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Thoughts on a Thermal Monocular for scouting

bigmike23

bigmike23

Well-Known Member
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Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Messages
3,083
Location
NE PA
Before someone attempts to derail this, not only would using a thermal optic be illegal in my state and most states to help take big game, but it would be a violation of fair chase. We're not talking about that.

What I'm talking about is using one for scouting purposes, especially after the season. No only could you see bedded deer, but you could likely see warm beds if you bumped deer out and could tell where they were bedded. It would also be a cool alternative to spotlighting, which is also legal in my state till 11.

Throwing the idea around.
 
I think John Eberhart carries a Flir thermal monocular for finding downed game and for scanning his areas while going in early and coming out late to ensure he doesn’t bust deer out if they are milling around his saddle locations.

I could also see great utility in them for scouting fields at night to see where deer are feeding.

Game recovery they would be phenomenal in thick areas.

I see people abusing them but there will always be those few that use tech for an unfair advantage. If they can look themselves in the mirror every day they’ve got more going on that will eventually come back to haunt them then I would want to fill my space with.

I would say if there is an open deer season going on you are using one only when your hunting implement is either locked in your car or back at camp or you have somehow disabled your ability to draw your bow/crossbow etc. release aid stowed, arrows in quiver etc. Xbow uncocked bolts in the quiver or something along those lines. Nothing mounted on the hunting implement whatsoever. Zip ties on the cams, ML cap or primer out of the breech, firearm unloaded etc. not in your possession.
 
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As a new hunter, I feel like this would be a great scouting tool. I know eventually I will know what a bed or bedroom looks like. But right now, I have no idea. I have probably stood in beds totally unaware. Thermal vision would point it out imprinting the scene in my memory. I would also agree with the recovery process. Once the animal is ethically and respectfully killed, should we care how it is found after that?
 
I know a guy that uses one when hunting big food plots or fields to verify if the field is clear, for exiting undetected. The way I scout post season, I cant think of anywhere it would be beneficial for me.
 
I though a thermal might be useful to identify turkey roost trees, but I am not mad enough at them anymore to go buy a thermal, and as far as I know it probably would not be legal. I'd look into that aspect first before buying one.
 
My REAL BOSS was at a loss as to what to get me for my birthday, so I decided to try one of those Topdon monoculars- the TS004. Last year one of the guys in our group downed a doe right at dark, & we ended up walking past her 3 times before we found her. I figured that it might come in handy for that situation next time.

I'll let you guys know what I think of it-I've never played with one of these before.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
I though a thermal might be useful to identify turkey roost trees, but I am not mad enough at them anymore to go buy a thermal, and as far as I know it probably would not be legal. I'd look into that aspect first before buying one.
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it would not in pa. Cool idea tho.
 
even if not explicitly illegal, man I would NOT wanna have brown jeans waiting at the car with one on me.
 
I use one quite a bit, not for deer scouting purposes, but for slipping up on hogs at night in order to shoot them with thermal scope on rifle. I have carried it to blood trail a deer and hogs and it's pretty much useless for blood, and if it's real thick it's hard to find a downed deer/hog but you can if you get a clear field of view. I wouldn't expect to be able to find any beds with it, enless you found it within minutes of bumping a deer, and even then I don't think it'd stand out enough. I have considered taking it with me to use slipping out after an evening hunt to avoid bumping a deer, but I like to go in minimalist and just can't make myself tote it with me
 
I've used them. They're useful but not magic. If it's warm/hot it's harder to "see" deer with them. They're not x-ray, so you can't see behind things or through really thick cover. They're cool for finding brown colored deer in brown colored grass. Especially during low light and on cool mornings.

I saw a chance at a B&C class deer blown because a hunter was convinced he could see everything through one. He moved too aggressively and didnt use his eyes and saw the group of does but didnt see the two bucks bedded down in a draw nearby. Had he been conventionally glassing and moving slower, he probably could have killed a lifer.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
Well, it would either be legal or it wouldn't. I'd be dang sure it was and have it in writing though if I was going to have one in the woods.
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it would be legal or illegal, but first it would have to get past the warden, who might decide to make his own decisions as in the recent night hunting arrest of shane huffman in sc, which did involve a search uncovering a thermal in the truck, not seen in use.

wardens completely botched the stop and got sued, along with the sc dnr. wasn't even close to a night hunting violation. wardens got wet thinking they were busting a local name and confiscating a new truck and cool gear.

for some strange reason, i can't post any of the youtubes that cover the case. hmmmm .....
 
Swamp Fox__On The Run said:
it would be legal or illegal, but first it would have to get past the warden, who might decide to make his own decisions as in the recent night hunting arrest of shane huffman in sc, which did involve a search uncovering a thermal in the truck, not seen in use.

wardens completely botched the stop and got sued, along with the sc dnr. wasn't even close to a night hunting violation. wardens got wet thinking they were busting a local name and confiscating a new truck and cool gear.

for some strange reason, i can't post any of the youtubes that cover the case. hmmmm .....
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I remember watching that video a while back. I know most of the wardens around here and they are pretty cool, but a thermal isn't on my list anytime soon, lol.
 
still having issues posting youtubes on the case but anyone interested in the local journalism expose of the case should look up


youtube MISFIRE-- WILDLIFE COPS LOSE CAREER CASE AGAINST HUNTER AND GET SUED

The wardens were completely wrong with a capital f on the law, and it's royally embarrassing to hear them talk things through on camera during the arrest.
 
Swamp Fox__On The Run said:
still having issues posting youtubes on the case but anyone interested in the local journalism expose of the case should look up


youtube MISFIRE-- WILDLIFE COPS LOSE CAREER CASE AGAINST HUNTER AND GET SUED

The wardens were completely wrong with a capital f on the law, and it's royally embarrassing to hear them talk things through on camera during the arrest.
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Pull up the video on Youtube, click in the address bar and the video's info will highlight in blue. Right click it and select copy. Open the tab here in the forum, then paste the link in the reply box on here. It should paste the link.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
Pull up the video on Youtube, click in the address bar and the video's info will highlight in blue. Right click it and select copy. Open the tab here in the forum, then paste the link in the reply box on here. It should paste the link.
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part of my problem is that my copy/paste capability on this old laptop is nil .... and my punctuation and capitalization is barely fogging the mirror ...

i will leave it to others to find/post the video.


i'm hoping santa claus comes very early this year .... hell, they have the halloween **** out at lowe's already ....
 
bigmike23 said:
Actually now that i think about it, you could probably scout and roost a bird the night prior with one as you aren't engaged in hunting.

The day of the hunt with a weapon would definitely be a huge no no
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depends on the state's definition of hunting. there are some broad ones out there.
 
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