Thermal spotter in daylight
- Thread starter JockStalk
- Start date
The thermal will pick a heat source up in all three scenarios you mention. You still need your bins for identification in some cases though. They are great at picking deer/foxes up in woodland and on the dark edges of woods or cover crops.
Cheating really.
cjs
Orion
Well-Known Member
Probably quite a few animals!
As cjs says above, it’s the heat source that is being picked up on, not visual cues. Once you know ‘something’ is there, then you can zone in on it for further investigation with the binos.
Also a boon when walking in at dark o’clock to prevent bouncing potential quarry before shooting light.
I’ve largely retired my 8x56 and 10x42 binos for lowland stalking and use the thermal spotter and a pair of Swaro 8x25s instead.
Blaser243
Well-Known Member
Just try one. I guarantee you will see far more deer than you thought were ever there, and you'll see them sooner.
They are no substitute for binos, but I often find that I'm well into a stalk before the binos come out these days as I'm scanning primarily with the thermal. If it isn't hot, it isn't there.
They are no substitute for binos, but I often find that I'm well into a stalk before the binos come out these days as I'm scanning primarily with the thermal. If it isn't hot, it isn't there.
Erik Hamburger
Well-Known Member
A Thermal viewer works as well during the day as at night - you'll se more deer, quicker.
If you stalk deer as a sport you have the option not to use it, to make it more difficult and challenging for you. However in that case I would want to make the point that the use of a rifle is also very unsporting...
If you stalk deer as a sport you have the option not to use it, to make it more difficult and challenging for you. However in that case I would want to make the point that the use of a rifle is also very unsporting...
Try one and find out. The only time I found bins better was on open fields after CWD. Thermal was a waste of time. All other times really useful. Spot heat source and bins identify and then can track progress.
A thermal will spot heat sources in daylight just the same as in the dark.
The "clutter" of other heat sources can be a distraction however in certain situations. For instance on a restock site or rocky terrain where both stumps and rock soak up sunlight and show up as heat sources. You do learn to distinguish (stumps dont move!!) But it is a distraction, particularly with lower resolution thetmal spotters.
The "clutter" of other heat sources can be a distraction however in certain situations. For instance on a restock site or rocky terrain where both stumps and rock soak up sunlight and show up as heat sources. You do learn to distinguish (stumps dont move!!) But it is a distraction, particularly with lower resolution thetmal spotters.
Last 4 muntjac we have shot I found them in woodland cover, got the line then picked them out with the scope and over they went...
I use it one on a stand between 2 woods around 150 yds apart so I can wiggle along as one standing 20 yds away then bounding off does not work well for the score card.
Tim.243
I use it one on a stand between 2 woods around 150 yds apart so I can wiggle along as one standing 20 yds away then bounding off does not work well for the score card.
Tim.243
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You can scan vast areas with thermal and spot deer instantly. I can scan big banks of heather and bracken of say 500 to 1000 acres and spot them first glance, you could probably spend an hour with the binoculars and still miss them.
Thermal is Ok but you still need to know what you are looking at a recan incident not long a go when a lad out foxing shot
a calf , how the hell he thought it was fox especially as in a field with other cattle.
And our stupid Scottish government is considering legalizing it for night shooting of deer! A recipe for disaster grrr!
a calf , how the hell he thought it was fox especially as in a field with other cattle.
And our stupid Scottish government is considering legalizing it for night shooting of deer! A recipe for disaster grrr!
As stated they are ideal for locating animals day or night. I have located foxes at night with one( not my own) and they enable you to see for miles without turning on the lamp -invaluable, in regards to deer for me I think it’s unnecessary for somebody stalking for the sport or the table I think it makes it to easy-just my opinion. I would only use one for locating deer when they have run into cover after being shot for this they are worth there weight in gold!
If you have a cull plan, manage deer or are a professional stalker who’s lively hood depends on it I certainly would recommend one!
If you have a cull plan, manage deer or are a professional stalker who’s lively hood depends on it I certainly would recommend one!
That’s is outrageous!
Good for census work.
Yes- top example
Nothing new really and these things happen with careless people, thermal or not. I remember when I was still a young boy a calf went missing on the farm. A few days later it came floating back to the surface of the mill pond. Turn out a, soon to be ex, farmhand saw a shape behind rushes and though he was shooting a hare - it was the calves head!
North Stalker
Well-Known Member
Not really.... Less disturbance than throwing an HID onto them and shooting. Spot with a hand held, shoot with a thermal scope. Deer, especially Roe learn very quickly what a lamp means. IF you don't manage to shoot the Doe with lets say Twins or Triplets what ever is left will not hang about for a second chance under a lamp.
Looks like we won't agree on this one! I have spent the best art of my life working with deer, been involved with
of out of season and night licenses don't have a problem with them when they are absolutely necessary however
night licenses seem to be being issued as a matter of course these days not as a last resort as they were supposed
to be.
Now the Scottish Government are looking at changing the law on the use of thermal at the request of SNH
which of course are a government body.
It sits well with the governments idea of a massive reduction in deer numbers in keeping with their ideas on rewilding
Not good for estates and those that make their living from deer, not good for recreational stalkers,certainly not good for the deer and ultimately not good for the countryside.
Short term benefit for contract stalkers but will benefit no one in the long run.
Mass culling of deer as the result of poor forest design it boils my p@@s
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