Has anyone hunted during the day with a Thermal?
- Thread starter Drift
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I've used thermal to take deer during the day. I say take because I was using a collector's permit and it was out of season. I had no trouble at all using a 20mm IR Defense MK II.
It can be hard to tell the difference between bucks and does once the antlers have dropped but it is still doable if you look at body movements, and size. That and plus use of binoculars makes it really easy.
I used it mainly in the morning where temps are already in the high 70s and I still had no problems spotting or shooting the animal. One shot and DRT.
It can be hard to tell the difference between bucks and does once the antlers have dropped but it is still doable if you look at body movements, and size. That and plus use of binoculars makes it really easy.
I used it mainly in the morning where temps are already in the high 70s and I still had no problems spotting or shooting the animal. One shot and DRT.
Here's some video I shot during the afternoon
I have certainly used it during the day. The biggest problem is direct sunlight on ground and vegetation that heats it up to near body temperature. This is the closest that animals get to being camo'd from thermal is when the environment they are in is thermally comparable.
Thermal on cloudy days is outstanding. Thermal in the woods during the day can be outstanding as well. Thermal also works well for spotting animals inside the treeline that might otherwise be invisible to view by regular optics due to shade and camo.
Thermal on cloudy days is outstanding. Thermal in the woods during the day can be outstanding as well. Thermal also works well for spotting animals inside the treeline that might otherwise be invisible to view by regular optics due to shade and camo.
Brian is right. Daytime thermal is limited to use when the vegetation is not as hot as the body of an animal. Bare ground will warm up the fastest, open grass next. The more canopy cover from the vegetation the better the thermal cover from the sun and the better you well see a hot animal.
Nice spike there. Good going. Also, Oso thanks for posting the video, I have always wondered about that. You answered the question/s. Thanks again. BANG BANG!!