I must admit to being late to the party when it comes to thermal imagers. I have previously saved my pennies and invested in quality glass. I have however plenty of friends who have turned to what I termed the “Dark Side”. Back in April, I decided to invest in a hand-held thermal and after much research and time spent at several “night vision evenings”, I plummeted for a HikMicro Falcon FQ35. (Big thanks to Mike at Ythan Field Sports (YFSS) and all things night vision/thermal – Bruce (mealiejimmy). What an awesome bit of kit! The clarity of the image is first class and over ‘felled ground’ and the half-light you pick up deer much faster than glassing. An absolute game-changer! so everyone was telling me. Now to my practical observations.
It has changed the way I stalk. Previously I would arrive at my chosen starting point and whilst kitting up, would mentally ready myself for the stalk. My progress would be slow and deliberate, attuning myself to every movement and sound, glassing regularly as I went. Many of the deer I shot would be close range (<50m), with me soaking up the whole experience, feeling at one with nature. Now I find myself scanning a field with the thermal, seeing nothing and then hurrying to the boundary to scan again.
I was out at first light on a misty and dull morning. I came to an indent in the fence line and scanned the hedgerow. I could clearly see the head of a deer about 30m ahead of me. It was a doe browsing in the hedgerow, unaware I was there. I viewed the spot with my Swaro Bins and could not see her. I then put my rifle on sticks and viewed with my S&B rifle scope on full mag, I still could not see her! This also happened further on with another doe grazing in long grass; I could see and sex her with the thermal but not with my other optics.
I am left with very mixed feelings about my new purchase. There could be a tendency to rush through the stalk, relying on the technology, bumping deer on (as a did with another deer) and missing a large part of the experience. If I am not able to see them with my glass, there seems little point. The deer I actually shot, was a buck which trotted into view at a place I had sat and waited. No thermal was needed, in fact, in the last six outings, I cannot say that the thermal has accounted for any of the deer I have taken.
What are other people’s experiences?
It has changed the way I stalk. Previously I would arrive at my chosen starting point and whilst kitting up, would mentally ready myself for the stalk. My progress would be slow and deliberate, attuning myself to every movement and sound, glassing regularly as I went. Many of the deer I shot would be close range (<50m), with me soaking up the whole experience, feeling at one with nature. Now I find myself scanning a field with the thermal, seeing nothing and then hurrying to the boundary to scan again.
I was out at first light on a misty and dull morning. I came to an indent in the fence line and scanned the hedgerow. I could clearly see the head of a deer about 30m ahead of me. It was a doe browsing in the hedgerow, unaware I was there. I viewed the spot with my Swaro Bins and could not see her. I then put my rifle on sticks and viewed with my S&B rifle scope on full mag, I still could not see her! This also happened further on with another doe grazing in long grass; I could see and sex her with the thermal but not with my other optics.
I am left with very mixed feelings about my new purchase. There could be a tendency to rush through the stalk, relying on the technology, bumping deer on (as a did with another deer) and missing a large part of the experience. If I am not able to see them with my glass, there seems little point. The deer I actually shot, was a buck which trotted into view at a place I had sat and waited. No thermal was needed, in fact, in the last six outings, I cannot say that the thermal has accounted for any of the deer I have taken.
What are other people’s experiences?
