Don't Forget Your Thermal When You Go Deer Hunting!

[JPK]

Yea, OK, you can't shoot deer in most if not all states later than 1/2 hour after sunset, but your thermal can really be useful anyway.

I was bow hunting for a MD sika Tuesday evening, and used my Patrol to spot a hind (doe) about 40yds away sneaking along a flooded trail in front of my stand about seven or eight minutes before legal time ran out. My stand was in the woods, and without the Patrol I wouldn't have seen her coming, at least from as far as I did. The early warning gave me plenty of time to get ready for the 10yd shot, which I took with three minutes to spare.

After a ridiculously long blood tracking job given the pretty good shot placement, we found the hind with the Patrol as well.

Thermal: Don't leave home without it!

JPK

 

[Brian Shaffer]

A buddy of mine has borrowed my thermal spotter for stalking into the stand before sunup, not wanting to unwittingly walk up on some deer and scare them off. It is a good use.

 

[Ncorry]

They're great for blood trailing - if we trail for more than 100 yards, I go get the thermal and start climbing trees. Works great. Only thing better is a good dog.

 

[BigRedDog]

nice write up

 

[Ratdog68]

Yup, a great use if your State's regs allow it for big game. Nice job.

 

[JPK]

Yup, a great use if your State's regs allow it for big game. Nice job.

I was using the thermal as a handheld scanner. Do any states prohibit this? (I know MD doesn't.)

JPK

 

[Ratdog68]

Don't know for certain, some do not allow electronics, a guy would need their definition of the timeline of use/shot taken. Just throwing out there as a "be in the know" for your area before hand.

 

[Jeff]

Illegal in WA state if I am reading the regs right.

From the Hunting Regs this year:

"Hunting big game with the aid of an artificial light, spotlight, or night vision equipment is prohibited. Night vision equipment includes electronic light amplification devices, thermal imaging devices, and other comparable equipment used to enhance night vision."

 

[Ratdog68]

Illegal in WA state if I am reading the regs right.

From the Hunting Regs this year:

"Hunting big game with the aid of an artificial light, spotlight, or night vision equipment is prohibited. Night vision equipment includes electronic light amplification devices, thermal imaging devices, and other comparable equipment used to enhance night vision."

That's what I recall from years passed for here in WA, why I mentioned it.

Don't know if that applies to fiber optic and/or illuminated reticles for daytime hunting scopes, but suspect one should know for certain beforehand.

 

[Jeff]

lit reticles are OK...