Thread: Thermal Night Shooting Gear - Pard NV007

Thinking of getting a Pard 800 so phoned the chap at Owl Optics and he was very good to talk to. I asked a lot of questions. There are a few I thought of later so maybe someone here could help.

I've been using a Pulsar hand held thermal for a couple of years with a grunty scope mounted Maxtoch torch. Two problems with that are #1 the deer only wait about 3 seconds before bolting once the light hits them, sometimes less. #2 even a single strand of tussock or other plant will reflect back through the scope when the light is switched on and blot out the sight picture. Does the same thing happen with NV when using the illuminator? Can the animal see the IR light?

Any answers to those last two questions would be appreciated.

Obviously a thermal scope would be great but I can't justify the cost for the amount of deer hunting I do these days.

Originally Posted by 10-Ring

Thinking of getting a Pard 800 so phoned the chap at Owl Optics and he was very good to talk to. I asked a lot of questions. There are a few I thought of later so maybe someone here could help.
I've been using a Pulsar hand held thermal for a couple of years with a grunty scope mounted Maxtoch torch. Two problems with that are #1 the deer only wait about 3 seconds before bolting once the light hits them, sometimes less. #2 even a single strand of tussock or other plant will reflect back through the scope when the light is switched on and blot out the sight picture. Does the same thing happen with NV when using the illuminator? Can the animal see the IR light?

Any answers to those last two questions would be appreciated.

Obviously a thermal scope would be great but I can't justify the cost for the amount of deer hunting I do these days.

Well a thermal spotter is a great set up I think! both will complement each other.
(1.) As for the 850nm IR there is a cherry low glow and they can pick it up. But mostly don't have a reaction to it! Unless they have been educated with a missed shot or another falling dead besides them! Then next time they see the cherry glow they may not wait as long. My own observation.
(2.)like most night vision they don't like wooded cover as you will get some reflection or a scope full of vegetation from off the trees or bush's at a close range and I am mostly in open country, but have experienced that and with a misty or foggy night you might as well not be there.
I was shooting in a sort of open tree stand this morning and it was hard going as the magnification cut down the viewing area. This is with the 007.
They like open area's, I shoot standing up right with viper flex shooting sticks giving good ground clearance. These are as tentman+ keeps saying! And that's what works for me.
KH

Originally Posted by 10-Ring

Thinking of getting a Pard 800 so phoned the chap at Owl Optics and he was very good to talk to. I asked a lot of questions. There are a few I thought of later so maybe someone here could help.

I've been using a Pulsar hand held thermal for a couple of years with a grunty scope mounted Maxtoch torch. Two problems with that are #1 the deer only wait about 3 seconds before bolting once the light hits them, sometimes less. #2 even a single strand of tussock or other plant will reflect back through the scope when the light is switched on and blot out the sight picture. Does the same thing happen with NV when using the illuminator? Can the animal see the IR light?

Any answers to those last two questions would be appreciated.

Obviously a thermal scope would be great but I can't justify the cost for the amount of deer hunting I do these days.

Here's my observations:

When spotlighting with a Maxtoch, keep the deer on the edge of the light pattern, not the centre. And use the least powerful setting that illuminates them.

If using the cheap and cheerful scope mount for the Maxtoch, hang it over to the left hand side of the rifle, not straight up above the scope. You get too much glare off your suppressor when its up above the scope.

Re using a 008 with inbuilt illuminator, the animals seem oblivious to it initially, but a couple of fluffed shots on hares saw them move off pretty quickly the next night. Again, use minimum power to illuminate the shooting area. I can pick up my cows eyes at 300 in an open paddock with the 008 on minimum IR setting.

The 008 also extends your dawn and dusk shooting times significantly, still getting a colour picture way after any quality optical scope lucks out.

Originally Posted by XR500

....If using the cheap and cheerful scope mount for the Maxtoch, hang it over to the left hand side of the rifle, not straight up above the scope. You get too much glare off your suppressor when its up above the scope.....

My hunting mates and myself have found that a simple tube extension made from cardboard or light plastic tubing, about 6" long, slipped on to the front objective end of the scope stops the light reflection from the rear of the suppressor. Good tip about keeping the animal on the edge of the beam; will try that.