No, Sir. We don‘t drive them into waiting guns. We stir them up in open country/woodland in order to get a chance to see them at all.
@Min 3.18 he says each dog has its own area to DRIVE out the game
The only thing the "big hitters" as you say have going for them is the "quality" if their glass that allows a few extra minutes of low light shooting compared to other traditional scopes half or less of the price. The only way I could see them 'incorporating' digital is similar to the Habroks and having half a traditional binoculars with their current lenses and coatings and then a digital side.
The only correct statement here is the last one. My Pard DS35 sits on standby all the time and only the touch of a switch is needed and the startup time is in micro seconds. If I turn it right off it takes three seconds. No recharging as a battery lasts four hours and changing the battery takes about 20 seconds. In good light the lens cover is closed except for the peep hole and no focusing is required. Two clicks of the most prominent switch on the device measures the range and sets the aiming point under the cross hairs. How much simpler can you get?
The Zulus is very similar.
You still have to flick another switch. With a traditional scope its just push off safety and fire. As for aiming points etc. - no real need at normal stalking ranges.
The most important word in that statement is DAY - as opposed to dawn, dusk or dark, where glass either comes a poor second to NV or is completely useless
How did everyone manage before digital arrived? They did so by accepting that nature should, and will, win the battle with the final minutes of legal light. Now people have got the facility to shoot way beyond legal light, it draws in too much ambiguity and plays on the human nature of temptation. It would be very interesting to see just how many are in breach of the law, whether it be by seconds, minutes or more... but officer I didn't check the time, my digital scope was still in day mode
The simplicity of the recording function has also bred a generation who must upload their kill video to every form of social media to demonstrate how much of a superstar they are. That trend is worse in those managing foxes, but rapidly becoming very common in those managing deer. Really useful for pursuits already under significant scrutiny! I personally think deer management with digital scopes (thermal, day or nv) should be banned, unless under night licence.
Quite easy I take a time stamped picture, but people shoot deer on last light with a glass scope then it runs takes a good amount of time to find it then have a "hot deer" in the truck. " but officer I shot it with a glass scope but couldn't see it that well" honestHow did everyone manage before digital arrived? They did so by accepting that nature should, and will, win the battle with the final minutes of legal light. Now people have got the facility to shoot way beyond legal light, it draws in too much ambiguity and plays on the human nature of temptation. It would be very interesting to see just how many are in breach of the law, whether it be by seconds, minutes or more... but officer I didn't check the time, my digital scope was still in day mode
Hmm.How did everyone manage before digital arrived? They did so by accepting that nature should, and will, win the battle with the final minutes of legal light. Now people have got the facility to shoot way beyond legal light, it draws in too much ambiguity and plays on the human nature of temptation. It would be very interesting to see just how many are in breach of the law, whether it be by seconds, minutes or more... but officer I didn't check the time, my digital scope was still in day mode
I can’t help feeling that the rise of night vision etc is just making the whole job a lot harder. Deer are now be pushed, stressed through hunting pressure for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.Hmm.
I am no expert on deer history but I suspect that the “one hour” requirement has it’s origins as a poaching prevention measure several centuries ago when deer were the preserve of the landed gentry. Times and deer numbers/spread have clearly changed over the intervening years to the point where night-shooting licences are common. If there was no deer problem presumably said licence would not be granted. Some call it progress, IMHO it is rightly still controlled.
For me “Kill videos”, like calling or stalking any living animal, are about being able to re-live the stalk which by far is where the real excitement and dare I say, pleasure come from. If it is the kill that floats one’s particular boat then I believe you are missing a very large part of the stalking experience and would be better employed playing video games. Call me old-fashioned but IMHO There is nothing close to the excitement of watching a wily old fox come galloping in to your call whether you shoot it or not so why deny one the opportunity to enjoy it all again through your (in my case occasional) own efforts in the comfort of your home? I know most fox shooters watch their recordings without posting on social media - far, far more times than they watch their wedding video!
The march of technology is relentless, that will not change - for example twenty years ago who would have thought that for a few hundred pounds you could shoot in pitch black without a high-powered lamp?
What will have to change is outlook and methods that is for sure.
