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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steve C" data-source="post: 1395097" data-attributes="member: 56622">Tero,Actually the magnification issue with hunting is the same as with birding.  It comes down to personal preferences, the type of animal, and the sort of habitat.  Mirage can be quite an issue in high dry western habitats.  10x is popular because a lot of hunting use is at quite long range, and the general assumption is bigger is better.  Marketing has helped this idea.You see hunters with all sorts of binoculars.  There really is no difference between a good birding binocular and a good hunting binocular, except perhaps serious birders will prefer a faster focus and a serious hunter a slower focus.  Optical needs are the same.  Even though I am in the wide open high desert spaces, I prefer 8x.Birders overall seem to have a better handle on binoculars, on average than do at least some hunters.</blockquote>