Fog, rain, dirt, glare, frost. Can't think of a good reason to want one on my hunting set up.

 

Have you ever hunted with a rifle and a scope? How is a lens any different? Have you ever hunted with glasses? How is a lens any different? There are a lot of good reasons to use a lens if it is legal in your state. Does it get some rain on it if it is raining, yes, but so do your glasses, if you wear glasses. Most of the time you don't hunt in the rain but if you did and it was a problem, take the lens out. That takes about 30 seconds or less. As for dirt, glare and frost, I've never had a problem with that. If for some reason I did, I would take a moment and clean it or clear it. As for benefits, for some, their eyes are not able to see distances clearly. A lens helps. For me, during low light, the lens brightens the available light. Also, at dawn and dusk, a lens can help identify at a distance if the incoming deer is worth preparing for long before he might spot you. For example, this past season, I had a deer at 75 yards eating acorns 20 minutes before dusk. I held the bow up, without drawing, and got a look at his rack long before he got close. This is just a few a many reasons a lens comes in handy.

 

^^^^ my thoughts also. Can't even come up with one good reason to use one hunting.

 

Wouldn't hunt without one. The dirt, rain argument is not a concern, if your that worried about a rain drop landing on your scope hunt in a blind or take up salsa dancing or golf... I guess people with contact lenses don't go out when it rains?

 

Illegal here. I feel any type of magnification on a bow used for hunting should be illegal.

 

I don’t use any lens or magnifier on my bow. I am also cross eye dominant so left eye dominant and do everything right handed. I feel the argument could be said to be fair if you can’t use any lens, clarifier or magnifier on your bow for hunting then neither can you on any firearm for hunting as well.

 

Hey Dale, how about Glaucoma? Is that a good reason? I use a 4X lens, big the advantage is I can see better. I carry lens cleaning wipes with me, I need them to clean my glasses anyway. I have a sunshade on my scope which helps in the rain (like my hat helps with my glasses) I can't wear contact lenses. You have to learn to deal with certain issues in life, losing your vision means you have to do things a little differently. I use the same sight for 3d, exact same set of issues.

 

Not disagreeing with you. You do what needs to be done. But my answer was not to your condition, it was to the OP that was asking a very general question.

 

Yes.....magnification therefore a clearer image of the animal....my lens is coated so it repels water and the sight is hooded.

Are binoculars cheating, or a rangefinder or a rifle scope?

 

I have gone back and forth on this, as I got older and started loosing my eyes, needed glasses and was unable to wear contacts. First couple years did without glasses while hunting. As time progressed was left without a choice but hated the fact that it changed my anchor point or I caught frame in my peep. Then the issue of my glasses fogging on me drove me insane, but was able to make it work for hunting as I did not want to give up that wider field of view. The different anchor point did not work for 3D as the distance I shoot is so much farther that I would ever in a hunting situation, so to keep form I first started using a magnification lens for target and 3D without glasses. That worked for a couple years, eventually I found I could use it for hunting. But again I found my eyes changing so this winter I started using a clarifier in my peep and was back to my old consistency out to 80 shooting indoor 3D. Currently I use a 3X mag and 3X clarifier and am eager for the weather to break and see how this set up will work outside in sun, various degrees of shade and the effects of weather.

 

Some ridiculous reason not to use magnification. There is a wonderful invention discovered a few years back, they are called paper towels, keep them in your pack. For hunting they are best thing going, if your only shooting targets or stuffed 3D animals you don't need one. I could care less what some stupid states say are illegal - I would still use one. Easy to pop in when you get to your spot and easy to remove on the walk back in if your concerned with being "caught" using one. I wonder if Idaho has made it illegal to drive with corrected glasses on their roads, after all we don't want to give drivers an unfair advantage do we, hmmmm?

 

WOW!!!!!!!!!! Real sportsman and promoter of let's do as we want and rules mean nothing!!!!! Way to teach people eithics!!!!! This statement is a disgrace to all sportsman. Then wonder why we get slammed by certian groups.
If you don't like the rules then work to change them.

 

If its raining or snowing so hard that I cannot see out of my sight I'm probably staying home unless I am going to be comfy in a blind. Used a Truglo green dot all last season that is constructed with a built in 0X lens for the green dot. never had an issue with rain, fog or frost. Wear glasses so it is non issue.

 

i wear contacts so if I use a lens do I have to have a clarifier? My vision isn't very good, so I am looking for a little help especially around dusk.

 

The biggest problem I have with a lense is the blinding glare you can get if the sun is in the wrong position.

 

May want to check the regulations in your state. They are illegal here in MN.

 

I shoot thousands of shots per year with my target bow and my 4x lens and I could hunt in the rain with it no problem, we have been on local courses when it was pouring and shot with sheets of water on the lens and you can shoot perfectly fine with them.

Do I hunt with one, No.

Most of my shots are 20 yards or so and the accuracy needed to kill a deer is way less than winning a tournament so using a 4x just isn't needed for me. I can come to anchor and smoke a doe or buck and enjoy my day without one.

 

The biggest issue that I think you will have using a 4x lens is getting lost on the animal, with 3d we can let down and take our time to find the spot to aim at and then find a marker and take the shot but in the woods when you have a animal that is coming in and only going to give you a shot in a shooting lane I wouldn't want to be lost on the brown hair and need to start my shot.

 

When hunting with no lens you can have both eyes open and you don't have tunnel vision when you come to full draw and you can be looking around and settle into the shot with both eyes open and still have a pretty normal look at the animal. When you are shooting with a lens the moment you look through the peep you get a totally different look at the animal and you get a tunell vision effect where you only see what you see through the lens only and not what the other eye is seeing.

 

thanks for all the input, Padgett I never thought about to much magnification and only seeing brown and missing out on an opportunity. I also never thought about being blinded by the reflection.

 

I use 2x for hunting and 4x for target.

 

My day is coming. LASIK 10 years ago so we’ll see!
Stand by my comments from 5 years ago tho. Magnification should not be allowed in a primitive weapon hunt. Guns are not primitive weapons.

 

It’s not imo. Crossbows should be limited to handicapped people. My father was 1. Ended up with Parkinson’s towards the end. He had to switch or quit. He did end up quitting after 3 years with it. Honestly kinda glad he did.

 

I am approved to hunt with a crossbow in Utah due to line of duty injuries. I did not like what I was seeing in the crossbows market and have learned to shoot a compound bow and work around my disabilities. But along with the blast injuries came a partially detached retina that once welded back on as best as it could be, has left me with blurred vision in my right aiming eye. A 2x magnifier has helped me shoot more accurately. It is not legal to use a magnifier on a bow to hunt in Utah so it will come off before the Deer hunt, but will be going right back on when I head out to Wyoming to hunt Elk. My plan is to get real close before I let fly. I suppose in certain circumstances it could be considered a legal device on a case by case basis. Maybe it is tech overkill for the able shooter, and a good thing to help a compromised archer have a better chance of a clean kill which is what we all want at the end of the day.