Red light vs Thermal Setups

[MannyMedeiros21]

I just had a quick question for all you who have switched from red lights to thermal. I am switching to thermal, and I am just wondering if the way you set up would be different from that of running a red light. While running a light, I would often just setup in a wide open field because once you pick an animal up they can’t see anything behind the light. I’m assuming with running thermal you would want to be more discrete and try to “hide”. Any advice would be appreciated

 

[Skerhunter]

Depends on how light it is! Full moon and snow, try to stay in shadows by cover. Most nights you can set up about anywhere, just make sure you aren’t sky-lined.

Don’t think I have ever been busted by them seeing me at night. Usually its sound that make them nervous (crunching ice/clanking gear).

 

[Mattman215]

As doesn’t allow thermals or I would have made the switch years ago.

 

[weekender7]

Setup mostly the same, the brighter the moon the more I want background with the thermal

 

[Buckhead]

Have used both. Before I owned a thermal, used red lights successfully. I think lights are more effective in an open setting. The land I have access to is wooded with most shots under 100 yards. About a year ago, bought an AGM Rattler and have really enjoyed it. In addition to hunting coyotes, have taken several raccoons, beavers and armadillos with it. Amazing how active critters are in the dark. Have it sighted in on a bolt .223 and a .22 mag.

I haven't had a coyote spot me with the thermal, however, I am careful about my setups. Usually get situated in a direction that I anticipate the coyote coming from. Be careful about wind direction. Usually, don't bother to call unless I hear them sounding close by. That makes their approach more predictable.

Where I hunt, coyotes are nomadic. I usually get one or two per year. Eastern coyotes are challenging.

 

[MannyMedeiros21]

Have used both. Before I owned a thermal, used red lights successfully. I think lights are more effective in an open setting. The land I have access to is wooded with most shots under 100 yards. About a year ago, bought an AGM Rattler and have really enjoyed it. In addition to hunting coyotes, have taken several raccoons, beavers and armadillos with it. Amazing how active critters are in the dark. Have it sighted in on a bolt .223 and a .22 mag.

I haven't had a coyote spot me with the thermal, however, I am careful about my setups. Usually get situated in a direction that I anticipate the coyote coming from. Be careful about wind direction. Usually, don't bother to call unless I hear them sounding close by. That makes their approach more predictable.

Where I hunt, coyotes are nomadic. I usually get one or two per year. Eastern coyotes are challenging.

Just wondering how well your rattler holds zero moving it from one gun to another. Any issues?


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[Buckhead]

No issues holding a zero so far, but most of my shots are under 100 yds. When I switch rifles, I double check things and fire a couple of test shots. The crosshair profiles are generally spot on, maybe a slight tweaking. It isn’t like you can get target grade accuracy. My Rattler is a 25/384 with a 1.5 base magnification.

 

[E.Shell]

Just wondering how well your rattler holds zero moving it from one gun to another. Any issues?

I have an AGM Rattler TS35-640 and move it between a suppressed 10/22 and a .223 bolt gun. It has been within an inch or so at 50 yards with both rifles when returning.

The Rattler has a choice of 5 zeros (meaning it can be zeroed for five rifles or five ranges or five loads) and the throw-lever rail mount has adjustable tension. I have one zero for the .22 and another for the .223 and as long as I do a minor adjustment on the rail mount tension to keep it very tight, I'm happy with the repeatability/return to zero.

 

[SteepNdeep]

Set up on the perimeter or edges near cover where you can see the entire field.

 

[Tbone26]

Set up on the perimeter or edges near cover where you can see the entire field.

To add, try and make sure you can see your downwind side.

 

[Coleredding00]

To add, try and make sure you can see your downwind side.

This. 100x over. I can’t count how many times i have lost dogs because i didnt pay enough attention to the downwind side at night and didnt realize there was tall brush or a terrain feature they got into that i couldn’t see.

 

[Murdy88]

I am not an experienced predator hunter but I just started messing with thermal and it’s very dependent on the moon as far as getting spotted. We are usually covering ground for dillos but call periodically for coyotes. Movement is the number one thing everything keys in on but even if they spot you, they usually just stare trying to figure out if you’re a threat. We called in a pair that busted out of the woods roughly 40yds away. We weren’t fully prepared so we were moving and even whispered some and they were definitely on to us but we had time to fit it together and take one. Another night we spotted a heat signature in an open field and weren’t sure what it was. We walked in to about 50yds to glass it and it was a sleeping coyote. The field was freshly plowed so we didn’t make any noise. Even when it heard us and popped up we had time for a shot while it was figuring out what was going on.

 

[Nine Banger]

We walked in to about 50yds to glass it and it was a sleeping coyote. The field was freshly plowed so we didn’t make any noise. Even when it heard us and popped up we had time for a shot while it was figuring out what was going on.

We just had a very similar experience about 2 weeks ago.

We had been hearing packs sounding off around us.

We passed by an area that had just been cleared by a bulldozer.

We saw a hot target on the ground out in the open.

We thought we found something the pack had killed and were walking in and whispering to each other on the way to check out what it was, and it pops up and was a sleeping coyote.

It happened to me with a fox this summer. I couldn't figure out what it was and then finally saw the face in the middle of the coil and shot over its back because I had walked up so close and didn't hold low.

I intend to be more aware that this may happen again and be ready next time.