Poor Man's Thermal Scope suggestions
- Thread starter Whosure
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SheepdogM59
Pride, Integrity, Guts
ATN Thor is just a hair under $2k. You definitely get what you pay for. I’m holding out getting a thermal until I can afford a $3k plus scope. Until then my night vision works just fine for what I’m doing.
jglass
LSB Member
I've had a number of lectures from people for being so cheap but living frugal has been my way of life and it is who and what I am. Don't spend money on hunting equipment that should be spent on family needs. I was getting along fine with that $280 night vision scope and still have it. I thought long and hard about buying the thermo imaging scope. I actually earned extra money to purchase a thermo scope.
I'm also 67 years old, everything is paid for, kids grown and we live comfortable. I quit duck and goose hunting five years ago so hog hunting is the only sport I still participate in.
You need to avoid thinking you always need the best or having what other people have. People I have known that seem to have all the
gadgets and toys are all heavily in debt and then pay for that lifestyle when they get older. Just saying, don't go overboard buying stuff.
I find paying cash seems to regulate how much spending I do.
I'm also 67 years old, everything is paid for, kids grown and we live comfortable. I quit duck and goose hunting five years ago so hog hunting is the only sport I still participate in.
You need to avoid thinking you always need the best or having what other people have. People I have known that seem to have all the
gadgets and toys are all heavily in debt and then pay for that lifestyle when they get older. Just saying, don't go overboard buying stuff.
I find paying cash seems to regulate how much spending I do.
RattlesnakeDan
San Antonio Texas
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Amen JGlass, over a decade ago I lost everything in the market crash, my home and all my toys. That is when God not only changed my heart but my way of thinking. We pay cash for what we need or we don't buy it, {exception, my wife's car}, we don't care what is trending{ exception, woman's clothing, lol} I have a Bushnell Equinox I have used for years and use it for spotting animals after dark, for under $200. Then I can make a stalk up to 50 yds or so, flip on a light and get my shot. I don't night hunt much but this style is cheap and trust me...much more fun and great adventures are more my style. Your level of enjoyment will never be based on what you spent, but what you did.
Photon XT is a good digital unit for under $500 (I've seen them on sale for $360 new). Depending on how far you are taking shots, you may need an additional IR source if longer than 100 yds. (around $40).I used a Photon and the previously mentioned Equinox for several years with success. Both these units are simple and work well together. The only con is the IR flare you pick up from close in brush/grass/trees.
I started with a green light mounted on my rifle and then installed feeder motion lights, then the Photon, and now a thermal. All of them work - just some make it more enjoyable.
I started with a green light mounted on my rifle and then installed feeder motion lights, then the Photon, and now a thermal. All of them work - just some make it more enjoyable.
I purchased a pvs-14 first, then mounted it behind an eotech, used that for several years before moving up to thermal. Both have there place, still use the pvs for navigation. I think you can get a used 336 armasight for under 3K, I shot a lot of pigs and coyotes out to 200 yards with one.
437
LSB Active Member
sportsmansguide has the rxq30 for 1750 shipped and in stock. you have to sight up for their buyers club 40 membership, but with that discount comes to 1700 plus free shpping. just ordered one up for my buddy yesterday already en route. i have had mine since may love it does all i need. yesterday they had 14 on hand in their warehouse(not drop shipped).
check with mdmorrow here he's a great guy has a facebook page too lost of traffic on there if memory serves used stuff floats on there sorry i'm not much a of a facebooker i get on maybe every 2 months to answer emails. hunte dwith him last summer just as nice and straight forward a dude as you will ever meet. he's coming here to hunt in a couple of weeks if his schedule allows. hint hint myron GET A PASS FROM MAMA!
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Nothing can be rigged up to work like thermal for less money. As noted, there are several alternative that are much less expensive, but none work like thermal. They are all night vision and most are going to be digital night vision. In short, there is no secret short cut quick fix to getting the same results. If there was, none of us would be wasting our money on thermal. The same reasoning applies to miracle attractants, scent covers, electromagnetic field hiders, etc.
Brian - you were supposed to lie to me and tell me I looked purdy!!! Man the wife will make me sleep on the couch for sure when I buy it. At least I wont have to deal with her stealing the covers then.
437 - thanks for the intel. I will look it up when I get off of work today.
437 - thanks for the intel. I will look it up when I get off of work today.
theblakester
Got a black belt in keeping it real.
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Lol,
I would suggest getting a used or new sightmark Photon XT digital night vision scope for now for about $350-$400. For shots over 75-100 yards you will need an additional IR light as others mentioned above that can be had for about $40 off amazon, but it won't do what thermal can do as far as spotting animals in the night and through some cover. The images you see through the lens for a given optic are better than what u see on the videos posted here and on YouTube. Not by a ton, but certainly noticeably better, some brands noticeably more than others.
IMHO, save your money and dont get an entry level thermal, but u don't need a high end one either. If you wait another year, and enjoy the digital night vision scope, while you continue to save$$, technology will get better, prices will probably come down and I personally believe something like the pulsar Apex xq38 is a great compromise between value for your money and quality/ability and will allow you to "easily" take shots at night out to 150- 200 yards on a budget and with a little experience and you'll be able to identify hogs from deer at further distances and raccoons from hogs at closer distances based on their behavior.
I would suggest getting a used or new sightmark Photon XT digital night vision scope for now for about $350-$400. For shots over 75-100 yards you will need an additional IR light as others mentioned above that can be had for about $40 off amazon, but it won't do what thermal can do as far as spotting animals in the night and through some cover. The images you see through the lens for a given optic are better than what u see on the videos posted here and on YouTube. Not by a ton, but certainly noticeably better, some brands noticeably more than others.
IMHO, save your money and dont get an entry level thermal, but u don't need a high end one either. If you wait another year, and enjoy the digital night vision scope, while you continue to save$$, technology will get better, prices will probably come down and I personally believe something like the pulsar Apex xq38 is a great compromise between value for your money and quality/ability and will allow you to "easily" take shots at night out to 150- 200 yards on a budget and with a little experience and you'll be able to identify hogs from deer at further distances and raccoons from hogs at closer distances based on their behavior.
Look at it this way. Once you have a good thermal, you will spend all your nights in the woods whacking pigs. You will sleep during the day when everyone else is going about their lives and you can have the bed all to yourself. See problem solved now go order that thermal, time’s a wasting.