Most hunters buy glass. Fewer hunters know how to use it. There's a difference between spending time behind a binocular and actually glassing well — and that gap costs animals every season.
Cody Nelson has spent years as GOHUNT's Optics Manager and built a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable glassing resources in the hunting industry. Now he's brought that expertise to Tricer's Glass Better series, and this is where it starts.
Why Glassing Fundamentals Matter More Than Gear
Hunters spend thousands on glass and then rush through a basin in 20 minutes wondering why they didn't see anything. Quality optics help, but technique is what moves the needle. The best binoculars in the world don't make up for poor setup, wrong habitat selection, or not staying on a hillside long enough to let your eyes do their job.
The 3 Pillars framework Cody breaks down in this episode is a starting point that reshapes how you approach every glassing session — whether you're hunting elk in Idaho, mule deer in Nevada, or antelope in Wyoming.
Setup Is Where Most Hunters Lose
Your glassing is only as good as your stability. A handheld binocular moving with your heartbeat is hemorrhaging detail you're paying a premium for. Mount your glass on a steady platform and you start seeing what the terrain is actually giving you — hair, ears, antler tips at distance, movement in shadows.
This is why the Tricer platform exists. The tripod and pan head system is built specifically to give hunters the stable, repeatable glassing setup that lets technique actually matter.
- Tricer Glassing Tripods — stable, ultralight, built for hours on a hillside
- Tricer Pan Heads — smooth, precise movement for methodical glassing coverage
- Bino Adapters — mount your binoculars to any Tricer tripod
This Is the Start of the Series
The Glass Better series with Cody Nelson is built episode by episode to make you a better hunter in the field. Watch EP. 2 — Best Glass You Can Afford — for Cody's breakdown on where to spend your optics budget.
Glass better. Find more animals. Start with the right platform.