I have some situations where I have seen whitetail bucks at a distance and was wondering if use of a spotting scope would be as much help as the trouble it would be to use one. I have had a spotting scope before and tried to use them, but they were cheaper models and the use of them was not worth the effort. Thinking now about getting a better spotting scope, but was wondering if anyone has used a spotting scope in a blind and was it mounted on a tripod or mounted on one of the spotting scope mounts that fits on the window of a truck or car and attached to the window in the blind? I want to see the quality of some of the deer in the area, but can't figure out exactly how to use the spotting scope in that context. May sound like a stupid question, but I don't need another piece of equipment unless it is useful. Also, is the straight view spotting scope the best for that use or is the angled view spotting scope best for that use? I hunt in West Texas, so most of the time I can see further than I can shoot.

More trouble than they're worth for hunting, to me. Unless I'm trying to come up with the most accurate score I can. But that would be in a scouting rather than a hunting situation.

In west Texas a good spotting scope is great! We spend a lot of time glassing and not so much looking for bucks, as much as looking for deer movement and trying to see where they are coming and going. The cheaper models always seem to be fuzzy and not useful. I am currently using a Vortex spotting scope, straight eye, and love it.

I do not carry it to the blind with me but it is always in the truck on the mid-day trips around the lease.

Too much trouble in my opinion. Especially without a stable platform. I tried using one a few years ago, but ended getting more frustrated and using my bino's which were more than accurate.

I've got one of the angled ones, and I wish I'd have gotten a straight one. Maybe I'll get used to it, but it's significantly easier to find an object in the view finder if it's straight on, as opposed to get past the 45 degree angle in your head. If I was only looking at one thing, like a target or something, it'd be fine, but moving around and trying to locate a specific spot takes some getting used to.

I used to carry one with me but did not use it that much for whitetails. What I did use a lot more was a pair of 15x56 binos with a mono-pod a lot when I was in the Hill Country. I use one daily for mule deer hunting in West Texas.

I have a couple of spotting scopes, haven't used them in years other than glassing in CO/NM at very long distances. A quality pair of binoculars goes almost everywhere with me now.

I use mine regularly. You can buy an inexpensive clamp to hold them still. Allows a hunter to study a deer at long distance to determine age and score. If I spot a deer at long distance and determine from the scope he is a trophy then I get out of my stand and stalk him. I would not be without a good spotting scope.

For other species? Elk, etc.? Worth their weight in gold IMO

I'm getting old... I bought a new pair of binos last year cant remember if they were 12 or 16x, but they are plenty magnification to see whatever I need to look at.