So...I agree that an awesome set of optics is worth the money. I disagree that you need a super-high end pair of binocs for hunting big game in CO. Your experiences and needs may differ, of course. I am not a professional hunting guide, just a guy with a backpack and rifle looking to bring home the tasty parts of an elk.

I have been hunting with a set of Nikon Aculon Binoculars A211, 10x42, for a handful of years now. Elk and pronghorn hunting mostly. They've never caused me any grief and are comfortable for long periods of glassing. They are also not so expensive that I would cry if something bad happened to them while hiking through the back country.