Thermal-imaging riflescopes and handheld monoculars offer clear advantages for predator hunters, hog hunters, nuisance wildlife-control specialists or anyone else engaged in lawful nighttime hunting pursuits. But today’s thermal technologies and products offer steadily heightening appeal and practicality to all manner of hunters.
Increasing performance and decreasing prices have brought the benefits of thermal technology within reach of any hunter. No matter where or what one hunts, those benefits include increased situational awareness in the field, more effective scouting, and an enhanced ability to locate and recover downed game.
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Hog and Predator Hunting
Wary nuisance hogs and crafty predators like coyotes and foxes are often hunted at night when they’re most active. Therefore, the ability to detect and target these animals in the dark is critical for success. Hunters have historically relied upon cumbersome lights and expensive night vision devices for such duty, but today’s thermal-imaging scopes and handhelds offer distinct advantages. Since they don’t rely on light, thermal imagers afford hunters the opportunity to remain undetected. They are also compact and highly portable.
Depending on the specific model, a FLIR Scout Series thermal handheld monocular can detect hogs or predators at distances up to 1,200 yards—much farther than what’s possible with most night vision or lighting systems—giving hunters valuable time to prepare for a shot.
Once a hog or predator has been identified, a thermal riflescope like one of FLIR’s three distinct ThermoSight PRO models allows the hunter to rapidly acquire the target, monitor its approach, and quickly make an effective shot once in range.
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Scout More Effectively
Understanding the habits and movements of the game we pursue yields increased hunting success. Daytime scouting is fairly straightforward, but scouting in the dark isn’t easy. Whether monitoring the entire herd or an individual animal, game cameras have been the hunter’s only legitimate scouting tool for tracking game movement at night—until now.
FLIR Scout Series thermal imagers allow hunters to travel fast and light while expanding scouting operations into the hours of darkness—the time when trophy bucks and bulls are most active.
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Find it With FLIR
Sooner or later, it happens to almost everybody. Even the most experienced and practiced hunters will eventually make a less-than-ideal shot. A common approach is to “give it a few hours” and then search. That may be fine during the daytime, but many shots are taken at the cusp of darkness. The ensuing search involves flashlights and a lot of luck. Weather plays a role, too. Untimely rains can quickly wash away blood. Snow can cover tracks and trails. Too often, hunters are left with difficult to impossible tracking conditions. Unrecovered animals left overnight are vulnerable to predators and scavengers. Whatever the cause, failing to recover a wounded animal is an unforgettable and doleful experience for any hunter.
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Thankfully, today’s hunting technology supports the goal of efficient harvest through steadily increasing lethality. Modern hunting broadheads and ammunition, for example, help hunters maintain consistent downrange accuracy and are optimized for lethal performance on impact. Camouflage, scent-control products and ground blinds help hunters get closer to game for higher-percentage shots.
Add thermal imagers to the list of valued tools in the hunter’s gear bag.
Thermal-imaging technology represents a powerful conservation tool for hunters that should be readily available in any hunting camp. FLIR Scout Series handheld thermal monoculars work in all lighting conditions and are ideal for game recovery – especially at night. Offering customizable color palette options and intuitive operation, a Scout Series thermal monocular can quickly and clearly show any live or recently deceased animal inside its particular detection range, which spans from 100 to 1,200 yards, depending on the model.
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And while it’s no substitute for good tracking, a thermal imager is an indisputably powerful tool when placed in the hands of a member of the tracking party. While one or two people locate and mark blood or other sign, another member of the party can constantly scan ahead and to the sides with a FLIR Scout. If there’s a line of sight to any portion of the downed animal inside the detection range, the Scout can find it. Once located, the animal can be observed with the thermal imager from a distance to determine if it is motionless or possibly still alive, thereby dictating the tracking party’s next move and the best strategy for completing a successful recovery.
New Tools of the Trade
Hunting isn’t solely about killing; it’s about the overall experiences enjoyed during the pursuit. Once we do pull the trigger or release an arrow, those experiences culminate when our quarry is found, tagged, packed out and put to good use. Anything that makes the process faster, easier or more certain deserves a spot in your hunting pack or on your rifle this season.
Wouldn’t you agree?
ThermoSight PRO thermal scopes start at just $2,199, while Scout thermal monoculars start at $599—less than many hunters would pay for quality daytime-only optics. Learn more at flir.com.