Thread: Thermal for daytime

Because it's in the RULES of your permit. Part 4.3

One of the very first times I took a thermal monocular out in the field it was a cool but sunny day in early winter. I got to the top of a spur that overlooked a gully and sat down and began glassing (binoculars). I spent about 15 minutes carefully scanning the gullies below me which were largely broken scrub with a bit of heavier bush near the creeks. I didn't locate anything and then remembered I had the thermal so got it out of my pack and started to scan with that. Within about 30 seconds I had picked up 2 pairs of goats and another lone goat, all in different locations below me. I then picked up the binos again and spent the next 10 (at least) minutes trying to find them again! Two were particularly hard to spot. Black and brown goats in amongst dead bracken at about 250m. Clearly visible in the thermal but near invisible through the 10x binos. I watched the 3 groups for a while (not really being interested in shooting any of them) and then picked up the thermal again. I immediately spotted a black pig in the fern below me. I could tell without doubt it was a pig but again had real trouble finding it in the binos. It looked like a good size so I crept down and got into a shooting position about 150m from where I had last seen it. When it appeared in the scope I was surprised and disappointed at how small it was. It did look a lot bigger in the thermal. Deciding not to shoot it I made my way back up and carried on further along the ridge. Once I had reach the next high point I looked back with the binos and saw 2 pigs, one much bigger than the other, disappearing into the bush. The larger one, the one I had originally seen in the thermal I suspect. This was the first time I had used a thermal in the field and I was impressed. I don't consider myself too shit at spotting game with binoculars but I don't think I would have seen any of these animals without the thermal. This was about a year ago and since then it has proved very effective at locating game quickly everywhere from chamois on the tops to deer in the bush. You can scan kms of country in seconds where using binos would take you half an hour. I can look and area over and then decide if I want to access what I have just spotted there.
I have only ever used it at night on rabbits although I have seen a lot of deer through it at night.
They have there limitations and do take a bit of "reading" but if you have a good quality one it's not hard. If you think it makes it too easy you obviously don't need one and if you have any ethical issues with them then that's up to you. Nobody is going to make you use one but I won't be getting rid of mine any time soon.

I love my thermal monoculars and clip on.Got my 1st monocular 8 yrs ago.Have updated gear a little and got a good system working well.Shot 22 deer and one pig this summer.Some in early morning and sunset light.Some in middle of the night.Have no trouble seeing deer 1800yds in the distance.Some deer walk with in 30yds of yr truck in the night.Roll on next summer.
Some nights see no deer,it starts pissing down with rain.Ten minutes later there 6 fallow over there,2 reds down there.
Couple of times I had to take my clip on off befor sunset as iv got yearlings wandering out on the river bed 200-
300yds away.
I dont have bugger all time to hunt all day around the hills.So i just watch the river beds and green spots.Shot my last 4 deer after I turned 69 last month.I was pretty pleased with my self.Oh 14 of those deer were shot from the same spot.

@turtle. So should we disregard what is written on the permit? Don't get me wrong, I actually agree with you about the people making these rules being out of touch.

PARD TA 32 is what I would be looking at. I have used friends thermals hunting and as others have mentioned you will see many animals you would otherwise miss or not be able to spot with binos. It makes your hunting very efficient so long as it’s not affected by thermal clutter (sun making other things hot). Some people fancy them some people don’t.

All good mate. I see where you are coming from. I will shut up now too.

My Infiray is screwed to a camera poll thru my sun roof.Power cord down poll to power cig lighter.My monocular blue tooth to my phone.Sit in truck all night watchn for deer.Gota turn the screen light down on phone later in the night.Can take video,photos and range yr deer as well.I have a cover made to go over sun roof.Works well in pouring rain n fog.Can turn it 180degrees if needed,check behind me.Have improved design since,very water proof now.

You'd only be able to use it on a day hunt. If you were caught coming out from a multi day hike with one you'd automatically fall foul of the assumption you were using it in the daytime.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

Originally Posted by Eat Meater

You'd only be able to use it on a day hunt. If you were caught coming out from a multi day hike with one you'd automatically fall foul of the assumption you were using it in the daytime.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

by that logic you better leave your torch/headlamp and candles at home too....and before you say you cant hunt using candles..yes you can,not very well but you can do it...many possums etc have been shot from trees using very primative lighting.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

by that logic you better leave your torch/headlamp and candles at home too....and before you say you cant hunt using candles..yes you can,not very well but you can do it...many possums etc have been shot from trees using very primative lighting.

I see your point, but thermals have a single, non safety use and are optional whereas torches are needed.
I was thinking about how if you have fishing equipment at a river but no licence you can get the gear confiscated even if you weren't fishing with it, just carrying it because you needed it to retrieve something hanging off a bridge.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

Originally Posted by Eat Meater

I see your point, but thermals have a single, non safety use and are optional whereas torches are needed.
I was thinking about how if you have fishing equipment at a river but no licence you can get the gear confiscated even if you weren't fishing with it, just carrying it because you needed it to retrieve something hanging off a bridge.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

The logic in the point is still off and would never hold up, it’s just pulling at straws trying to argue against them.

Originally Posted by Shearer

One of the very first times I took a thermal monocular out in the field it was a cool but sunny day in early winter. I got to the top of a spur that overlooked a gully and sat down and began glassing (binoculars). I spent about 15 minutes carefully scanning the gullies below me which were largely broken scrub with a bit of heavier bush near the creeks. I didn't locate anything and then remembered I had the thermal so got it out of my pack and started to scan with that. Within about 30 seconds I had picked up 2 pairs of goats and another lone goat, all in different locations below me. I then picked up the binos again and spent the next 10 (at least) minutes trying to find them again! Two were particularly hard to spot. Black and brown goats in amongst dead bracken at about 250m. Clearly visible in the thermal but near invisible through the 10x binos. I watched the 3 groups for a while (not really being interested in shooting any of them) and then picked up the thermal again. I immediately spotted a black pig in the fern below me. I could tell without doubt it was a pig but again had real trouble finding it in the binos. It looked like a good size so I crept down and got into a shooting position about 150m from where I had last seen it. When it appeared in the scope I was surprised and disappointed at how small it was. It did look a lot bigger in the thermal. Deciding not to shoot it I made my way back up and carried on further along the ridge. Once I had reach the next high point I looked back with the binos and saw 2 pigs, one much bigger than the other, disappearing into the bush. The larger one, the one I had originally seen in the thermal I suspect. This was the first time I had used a thermal in the field and I was impressed. I don't consider myself too shit at spotting game with binoculars but I don't think I would have seen any of these animals without the thermal. This was about a year ago and since then it has proved very effective at locating game quickly everywhere from chamois on the tops to deer in the bush. You can scan kms of country in seconds where using binos would take you half an hour. I can look and area over and then decide if I want to access what I have just spotted there.
I have only ever used it at night on rabbits although I have seen a lot of deer through it at night.
They have there limitations and do take a bit of "reading" but if you have a good quality one it's not hard. If you think it makes it too easy you obviously don't need one and if you have any ethical issues with them then that's up to you. Nobody is going to make you use one but I won't be getting rid of mine any time soon.

I have a lot of success with mine too.

I see my top hat been talked about,lols.Well i dont hunt doc land so you can forget that subject.Sometimes i watch hydro water edges or private land.Theres no law breaking with the hydro waters edges as long as the farmer doesnt have concession to farm thoses river edges.

youve got your wallet dear...must have bee nat the whorehouse again......
just cause youve got it ,dont mean its been used illegally
now I could have used Freddy Mercuries famous quote to female reporter here...... youve got a vagina..you must be a whore LMFAO.

Back on topic.
I use a thermal spotter wallaby hunting.
The more you use one the better you get at figuring whats an animal and whats not during daylight and even on sunny days. I see a stack of deer through the thermal in wallaby country too - mostly walk on by.
It needs to be a pretty hot day in a very rocky environment for it not to be any use to me. Then the binos trump the thermal.

But regardless of the conditions I always find it relieving and more fulfilling when I get the binos out.