Trapperuss
Member
So are you guys using a thermal scanner and separate scope then?
Thermal scope/scanner
- Thread starter Trapperuss
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I use a thermal hand held to scan and detect. Once something detected I put the rifle up and look through my D-760 NV Scope. or some use a Thermal scope. You don't want to try to look through a Thermal scope mounted to a rifle and scan for animals. Just try looking through your day scope for a half hour and see how you feel. That may be ok if you are hunting fields where you have bait out and know when the animals are coming in. Then you can put the rifle up and look periodically.
I use both hand thermal scanner and a separate thermal scope. I find the hand scanner easier to scan the landscape and once I detect a heat signature, I verify the signature with my mounted thermal scope. You can also scan wide open spaces while someone else is driving and you are scanning. I am using the FLIR monocular 19mm 640 res and FLIR 2-16X 60 mm 640 res. My units are several years old. They still work great.
Trapperuss
Member
I know I don't want to use scope mounted on rifle to scan with i was thinking about buying a thermal clip on scope to scan with that way if I wanted to I could also use it to shoot with. I am thinking if I am going to lay out 1500 on a scanner I may be better off adding another 500 and getting a scope so I could use it to shoot with also or possibly. Basically buy a scanner with crosshairs as I currently have nv to shoot with.
BrentM
Well-Known Member
Hand scanner is the way to go. You don't have to go too expensive on this unless you are long range scanning. If you just hitting fields etc I'd go sub 2000.00 units and call it good.
huntercole
Well-Known Member
If you already have NV then get the scanner first. I went NV scope to thermal scope and then almost immediately bought a scanner. Scanning with the gun sucks, especially by yourself when you have to cover everything. I hunt Midwest coyotes and prefer 2.5-3x on my gun and around 2x for a scanner for more field of view. I've been happy with the AGM taipan 19 for a scanner. It has good fov and the rechargeable battery lasts all night even in the cold. I don't think trying to hand hold a scope to scan and then clip it on the gun in a hurry in the dark would work for me. Some of them come in so fast or close that it's hard enough going from scanner straight to the gun.
huntercole
Well-Known Member
That works too. Like getting the rattler 25 for 2k. Would work well for a scanner. Only negative is the battery life and trying to run an external battery on a handheld scanner might be a pain.
DoneNOut
Well-Known Member
You should read what Zen pointed out to me in this thread. I was naively thinking I could be superman in the dark and dual purpose a QD thermal scope. That just isn't feasible. I should have known better. "Never ask anything to do two things equally great."
Flir Breach ptq136 on a windy helmet with a flip up mounting system situated so that the breach in in front of the "off" eye. Pulsar on the rifle. The breach has the same foot print as a psv14. I will get you some close up pics of the helmet system when I get home.
IMO, it's the only way to go.
IMO, it's the only way to go.
Flintlock shooter
Well-Known Member
I have hunted with Thermal since 2014. I started out trying to scan with my rifle and learned very quick that it wasn't going to work. I use a monocular to scan with. Some points that I think are important:
1. You get what you pay for!!
2. NV will never perform nearly as well as Thermal.
3. Always use only one eye when hunting with Thermal. Don't "wash out" both eyes!
4. Make absolutely sure you know what you are shooting at.
5. There is no depth perception in Thermal. You really need to have a LRF or know distances. Normally you can see well enough to use any LRF to get distances to what you can see (rocks, trees, bushes, hill sides, etc) so you have an idea of what's in range.
6. Good things aren't cheap and cheap things aren't good. (Refer to 1 above)
1. You get what you pay for!!
2. NV will never perform nearly as well as Thermal.
3. Always use only one eye when hunting with Thermal. Don't "wash out" both eyes!
4. Make absolutely sure you know what you are shooting at.
5. There is no depth perception in Thermal. You really need to have a LRF or know distances. Normally you can see well enough to use any LRF to get distances to what you can see (rocks, trees, bushes, hill sides, etc) so you have an idea of what's in range.
6. Good things aren't cheap and cheap things aren't good. (Refer to 1 above)
I have to strongly disagree with your statement. Maybe you never used a GOOD NV Scope.. Thermals are good, but you can only see the body heat. If you have a day when all the surrounding ground, trees are the same temp you can't define the environment. With my NV D-760 $5K+ I can see everything just like day time except in Gray/green. My FLIR Scout III 640 - $3,500 was washed out the other night due to it raining all day and everything the same temp. On the other hand I turned on my NV and can see details down to the blades of grass.
2. NV will never perform nearly as well as Thermal.
Flintlock shooter
Well-Known Member
@Coyote Shadow Tracker
Point taken, but I refer back to my first point.
Point taken, but I refer back to my first point.
Flintlock I like your points that you posted.
I personally like using a good light handheld Thermal for detection and then using NV to determine exactly what the Thermal picked up. I would never suggest using just NV without Thermal. You can miss an animal scanning with NV especially if it is in cover or not moving. Thermal by far is best for scanning/detection. After something is detected, I like to use NV and if needed IR. I can then tell exactly what the heat source is. I can tell the difference between a Coyote, Fox, Dog or Racoon, Armadillo, Possum. If looking at hogs I can tell the different color patterns and a hybrid or razor back. #4 point.
For me I like both Thermal & NV and then a regular scope for day time.
I have not used some of the newer Thermal scopes with price ranges getting close to $10k. I hear that the definition is pretty darn good can take videos and also be used daytime.
Getting to you Point #1, you get what you pay for. This directly correlates with the quality of how you see things in the DARK!
funhunting
Member
Trapper, I typically use a thermal scanner and weapon mount thermal. Initially I only had the weapon mount thermal. After realizing the issues in person I went back and forth on scanner or NV. I settled on a smaller wide field of view thermal scope. This allows me to hand scan by myself or weapon mount when I have a buddy or family along. Keep in mind this is WTX, wide open wheat fields and mesquite brush. Units are halo lr (50mm obj, 3.5 base mag) and hogster (35mm obj, 2.5 base mag). halo has worked rain or shine, good winter night I can tell hog from calf or deer out to ~1200 yds. A dusty summer night with some humidity this drops to ~900 yds. Hogster is limited to 3-400 yards ID, but detection is 1200+, hence the cost difference. I will likely acquire a helmet mounted pvs14 to round out the kit, this will allow me to enter the brush more effectively after hogs and catch those coyotes in close in spaces. This is sub 50 yd work. Flint makes a good point about range. I mil off reticle on coyote or hog, count fence posts or use known references when in certain locations.
if most of your work is sub 200 yd I would recommend going straight to thermal weapon mount and NV helmet mount. If it's over 200 most of the time then the dual thermal setup works better, imo. As stated previously, low base mag and high objective width on the scanner is best, but relative to your environment. Same for weapon mount. I don't have a problem with the halo when unloading a mag 50 yds from a sounder but the hogsters lower base mag does make it easier to identify next target.
For what is worth I used a tripod when I only had the rifle mounted thermal. It was doable as a scanner but I had some missed coyote opportunities and had some fatigue after a 4 hour session affecting shooting ability.
good luck with your decision and enjoy the night, I sure have.
if most of your work is sub 200 yd I would recommend going straight to thermal weapon mount and NV helmet mount. If it's over 200 most of the time then the dual thermal setup works better, imo. As stated previously, low base mag and high objective width on the scanner is best, but relative to your environment. Same for weapon mount. I don't have a problem with the halo when unloading a mag 50 yds from a sounder but the hogsters lower base mag does make it easier to identify next target.
For what is worth I used a tripod when I only had the rifle mounted thermal. It was doable as a scanner but I had some missed coyote opportunities and had some fatigue after a 4 hour session affecting shooting ability.
good luck with your decision and enjoy the night, I sure have.
