I think you've gotten all good suggestions above (unusual for a binocular thread). I'll make a few points. For hunting, you can hardly beat a good 10x42 roof prism binocular. You want enough magnification to count antler points at a few hundred yards. And like any optic you carry into the field, weight is an important factor. One is far more likely to carry and use a lighter weight optic. A 10x40 roof prism is the sweet spot in the weight, size and view categories, IMO. One with a wider angle of view is especially useful, and for me as a birder I also want something that has a short close focus distance.

I think you can get a decent, new binocular for ~$500 these days, but you generally get what you pay for and you'll find better quality and durability in the $1000+ units. Long lived durability is a big part of what you pay for. I get to look through other peoples optics fairly often. I recently compared a friend's Maven 11x45 and was impressed that it was as bright as my 10x42 Vortex Razors. But it was heavy, heavy. Same with Meopta. I'd steer away from any with a built in rangefinder as well as brands not made by major optics companies. And I'd never buy anything sold now by Bushnell.