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Lets Talk Thermal imaging.

SloMo

SloMo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Messages
428
Location
Wilmington Ma (Z10)
I know there was someone who mentioned picking up something I think it was a thermal imager and it was his "best " pick for this year. I just picked up one ( Leupold LTO Quest) . Anyone have anything on this model. It is the same as another mfgs seek thermal. There are no videos on the one I bought or npo good ones. Has anyone tried these ?Seems to me it might be a big help in a lot of what I do.
 
I want one for finding squirrels I've shot. Boogers are hard to see if they land belly side down!

I don't know how useful it would be for deer hunting. Maybe for fresh blood trails. Mr. Green Jeans doesn't like you using them to look for live critters down here.
 
Ya I hear you Nutter. My thinking was the walk in ,and walk out in the dark. My night vision is poor . Bonus would be spotting game . If you have a weapon with you I would expect as you said Mr Green Jeans wouldn't like it. What about scouting . Does anyone know if Joe Citizen ( Tree Hugger) can use it to find hunters legally.. I`m an ethical hunter and have no interest in using thermal images to target game. What are your thoughts
 
I’ve used a different model at work and they have been quite useful for finding people and items that they may have thrown. Now that being said I will never be able to afford one of those units that were bought through a federal grant . Me and the partner have used them in the car for “training” purposes and have been able to spot deer in corn fields from a couple hundred yard away.

Let me know how you like it cause I’ve thought about picking one up for tracking a deer after the shot.
 
That would work as long as the ambient temp of the blood is greater than the area around it. Fresh blood. Finding a deer down should be pretty easy especially in colder temps though. Body holds warmth longer. I have a call in to a ranger I know to find out the legal end.
 
Careful with NV or thermal optics. Some states will peg you with night hunting if you have them and a weapon together... regardless of wether or not you were actively using it for that purpose or not.


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Well this is getting interesting . I spoke with Fish and Game officials (2) 2 different offices today and was surprised to get pretty much the same answers from both. Apparently it is legal here in MA as long device is not mounted to a weapon of any kind . I asked about night use and scouting after dark etc. and the answers to all were" hand held thermal devices are legal " as long device is not mounted to a weapon of any kind . I`m stoked.
 
I have a Seek Thermal that plugs in to my phone and uses the screen on my iPhone. I was impressed with this thing considering it is about the size of a silver dollar. I do most of my hunting afternoons until dark and I wanted something to help me track bears and hogs after the shot and after dark. I did use it locate a 200lb Sow pig this past fall that had bedded down in a steep ravine. My buddy bow shot it right at dark and we could not find a drop of blood. It was one of those pitch black moonless nights and we had given up our search. On our walk back down the logging road to the truck I held the thermal device pointing down into the ravine that we paralleled on our way out and sure enough there was a bright red blob that appeared on my phone screen around 50 yds away.

It definitely has its uses especially if you hunt areas that are not super thick. Where I hunt in the mountains is often times very thick with mountain laurel and other brush so I’m not sure how practical it is overall for my style of hunting.
 
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I have used my flir thermal for two years now. It is a phenomenal tool both in and out the woods. I used to have a hard time tracking a night but now when i do i can scan for the heat dissipating off the animal. Saves time really plus i also use it in stand when im set up 3-4 hours before sunrise. You be suprised to see what walks around.
 
I tried to pull the trigger on the flir for a few years now. I would like the middle of the road model 640 I think.
I’m afraid as soon as I buy they will come out with a new model.

I also think about a drone with a thermal camera to find bedded bucks...lol. Totally against my ethics...but man what a tool that would be. Especially in the big woods of northern maine. I don’t think I could do...just showing you guys what the devil says while hes on my shoulder.



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I used to take thermal pics for my job in a steel mill with a high-end Flir camera. The camera cost many thousands of dollars, but it really was a cool tool. I had the chance to bring it home a few times and play with it. Deer and other critters in my plots were easy to see at long distances.
I did not experiment with it to walk in the woods in the dark, though. I think someone mentioned using a cam for access in the dark. Not sure how well one would work for that application...I have my doubts.
 
Another useful application would be spotting fields at night. I just swung over to Flir's website and saw they have a new model.
 
I have the flir scout tk i think it retails around $600. Its not the most expensive unit but works real well.
 
I just took my two black labs for a walk in the woods .It was total darkness or close. My guys got out on me a bit (75 yds ? ) I could see them moving around and I stopped them. I called them in and every time they stopped I would call them again. They knew something was up pretty quickly. Amazing stuff. even some game trails show up clear as day. Absolutely sold on this technology.
 
SloMo said:
Ya I hear you Nutter. My thinking was the walk in ,and walk out in the dark. My night vision is poor .
Click to expand...

Back in my trail cam making days I was pulling the IR filter out of a Sony S40 and I had a brainstorm.....I took the filter out of the lens and put it back in the camera. Mounted an IR array to a battery pack. Walked outside (new moon, pitch black night) fired up the light, turned on the camera and VOILA! Night vision.
 
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I was able to locate roosted birds and a fisher cat behind my house. I wonder what else I`m going to find lol. I`m using a Leupold Quest LTO. 375.00 with five year warranty. Not the best or the most expensive. I like the all in one feature and I can walk in holding it like a cell phone instead of looking through the unit .
 
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