Thread: Thermal Optics under scrutiny?

I will group myself in with the other "luddites" who question the change to allow thermals on public land, particularly in those blocks that hold our trophy herds. Some seem to be making comparisons between thermal technology and advancements in modern firearms technology/ telescopic sights. Perhaps implying that thermals are just the next logical advancement in "hunting" technology. These comparisons are off the mark. For certain we have more efficient rifles and scopes than ever before. However, these technologies only improve the chances of humanely dispatching an animal once it is located with the hunters own wits and senses (I'm not a fan of using dogs for deer either). Thermal technology on the other hand strips deer of some of nature's most effective concealment and evasion tactics. Some of the very things that make deer such a premier game animal in the first place.