WESTERN HUNTER'S BEST FRIEND: OPTICS

Learning to be effective behind the glass is a huge advantage out West.

- Brian Strickland

There are tons of tools that can help us become more effective western hunters, but few are as important as quality optics and knowing how to use them. Other than the weapon we use and our proficiency to make clean and ethical kills, having the know-how to patiently sit behind the glass for hours at a time is a huge leap in becoming an efficient and effective western hunter.

The obvious benefits are simple. Not only do optics provide a crisp, bird’s-eye view of massive amounts of country without burning an ounce of energy, but they are the most effective tool when it comes to eliminating country as well. They are also invaluable when it comes to picking apart specific locations you suspect game is hiding in, while also providing clues on your best route for a stalk once you find them. Although most western hunters have a pair of optics strapped to their chest, in my experience few seem to take full advantage of what they provide to the savvy western hunter.

Glassing truly is an art form and once you put the puzzle together piece-by-piece, you’ll be on your way to putting the glass to work in your favor. That being said, it does take a lot of diligence to become a master behind the glass, and perhaps the most important element, as well as the hardest one to conquer, is the mental element of patience. Taking a seat on the high ridge to glass a basin for hours at a time is hard, and when you’re not seeing any bears, it makes this mental grind even more difficult. As western hunters, it’s not in our nature to do it. We like to explore over the next ridge to see what it holds, especially when the current location seems less than promising.