Any nighttime predator hunters here?

[Daniel Cary]

Welltool makes these LEP phosphorous flashlights out to 2400 meters. May serve a purpose for those at night?

 

[WAB]

Welltool makes these LEP phosphorous flashlights out to 2400 meters. May serve a purpose for those at night?

View attachment 591453

My experience, go all thermal. A flashlight is only used for walking out once the shooting is done.

 

[gbflyer]

I’ve been looking at AGM thermal. Not sure where to start. What is the $$$ threshold to get into one that works?

 

[Daniel Cary]

My experience, go all thermal. A flashlight is only used for walking out once the shooting is done.

Yeah, I have no idea what the intended use for this thing could be, novelty, perhaps defense?

 

[UpNorthMI]

I’ve been looking at AGM thermal. Not sure where to start. What is the $$$ threshold to get into one that works?

You just opened pandora's box!

A lot depends on your expectations, your use and requirements and the definition of "one that works". The thermal producers have been changing and upgrading products at an alarmingly fast rate, in the recent past as soon as you purchased something it seemed that it was being upgraded or the competition had better cheaper new models.

I would suggest you decide what is your budget and then go out and look what can be purchased for that budget, look at lots of online reviews and get other users input. The sad fact is that it's easy to realize that your budget will not buy what you would like!

The other issue is are you buying a monocular and a rifle scope in thermal? How much to allocate to monocular and how much for rifle scope?

I've been going through this process for a number of years, finally I have committed to both monocular and rifle scope. My thought is that you should buy the best monocular that you can afford as this is where I will spend most of my time scanning.

Good luck working things out.

 

[mdwest]

I’ve been looking at AGM thermal. Not sure where to start. What is the $$$ threshold to get into one that works?

My handheld is a very nice, top of the line pulsar (current model is $4200)... while I really enjoy it, honestly it is overkill in terms of clarity, range, etc needed for a typical night time hog or predator hunt (I can easily see heat well over 1000 yards and can easily identify targets the size of a predator at 700-800 yards)..

my rifle mounted thermal optic is a AGM Rattler T25x256... (less than $1300 most places)... I did A LOT of research prior to purchasing and looked through a lot of different optics... I think I absolutely made the best possible choice in terms of quality of product, quality of customer service, ease of use, capability required for the type of hunting I wanted to do and price point..

With the Rattler T25x256 I can easily identify targets at 200-300 yards (have ID'd things as small as cottontail rabbits at 250+)... and I can easily see heat at 500+ (I am sure I can see heat further... 500 is the furthest Ive used it so far (looking down a set of powerlines)..

Im prepping to buy a second thermal optic soon... It will almost certainly be another T25x256... I see no reason to step up to a bigger (and more expensive) processor or to pick up more features.. the one Ive got has worked like a champ and proven itself fully capable of anything Ive asked of it over and over again...

AGM recently released the V2 version of the Rattler optics.. and incorporated rechargeable battery packs (V1 used CR123's).. which was really the only improvement they needed IMO (I have been using an aftermarket battery pack with my V1)..

IMO AGM makes an excellent optic for the price point...

 

[mdwest]

Yeah, I have no idea what the intended use for this thing could be, novelty, perhaps defense?

High output green or red lights were the answer for night hunting predators and hogs for a very long time until thermals and NV became affordable and accessible..

while not quite as effective.. If Im honest, Ive killed A LOT more hogs over the years with a simple $29 green "hog light" attached to a rifle than I have with a thermal or with night vision..

If youre on a limited budget.. a green light isnt a horrible option...

thermal however is definitely better..

 

[WAB]

I’ve been looking at AGM thermal. Not sure where to start. What is the $$$ threshold to get into one that works?

I started at $2K with an Armasight Predator. Despite their reputation, it has never let me down. I then upgraded to a Pulsar Trail. They’re about $4k used, and there are good used units on the market.

 

[Daisy]

I’ve been looking at AGM thermal. Not sure where to start. What is the $$$ threshold to get into one that works?

You can get a basic pulsar thermion 2 or Talios for less than 3000. That is where I would start.

If that’s not in the budget, the new sightMark,wraith mini thermal is a good basic thermal for less than 2000.

For a spotting monocular, I like the pulsar Axios. You can also get the basic line under 2000.

I do agree with the post above that unless you were hunting out west with 1000 yard range, the lower end is more than adequate. most of my hunting is within 300 yards, and my top-of-the-line models are overkill for that.

Learning to use the computer interface on the scopes takes a little time, but I now have the pulsar line figured out completely, and can do it in my sleep. It does keep me from buying another brand, knowing that I can buy a pulsar and know how to work it immediately.

 

[gbflyer]

My handheld is a very nice, top of the line pulsar (current model is $4200)... while I really enjoy it, honestly it is overkill in terms of clarity, range, etc needed for a typical night time hog or predator hunt (I can easily see heat well over 1000 yards and can easily identify targets the size of a predator at 700-800 yards)..

my rifle mounted thermal optic is a AGM Rattler T25x256... (less than $1300 most places)... I did A LOT of research prior to purchasing and looked through a lot of different optics... I think I absolutely made the best possible choice in terms of quality of product, quality of customer service, ease of use, capability required for the type of hunting I wanted to do and price point..

With the Rattler T25x256 I can easily identify targets at 200-300 yards (have ID'd things as small as cottontail rabbits at 250+)... and I can easily see heat at 500+ (I am sure I can see heat further... 500 is the furthest Ive used it so far (looking down a set of powerlines)..

Im prepping to buy a second thermal optic soon... It will almost certainly be another T25x256... I see no reason to step up to a bigger (and more expensive) processor or to pick up more features.. the one Ive got has worked like a champ and proven itself fully capable of anything Ive asked of it over and over again...

AGM recently released the V2 version of the Rattler optics.. and incorporated rechargeable battery packs (V1 used CR123's).. which was really the only improvement they needed IMO (I have been using an aftermarket battery pack with my V1)..

IMO AGM makes an excellent optic for the price point...

Excellent info. I live in a high humidity, cool temperature area at sea level. I’m not sure how environmental surroundings factor in. It is rare to have a shot past 100 yards due to the forest. It would be nice to identify heat beyond that range if possible.

Thanks all.

 

[samson7x]

Excellent info. I live in a high humidity, cool temperature area at sea level. I’m not sure how environmental surroundings factor in. It is rare to have a shot past 100 yards due to the forest. It would be nice to identify heat beyond that range if possible.

Thanks all.

Humidity will certainly degrade your image. Adverse atmospherics is what will set sensors apart from one another. They all look decent on a nice, clear, low humidity night. At 100yds, just about any of them should work for you. Better sensors will give you a better image and ability to positively ID your target. Is that a deer or coyote? With experience you will learn what is what and animal movement is just as much a give away sometimes.

 

[Sika98k]

Welltool makes these LEP phosphorous flashlights out to 2400 meters. May serve a purpose for those at night?

View attachment 591453

Bloody hell ! Can you walk down that beam ?

 

[HankBuck]

Have hunted at night for a few decades with a lamp, just ordered a Pulsar thermal scope and monocular today, I’m looking forward to the large leap forward that thermal equipment is going to bring. I have been watching the technology for a couple of years and feel that things are leveling out in terms of product development, Pulsar is making some of its models upgradable and giving 5 years warranty.

Coyotes are in serious trouble!

Big recommendation for Predator Hunter Outdoors a Michigan based business who is giving great deals and great customer service on Pulsar and other products. If you are looking give these guys a call.

Up north: Can you find a good quality Thermal Scope and Scanner for under $5000? From the research I’ve done and Night Hunters I’ve talked to the answer is “No”. Here is how I define good: 1). Being able to accurately IDENTIFY the animal out to 200 yrds (is it a Fox or Coyote - or Bobcat, or “Fawn deer”?. 2). Does it detect with good accuracy in warmer temperatures (60 to 70 degrees vs. 20 - 40 degrees?).

 

[WAB]

Up north: Can you find a good quality Thermal Scope and Scanner for under $5000? From the research I’ve done and Night Hunters I’ve talked to the answer is “No”. Here is how I define good: 1). Being able to accurately IDENTIFY the animal out to 200 yrds (is it a Fox or Coyote - or Bobcat, or “Fawn deer”?. 2). Does it detect with good accuracy in warmer temperatures (60 to 70 degrees vs. 20 - 40 degrees?).

A pulsar trail was advertised on this site for about $3,500 not long ago. I know the unit it was like new and ticks all your boxes so I’d say the answer is yes.

 

[HankBuck]

A pulsar trail was advertised on this site for about $3,500 not long ago. I know the unit it was like new and ticks all your boxes so I’d say the answer is yes.

WAB if I understand correctly you’re saying “$3500” for ONE item? Two are needed to Hunt at night 1). A Thermal Scanner. 2). A Thermal Scope. I’m still estimating that it’s over $5000 total to get in the game and over $15,000 for top equipment. With Thermal imaging the “quality & cost” directory relates to quality and effectiveness. It’s not like getting a Browning and having the exact same “Function” as a Holland & Holland for $50,000 less. I hope I’m wrong because I want to start (had enough of “Red Lights”) but I want very good quality and doubt I can afford more then $5000 to start

 

[Hunt anything]

To get started you can use one of the red or green lights that attach to your scope they work and are inexpensive. I think someone may have suggested this. I have walked to about 15 yards from deer eating our shrubs at the house using the red light.

 

[Daisy]

Up north: Can you find a good quality Thermal Scope and Scanner for under $5000? From the research I’ve done and Night Hunters I’ve talked to the answer is “No”. Here is how I define good: 1). Being able to accurately IDENTIFY the animal out to 200 yrds (is it a Fox or Coyote - or Bobcat, or “Fawn deer”?. 2). Does it detect with good accuracy in warmer temperatures (60 to 70 degrees vs. 20 - 40 degrees?).

Easily

 

[Daisy]

WAB if I understand correctly you’re saying “$3500” for ONE item? Two are needed to Hunt at night 1). A Thermal Scanner. 2). A Thermal Scope. I’m still estimating that it’s over $5000 total to get in the game and over $15,000 for top equipment. With Thermal imaging the “quality & cost” directory relates to quality and effectiveness. It’s not like getting a Browning and having the exact same “Function” as a Holland & Holland for $50,000 less. I hope I’m wrong because I want to start (had enough of “Red Lights”) but I want very good quality and doubt I can afford more then $5000 to start

I laid out a way to get good quality equipment for less than 5000 a few posts above.

You can get a commercial thermal drone for 5000 now.

 

[UpNorthMI]

Up north: Can you find a good quality Thermal Scope and Scanner for under $5000? From the research I’ve done and Night Hunters I’ve talked to the answer is “No”. Here is how I define good: 1). Being able to accurately IDENTIFY the animal out to 200 yrds (is it a Fox or Coyote - or Bobcat, or “Fawn deer”?. 2). Does it detect with good accuracy in warmer temperatures (60 to 70 degrees vs. 20 - 40 degrees?).

I just received my new thermal equipment today, I was not shopping on a budget but I was looking for overall value in terms of quality, performance and price over the useful lifetime. I have the unique situation of needing 2 sets of thermals as I live and hunt both in the UK and the US. The ban on export, even temporary export for a hunting trip mean I cannot travel with any of my thermal equipment between the UK and US.

I entered the market last year in the UK with the purchase of a Pulsar Thermion 2 XP50 Pro with LRF, that is currently a $6,000 rifle scope in the US. My use in the UK involves a lot of fox shooting over open fields and some woodland boar hunting. In the UK we do a lot of scanning open ground for deer before it gets light, we are not able to shoot deer at night. I purchased a top level scope as I thought I could get away with one device, in reality you cannot get away with one device I quickly realized that I also needed a monocular which would actually be the device I would use most of the time. I eventually purchased a HIKMicro monocular, a lower cost but high value product very popular outside of the US.

My goal with my current purchase in the US was to buy a high image quality monocular but with a more compact, image quality, upper mid range rifle scope, I wanted the LRF in the monocular and not in the riflescope as I anticipate that most of my shots will be under 200 yards and did not want the bulk of a LRF in the scope. I was extremely impressed with my Pulsar Thermion rifle scope in terms of build quality and the perceived product life. Ideally I wanted at least 5 years use out of what I was buying.

I purchased a Pulsar Telos LRF XP50 monocular and a Pulsar Talion XG35 rifle scope, Pulsar has promised some upgrade paths for their products and is giving a full 5 year warranty on their products in the US if purchased after 1/1/2024. My local supplier saved me about $1,000 in total compared to most other sources I looked at, They threw in additional batteries, lanyard, QD Pulsar scope mount, overnight shipping etc, I spent just over $7,000 for these 2 products.

I appreciate that that is a lot of money and even though my budget was not very restrictive it took me several years to enter the thermal market due to the fast changing technology. I feel buying a thermal monocular and rifle scopes is a commitment and you better have a use and real reason to do so. For me nighttime predator hunting has always been a passion, I have the land access to use them and I'm just at a point in my life where I'm moving to a lot more free time, I plan to do some hog shooting down south and also travel within the US doing some predator hunting trips.

Good luck doing your homework and making your selection, what I do know is that good thermals bring along an amazing amount of hunting opportunities.

 

[Daisy]

Pulsar Thermion 2 Pro Thermal Riflescope

Amazon.com

Pulsar Axion Thermal Monocular

Amazon.com

This would be a great set up for anything less than 4 to 500 yards. Yes you can get better identification out to around 1000 for about double the price of each unit unit. These would both give great identification at 200 yards.