Do you love the collection of antlers and looking for the best binoculars for shed hunting to make it easy to collect the antlers quickly? You are at the right place!
Many animals like deer and moose, elk, and reindeer shed their antlers as new antlers originate from the base of old ones. So, people around the world consider them very special and collect them. Some sell them to those who buy antique things while others showcase them in their house.
Whatever the reason is, the collection of antlers is getting popular. However, it is not really easy to follow the animal and then see where he is shedding his antlers. To do so, binoculars come in handy and they help you track the animal while sitting in one place.
But choosing the right pair of binoculars is really difficult due to the presence of countless options in the market. New people can easily get confused by the countless numbers. However, we have done the research and picked top binoculars that will help to find the shredded antlers.
In this guide, we will give you some top-class options and tell why they are better for shed hunting. In Fact, we will also make you able to make a buying decision if you aim to go to any physical shop and purchase your optics.
Buyers Guide: How to choose binoculars for shed hunting
As said earlier, it is not an easy job to purchase binos as many factors are involved that play an important role in making a binocular good or bad. Without having the basic knowledge, you can never choose the best-performing binoculars for outdoor activities. We are writing a quick buyers guide to increase your knowledge about binoculars.
As you will be tracking animals that are wandering in the jungle and very far away from you, you should opt for those optics which have higher magnification power. We recommend you buy at least 8x magnification binos: 10x is ideal though.
The field of view should not be compromised. Having optics with wider FOV increases the space to look at. For shed hunting, the first point is to find the animal. Once you find it then you can track it to get the exact location where your targeted animal is shedding antlers. For finding the buck, a wider field of view is very important.
Durability and body strength can play a vital role in making your choice a value-to-money purchase. Fragile optics can easily break and waste your money. So, we recommend you choose binoculars with ideal body strength.
Grip and handling of your chosen binoculars must be on the top. We recommend not compromising on the ease of usability. For finding the antlers, you will have to use optics for an extended duration so it is important to choose optics with excellent grip and better ergonomics.
You get what you pay for! If you spend more, you will get better quality and features. But if you compromise on the budget, you’re less likely to get an amazing pair of binoculars. So, we suggest you increase your budget and buy special pairs.
Reviews of Binoculars that are suitable for Shed Hunting
Our research team has picked five top-class binoculars that will do the best when used for shed hunting. In fact, we have personally tested them to check their visual performance, build quality, magnification, and FOV to review them for your betterment. We hope that choosing any of them will bring exceptional results for you.
We picked these binoculars from Athlon due to their ideal magnification for shed hunting. As said earlier, binoculars are good because they give a closer view of the target while sitting in one place.
With 10x magnification of these optics, you can stay in one place and track the animal. once he shed its antlers, you can immediately reach there and collect them.
They have a dielectric coating on the lenses which increases the transmission of light. When the better light amount is reached by the objective lenses, then the image you get becomes brighter and clearer. Moreover, BAK-4 glass is used in the prism which is another evidence that you will get ideal image quality.
Finding the target is one of the most important parts of collecting the antlers. The wider field of view gives you more space to look at. These Athlon binoculars give you a field of view of around 350 feet which is excellent. With a magnification of 10x and 350 feet, they are perfect for shed hunting.
Note: You need a wider field of view for locating the animal. These binoculars give you an amazing and wider view and nothing will be able to escape from your radar.
Although the body is made up of rubber material, the chassis of the body is made of magnesium material which makes it lightweight and easy to carry for an extended duration.
These optics will give you a comfortable viewing experience as they have an eye relief of 17 mm and the eye cups are adjustable. They come with a lifetime warranty and they can also be transferred to the new owner if you sell them in the future.
They are a very good option for those who have a very good budget and want perfect binoculars for spotting the animals and doing shed hunting. These optics have all the features one can expect.
2- Vortex Optics Crossfire HD Binoculars
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Do you want durable binoculars with excellent visual performance but at affordable pricing? If yes, these vortex crossfire binoculars are made for us as they are built with aluminum material, having multilayer coatings on all the glassy parts.
We personally love their ease of usability. They have ideal eye relief along with adjustable eyecups which help you see with some comfort and those who wear glasses don’t get tired while using them.
We conducted a test to determine their water and fog resistance. They have a great deal of ability to demonstrate resistance to very heavy fog. Although the image they provide in foggy conditions is subpar, their lenses are not damaged like those of other binoculars as a result of fog getting into them.
We put them in water for almost 10 minutes and they proved to be very strong and didn’t have any issues at all. In terms of their making and safety measures, these optics get full marks. Thanks to their nitrogen gas purging and o-ring sealings which make them stand out.
Shed hunting is not limited to a specific time and you will have to wander for long periods of time to find the buck. So, heavy-weight binoculars can do more harm than good. But these optics are very lightweight and you will not feel any uncomfortable and annoying burden.
These crossfire binoculars come with a lifetime, no question asked warranty. It means that you won’t have to be worried about their build quality or any mechanical strength. If you receive a faulty product or they get an issue with time, you can simply call the officials and claim the warranty.
Pros
Lightweight and compact
Water and fog proofing
Good low light usability
Ideal eye relief along with adjustable eyecups
Cons
We have used them in the field and their performance has impressed us. You won’t find anything bad in them.
The previous product was not good in giving you a brighter image in low light conditions. But these crossfire optics are excellent options for low-light usability. Their lenses are coated and the overall optical system is designed in such a way that they give good results before dawn or after dusk.
3- Celestron – Nature DX 8×42 Binoculars
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Are you on a tight budget? Worry not! We have brought top-class performing binoculars at affordable pricing. Celestron is a famous name in the optics industry and this product deserves your attention.
They are equipped with adjustable eyecups and give you a comfortable viewing experience. We have used them for different outdoor activities and if not ideal – their performance has been decent and you will not have to compromise in any way.
These optics don’t have an autofocus system and you should not expect those features which are only available in premium and high-end binoculars. Although they have a central focus system consisting of a small knob or wheel to adjust the focus. Your control on focus adjustability is really awesome.
Their water and fog proofing is excellent but we have some issues with the built quality. After using them for months, we would suggest you not use them harshly as they are fragile and can break if mishandled.
They do come with some additional accessories like a neck strap, carry case, and cleaning cloth. These add on increase the practicality of these optics. Moreover, the availability of a lifetime warranty uplifts the standard of these binoculars.
These Celestron binoculars come at affordable pricing and do a pretty good job of shed hunting. If you’ve a tight budget we will suggest you opt for them, and make full fun of your outdoor activities.
4- NIKON Monarch M5 8×42 Binoculars
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These are high-end binoculars and offer excellent visual quality but you will have to increase your budget to purchase them. Their top-notch performance, durability, and optical system deserve a higher price.
The lenses which have been used in them are made of ED glasses which are specialized in giving you an image with no blurry or glary effect. No matter whether you use them in rain or in low light conditions, the performance of these optics remains on top.
Note: These binoculars give the image a top-class resolution which is a prominent selling feature of these optics.
The coating has been applied to all the glassy parts of these binoculars. They have sleek designs which make them simple but very attractive. After testing them for a few hours, we can say that their focus system is very efficient and you will never lose your target.
The autofocus along with manual adjustment is an amazing feature and works pretty well. Moreover, they have a rubber body which is of high quality and you will not feel like you’re having fragile binos. In Fact, they are very much capable of bearing the shocks and accidental falls from height.
These Nikon Monarch binoculars have nitrogen gas purging and o-ring sealing to ensure that you will be getting an excellent viewing experience in the rain and in cloudy weather. Moreover, their lifetime warranty uplifts their standard and makes them the ideal binoculars for shed hunting.
They have an amazing optical system that is specialized in giving you images with high resolution and top class clarity. No other optics give such eye-pleasing visuals as these Nikon monarch binos give.
5- Steiner UltraSharp Compact Binoculars
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Do you want compact and smaller-sized binoculars that are easy to use and carry? If yes, these binoculars have very small in size and have a total weight of 16 ounces. Hang them around the neck with a neck strap or carry them in a side pocket, they are not going to trouble you in any way.
They have decent optical performance and you will have pretty good visual quality. All the lenses are coated and the prism is also phase-corrected so you will get a high-resolution image. But they will trouble you if you aim to use them in low light conditions.
The objective lens size is very compromised so enough light does not get captured so you will have to compromise with image brightness if you use them in low light conditions.
The body of these binoculars is made of polycarbonate material and the NBR coating is also present all over the body which makes them very durable and strong enough to bear shocks and accidental falls from height.
These Steiner binoculars have a lifetime warranty which gives you the peace of mind that your optics are secured and in case of an issue, you can replace or refund them. Moreover, the additional accessories including the neck strap, cleaning cloth, and carry case make them the ideal option to choose.
These binoculars are very compact and lightweight and you won’t have to compromise their build quality. They are made of polycarbonate material which is very strong. Their rugged body and durability help them stand out in this guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to pick up deer antlers?
The legality of collecting the deer antlers depends on which state you’re in. Antler collection is legal and encouraged in various places, including California and Utah. However, some jurisdictions, like Virginia, have outlawed the practice and only government employees are permitted to collect antlers. However, utilize binoculars to your maximum advantage if you live in a state where collecting antlers is permitted.
How often do deer shed their antlers?
Deer shed their antlers once a year. They take the whole summer season to regenerate their antlers. The shedding of antlers takes around 2 to 3 weeks to complete.
Is it legal to sell shed antlers?
It is legal to sell antlers without a skull. But if you are found selling the antlers with a skull, you will have to face strict law proceedings. Moreover, you can buy and sell shed antlers if you’ve hunted the animal by yourself. If you’re buying antlers, make sure to check that the seller has a license to hunt the animal or not to avoid any legal proceedings.
Conclusion
Choosing a binocular is a very difficult task and when it comes to choosing for shed hunting, it becomes even tougher. The reason is that there are many factors involved that ensure either binoculars will do a good or bad job.
We have done complete research and found suitable binoculars that work fine for shed hunting. All the picked binoculars have undergone a strict selection procedure and choosing any of them will give you amazing results.
However, if you’re still confused, then we will recommend you choose Athlon Midas binoculars and get the perfect view of the targeted animal. If the budget is a concern for you, then going with Celestron binoculars will be a wise call from you.
