Thermal monocular - thinking about buying one

I'm thinking about buying a thermal monocular for spotting animals. I use bino's spotting scope atm & will continue to do so.
Idea being thermal will allow quicker pickup when scanning the tops then use bino's or spotting scope to get a better look at.
I'm interested to hear opinions/experiences on the different brands/models.
I have received some advice to buy once cry once & get a Pulsar helion Xp50mm but its a lot of cash to part out.
I quite like the Pulsar axion2 XG35 & it seems well priced for the specs.

Is anyone using a thermal with a built in range finder? I have a separate handheld lrf but was thinking a thermal with a LRF might make it redundant?

Anyway I'm keen to hear the experiences of thermal users on the forum.
Cheers in advance

Have a look at the pards, delta mike may have them

The Pulsar Axion 2 XQ35 works well and is a very convenient size/shape for lugging around. The bigger XP50 is so good to use, just comes down to whether you are comfortable forking out that much $$. Don’t own any myself, just based from my experience looking through mates ones.

I think your on the right track. Hunting on the tops with my brother this roar, I was scanning a basin on last light with binoculars with no avail (swaros) my brother pulled out his thermal and picked up two stags walking towards each other 300 and 350m away. That's convinced me how thermals are worth it

My mates selling some pulsar accolade xp50 range finder models.hes Looking for 5k ono. 1st generation about 3.5 years old. Flick me a pm if ya keen.

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

My mates selling some pulsar accolade xp50 range finder models.hes Looking for 5k ono. 1st generation about 3.5 years old. Flick me a pm if ya keen.

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Great bit of kit had mine for a few years now just bulky if also carrying binos ect

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Originally Posted by Padox

Great bit of kit had mine for a few years now just bulky if also carrying binos ect

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We only carry the thermals binos, don't need anything else. I just got the new mergers.... wow. Just wow.

Yea I use both as looking at heads normally however for culling I have just gained 1 of the huntsman stellar Sh50 themal scopes so will b interesting to see how that goes

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Originally Posted by Padox

Yea I use both as looking at heads normally however for culling I have just gained 1 of the huntsman stellar Sh50 themal scopes so will b interesting to see how that goes

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What color modes do you use to see antlers that are hard ?

U can't that's y I still carry binos during the day and trialling nv at night

Ahhhh, my new mergers I cans ee antler out to 150. Tested them in Friday night.

I had a wee play with a monocular last night. It wasn't a model that could range but I could clearly see sheep at night in filthy weather ~300m away that there was zero chance of being able to see with the naked eye.

I hadn't used one before but was impressed especially given it was described as "an older cheap one." (~$2k .....). I'd expect with anything half decent you'd be able to easily see animals half a km away, but probably not clearly identify them. If you're tops hunting I reckon it'd be well worth it if you have the cash to burn.

You're probably aware but it might be worth mentioning that it was very harsh on the eye, takes a minute or so for your eye to work properly after using it. Less of an issue during the day I'd expect.

Hi Shorty,i use a Infiray FH35R,great litttle unit,can range to about 800yds on a good night,batterys last about 3hr.Has built in camera n vid.Picture in Picture.Great unit,detect deer a long way off,1.5k on reds,roos abit closer.Very portable and about 3k cheaper than the big 50s pulsar binoes.Check out utube.Ask Peter at nzgrhunts for a good price.A lot cheaper Attachment 205400

Have a good look at the Pard TA62‐35. Very well spec for the money with a higher than usual sensor resolution for its price bracket. Also uses 18650 batteries so super simple to swap out on the run. Have been very happy with mine.

Hi team, appreciate all the comments made. After comparing brands & some field comparisons of my own I have purchased a Pard TA32-35. I went with Pard for a number of reasons. The specs when compared against other brands available at the moment are right up there so good value for money IMO. I thought about the 62-35 but with the lower 2.8x optical zoom it didn't make sense as the advantage of the higher resolution was negated as soon as I used the digital zoom. The type of work it will get will be open tops & faces so the 4.5x optical zoom is better. The money saved over the pulsar is going to allow me to setup a dedicated night vision scoped rifle. Again Pard has won out & a 008s with range finder will sit atop a suppressed .308. once I have built up the rifle.

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Originally Posted by Mintie

Have a good look at the Pard TA62‐35. Very well spec for the money with a higher than usual sensor resolution for its price bracket. Also uses 18650 batteries so super simple to swap out on the run. Have been very happy with mine.

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Thanks Mintie, I checked out your review & it helped steer me to Pard.

Thanks Trout, I had a look at Peters having recently brought one of his tents but he is out of most stock

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Originally Posted by Fat ninja

Have a look at the pards, delta mike may have them

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Thanks Fat Ninja, deal done on a pard at delta mikes

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Originally Posted by Shorty

Thanks Fat Ninja, deal done on a pard at delta mikes

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Good to see you supported local business,enjoy you new toy.

Don't want to be a party pooper and it may well be a little late but make sure you check the rules about use on DOC land, unless things have changed thermal is not allowed. No matter your personal opinion on the merits of said rules it pays not to break them as illegal activity while hunting is not likely to be conductive to maintaining a firearms license.

As far as non DOC land enjoy your new toy, it's definitely eye opening as to just how many animals are about when you start looking round with the thermals.

No party pooping here , your allowed thermals on public land. I have been told personally by doc Hawkes Bay that it's allowed, so long as you can't shoot through then.

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

No party pooping here , your allowed thermals on public land. I have been told personally by doc Hawkes Bay that it's allowed, so long as you can't shoot through then.

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I would go back to this office and get them to put that in writing.
Hunting permit conditions states
"The following activities are strictly prohibited:
Hunting during the hours of darkness (half an hour after sunset to half hour before sunrise).
Hunting with spotlights, torches, vehicle headlights, or any other artificial light source.
Hunting with any night vision equipment, thermal imaging, infrared or heat detecting devices.
Attaching a torch or other light source to a firearm.
Hunting with any shotgun, rimfire rifle, 17 or 22 hornet calibre, air rifle, or tracer and incendiary type ammunition...."

https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...it-conditions/

What is the tech definition of "sunset" or "sunrise" as DoC uses them?

It's not hunting if your just looking.... I hunt with a rifle and look with binoculars

It's actually very poorly laid out, as the section relating to this specifically mentions torches etc, are you deemed to be hunting if using a headlamp to recover an animal shot right on dusk?

Until you have verified the animal has expired you are technically still hunting it once dark via head lamp.

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Originally Posted by 223nut

It's not hunting if your just looking.... I hunt with a rifle and look with binoculars

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correct, if you cant shoot through, it it isnt hunting.

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Originally Posted by Preacher

It's actually very poorly laid out, as the section relating to this specifically mentions torches etc, are you deemed to be hunting if using a headlamp to recover an animal shot right on dusk?

Until you have verified the animal has expired you are technically still hunting it once dark via head lamp.

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I have seen wording somewhere that states that a firearm may not be discharged during the hours of darkness

My point is if I shoot something just before sunset and 3/4 hour later when using a headlamp to recover it, the animal jumps up wounded I am technically not legally allowed to shoot it to finish the job, with the wording as it is.

Although I really can't see how using a hand held thermal as a spotting device during the hours of daylight (which would be BETWEEN half hour BEFORE sunrise and half hour AFTER sunset as stated by the DOC website) is any different to using a spotting scope or binoculars. It really doesn't make sense to me.

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Originally Posted by Preacher

My point is if I shoot something just before sunset and 3/4 hour later when using a headlamp to recover it, the animal jumps up wounded I am technically not legally allowed to shoot it to finish the job, with the wording as it is.

Although I really can't see how using a hand held thermal as a spotting device during the hours of daylight (which would be BETWEEN half hour BEFORE sunrise and half hour AFTER sunset as stated by the DOC website) is any different to using a spotting scope or binoculars. It really doesn't make sense to me.

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Take a knife lol... I have a good video somewhere om a mate going to collect a deer after dark and it was still alive, his first time also. Told him to man up and jump on the stag , not knowing how big it was... he was scared, told us it was huge but was his first up close encounter... we were watching hing from about 200m away with the thermal binos and videoed him jumping on the back of the stag and getting booted in the face haha. Woops.. it was also a monster.. 120kg+ red hahah

Although technically you would still be "hunting" whilst using the knife half an hour after sunset if the purpose is to secure a game animal.

I was always taught one simple rule with respect to public land

"no shooting in the dark under any circumstances" !!

To this day I still think its a vital rule !!

Im not too concerned if you want to run around chasing deer in the dark with a knife [emoji23] or for that matter use a handheld thermal in the day....

However I don't write the rules [emoji41]



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Is any one have stock of the pulsar merger?Last inquiry I made is nz police purchased the majority of the last shipment?

There was some pulsar stuff due in November but I think that has been delayed.

And after being through court over DOC and being charged I would totally not use Thermal on DOC land all it takes is an A hole from DOC and then it is you that will be paying to prove your innocence. And it's written on your permit so nobody's word will stand up.