A little Thermal tease for you

[FrankT]

FLIR RS32 2.25x 35mm
Night Vision mini Dvr from Ultimate Night Vision

Well good for you, that MDVR in a good unit. Tyler at Ultimate does a good business, really nice guy.

 

[Daezee]

He said he would make sure the latest firmware is installed since I do not have a windows computer. I am also getting it about 2 weeks sooner than estimated.

 

[FrankT]

Daezee, Tyler is the one I went thru to buy the X-sight fiasco. The first one he took back and replaced himself so I did not have to wait for ATN service, the second one after a month he took back and refunded the $. When you have no problems the dealer is always great but when you are in the middle of issues is where a dealer can shine or fall flat. Tyler took care of business! Then again his prices seem to be pretty close to the lowest or he has special deals like you got w a free MDVR with the purchase. Not a junk freebie but one of the best out there, again the mark of a good dealer. I am sure you will be pleased.

 

[pcola4]

+1 I've had so much fun hog and coyote hunting this last year...wouldn't trade it for anything. Met some fine people and their families. Killed 7 hogs, 5 coyotes. Ate some tasty meat. Gave hog meat to several families. Helped some property owners. Had a hog try and cut me. Earned my SUS VENATOR Club patch. And probably paid more for my thermal than one would now. My 2nd thermal is due to arrive Friday, and now I'll be able to video the hunt, using my first thermal for either hand-held scanning or for loaning it to someone hunting with me. My 2nd thermal is going on my 10.5" 6.8 HogSmasher upper. I plan on having an even better year this year. Got an estimated 400+ pound boar in 2 of the areas I go to, and one of them has my name on it; the other has Sawman's name on it.

What thermal and MDVR are you getting?

Pcola, here is some info on the IR Hunter line and the BAE core.

http://www.thirdcoastthermal.com/

Thanks FrankT.

Daezee, Tyler is the one I went thru to buy the X-sight fiasco. The first one he took back and replaced himself so I did not have to wait for ATN service, the second one after a month he took back and refunded the $. When you have no problems the dealer is always great but when you are in the middle of issues is where a dealer can shine or fall flat. Tyler took care of business! Then again his prices seem to be pretty close to the lowest or he has special deals like you got w a free MDVR with the purchase. Not a junk freebie but one of the best out there, again the mark of a good dealer. I am sure you will be pleased.

 

[pcola4]

Wow I really screwed that up using my phone.

 

[FrankT]

Pcola, you bet, it is a big purchase and people should be forewarned and aware of the good, bad and ugly. Now most dealers cannot carry all that is out there due to agreements that is why I suggest shopping around and talking to folks. I have been shopping for 2 years and the cost is my limitation but I am realistic so also patient.

 

[pcola4]

Good advice. Thanks FrankT!

 

[SAWMAN]

I believe that with the addition of your new 10.5"-6.8 SBR/AR,coupled with the first time stand alone thermal on top,it will be a good year. Our "business" cards are slowly getting out there and will pick up speed just as soon as we find farmers in the fields and the CO-OP's opening up to the incoming crops.

During the hunt a couple nights ago I could "FEEL" your anxiety and frustration with having to "settle" for NV vs thermal. For someone to tell you that there is something out in front of you,and you not quite being able to see it has gotta be ....... uhhhhhh ...... bad.

With the prices for thermal dropping,I would suggest to the people that are looking at NV ........ wait until you can afford thermal.
ADDED : Remember also that as the price of thermal drops and the people using a NVD switch to thermal,they will have a hard time selling that NV for the above reason. IMO .....some of the Gen 2,2.5,and 3 stuff will become ...... well .....not worthless,but it will not bring a very high resale dollar.

 

[FrankT]

Pcola, OH and I kill as many or more animals as a lot of the high tech gear guys the old fashion way, with lights at night and inexpensive night spotting monocular...SOOO you may not get the fame or get to use the most modern equipment or get to video at night or hang with the cool guys...but you still hunt, have fun and gain experience to make you a better hunter...that is why I have not been in too much of a hurry to spend $5K or more on a single setup. That is not saying that Thermal is not the way to go and you certainly see more and are more effective, all it says is you do not have to have the Cash to play to get the job done..

 

[pcola4]

True. I have gotten by just fine without themc all these years. You have to admit it adds a new dimension to the hunting experience.

 

[pcola4]

Frank, don't you hunt somewhere north of Panama City area?

 

[FrankT]

yes sir, S of Ebro off 79 is my lease, but I hunt several places

 

[SAWMAN]

Remember guys,as stated here several times,IMO to justify thermal you gotta get out and hunt. Especially if you have to justify it to the wife and kids. (I do not,and neither does some other thermal owners that I know of.)

I had tons of guns that I had accumulated thru the years. When I started talking Bad Boy Buggies and thermal my wife and I agreed that I start selling the guns that I did not need and/or shoot anymore. I also did TONS of research into thermal and it's uses/capabilities. For me .... the >$10,000 units were out. I finally settled on a unit produced by ATN. (BTW,it came complete with NO DRAMA.)

The only thing that I would have done different,with the unit chosen or the company that sells them (I dealt with Optics Planet then directly with ATN) is picked a unit with less digital zoom. My unit is 3X,6X,and 12X. The 12X is unusable given my hunting conditions and environment. For me,the perfect unit would be 2X and 4X. I would also opt for NOT having 5 different reticle styles. A simple dot would be great given it was 2MOA and 4MOA selectable. If not a dot then a simple "X" type crosshair somewhat thick. About like the Leupold Turkey/ML scopes offered.

AND ........ there is a HUGE learning curve with the use of thermal. Even for the experienced predator hunter/caller and the experienced night time hog hunter. Things are different. Your not simply looking thru a scope with the appropriate ambient light. Among other things,the animals look different,move different,act/react different and it is hard to judge distance when you are simply looking at a small TV screen unless you use the available surroundings as a "cheat sheet". The height of trees,bushes,grass,the animals that you see,and their "known" height(yeah right)all help you determine range. Then of course the range will also help you determine the size of the target. IMO,using thermal,it is NEVER a simple throw up the gun and shoot thing. You have to process a huge amount of data. And to the ethical hunter,not the chute 'em in the ass as they are running hunter,this all takes time. Enough time that you will miss out on some shots. I/we have and I/we will continue to do so. However these times are gettin' fewer and fewer.

Good Hunting To All. --- SAWMAN

 

[FrankT]

First Video and kills w the Zeus Proline, terrible conditions...