Thermal Drone Deer Recovery

[hillrunner]

Man. My new thermal can pick out how many nose hairs they have.

What did you get?

 

[omicron1792]

What did you get?

Pulsar helion 2 xp50 pro

 

[hillrunner]

Pulsar helion 2 xp50 pro

That's probably a lot higher end than my pulsar, I can't see antlers with mine. It looks pretty funny watching a buck rub a tree when you can't see the tree or the antlers.

 

[omicron1792]

I took a video with mine yesterday that looked just like this.

 

[omicron1792]

First time I’ve ever tried this. Forgive the shake, next time I’ll use a tripod. It’s a handheld model.

You will see you can easily see deer in thick trees.

 

[Garrett S]

Does anyone know of a source for review mentioning budget options? Per some probing a couple years back it seemed 0-2k was a waste, 2-4 had one in the game and 4+ was when the tech started to serve purpose.

The drones a seem to be 5-10k for quality. Would be a great idea for some qdma chapters to invest in this tech.

 

[omicron1792]

Does anyone know of a source for review mentioning budget options? Per some probing a couple years back it seemed 0-2k was a waste, 2-4 had one in the game and 4+ was when the tech started to serve purpose.

The drones a seem to be 5-10k for quality. Would be a great idea for some qdma chapters to invest in this tech.

Paid 3500 for mine. Not gonna find much better tech. Now it’s handheld. So would “need” another 4k on rifle mounted. I bought a cheaper rifle Mount used for 1200.

 

[Telemark]

. I bought a cheaper rifle Mount used for 1200

How does it perform?

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Paid 3500 for mine. Not gonna find much better tech. Now it’s handheld. So would “need” another 4k on rifle mounted. I bought a cheaper rifle Mount used for 1200.

Sorry if this is stupid question. What do you intend to use it for?

 

[omicron1792]

Sorry if this is stupid question. What do you intend to use it for?

1. I like toys
2. I have coyotes galore. No pigs at my farm but they are all around
3. Coons
4. Going on African safari
5. Deer recon before and after shooting hours.

 

[omicron1792]

How does it perform?

It is older model of pulsar. On orders of magnitude worse than my new handheld. Much harder to make our detail, less slick interface and display. I’ll spot coyote with handheld, then use it to shoot them.

 

[omicron1792]

1. I like toys
2. I have coyotes galore. No pigs at my farm but they are all around
3. Coons
4. Going on African safari
5. Deer recon before and after shooting hours.

Also alabama opened a legal hog and coyote night hunting season outside of deer season.

I’m big on bobwhite quail habitat. It’s my favorite hunting too (went today). Got to keep predator levels down.

 

[yoderjac]

Also alabama opened a legal hog and coyote night hunting season outside of deer season.

I’m big on bobtail quail habitat. It’s my favorite hunting too (went today). Got to keep predator levels down.

avian predators may be a bigger issue.

 

[omicron1792]

avian predators may be a bigger issue.

It’s def multi factorial. But habitat is the biggest thing. Unfortunately native quail (in large numbers) is a relic of the past

 

[yoderjac]

It’s def multi factorial. But habitat is the biggest thing. Unfortunately native quail (in large numbers) is a relic of the past

Same here. We see a few mall coveys from time to time after timbering.

 

[Catscratch]

avian predators may be a bigger issue.

Don't think they're legal at night.

 

[yoderjac]

Don't think they're legal at night.

Or day.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Lot more hawks than quail these days…

 

[omicron1792]

Y’all let me know when you get the hawk issue figured out. Ha

I have wild coveys, just not enough to hunt. Pen raised it is for the time being. Always looking for native relocation programs and such.

 

[Mtyhunter]

Also alabama opened a legal hog and coyote night hunting season outside of deer season.

I’m big on bobtail quail habitat. It’s my favorite hunting too (went today). Got to keep predator levels down.View attachment 48936

Have a pretty nice 800 acre lease i've hunted on for 10 yrs now. For the first 3-4 years, no hogs. Here they came, and cool, let's put some hogs down. Processed a few, gave a few away. They kept coming and coming. Then it turns into a shoot on sight, and leave them lay. Then the coyotes get really happy, and they multiply. Wait, where did the quail/rabbits/turkeys go? Holy cow that sound like a lot of coyotes as the sun rises/sets. Uh oh, may have messed up here. Damn, I'm down to 6 rounds for my hog rifle and can't get the same brand ammo now. Guess I buy this brand and have to tune my scope again. Time to go on a yote mission.
They got smart fast, or maybe I'm not a great coyote hunter. Let's kill a few more hogs and set up on them, but hogs get smart, too. Let's review the hog hunting regs real quick. Wow, no restrictions. No bag limits, thermal/night vision ok, headlights/spotlighting ok, night hunting ok, no restrictions on weapons (too bad I don't have grenade launcher) and don't even have to have a hunting license. Local hog dog guy offers to show me the ropes if we can use my place to hunt them. Do the night hunting with dogs and bowie knives. Kinda sketchy/dangerous for the few we get in a night. Buddy said I have a drone with thermal, so he gets an invite to the lease. Take a few more out. This is getting too hard for an old man to stay up all night on the weekends....welcome to my world.
Best thing I've done was quit with the deer feeding. Last 2 years, used none. Getting very little hog activity on cams or in the field now. Getting the occasional heart murmur again when stepping on an unexpected rabbit or covey, and hey, yeah thats a decent 10 on the cams, but check out the pics of the turkeys!