By Mike Roche

Like many, this writer has a few different optical devices. Binoculars, rifle scopes and spotting scopes are optics that have become a part of my life. There is a pair of binoculars near the window at both my home in Orange and my camp at White Pond. In the corner near the picture, you will also find a spotting scope on a tripod.

Observing wildlife, particularly birds of prey and waterfowl, is a regular occurrence. No matter how many times it happens, a chance to watch an eagle is always a thrill. On a few occasions, a mature bald eagle (bald eagles mature at age 5 and that is when the plumage of white on the head and tail are complete) has perched in a tree for an extended period, allowing me to make use of the spotting scope.

At a gathering of college friends a couple of years ago, an eagle landed across the cove and gave me time to get the spotting scope and give everyone a chance to look closely at the majestic bird. They still talk about it, and we should be glad that we have a local population which can be regularly observed flying the Millers River looking for a fish or duck to have for dinner.

That Bushnell spotting scope, and a pair of 8X21 compact binoculars, was acquired during my tenure at Ducks Unlimited in the late 1980s and they still serve me well. There is also a pair of inexpensive small binoculars in my truck and another in my wife’s car. So often, we see something as we are out driving, and the binoculars enable you to see details and identify or watch something interesting.

At a New England Outdoor Writers Spring Safari in Lyme, New Hampshire, a few years ago there was a raffle and Leupold Optics had generously donated a pair of Leupold BX-2 Cascades 10X42 high quality binoculars. The wife of one of my fellow writers won the binoculars. As it so happened, she was interested in whatever it was that I had won and we traded. The Leopolds have had a place on the console of the Silverado and have been used dozens of times, particularly during turkey scouting, and are perfect for my needs.

There are a number of brands of optics, including Leupold, Nikon, Bushnell, Zeiss, Swarovski and newcomer Vortex. They all make quality “glass” products, and the price points range from under a hundred to thousands of dollars, with Zeiss and Swarovski being the “top of the line” in quality. It really depends on personal taste, and you do truly “get what you pay for.”

The clarity of fine optics is obvious if you compare them with less expensive similar products. The biggest eye-opener for me occurred when I was able, as an outdoor writer, to obtain a Zeiss rifle scope for my deer hunting shotgun. My other guns were scoped with Weaver, Leupold, Nikon and Bushnell scopes and all seemed to be fine and served me well.

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The Zeiss Conquest 1.8–5X scope is at least 20 years old but is still incredibly clear. On a number of occasions, other hunters have looked through the scope and then their own scope and are amazed at how clear everything appears. Again, there is a difference, and you need to assess what your needs are. Had it not been for the support from Zeiss offered back when the scope was acquired, it is not likely that it would have been possible for me to justify the difference, but after using it for all these years, it is clearly worth the money. That 1.8–5 is no longer made, but lower power configurations suitable for shotgun hunting are still available and the quality will astound you.

For most of us, the most common use of optics is to look closer at something in the backyard. Over the years yours truly has “glassed” deer, turkeys, foxes, a bobcat and many hawks, owls and other interesting birds. Truth be known, my opinion is that watching the constant interactions in the natural world of my backyard is much better viewing than anything on TV. The evidence tells me that at least twice, birds of prey have taken birds in my yard.

One of the realities of bird feeders is that you tend to concentrate birds and hawks are able to figure that out. After the fact, it dawned on me that the red snow, feathers, and wing marks in the new snow would have made a great picture to grace this column but that thought came to me too late. Mother Nature is a “Cruel Mother,” and witnessing a predator making a kill is not for the faint-hearted.

Let there be no doubt that it is constantly happening in the natural world. Our pet dogs and cats are also predators, so we need to be responsible pet owners and make sure we have reasonable control over the impact they have on wildlife. Right now, deer are probably closer to our homes than most of us are aware of, so letting Fido run loose should not happen. Cats, like those hawks, will prey on birds and squirrels at the bird feeder. When spring comes, wildlife and birds will be propagating, so keep close control over your pets so vulnerable young birds and animals can survive that period when they are easy prey.

This may have inspired me to upgrade my spotting scope, so this year we may have something clearer and easier to use. Nothing is more uplifting than watching nature.

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.