Thermal spotter and its uses

[sir-lamp-alot]

They are good for causing heated debates, but those of us who use thermals will see it coming

you wouldnt becuase those of us who dont use thermal are "cool"

 

[Monkey Spanker]

They are good for causing heated debates, but those of us who use thermals will see it coming

I don't think you need thermal to sense the amount of 'hot air' spouted on here at times!

 

[white van man]

I don't think you need thermal to sense the amount of 'hot air' spouted on here at times!

 

[Ranger22]

I don't think you need thermal to sense the amount of 'hot air' spouted on here at times!

Oh so true

 

[kenbro]

The other main benefit is safety: I pick up a lot of dog-walkers in spots where they shouldn't be and where I wouldn't have seen them using the traditional methods.
'Sporty' doesn't come in to it. 'Effective' does.

Safety? Surely the dog walkers wouldn’t have been in any danger, whether you had a thermal, or not?
Ken.

 

[GIMLET61]

The man who used a rock attached to a stick, may have been seen in the same manner as the man that threw a rock.
The man who used the bow again was most likely seen above the man who used a spear.
Musket to centrefire, iron sites to high quality scopes are all leaps in technology and this type of discussision will continue no doubt.
I believe it's the issue of safety and remaining within the rules as they are today.
Having located downed beasts in deep undergrowth by use of a thermal spotting device in the past has saved me having to call out someone with dog.
They have there place as per the next technology advance shall, whatever that shall be.
Armed Drones maybe!

 

[kenbro]

What we are doing is a job of work and the next level up is obtaining a night licence which I've never had to do yet.
Regards,
MS

It will really throw a Spanker in the works this night time “Deer Stalking” that people do. Shock, horror.
Especially by people who hold rituals and pray over (Whist stuffing grass in their mouth)every deer the shoot!
Ken.

 

[nun_hunter]

Safety? Surely the dog walkers wouldn’t have been in any danger, whether you had a thermal, or not?
Ken.

Likely not danger of being shot but they could have easily been out of sight but close by enough to be scared or alarmed enough to call the police etc. How easy is it to shoot a deer only to have a few more pop up from cover very close by that you were unaware of?

 

[Tim.243]

Tim, the problems of huge groups of marauding Fallow probably didn't exist back then either!
You also clearly have no idea as to how to manage them, as it is exactly what you are suggesting that created this problem! The 'Lone Wolf' recreational stalker constantly harassing large groups of Fallow and actually shooting very few is exactly what educates them, driving them into large groups and into safe havens where they turn nocturnal! The key to success is actually getting out less frequently, but with a lot more people and hit them hard!
You suggest we get out more? We have completed 354 outings since August on this particular piece of ground and accounted for 215 deer. The one in question above was hit about 2 inches back than text-book and was stood slightly oblique. The shot would have been fatal, but we didn't know that at the time. If you haven't done similar yourself, then you haven't shot enough deer!
What we are doing is a job of work and the next level up is obtaining a night licence which I've never had to do yet.
Regards,
MS

I go out and enjoy myself with the stalking I have.....you must have turned off the advertising icon as you never managed a " I or we " were assisting on a stalking related course lol


Tim.243

 

[takbok]

Thankfully thermal isn't an option for me as I can't see myself being able to afford one for a good few years. I don't think that thermal would make me a better stalker, and it would take the excitement of stalking away for me (and yes, I do have a certain pressure to keep numbers down on my ground).

Now when the pigs arrive in Aberdeenshire, maybe that will be the time to get thermal / NV.

 

[Freeforester]

Better get the 'piggy' bank (see what he did there?) opened Rory, they're already here.....

 

[takbok]

Haha.

And there's me thinking that it's badgers digging up my lawn...

I better get saving then!

 

[Freeforester]

When you are not there, they're all over it, all
....
....
'weeeeek'!

I shot my first one here Xmas day 1984, supervised by a couple of bemused constables. Told me afterwards they were inclined to report 'just another boar-ing day'! Quite a few been taken more recently though...

 

[DeerDucksFishin]

Was it an invalid level 2 stalk sue to the use of a thermal? im led to believe also that a rifle mounted thermal is illegal for deer shooting??? maybe someone can shed some light on that

 

[Freeforester]

See seperate thread in the Legal forum re thermal sights and deer, it's all there

 

[kenbro]

Likely not danger of being shot but they could have easily been out of sight but close by enough to be scared or alarmed enough to call the police etc. How easy is it to shoot a deer only to have a few more pop up from cover very close by that you were unaware of?

Likely not in danger of being shot is not good enough! How it was written, he could have been shooting where
people are if he didn’t have a spotter.
As for people being scared or alarmed and calling the police! What do they report ‘I was walking my dog somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be and a legitimate deer stalker fired a shot and frightened me.’
Ken.

 

[mealiejimmy]

Was it an invalid level 2 stalk sue to the use of a thermal? im led to believe also that a rifle mounted thermal is illegal for deer shooting??? maybe someone can shed some light on that

In Scotland it's illegal to shoot a deer with a rifle fitted with anything other than iron sights or a normal glass telescopic sight.
No light intensifying, heat sensitive or other special sighting devices for night shooting are allowed - even if you have a licence from SNH to shoot at night.

The relevant legislation is here The Deer (Firearms etc.) (Scotland) Order 1985

Cheers

Bruce

 

[ben0850]

It is for the same reason that deer cannot be culled from a high seat and PC 1.5 signed off. Sure, you can use a deer from a high seat for everything else, but you must then go and stalk another deer to where a safe and effective shot could be taken. However, you don't even have to then shoot it or even carry a rifle, and the deer doesn't even have to be in season! This is a useful thing to know if you only have a small piece of ground where a high seat is the only option.
I see you are not far away from me?
Give me a shout if you need any help.
MS

As another person giving serious thought to a level 2 commitment that’s very interesting reading. Thanks MS

 

[slider]

One must wonder how people ever did all of this stalking before the tec side came along, If you could explain please do?

If you are not sure don't pull the trigger!

Also if you are down on your target then go out more!

The price to pay with working on your limit plays out in all parts of life...

Tim.243

before what tec?

telescopic scopes, muzzle loaders, bows & arrows, spears, dirty great hole in the ground and some rocks.

Life moves on, move with it

 

[25 Sharps]

One must wonder how people ever did all of this stalking before the tec side came along, If you could explain please do?

If you are not sure don't pull the trigger!

Also if you are down on your target then go out more!

The price to pay with working on your limit plays out in all parts of life...

Tim.243

I work full time, have a young family and about 4000 acres of vermin to keep on top of, the deer get fitted in with all that so I'll take help when it's needed, though as stated not used a huge amount on my ground.

In terms of how they did it before this tec, scopes, gun powder, bows all aid the deer to be taken more easily in greater numbers, just like thermal!

As for if you're not sure don't pull the trigger' totallyagree but there are plenty of situations where the thermal allows you to be 100% sure where you wouldn't be without so it enables you to pull the trigger where you'd pass on the shot otherwise.

is it really that difficult to comprehend, technology making a human endeavour more efficient and more effective?!

thermal as a tool for spotting is without doubt a fantastic peice of kit and the pro's in a situation like monkey spanker found himself in where he had a wounded deer speak for themself, but the vast majority of stalkers do not need to be taking a thermal out as a spotting tool. To many recrational stalkers are hiding behind words like "cull targets", "invasive species" and "habitat management" in order to justify the use of thermal and trust me the 15 roe and a handfull of muntjac they are taking a year are a drop in the ocean when compared to other peoples cull targets when you start looking at large estates covered in fallow ect. In my eyes the only situations I could see thermal being justified are situations like that, prehaps a full time gamekeeper who is rushing to get numbers down at the end of the season in his/her "quite period" or possiblly a professional guide who is under pressure to find animals for clients but truth be told if I were to be being guided I wouldnt want to be using a thermal as to me stalking is all about the fair chase.

I don't have a very big cull target as you probably know (your assessment of my numbers is pretty good) but my buddy who got me on to thermal stalks woodland for FC witha lot of public access and relatively high numbers to hit or risk losing the lease, the thermal spotter allows more deer to be taken and deer to be taken more safely.

As an aside on 3 with the Zeiss now, won't be going back!!