Thread: Spotting scope vs thermal handheld?

There two very different bits of equipment that do very different things.

A spotter is designed to see detail at long distance and obviously needs (day)light to work, the more the better. A spotter is ideal for assessing animals you've already found or for sustained glassing at longer distances. There not ideal for having a quick look at a face or a brown blob that you can't decide if it's a deer or bush. Weight also becomes an issue if you're walking any distance.

A thermal on the other hand is designed to see heat so needs no light. Typically they are used at short-mid range.
A thermal is very good for finding animals fast, they're not ideal for assessing an animal though. And they definitely have limitations on a warm day.

It depends on what your trying to achieve, if you want to see more animals and aren't fuzzy about exactly what animals then get a thermal. If you're looking to shoot a certain standard of animal and need to be able to pick the difference between an 11 and 12 inch bull or 12 and 13 pointer stag at distance then you need a spotter.