DaveC

I can see it now a thermal imaging radar strapped on top of your ground blind. Instead of looking out the windows to spot deer you just look at the radar until they are within the 30 yard line.
Blip, blip , blip.....

So, why doesn't every border agent carry a handheld?

Germ

I am 100% agreement with you on this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Critr-Gitr

This technology is already being used to conduct deer surveys at the university level (Alabama I believe, not sure exactly but somewhere in the south). I have seen footage of it. Antlers are visible while in velvet (due to the high heat of the blood flowing in the velvet), but once the velvet is shed antlers become very difficult to see. It is about 30% more efficient than nightime spotlight surveys.

quiksilver

Critr-Gritr - You're right on - those are called FLIR studies, and there are many states utilizing them as a management tool, and to get an actual grasp on their deer populations. Pennsylvania just launched a very extensive (and expensive)FLIR study of whitetail populations in certain areas in Central PA.

The units mount to the underside of an aircraft that flies over the designated area, filming the ground. The video is later reviewed and the deer are counted. It's pretty slick, really. Look to see a lot more of that in the not-so-distant future.

You're right - antlers are very visible in velvet, but are still visible after the velvet is gone, but they just don't show up quite as bright, and you need to be a lot closer, etc... However, as technology becomes enhanced, so does the imaging and sensitivity, so I'm sure the latest units are more sensitive and provide better clarity, etc...

In a daylighthunting scenario, one could glass a hillside with the Thermal camera, then follow-up with a 60x spotting scope and check for headgear on a deer that was fairly well-hidden in some brush, and would have otherwise escaped the naked eye.

sigfla

Price is still very high and will remain so for a long while. I don't forsee it as a problem b/c IR technology and NV will soon be made illegal to civilian hands. I am convinced of that. NV is already regulated and export is not allowed. I think the only civilian available thermal scope out now is somewhere around 10K.

You can adapt a nautical hot eye to a ground based system and use that now if someone had the $ and desre.

bowhuntt

I have read where they do studies or surveys on how many deer are in a certain area by using aerial IR imaging. Its a pretty cool idea to know how many deer you have. Any idea where something like this is based? www.....com

Justin

Just some food for your conversation - check out http://www.thermalscout.com

Personally I'm not a huge fan of it for purposes of scouting/hunting. However for game recovery, if used properly, I'm all for it.

buttonbuckmaster

I'm still waiting forheat seaking broadheads. I'd probably just shoot my foot.[&:]

statjunk

You could probably shoot a better rack at a high fence place for the cost of the night vision or IR device. lol.

Anyone that buys one of those devices is pretty much after the horns. So silly.

Tom

get_r_done_hunting

i'd say they would be good for seeing blood trails and that deer alot better at night than most of the modern day tools anyone agree?