mack9807
Well-Known Member
I would love to get thermal just not in budget
Time to Share your Winter Mutt Images!!
- Thread starter Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
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Hornhunter32
Well-Known Member
What does a guy need to spend to get a good scope?
Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
Well-Known Member
They run about $3000 up! I would really consider the Pulsar XD50A to be about the best value out there if you are looking for quality. There are some ATNs and some guys swear by them... but their customer support record is somewhat abysmal... and when you are spending that much... you definitely don't want to be left high and dry if an issue arises. Armasight, Pulsar and IR Defense are probably the best choices.
If you are looking to get in cheap.... wait until Optics Planet has a 10% off sale and do it then.... that way you would be spending closer to $3150 for a great thermal. I ended up going with the XD75A which runs about $5000, but I know lots of guys that are incredibly happy with the XD50A.
Pulsar beats all the others in my book because of their innovation of the Picture in Picture. It's simply one of the most useful ideas and incredibly functional. You can use the Zoomed PIP for getting a nice shot off on the first mutt... and at the same time... maintain situational awareness of the other coyotes using the main window. Both crosshairs (zoomed and main) are accurate as sin... so once you fire your first shot and kill the first mutt... the others start running and you can then use the main window & crosshair for follow up shots. It really works amazingly well... You don't have to mess with manual zooming all the time (though it has the option if you want it like all other scopes).
LAST THING!!! I never thought I could bring myself to spend that much money on an optic... but I looked in my closet and there were numerous rifles I hadn't used in years... and likely wouldn't... as well as scopes. I sold those things that I thought I would prefer to have less than the thermal. It didn't take me long to have the money. So.. don't give up on it... you likely have things around the homestead or in your gun closet that you would like to have less than the thermal!! Just a thought!!
Hornhunter32
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply. So what do you use for scanning while you're calling?
Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
Well-Known Member
I'm actually using the XD75A, The crazy thing is that I started the whole night hunting coyotes gig using a Raytheon Thermal Eye 250D for scanning... and a Pulsar DFA75 for night vision on the rifle. It was a great combination. My brother and I hunted together pretty much all the time so it worked out perfectly... One would scan... and when they saw anything coming... they would let the guy on the rifle know, who would then fire up the night vision and IR light... get on target... and shoot.
My brother though has been having Kidney issues so wasn't able to hunt with me at all this last season... and some of the previous season... so I ended up juggling the thermal scanner and night vision. It was a lot more work. So I ended up selling the Raytheon and used the money for my new Thermal scope.
Now.... I do wish I had held on to the Raytheon Thermal Eye.... as trying to scan with my rifle is a lot of work!! I have a tripod that helps some... but I'm having to move around quite a bit... left and right in order to scan.... so I've been thinking about picking up a thermal scanner... probably an HD38 or perhaps HD19. It doesn't have to be really great on resolution because I can scan ... and if I see anything... then I can use the XD75A for identification.
So... no scanner currently... but considering it. It is a lot more convenient. I'd even pick up a used Raytheon Thermal Eye 250D if I can find one for a good price. That thing was rock solid and though the resolution isn't all that... it worked great.
Hornhunter32
Well-Known Member
I had a very short antelope season so my dad and I had some time to make a few stands. The first stand i had two coming on a dead run and another one surprised us from behind. We both shot and missed, which messed up the other two. The second stand we had these two come in and we both got one.
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Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
Well-Known Member
Nice looking mutts there buddy! Well done. It's awesome that almost any hunt can turn into a coyote hunt! Gotta love that!
Hornhunter32
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it was a blast. They were charging so hard I wish I would've had a shotgun with.
Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
Well-Known Member
Got this 1 hour into my birthday... last night around 1am. Big sucker too because I'm 6'3. Had to be around 40lbs.
Hornhunter32
Well-Known Member
Very nice! That is a huge dog! Do you only hunt at night now?
Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
Well-Known Member
Heya Hornhunter32... Thanks!!... and yes... I've really only been hunting when the sun goes down for the last 4 years... or perhaps it's 4 seasons!
I used to hunt coyotes off and on when I didn't have night gear... and I enjoyed it, but once we started hunting at night.. I just fell in love with it. Something about it fits me like a glove and I've never looked back. I used to live for deer and elk, plan all year long, fill my tags and start planning again. Now, deer and elk are an afterthought. I'm constantly thinking about coyote hunting LOL. Better to be addicted to this than booze, women, or heroin!! At least... that's my rationalization anyways! lightbulb Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)
Well-Known Member
Got this bugger last weekend... first of the season. Still a little thin fur-wise, and not near as big as this weekend's mutt... but it was a good start and a fun night.
Hornhunter32
Well-Known Member
That's what I keep telling my wife!!!Better to be addicted to this than booze, women, or heroin!! At least... that's my rationalization anyways! lightbulb
Hornhunter32
Well-Known Member
Awesome! I use to wait until they were prime before I would start hunting, but now I know there are way more coyotes around than I can shoot in a lifetime.
