller FOV, and require a tripod.

You also have to consider waterproofing and fogproofing. I don't think a serious hunter should have something in the field that isn't nitorgen purged. Blurry optics are useless, you're carrying a piece of gear you can't use.

But for $150, you're limited. Generally, you really don't start seeing quality glass and components until you pass the $200 mark. You can find an 8x42 for that price, but you'll get a lot more value by increasing your budget.