I just recently bought a scanner/monocular because I walk a lot of open ranch fields ambushing coyotes and it's a whole lot easier to scan with something you can hold in one hand versus something that weighs about as much as a newborn calf 
It lets me leave my rifle slung on my shoulder until I have something that I need to set up the tripod for and clamp on the rifle.
That having been said, go for the highest resolution scanner that you can afford.
