Thermal imaging scanner - Anyone using them?

[THREEDFLYER]

In Idaho it is legal to use a handheld thermal imaging scanner, but not a scope mounted to a weapon during hunting.

At the recommendation of a friend I am looking into the ATN OTS 160 3-6X Monocular. He has used this unit to locate deer/elk with very good success during legal hunting hours.

Anyone have experience with this particular unit or others??

 

[coltle6920]

Had something similar to what you're talking about 50yrs ago. Must have been defective because I tried it on the wife one night and it didn't register anything so I threw it away.

Sorry, I couldn't resist myself.

 

[swsig]

The military in the U.K. has used them for decades. These specialists are assigned to British Thermal Units.

 

[rkwood]

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with the type of thermal equipment that the OP is inquiring about? I will also be in the market soon for something similar or for combo thermal / NV gear.

 

[Shark Bait]

I have a Leopold hand held unit and it works okay. I haven't tried using it for game yet.

 

[steelslaver]

Kind of wonder how just well something like a deer would show up. I have seen them laying there with snow on them. If snow isn't melting on them how much heat can they be letting off.

My one brother mentioned thee idea a couple years ago.

 

[THREEDFLYER]

A local fellow has the ATN unit that I am speaking of and said it has been a game changer (pun intended) for him!

He recently shot his bull elk here in unit 30 a week ago and was able to pick out a cow elk using the unit, and he would have had a hard time finding it without the thermal scanner.....he detected heat and it was just a portion of the cow elk's head that was evident.

He sat tight and eventually a bull came into view.

I may be adding one of these to my bag of tricks.

There are several models available and of course the price goes up from the $799 price on this unit depending on what range you want to scan out to.

 

[WR Moore]

One big issue with thermal gear is that all it does is detect heat and possibly some degree of shape. We had some really, really good thermal units and occasionally, figuring out exactly what you had was an issue.

 

[mtgianni]

Drift alert! I was returning from an ice fishing trip with friends when we decided to drive up a canyon. It was about 2 in the afternoon and had warmed up to 10 F or so. We saw a South facing hill that was steaming. Put the binoculars on it and there was at least 1000 elk lying in the sun.

I saw an imager for sale decades ago marketed for tracking wounded game. I can see it might have a place in bow hunting but believe at most rifle distances you could see minimal temperature differences

 

[SMSgt]

Thermal imaging, feeding stations . . . Doesn't anyone actually hunt anymore?

 

[THREEDFLYER]

Thermal imaging, feeding stations . . . Doesn't anyone actually hunt anymore?

I put on many, many miles on my boots and spend countless hours glassing......so yes, I "hunt"

I am a "sight/stalk" hunter

Some situations when I am in heavy timber/brush would be nice to be able to locate animals before you bust them by beating the brush.....

I am not sure I will purchase a thermal unit, but I am doing my research.

As mentioned by another member, it could certainly come in handy to track wounded or down animals.

 

[lrb1200]

Not for the budget minded,

Flir P40.

Wife at over 100 yards.......pitch black.

 

[Imissedagain]

^^^^
As a certified tech for RayMarine, when Flir bought RayMarine, those and others were fun gear to play with on boats over the years.

 

[pmanton]

I'm long retired, but we used those for locating hot spots on buss bars, contactors and such.

 

[lihpster]

I 've never used it, but I think it could be a useful tool in the kit. Never could justify the expense, myself, but I am fascinated by the technology. A handheld unit would be better for searching for a lost pet, child or drunk who wandered away from the fire.

 

[quikdraw67]

We have the FLIR handheld units on the engine and rescue trucks.

Otherwise, no, never used one.

 

[Golddollar]

The military in the U.K. has used them for decades. These specialists are assigned to British Thermal Units.

< < < rimshot > > >

 

[quikdraw67]

The military in the U.K. has used them for decades. These specialists are assigned to British Thermal Units.

I see what you did there.

 

[Imissedagain]

I'm long retired, but we used those for locating hot spots on buss bars, contactors and such.

Bad lightning strike on a 50' Class Sloop.
Lloyd's of London sent two techs, with the first thermal camera we ever saw to check everything, even though breakers, switches etc etc were all new and top quality.
Had us change 15 of 100 breakers and other new electrical stuff.
Might have been in the early '90s?
Flir's high end boat gear was spectacular as it lit up Port Everglades at night.
Radar/Sonar has evolved as well.
Always a fun day on the Ocean with various government Agents.
They preferred those of us that served in the Military to do things correctly.
Never tried a thermal camera for Trap....
I meant to say Wobble, which rhymes with pitiful.

 

[John Patrick]

My son and I have used a couple of different thermal scanners.

One dark and rainy morning I picked up five six point Sika stags from a tower overlooking a marsh in Maryland that I couldn't find with Leica 8x32 binos. That scanner was a top of the line IR Hunter/Trijicon 640 unit.

I've had good success with a significantly less expensive Pulsar unit too. Including using it to follow the blood trail of a Sika hind arrowed deep in the woods just at the close of legal time. And that hind I found working her way down a trail toward me with the scanner while taking a final scan before climbing down from the tree stand.

Below are a couple of cell phone photos taken through the Pulsar from a ground blind. The deer is a young stag Sika. It was pitch dark out.