Second hunt with Thermal

[customcutter]

Took the Zeus 3x 75 on it's first real hunt, but actual second hunt tonight. It's a good thing we're supposed to learn from our mistakes. Seems like I've made at least one of them before.

I went back to where I killed the boar with the scope from the company I won't name. But this time I waited till after dark, figured I'd put the old stalk on them instead of sitting and waiting game. When I drove into the pasture I grabbed the rifle out of the scabbard and tried to turn on the scope, nothing (mistake #1, forgot to turn of scope last night hunting with Drift) Driving back to where I'm going to hunt I decided to glass some of the other pastures, just to see what's there, not going to shoot, just curious and notice the scope is fogged up (mistake #2 acclimate scope to outside temperature and humidity before hunt.) Got out of the truck, put on the bug suit top, but no bugs while I was gathering my gear, so I decided not to spray down, in case the wind came up ( mistake #3). I start walking up a hill to the pasture where I killed the other boar and stop every 20-30 yds and glass the horizon, about 150 yds from the truck, I see nice hog probably 200+ yds off. I can see him rooting in the dirt and flipping chunks of grass in the air. I'm watching him for several minutes and the image is degrading badly, I'm trying everything I can to improve the image, but don't know how to do a manual NUC yet, or if I even can. I finally decided I had better make sure the bolt stripped a round off the clip into the chamber, should have done it at the truck when I chambered the round.(mistake #4) So I grab my telephone, decided to use it instead of the flashlight, and confirm the chamber is loaded. By now the mosquito's have their thermal gear finely tuned and are about to carry me off. I have the bug spray in my pocket and decided to spray down, I balance my AR between my knees while I apply some much needed bug spray to hands and face. OK, finally ready to stalk on in and finish the deal. I look through the scope, to see where the pig is and I have nothing but a white image. I'm thinking what the heck, I know the image was getting bad, the humidity was 100+%, but this is unreal. Did it get moisture inside from the AC blowing on it? I fiddled with it for 10 more minutes turned it off and on several times, plugged and unplugged the external extended battery cable several times it would power back up, but still a white screen. Finally I gave up and walked back to the truck pretty ticked off by now. I got back to the truck, and went to put the rifle away and noticed that the lens cover was over the lens.(mistake #5) At least I don't have to send it back to Armasight. I really didn't want to have to mess with cleaning a hog tonight, so I'm sure the good Lord was looking out for me and laughing the whole time.

 

[FrankT]

Hey it sooner or later happens to all of us...Next time will be better...Thanks for letting us know others do it too.

 

[customcutter]

The learning curve can be pretty steep sometimes. It's the silly "little stuff" that we never seem to think about, that gets in the way too.

 

[FrankT]

new equipment, night time, hey it gets easier from now on.

 

[Hard_ware]

The more time you spend utilizing the gear, the less unplanned events occur

 

[Ratdog68]

All part of getting to know your gear.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Yep, done all those things, lol.

 

[wigwamitus]

Ditto as to doing that stuff also.
You can practice some of it in the house in the dark or with eyes closed. Try to get to where you can check for a round in chamber with fingers without having to use light.

==
Also, if I do need a light, I use the one mounted on helmet, which for me is a 3 lumen Red, Blue, Green, White light, "gerber" ...

Here are my helmets:

The gerber 3L lights are on the left side as we are looking at them. I leave them on red and I check function before leaving house. TO make sure they come on and to make sure they are set to red. I've left them lying in the pasture (on purpose) and at least I can't see them beyond 10 yds (when on red) ... but provides enough light for emergency checks.

On the right side of the helmets s we are looking at them are the ir-illuminators. 14s on the front and counter weight masses on the backs (magazines and batteries). The 9v strobe battery is on top and I usually carry 1-2 300 lumen taclights and 1x1000 lumen tac light and 1-2 ir-becons in my pockets, oh and I usually have one more of the 3l gerber rbgw lights in my pocket also. Strobes and becons can be used to mark stuff.
Oh and I carry extra c123 batteries in specific pockets so I can get them fast if needed, AA and 9vs on the helmet and c123s in specific pockets (Aaron still hasn't made us any c123 pouches yet !! )

==

You will learn by doing and you'll learn the most from your mistakes, those learnings will stick with you!

 

[Dry Creek]

Left lens cover on. Been there , done that. Learning curve is steep sometimes.

 

[Chopperdrvr]

+1 with lens cover. I was really disgusted with the quality of my gen 1 scopes image till realized it was with a pin hole for a light source.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

You can practice some of it in the house in the dark or with eyes closed. Try to get to where you can check for a round in chamber with fingers without having to use light.

Right, ideally you should be able to check for a round in the chamber by feel, change batteries, change mags, and clear malfunctions in the dark. If you have to turn on a light to perform an administrative task, it should only be because something is really wrong, like you just dropped your last battery into high grass and can't find it by feel...not that I have ever done that (twice).

 

[Wildfowler]

I roll down my truck windows the last few miles of the trip to help acclimate. If that wont do it, a few minutes on the dash board with warm air defrost should do the trick, or hold scope directly in front a vent blowing warm air.

 

[pruhdlr]

Brian is absolutely right in his above post #11. I practiced these things time after time over a period of a couple of weeks when I first got my thermal and put it on top of a 18" Bison 6.8. Switched it to a 10.5" 6.8 and found that most was the same however the ballance of the gun threw me off somewhat.

Now the thermal is switched to a bolt gun(RARR) been doing some practice again. The bolt is super loud and the ballance of the gun is quite a bit aft of center.

I practice with blacked out goggles on and my wife watching me for direction if needed and feedback to what it looked like I was doing wrong. With this new bolt gun I have now done the practice thing about 20 times. I find that I am older now and things got much harder. --- pruhdlr

 

[customcutter]

Ditto as to doing that stuff also.
You can practice some of it in the house in the dark or with eyes closed. Try to get to where you can check for a round in chamber with fingers without having to use light.

==
Also, if I do need a light, I use the one mounted on helmet, which for me is a 3 lumen Red, Blue, Green, White light, "gerber" ...

Here are my helmets:

The gerber 3L lights are on the left side as we are looking at them. I leave them on red and I check function before leaving house. TO make sure they come on and to make sure they are set to red. I've left them lying in the pasture (on purpose) and at least I can't see them beyond 10 yds (when on red) ... but provides enough light for emergency checks.

On the right side of the helmets s we are looking at them are the ir-illuminators. 14s on the front and counter weight masses on the backs (magazines and batteries). The 9v strobe battery is on top and I usually carry 1-2 300 lumen taclights and 1x1000 lumen tac light and 1-2 ir-becons in my pockets, oh and I usually have one more of the 3l gerber rbgw lights in my pocket also. Strobes and becons can be used to mark stuff.
Oh and I carry extra c123 batteries in specific pockets so I can get them fast if needed, AA and 9vs on the helmet and c123s in specific pockets (Aaron still hasn't made us any c123 pouches yet !! )

==

You will learn by doing and you'll learn the most from your mistakes, those learnings will stick with you!

Yes, see this is how I'm set up for turkey hunting, every pocket on the vest has a purpose and everything goes back in that pocket so that I know where to find it next time in the dark. No need for flashlights.

 

[customcutter]

Right, ideally you should be able to check for a round in the chamber by feel, change batteries, change mags, and clear malfunctions in the dark. If you have to turn on a light to perform an administrative task, it should only be because something is really wrong, like you just dropped your last battery into high grass and can't find it by feel...not that I have ever done that (twice).

I used to shoot IDPA, but have never taken any defensive rifle/pistol classes. You're right, if I didn't have a light with me, I would have figured out to check with my fingers I hope. But, it should be a skill that should be practiced, with rifle, pistol, and shotgun. My 835 almost cost me an Osceola this past spring, because the next round wouldn't feed out of the tube. I nearly had a heart attack running the bird through the palmettos. He's at the taxidermist still.

 

[YellowHammer]

Always load your mags the same no matter what. In the case of a 5.56 AR for example decide if you are going to load to 28, 29, or 30 rounds. Once you decide how you load your mags (every time) you will know what side of the mag the first round sits on (left or right). After you chamber a round the first round in the mag will be on the opposite side.

You drop the mag in the dark and look/feel for what side that first round is on. Takes some practice and planning but it is a good way to know if you are loaded in the dark.

Works in the daylight too, but I prefer to watch the round go into the chamber when possible.

 

[customcutter]

My wife asked this morning, "Do we had any fresh pork." I said, "no, I had some problems." She asked if I got stuck or anything else went wrong, and I proceeded to tell her the story. She finally just busted out laughing, and I laughed too. I said, "what, you're glad the new scope isn't broke?" She said, "yes dear, I'm very, very, very glad the new scope isn't broke." So then I told her about the warranty and everything so that eased her mind a little I think.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

At least she sounds supportive!

 

[customcutter]

Oh yes, she doesn't mind me spending the money. I was actually surprised when I told her how much it was going to be, she didn't bat an eye. She know's me better than I know myself sometimes, it's really scary....