Thread: Thermal Optics under scrutiny?

Originally Posted by whanahuia

I want people to give the real reason they want to use thermals.

When you are a 70 yr old with 2 knee replacements and time poor.Thermals help you get a few meat animals each summer.Only go out about twice a month.Been using thermals for 10yrs,not going to change now.

Originally Posted by Trout

When you are a 70 yr old with 2 knee replacements and time poor.Thermals help you get a few meat animals each summer.Only go out about twice a month.Been using thermals for 10yrs,not going to change now.

Im sorry @Trout. I wasn't intending that as personnel. its just your comment summed up well what i see alot.

The reason you give now is a much better one in my opinion.

Originally Posted by No.3

Sheez louise, 250 is huge numbers - I bet the quality and health of the animals sucked.

Na rather the opposite. There low numbers in this area.

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Originally Posted by whanahuia

Im sorry @Trout. I wasn't intending that as personnel. its just your comment summed up well what i see alot.

The reason you give now is a much better one in my opinion.

No problem mate,life's to short to be all anti.

I don't have time to read through 9 pages of opinions but I agree with the writer. There is a safety concern. People accidentally shoot sheep in the head because they think its a hare because the animals body is in a dip. Without thermal identification training this is worrying.

Not arguing it's effectiveness just safety.

[QUOTE=Grantn;1613684]I don't have time to read through 9 pages of opinions but I agree with the writer. There is a safety concern. People accidentally shoot sheep in the head because they think its a hare because the animals body is in a dip. Without thermal identification training this is worrying.


yes but is that fact or fiction - do you know for sure that happened or did you hear it some where - did it happen on your property - I am not interested in what might happen- thermals are a tool for hunters to use - simple as that - shooting after dark is still illegal on DOC land we are not talking about thermal scopes on DOC land rather hand held thermals and they are an aid

If you shot a sheep in head because you think it's a hare...you did not positively identify your target FULLSTOP... Thermal,spotlight,scope,binos,or open sights don't matter.YOU failed to do your bit.YOU didn't do the ticks off the list.

dead right Mickey Duck dont blame the apparatus if the user is wonky

Fair enough. It takes a lot out of the hunt for me personally but each to their own. It definitely drives some desparity, only the wealthy can afford them. Plus there seems to be more and more of a desire for people to take the easiest route vs the most rewarding.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

If you shot a sheep in head because you think it's a hare...you did not positively identify your target FULLSTOP... Thermal,spotlight,scope,binos,or open sights don't matter.YOU failed to do your bit.YOU didn't do the ticks off the list.

Bang on, no pun intended. It does not matter what law abiding and ethical hunters use as tools to hunt with, they will still follow the rules of the day and take the safety precautions. Should we be restricting access to new tech because of the lowest denominator? What about the next bit of tech? It's a bit like back in the day banning helicopters because one might crash...

Hmmm. I know several professional nightshooters and 4 of them have related first hand mis-identification cock-ups using thermal or night vision aiming devices resulting a dead critter of the wrong species in 3 of them (the 4th was lucky the target beastie was actually 1km away).

For those who say "it won't happen to me" I call bullshit, in any daylight hunting situation I'd trust my life with all 4 of em.

Rifle mounted -it's a problem. The DOC handheld rule is very sound. I don't own a thermal but have hunted with guys using them, they are an excellent aid both day and night, no different to any other aid we might use.

Yeah I'm happy with that answer but do I full trust people to understand the difference in heat signatures and make the right call. Kind of but not 100% that's for sure

Originally Posted by Tentman

Hmmm. I know several professional nightshooters and 4 of them have related first hand mis-identification cock-ups using thermal or night vision aiming devices resulting a dead critter of the wrong species in 3 of them (the 4th was lucky the target beastie was actually 1km away).

For those who say "it won't happen to me" I call bullshit, in any daylight hunting situation I'd trust my life with all 4 of em.

Rifle mounted -it's a problem. The DOC handheld rule is very sound. I don't own a thermal but have hunted with guys using them, they are an excellent aid both day and night, no different to any other aid we might use.

Yep have used them a bit. Pulsar mainly, and tech might be better now, its been two years. but the capacity for interpretation/ Mis-interpretation was there. Is it a pig? is it a calf? Our eye is sending messages too our brain and we interpret them. Anything between the two is a filter and requires increased interpretation.

Originally Posted by Grantn

Fair enough. It takes a lot out of the hunt for me personally but each to their own. It definitely drives some desparity, only the wealthy can afford them. Plus there seems to be more and more of a desire for people to take the easiest route vs the most rewarding.

You don't have to be wealthy to buy thermal gear,just use yr money for what you want.Some guys have 8 rifles,I only have one.Some guys have 4k day scopes on their rifles,I have a $330 day scope to fit my 4k thermal clipon on.

Yeah fair enough. In hindsight maybe it's also the purist of the chase in me and takes some knowledge out of the chase. Maybe I just need to embrace that it's a new technology that's here to stay