A Place Earned On the Hunt
On The Hunt: How Wiser Precision’s Nighthawk, Ridge Warden & Sparrow Earn Their Place on an Elk Hunt
Every backcountry hunt demands gear that won’t slow you down—and gear that performs when it matters. From the glassing sessions at dawn to a supported final shot, your glassing and shooting system needs to be stable, easy to use, and versatile enough to adapt to shifting scenarios. Once all that is accomplished, cutting weight without jeopardizing the “must-haves” is the sweet, sweet icing on that cake. On a recent elk hunt, I was reminded just where three Wiser Precision tools come in: the Nighthawk pan head, the Ridge Warden ball/tilt head, and the Sparrow bino adapter. Together, they form a triad of gear that shows up with purpose and executes without compromise.
1. The Powerhouse Foundation: Nighthawk Ultralight Pan Head
The Nighthawk is built to steady any optic, even up to Swarovski’s monster 115mm system. On my hunt, the big Kowa spotter was held in perfect tension, allowing me to take a stable, resolved look at elk across the canyon, and easily discern them from those elk-looking fallen trunks. Weighing around 5 ounces, I never leave it at home because it isn’t too heavy. The smooth function affords me the ability to live in the image, focusing on gridding, rather than playing a back-and-forth game with tension adjustment. Sitting on a perfect glassing day, picking out animals was an awesome stress reliever.
The ease of transitioning from Swaros sitting in a Sparrow adapter for a wide field of view, to the Kowa without the Nighthawk shifting, eliminated the need to relocate animals for a closer look. Adding my phone to either optic for digiscoping is seamless and similarly doesn’t shift the field of view. On this trip, despite the Ridge Warden being newer, I was reminded why the Nighthawk was my first tripod head creation, and why it will always have a place on my hunts.
2. The Dual Purpose Versatility: Ridge Warden Ball/Tilt Head
The Ridge Warden has been a staple of mine for years. Prototyping started in 2023, and on this hunt, with a lighter-weight tripod for typical binocular gridding, and also with the smaller Kowa 55. Under 3.5 ounces, it provides crystal-clear stability and smooth pan/tilt control for mid-sized optics and below. The tripod the Ridge Warden rode on allowed for shot setups anywhere from prone to sitting/kneeling.
My partner and I could effortlessly mount either the XLR Arca-Swiss forend chassis rifle or the X-bolt with added Arca-Swiss rail in the Ridge Warden for a rock-solid ball-head shooting platform.
Having my partner sitting next to me effectively glassing while knowing they held in their hands a stable shooting platform was a game-changer, and the Ridge Warden delivers that 1-2 punch.
3. Always Ready, Yet Unobtrusive: Sparrow Bino Adapter
The BA-7 Bino Adapter is the unsung hero in my glassing setup because it is so simple and out of the way, yet delivers flawlessly. Always on, I never have to worry about losing a tower or where I stashed extra parts in my pack or harness. It has definitely spoiled me.
When on the move, I can have an easy-on-the-eyes vibration-free view by using my trekking pole as a monopod - AND the Sparrow’s base keeps my optic investment secure on the trekking pole tip. Because the Sparrow doesn’t elevate my Swaros off the tripod head like a tower-style binocular adapter, transitioning over to my Kowa spotters is as simple as loosening the Arca clamp on my tripod to swap optics, no more managing the extra tower piece.
Under an ounce and genuinely dummy-proof, the Sparrow just kind of melts away in my mind until I deliberately reflect on how imperative it is to my hunts.
Final Thoughts
When every ounce and every second of your hunt matters, the gear that earns its spot in your pack is the gear that quietly does its job and keeps you focused on the hunt. The Nighthawk, Ridge Warden, and Sparrow each fill a specific role, but together they create a seamless glassing and shooting system built for real backcountry conditions. Whether you’re picking apart distant timber at first light or settling in for a supported shot at last light, this trio delivers confidence through precision.
That’s what Wiser Precision gear is about—innovations born from the hunt, refined for the hunter, and proven where it counts. On this most recent hunt, I couldn’t help but feel deeply grateful for all the customers who’ve trusted their hunts to me, and proud of what I’ve accomplished in creating and manufacturing right here in the USA.