Reasons to Start Hunting with Thermal Optics

Huynh NguyenSeptember 28, 2022

Reasons to Start Hunting with Thermal Optics

Hunting has become one of the most popular hobbies among the adult population of each country. It has organically merged into the culture and is a hobby that brings not only pleasure, but also, with special permission, and profit. Hunting can be done by anyone who has a knack or desire for it. However, you need to remember the special rules of hunting, which are approved by law, as well as the need to obtain a hunting permit, especially if we are talking about commercial hunting.

Hunting, like any other business, is characterized by the presence of special equipment that will make it more interesting and easier for the hunter. These are special clothes, ammunition, backpacks, nets, weapons, etc. Correctly selected equipment and the time spent hunting – and the hunter will certainly receive a reward in the form of game.

Along with the standard types of hunter equipment, such as weapons, flashlights, backpacks, special clothing, etc., there are also devices that simplify this process, both during the day and at night. We are talking about thermal optical devices, in particular thermal imagers, the reasons for their use during hunting and the characteristics of their properties are described below.

Reasons to Hunt with Thermal Scopes

It is obvious that one of the main reasons for using thermal imagers during hunting is to obtain a thermal picture of the area where the hunt is taking place. This means the ability to see objects that are not in the field of vision, but which, due to their increased temperature compared to the environment, stand out and, accordingly, become visible thanks to optical devices. Such devices are usually used at night, when visibility becomes worse, or the hunter wants to remain unnoticed. However, there are also cases of using such devices during the day during the solstice. A thermal imager allows you to see, for example, an animal that has hidden behind bushes or the tracks of any animal that has already been wounded or has recently walked a certain section of terrain. This makes the job of hunters a lot easier, because you don’t need to look for such tracks yourself or strain your vision during night hunting – thermal imagers have already done this work for you.

The second reason for using thermal imagers while hunting is that they are more readily available than before. This can be explained by the cheapening of the materials from which optical devices are made, as well as the significant demand for their use not only by the military, but also by the general population. Indeed, previously thermal imagers were mainly used by the military or very rich people, since there were few companies that produced optical devices, the material was expensive, and the manufacturing technology was still unexplored and, accordingly, resource intensive. Today, thermal imagers are available for use both for hunting and for other types of human activity, including in the medical field, law enforcement officers, motorists, etc.

Another reason to use thermal imaging optics for hunting is that conventional optics don’t capture the full spectrum of what’s going on in the field, unlike thermal imaging cameras. Optical cameras are very narrow in their application – they cover only a certain part of the area and essentially duplicate the same thing that the human eye can see on its own. Instead, thermal imagers seem to scan the terrain, allowing you to see what is behind a certain object if a certain organism has a higher temperature than the environment in which it is located. The use of thermal imaging, especially at night, makes it possible to track the way of life of certain animals, such as raccoons, to understand the mechanics of their movement, which in the future will allow for effective hunting of such animals.

Thermal imaging is also used to control illegal hunting and reduce poaching. Yes, there are many government programs to combat poaching in the US, there is active maritime monitoring of illegal movements of vessels that catch fish in places not designated for this purpose. The principle of operation of thermal imagers in this case is no different, since the main thing is the transfer of thermal energy and, as a result, the detection of violators in the areas of their concentration with the help of locators.

An important field of application of thermal imagers is their use in the fight against predators, for whom the animals that are the objects of hunting are a means of survival in the wild. The use of thermal imaging and other optical devices is effective in their elimination. The former is used not only at night, when visibility is limited and it is necessary to see something in the dark, but also during the day, when it is necessary to trace the location of a predator behind a tree, bushes or in the shade.

Considering the methods of use and the method of operation of thermal imaging devices, we can conclude about one more reason to take a thermal imager with you on a hunt. This is done for the safety of the hunter. A hunter, using a thermal imager, can see much more than an ordinary person and, as a result, can protect himself from a sudden attack by a predator or other animal that is nearby. Yes, the thermal imager will not directly protect against a large animal, but the hunter will at least know about its presence somewhere nearby and will have a few minutes in reserve to create a further plan of action.

Another reason to take a thermal imager with you as an element of equipment is that in the event of an unsuccessful shot on the hunt, you can track down a wounded animal by traces of blood. This works especially well at night, as such traces show up vividly on the monitor. Thermal imagers are better for this application than flashlights with blood detectors, as the latter very often mistake the normal red paint on leaves or other liquids for blood, which only distracts the hunter.

Considering the above, we can conclude that thermal imagers are reliable assistants for every hunter. They cover a multitude of hunting needs, from staying safe in terrain to detecting animals or their tracks on surfaces that are not directly accessible to the human eye. That is why a thermal imager is as important to a hunter as a weapon. If the latter has the task of hitting the target, then the task of the thermal imager is to create optimal conditions for this and to facilitate the hunter’s work in general.