Your experience with IR illuminator in woodland

[Gboz]

Hi,

I have searched but can’t seem to find an exact answer to this question, most are looking to increase the distance they can see.

I feel, from the posts I have read, this could be a list cause, but here goes.
Plenty of experience on here to learn from!!

I am on a fallow cull syndicate (shooting from high seats in both pasture meadow and woodland) I also have a mixed woodland to stalk through.

I have a thermal spotter and run a HIKMICRO 4k alpex.

In the meadow situations the HIKMICRO is ideal and gives enough light to shoot by in most legal times…. But in the woodland, not so much!!

I find about a 15mins after dusk the scope starts to struggle for light.
I often get to 30mins after dusk and can see deer in the thermal but not clearly enough for a shot in the scope.

I have a scope mounted lamp set up (from rabbit shooting pre-mass NV availability) which has a IR LED pill, but this is far to bright.

I also have a small illuminator from an early NV set up, which is better, but still gives ‘white-out’ in most situations.

I wonder, as these lamps are old, if there is a modern solution to this - or is this the nature of the beast and I have to accept that my field of ‘usable vision’ shrinks dramatically as the light drops in woodland situations?

Any tips or experiences greatly recieved

Thanks in advance

 

[Freeforester]

Vastlite minima Bow LEP plus green filter ( home made, pass the Quality Street!).

The IR illuminator bounces off everything, and your focus will require lots of time spent faffing around (- probably as your target continues to move on).


Use your old day scope with this.

Or you can double down and try a VCSEL laser IR illiminator, and continue chasing your tail, or go thermal, which may not be a lawfully correct option either, of course.

3/4” Alkathene off cut to fit inside 1”
mount. Don’t forget to buy a couple spare batteries if you’re going rabbiting, they don’t weigh but a few grams.

 

[BenBhoy]

Are your torches adjustable/dimmable? Most modern iluminators have a rotary adjustable on end to make them brighter & adjustable on front for wider or more concentrated beam

 

[Gboz]

Are your torches adjustable/dimmable? Most modern iluminators have a rotary adjustable on end to make them brighter & adjustable on front for wider or more concentrated beam

Yes, both have both adjustments. The bigger one is meant for sending a white light 300m so I guess it’s far too bright.
The smaller one might be more suited… I’ll need to sit and tinker with it, perhaps.

I did have it on last night and was twiddling stuff. I found, as FreeForester said, I could get some vision in one direction … yet as soon as I moved the rifle I was back to white-out or just seeing the first row of trees!!!!