Are binoculars critical gear for turkey hunting? YES! A week roaming the South Dakota prairies and Badlands proved that hunters will be more successful using binoculars than hunting without them. This became abundantly clear the first afternoon of the hunt when Larry Naeyaert and our Indian guide sneaked ahead of a feeding flock. Eventually, we lured several gobblers across a creek into a patch of timber. With my naked eye, I could see nothing, yet the Maven 10X30’s showed three gobblers clearly scanning our direction for the source of hen calling.
24.5 pounder
The gobblers were about 60 yards away with only open ground between us. I practically set my Rocky Mountain Hunting Box Caller on fire as we exchanged yelps and cuts, but the toms would not come closer. We used a gobbler decoy, periods of silence, and various calls yet the standoff continued. Eventually, the gobblers moved farther away, and we quickly repositioned to get closer. Our guide used his binoculars to spot an approaching longbeard and we quickly set up, Naeyaert to the right and me to the left of the caller. The big Merriam’s came directly to my buddy, and he made a great shot on one of the largest turkey gobblers we’ve taken in 20 years of hunting the Great Plains.
Maven 10X30’s- The Ideal Size
A turkey hunter can look like a pack mule with all of today’s gear, from numerous callers, owl hooters, decoys, seat pads and such. One might ask, are binoculars useful enough to carry? As you can see in the size comparison above, these Maven 10X30’s are palm-size and will easily fit into a standard turkey vest. They come with a convenient carrying strap that I wear over my shoulder so that the binos are at my side for easy access yet not dangling in front of my chest where they can interfere with shouldering a crossbow or drawing a compound.
Mavens are Internet Direct
The Maven Outdoor Equipment Company was born and based in Wyoming and makes and sells a variety of optical gear. from spotting scopes, to rangefinders, to binoculars. Instead of following traditional marketing practices by selling through companies and vendors, they chose to sell direct to the customer with a unique “try-out” program. Go to their website, www.Mavenbuilt.com, select an item, and order it. They will ship you a slightly used model of that product which you can test for two weeks. At that point, you can return the item for a full refund, have them ship you a new item, or purchase the used optic for a reduced price.
A Gift for Generations
Maven optics are unique because they can be personalized and built to your specifications. These optics will last for generations and are the perfect gift for a family loved one or hunting guide. They can be highlighted in a special color and engraved with a personal message. Whether it’s to the love of your life or your name engraved to personalize an heirloom, this Maven opportunity is like no other. To see their full line of optics, click HERE.