I've never carried a spotting scope in the field. However, after being in Montana for nearly 4 years, I've begun to understand the need for one. My primary objective is to find a spotting scope for glassing mountain sides, draws, slides and clearcuts. I have a pair of Nikon Monarch 8x42 that I love. They go with me on every big game hunting trip. But, while I can see "an animal" I can't usually tell, from a distance, what the quality of the buck or bull might be. I hunt on foot, sometimes covering up to 8 miles a day. Ranges for shooting are no more than 300 yards with my .35 Whelen (open sights) , but I want to judge the animal, or at least tell if it's legal (horn restrictions for bulls) in my state, before I put the extra effort in pursuing the critter. My normal pack with water bladder full, comes in at about 15 pounds. I carry an extra knife, hatchet, as well as extra food, small space blanket, headlamp, etc. The pack is small and there just isn't room for a lot of stuff. (I prefer small packs, less chance of over packing and much easier to navigate dog hair timber with).
So, I was looking at compact spotting scopes. I know, you get what you pay for in glass. But honestly, I'm not sure how much I'll like using a spotting scope. I've never messed with one much, and even if I don't carry it all the time, there are times, when it would be handy to have one.
So my question is, what do you think of the Burris Landmark Compact, as far as quality goes? I want something waterproof, with decent glass. I'll use the binos to locate animals, and once located put the scope on them. My main concerns are quality of product, weather proofness, weight, and warranty. I'm on a tight budget, and just can't afford the Swarvoski, or Zeiss glass. Leopold makes a compact, but I'm wondering how it compares. Hopefully I'll get a chance to look at some this weekend, but I'd prefer to order from Jon if possible.
Any help with those that have either the Burris or Leopold is appreciated. Specifically from those with the compacts. Are there any drawbacks or disadvantages to either that you like/dislike? Thanks.
