How to Observe With Binoculars

Some hunters are lucky enough to go into the field and shoot an animal. Most hunters, however, spend at least some time scouting their hunting area and trying to find their quarry before the hunting season begins. Or, they try to spot an animal and then spend their time hunting it. In both cases, hunters who use binoculars to observe animals from a greater distance give themselves an advantage over hunters who do not.

Instructions

    • 1

      Walk afield during times of high animal activity. Two of the best times are at sunrise and sunset. If you primarily are interested in learning about a particular area, then go out in the middle of the day. This is when the sun may illuminate things you would miss by heading out early or late in the day.

    • 2

      Focus on areas with high visibility. Binoculars are of little use in the heavy forest, for example, but are helpful in wide open areas or in forest clearings.

    • 3

      Look over the area with your naked eye. Identify any prominent features that you want to check out further or that can serve as a reference point when you're looking through the binoculars.

    • 4

      Hold the binoculars to your eyes and look through them. If you are scouting a forest clearing, look first at the area where the opening intersects the tree line. Big animals, in particular, often stay close to cover.

    • 5

      Move your head slowly from left to right, or right to left, as you observe the open area after you have covered the tree line thoroughly. When you see something of interest, hold your binoculars in place but move your head so you can look out over the area with your naked eye. Make note of where the interesting object is located in relation to a reference point.

    • 6

      Turn in a slow circle as you look through the binoculars if you are scouting in open country. When you see something of interest, hold the binoculars in place and look with your naked eye. Find a reference point so you can locate the interesting item again.