Story by Tom Claycomb III

Each year I teach a handful of “Glassing For Big Game” seminars, as a part of my pro-staff responsibilities and working relationships with several optic manufacturers.  Even with all of my years of in-field experience, I’m still constantly amazed at how glassing really works every time I listen to my own advice and apply principles preached.

This little story sums up my advice for making optic purchases. Once I was sighting in a rifle for my old 87 year old hunting buddy. I was having a little trouble a consistent group with the scope and rifle it was paired too.  Sensing my frustrations he said, “I might have left a few too many pennies in my pocket when I bought that scope.”

I’ve pondered that thought many times since my friend Roy uttered those words over 25 years ago.  As a result I always preface my glassing seminars by stating not to leave any pennies in your pocket when buying a scope, binoculars or spotting scope.

Certainly, everyone has a budget, buy the best you can afford. As your discretionary income level increases I’d advise you to buy accordingly. Nowhere more so than with optics does the old saying “The bitterness of buying and using a cheap product will linger a lot longer than the joy of saving a few pennies.”

Every time a cheaply manufactured optic is used you will cuss it.  On the flip side, every time you use a good optic, you’ll be grateful for the sound investment made.

Somewhere around 1990 I was on a black powder elk hunt in the Rawah Wilderness Area located in north-central Colorado. I was in steep country and got into a lot of deadfalls that created some tough walking.

I jumped up on a big pine tree that had fallen over and was on top of the other smaller trees.  As I was walking down the log the bark sloughed off and I flipped off the log, hit hard and rolled a ways. Since I hit hard I was “licking my wounds” and finally continued hobbling down the ridge being hunted.

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