Recent Thermal Hog and Coyote Hunts...

D

Double Naught Spy

New member
Picked up an Armasight Zeus 3x 640x512 75mm 30 hz thermal scope a few weeks ago and have finally put together some successful hunts. I do hog control on my own property and hog and predator control on a buddy's place. For the past 5 years, I have been doing this with night vision and for the last two years, using a FLIR PS32 thermal spotting scope for helping find game.

With the introduction of the FLIR RS series of thermal rifle scopes, prices started dropping considerably as FLIR dropped the price on their microbolometer core which is used by several other manufacturers such as Armasight, ATN, IR Defense, etc. So prices have really come down by about 20-30%. Even some of the competitors that don't use the FLIR core have dropped prices to remain competitive. I shopped these brands, but decided on the Armasight. All have some neat features, regardless of brand.

So here are the first successful hunts with my Zeus. I hope y'all will enjoy the vids.

First hog kill, while walking back to the truck from the other side of the property after an unsuccessful hunt there.
http://youtu.be/N73hReqkpmU

This coyote was taken on one property, but while leaving, got word that from one of my game cameras that I had a hog at my place and headed over there...
http://youtu.be/idzQOW_UrVM
http://youtu.be/5YQotnc4EcU

And finally, the hunt from this morning. Again, nothing going on back in the stand, so I packed up to head home and came across another hog at the same feeder as the first one...
http://youtu.be/dTFHUm9h4H0
 
Very cool!!! Especially liked the angry bird in the hog photos! Thanks for posting.

Your hunts are also a testament to the 6.5 gren. for hogs. Nice job dropping that first one.
 
Oh, now this is just out-freakin-standing. :)

But in what manner (specifically, with what gear), do you mount your camera to work in conjunction with the sight?

Damn, technology - you awesome!
 
A lot of the electronic scopes (NV, digital NV, Thermal) have video-out capabilities (and a couple record onboard). For those with vid-out, you need an external digital video recorder (DVR). Here I am using an Ultimate Night Vision MDVR. It is mounted on the rail on a special mount a buddy of mine made, but otherwise, would be in the butt pouch on the stock. It is the rectangle just forward of the brass catcher.

20140730_190122croppedreduced.jpg
 
You know, it all came together, but not as a plan.

That is an Alexander Arms 6.5 Grendel upper with a Shilen match barrel
LMT lower with 2 stage LMT trigger
Armasight Zeus thermal scope
UNV MDVR
Tactical Brass Recovery (TBR) brass catcher
 
Bah!
It's too bad that that brass catcher requires a picatinny rail. I was sold, until I verified that unfortunate requirement.

I hate rails where they aren't necessary, so the two uppers that would benefit the most from the TBR (.458 SOCOM and 6x45mm) have no rails where the TBR requires...
 
Sweet vids. I can get into watching youtube hunting vids and all of a sudden, its 5am and work is two hours away. Lol.
 
Bah!
It's too bad that that brass catcher requires a picatinny rail. I was sold, until I verified that unfortunate requirement.
Click to expand...

With the word "Tactical" in the name, how could it not require a picatinny rail? However, that unfortunate requirement is part of what makes it so good. The construction works well and the bag does not melt from hog brass. The unit does not induce malfunctions. That is due, in part, to the fact that the unit always remains in place, never shifting (plus has a wide mouth to eat brass). Plus, I can readily switch it between railed guns and it will perform the same way with eat, though I have only tested it with .22, .223, 6.5 Grendel, and .308.

One nifty thing I like is that I don't have to remove it to case my gun. It collapses flat for transport.

It is a pricey bugger, but does an outstanding job and seems to hold up well in the field. Given the cost of Grendel brass, it is well on the way to paying for itself.

Sweet vids. I can get into watching youtube hunting vids and all of a sudden, its 5am and work is two hours away. Lol.
Click to expand...

Youtube has some neat stuff on it. People demo some neat hunting ideas, sometimes just showing what and how they do what they do. They just do it differently. Some of the ideas are pretty neat.
 
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