IDFG survey 2024

[WeiserBucks]

The thermal stuff is all new to me, I haven't paid much attention to it. How far are they able to utilize it?

High quality units can be useful at several miles under the right conditions, I've seen em.

 

[N.ID7803]

In regards to the thermals, the technology now is to the point where they are extremely efficient night or DAY and at distances that would surprise people. The cost is prohibitive to most, but there is still going to be the handful of people willing to pay for that advantage. In some of the extremely competitive western states with high dollar tags, even with current thermal bans, I think they are still getting utilized a lot. At that point wildlife doesn't have a chance to hide. It's extremely hard to enforce, the deterrent if caught needs to be massive IMO.

Just like everything else though it wont be long and you will be able to get a perfectly effective one for a reasonable price. Just like range finders and binos.

 

[mt100gr.]

The thermal stuff is all new to me, I haven't paid much attention to it. How far are they able to utilize it?

Even the entry level units can detect a heat signature at a mile-ish. You're not checking trophy quality, but you can tell a critter from a cold rock in pitch black.

 

[Customweld]

High quality units can be useful at several miles under the right conditions, I've seen em.

Wow!

 

[LR5Ranger]

Wow!

To give you an idea this is about 300 yards, mid level 640 unit. At longer ranges you can see that something is hot over there, can be tough to tell what it is. The 1080 sensors are something else tho, they are still north of $10K.

I have the night illumination permit to be legal, I was out hunting yotes.

 

[Customweld]

To give you an idea this is about 300 yards, mid level 640 unit. At longer ranges you can see that something is hot over there, can be tough to tell what it is. The 1080 sensors are something else tho, they are still north of $10K.

I have the night illumination permit to be legal, I was out hunting yotes.

I bet those are a kick in the pants for coyotes, but in my opinion, they don’t have a place for big game.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I bet those are a kick in the pants for coyotes, but in my opinion, they don’t have a place for big game.

Ed Zachary

 

[LR5Ranger]

50ish yards.

 

[Gobbler36]

Not argue your point but there's an incredibly small number of people capable of killing at 1200. I'd bet a paycheck that the Fudds kill and wound 100x more game at 300 than the snipers do at 1200. Shutting off the snipers isn't going to magically change how the Fudds move forward and they represent the vast majority of hunters. Fudds voices drastically outnumber any others in the hunting space and they think the snipers are taking away "their" game.

Yeah I see what your saying to be clear I’m not necessarily an advocate for LR hunting bans but I would have to think that people being able to shoot further with technology has increased success which is what we are talking about when we are discussing these issues

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Thermal is an issue I brought to the attention of the SW region IDFG Commissioner back in 2017, here is a copy and paste of my email

Mr. Fischer,

My name is Andrew D****** and I am a lifelong hunter and fisherman who is strongly in favor of fair chase hunting. I have recently seen the push toward more technology in the hunting field and while I feel that many of the technological advances in hunting are helpful in the ethical harvest of game I can also see the lines becoming blurred at times. With the recent release of the Leupold LTO thermal tracker and their obvious marketing toward big game hunters I felt a need to speak up. While I can see the benefit in the ability to find wounded and downed game this kind of technology could also be used to find live game even during the dark or when bedded in heavy cover where it would previously be impossible to spot. After perusing the current fish and game regulations and seeing no laws that address this potential issue I thought I would bring it to the attention of the commission in the interest of getting out ahead of the game on the issue of infrared and thermal imaging technology. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Andrew D******

I received no response from them back then.

As far as long range hunting, while I don’t partake, or maybe I do, the issue will always be where do you draw the line of “long range”. To some long range is anything beyond 200 yds while others will draw an arbitrary line in the sand at 500 or 700 or 1000. The reality of it is we need to limit the influencers and hunting celebrities selling us the idea that we all need to shoot farther or that hunting is some competition to make the longest shot and go back to the days of actually hunting, you know matching wits with an animal in their home environment, tricking their senses and getting within a reasonable range to make an ethical shot that will kill the animal. There is hunting and then there is shooting and unfortunately it seems like more of what happens these days is just shooting.


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[WeiserBucks]

Yeah I see what your saying to be clear I’m not necessarily an advocate for LR hunting bans but I would have to think that people being able to shoot further with technology has increased success which is what we are talking about when we are discussing these issues

I hear you. I just think the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Tech never would have been brought up if someone didn't complain. Who complains? Unsuccessful hunters. Who are the unsuccessful hunters? 97% of them are the hunt 3 days a year Fudds. LR shooters are not the reason 379 lb Billy Bob Fudd can't kill an elk from his SxS every year in the same spot his grandma killed one from the road in '68.

 

[Gobbler36]

I hear you. I just think the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Tech never would have been brought up if someone didn't complain. Who complains? Unsuccessful hunters. Who are the unsuccessful hunters? 97% of them are the hunt 3 days a year Fudds. LR shooters are not the reason 379 lb Billy Bob Fudd can't kill an elk from his SxS every year in the same spot his grandma killed one from the road in '68.

Maybe
I hunt hard I am successful often in terms of harvest and I’m genuinely worried about the ever increasing advancement of tech in hunting. I’ve said it before but where will the line be drawn, how long till we can sit on our couch control a drone the fires bullets and we hunt that way?

I’m less concerned over LR shooting but thermals, drones, cameras, etc are things I believe have a farther reaching impact and needs addressed without prejudice quickly

 

[Gobbler36]

Thermal is an issue I brought to the attention of the SW region IDFG Commissioner back in 2017, here is a copy and paste of my email

Mr. Fischer,

My name is Andrew D****** and I am a lifelong hunter and fisherman who is strongly in favor of fair chase hunting. I have recently seen the push toward more technology in the hunting field and while I feel that many of the technological advances in hunting are helpful in the ethical harvest of game I can also see the lines becoming blurred at times. With the recent release of the Leupold LTO thermal tracker and their obvious marketing toward big game hunters I felt a need to speak up. While I can see the benefit in the ability to find wounded and downed game this kind of technology could also be used to find live game even during the dark or when bedded in heavy cover where it would previously be impossible to spot. After perusing the current fish and game regulations and seeing no laws that address this potential issue I thought I would bring it to the attention of the commission in the interest of getting out ahead of the game on the issue of infrared and thermal imaging technology. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Andrew D******

I received no response from them back then.

As far as long range hunting, while I don’t partake, or maybe I do, the issue will always be where do you draw the line of “long range”. To some long range is anything beyond 200 yds while others will draw an arbitrary line in the sand at 500 or 700 or 1000. The reality of it is we need to limit the influencers and hunting celebrities selling us the idea that we all need to shoot farther or that hunting is some competition to make the longest shot and go back to the days of actually hunting, you know matching wits with an animal in their home environment, tricking their senses and getting within a reasonable range to make an ethical shot that will kill the animal. There is hunting and then there is shooting and unfortunately it seems like more of what happens these days is just shooting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have written in as well a couple times no response. Pretty damn frustrating but we. Need more people to voice their opinions

 

[WeiserBucks]

I’m less concerned over LR shooting but thermals, drones, cameras, etc are things I believe have a farther reaching impact and needs addressed without prejudice quickly

I agree with this statement for the most part, but I'm not ready to address the 3% of good LR hunters as an issue yet. I say that with the full bias of having and using LR capability myself.

 

[Gobbler36]

I agree with this statement for the most part, but I'm not ready to address the 3% of good LR hunters as an issue yet. I say that with the full bias of having and using LR capability myself.

Agreed