I'm wanting to know what people think of thermal image cameras for spotting ?
Im interested from owners what they really think are they worth it ?
What situations are they good in , also entering a field say how quick can you cover it with thermal and what speed . Also can you flick over stuff and is it practice to identify things and what to look out for .
cheers.
So to answer the OP question - I would not be without mine now. It has completely changed the way in which I operate on vermin control - from initial assessment of the issue, the speed at which I can 'clear' a field, or otherwise, through to the point of choosing to engage on the shot. I have learned much about behaviour and habit from watching animals moving in an natural, unaware manner, and this too has added to my enjoyment of vermin hunting. I am now playing a slightly different game to the one played when lamping and am under less pressure to take a shot, so the process is more humane. On follow up, picking up is a doddle, and should a miss occur, the target can still be tracked easily enough, to be picked up later in the round, or on another day. One is still battling against sense of smell, noise etc. to get to the right position.
It is practice to quickly identify animals. Often it is their behaviour that is the giveaway. You can scan a field in a matter of moments, dismissing much of what activity that is there, but perhaps returning to a hotspot of interest. Of course animals move, so a rescan may reveal something in a hedge not previously there, in the same way as a lamp might. I still enjoy lamping, but when you have a job to do, there is only one option IMO.
I have learned that you need to learn how to use this stuff effectively - as you do with NV. Weather and temperature all affect the picture you get - as the land cools through the night for example, temperatures become more normalised and so landscape can become less distinct - but that is when you learn to play with brightness, contrast, focus and zoom to enhance the picture to get the effect you need. Rain and fog will affect the sensitivity, but not to the extent of not being able to use thermal - but to then shoot the target these things give a different interference...!
As to whether they are worth it, I think that is down to personal opinion of the specific kit used and the context. Sorry this is vague, but it depends on whether it is a tool or a toy - and how large a sum of money one has shelled out. I go back to my opening statement - I would not be without mine and it is worth every penny for the time it saves me/gives me back in terms of productivity and of course safety. Sadly, it cannot see round corners, through trees or over crests and as and when that piece of kit comes out, we shall doubtless have the same sorts of conversations! I would say you will only be able to answer the question by spending some time with a unit for yourself, either on a borrow, with someone or a demo. There are companies who will loan for a week, charging a fee, refunded if you then buy the unit. That's money where your mouth is on both counts and an offer I heartily recommend.
