{"id":829,"date":"2023-10-11T19:51:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T19:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/?p=829"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:35:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:35:59","slug":"best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Binoculars for Hunting Out West"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west\/#Best_Binoculars_for_Hunting\" >Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west\/#Best_Binoculars_for_Hunting_Out_West\" >Best Binoculars for Hunting Out West<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west\/#Great_Low_Light_Performance_-_Best_Binoculars_for_Hunting\" >Great Low Light Performance - Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west\/#Ruggedness_Weather_Resistance_-_Best_Binoculars_for_Hunting\" >Ruggedness & Weather Resistance - Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west\/#Lightweight_-_Best_Binoculars_for_Hunting\" >Lightweight - Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west\/#Tripod_Adaptable_-_Best_Binoculars_for_Hunting\" >Tripod Adaptable - Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Binoculars_for_Hunting\"><\/span>Best Binoculars for Hunting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The best <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" title=\"binoculars\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/binoculars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"965\">binoculars<\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-legend-of-the-winchester-model-70\/\">hunting<\/a> out west have a higher magnification as well as a list of other qualifications to help you spot more elk, antelope, or mule deer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Years ago I had the good fortune of going on my first elk hunt at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrawc.org\/wc-experience\/hunts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NRA Whittington Center<\/a> in northern New Mexico. I\u2019d been sent there by my then-employer <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sporting Classics <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">magazine to cover the Center\u2019s 40th anniversary. The hunt was a bonus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thinking back to the preparation aspect of the trip, there was a lot of discussion about the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/using-the-toric-15x56-in-the-field\/\">rifle<\/a> and the ammunition. Some of the senior editors who\u2019d been on many successful <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/spotting-scope-vs-high-power-binoculars-whats-the-right-tool-for-the-job\/\">western hunts<\/a> even suggested boots and clothing layering systems. They also stressed the fact that I\u2019d enjoy myself much more if I went into the hunt with strong lungs and legs. But I can\u2019t for the life of me recall a single discussion on optics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I guess it was already assumed that I had a <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" title=\"scope\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"966\">scope<\/a> on my rifle that was \u201cgood enough.\u201d And since binoculars were never mentioned and I didn&#8217;t know any better, I headed west with the 8x I use to deer hunt in the thick eastern hardwoods. Needless to say, they didn\u2019t perform well, mostly because the magnification was too low. Here is what I learned from that trip and several subsequent adventures about what makes up the best <a title=\"Setting up your TRACT Optics Bino Chest Pak\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/videosview\/setting-up-your-tract-optics-bino-chest-pak\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1646\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">binoculars for hunting<\/a> out west.<\/span><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-839 size-large\" title=\"Best Binoculars for Hunting Out West\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Best Binoculars for Hunting Out West\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/07\/Tract-Texas-Lifestyle-1604.jpg 1700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>High magnification <a title=\"Understanding Turkey Behavior\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/understanding-turkey-behavior\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1459\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">binoculars are a critical part of a successful hunt<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><h2><\/h2><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Binoculars_for_Hunting_Out_West\"><\/span><b>Best Binoculars for Hunting Out West<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">First and foremost, the best binoculars for hunting out <a title=\"Choosing the Best Rifle Scope for Deer Hunting\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/choosing-the-best-riflescope-for-deer-hunting\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1242\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">west have long-range performance with a wide field of view<\/a> that allows you to pick out well camouflaged animals in vast terrain must be built into the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/understanding-turkey-behavior\/\">binocular<\/a>. My guide at the Whittington Center had an extra 10x <a title=\"Versatility of the TRACT Bino Chest Pak\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/videosview\/versatility-of-the-tract-bino-chest-pak\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1616\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">binocular that he allowed me to use during the hunt<\/a>. And while 10x definitely works, I\u2019d get my hands on the more optimal <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/all-products\/12-5x50-binoculars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">12x binocular<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Out on the plains, high magnification in your binocular can be the difference between putting a lot of time and energy into stalking a 65-inch pronghorn rather than a world-class 80 incher. You ought to be able to define the characteristics of the animal before making the decision to go after it. Only a binocular with high magnification will allow you to do that.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Great Low Light Performance &#8211; Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was warm for October in northern New Mexico. The first three days we didn\u2019t see many elk. The ones we did spot were at the edges of the dark timber at first light and last. This is why you need a binocular with great low-light performance. Whether you\u2019re considering a <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/all-products\/10x50-binoculars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10x<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/all-products\/12-5x50-binoculars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">12x<\/a>, go for a <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/all-products\/10x50-binoculars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">50mm objective lens<\/a>. The combination of superior light-transmitting glass and a larger objective lens will allow you to pick up more animals as they move between feeding and bedding areas at dawn to dusk.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/><\/span><b>Ruggedness &#038; Weather Resistance &#8211; Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ruggedness and weather resistance will always be high on the list of most important factors when it comes to the best <a title=\"Our Top Tips for Glassing Terrain\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/our-top-tips-for-glassing-terrain\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1129\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">binoculars for hunting<\/a> out west. The western terrain is tough, so your equipment should be too. In the mountains, especially in the fall, the weather changes every hour. It\u2019s not an unusual occurrence to watch a snow storm blow through a warm, sunny day at 8,000 feet. A binocular that\u2019s both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=at5glI2qPLA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">water and fogproof<\/a> with argon gas and sealed with o-rings will provide you a tool that will function in all conditions.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A binocular built with a magnesium alloy body is about as durable as it gets. Wrapped in rubber armor and your glass is protected even if you slip and fall right on top of them. Oftentimes, the terrain is steep and footholds uncertain. Especially in the heat of the moment when you\u2019re trying to get set up on a big bull or buck.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/at5glI2qPLA\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p><h3><\/h3><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Lightweight &#8211; Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Magnesium alloy is also super lightweight, which allows you to hold the binocular steady for longer periods of time. While we\u2019d always suggest using a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/accessories\/binocular-harness-s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">harness<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to evenly distribute the weight when you\u2019re spending days in the woods, a lighter binocular won\u2019t hurt your neck or traps in the event you\u2019re having to move quickly over rough ground.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Tripod Adaptable &#8211; Best Binoculars for Hunting<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you\u2019re hunting out west, plan on spending a lot of time behind the binocular. There is the element of luck that puts you in range of an animal on the first morning. But most often, at least one or two days are devoted to scouting and glassing. Using a quality lightweight <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/accessories\/carbon-fiber-tripod-with-pan-head\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">tripod<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> along with a binocular <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/accessories\/binocular-tripod-adapter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">tripod adapter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> will take stress off your body and allow you to glass for extended periods of time. <\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And there is the \u201chuman tripod,\u201d described by TRACT co-founder Jon Allen, where you sit as low as possible, move your hands to the ends of the objective barrels, and pull your elbows into your chest. A solid foundation and less shake will allow you to see more game more often.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-835 size-large\" title=\"Best Binoculars for Hunting Out West\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/12.5x50-Field-Images-6-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Best Binoculars for Hunting Out West\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>Glassing with the TORIC 12.5&#215;50 mounted on a tripod helps you cover a lot of ground efficiently.<\/em><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hunting in the west is usually quite the adventure. There are so many animals, birds, trees, and landscapes that make having the best <a title=\"JL\u2019s Deer Hunting Gear\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/jls-deer-hunting-gear\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1266\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">binoculars for hunting<\/a> out west worth your while. These things you\u2019re able to see well will remain ingrained in your memory for years to come.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">If you need help choosing the perfect binocular and <a title=\"5 Reasons to Own a Spotting Scope\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/5-reasons-to-own-a-spotting-scope\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1186\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">accessories for your hunt<\/a> out west, please contact us at:<\/p><figure id=\"attachment_1372\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1372\" style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1372 size-full\" title=\"Rifles Scopes\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/TRACT-ELR_970x250.jpg\" alt=\"Rifle Scopes\" width=\"970\" height=\"250\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1372\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rifle Scopes<\/figcaption><\/figure><p><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff\" title=\"Facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tractoptics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\"><strong>FOLLOW US: FACEBOOK<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Email<\/strong>: <a href=\"mailto:support@tractoptics.com\">support@tractoptics.com<\/a><br \/><strong>Phone<\/strong>: 631-662-7354<br \/><strong>LIVE Chat<\/strong>: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tractoptics.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tractoptics.com<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Best Binoculars for Hunting Out West<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12042,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2275,2252,2254,2258],"tags":[2291,2325,2348,2400,2406,2408,2409,2496,2497,2498,2511,2512,2613,2839],"class_list":["post-829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accessories","category-binoculars","category-binoculars-for-hunting","category-hunting","tag-10x-binoculars","tag-accessories","tag-antelope-hunting","tag-best-binoculars","tag-best-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west","tag-best-binoculars-for-mule-deer-hunting","tag-best-binoculars-for-western-hunting","tag-binoculars-12x","tag-binoculars-8-or-10-magnification","tag-binoculars-8-vs-10","tag-binoculars-for-hunting","tag-binoculars-for-hunting-out-west","tag-elk-hunting","tag-hunting-out-west"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=829"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11326,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/829\/revisions\/11326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}