Thermal hunting blacktail or any big game

[pickardjw]

Looks like the regs outlawing dogs stated "hunting or pursuing" vs the drone/thermal regs that just state "hunting". But the definition of "hunting" isn't clear regarding tracking wounded game so... I sent an email. You're probably right, but I do wonder if a decent lawyer could challenge a ticket effectively.

The thermal imaging drone recovery stuff is pretty cool. Might not be as effective in parts of WA but it seems to be pretty effective in the midwest. Probably nice to only have to ask for permission once to retrieve a deer from the neighbors.

[emac]

So as it stands currently. With no intent to kill an animal, can you use thermal to scout fields at night time? 

You can’t have weapons on you unless hunting for predators …….?

Its illegal to spotlight or use thermals etc. during any big game season, even coyotes have to be hunted during legal hunting hours.

Not 100% true.  Just during regular modern deer and elk seasons.  You can still spotlight for yotes, bobcats and whatever else during archery, muzzy and special permit seasons.  Except for bobcats in those certain gmu's

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[dandjclements]

We use thermal hunting hogs in Texas. Very fun

[huntingfool7]

I think it’s time to put a end to some of this stuff and just straight out ,out law it during hunting seasons. With low game numbers and a huge number of hunters seeking them. It’s just time to pull the plug on a lot of this stuff.

Every year better scopes, binoculars, atv, electric bikes, see through blinds, drones, shooting 300 plus yards. Trail cameras with cellular service. Where does it end. I think it’s time to step back and get back to hunting basics.

I use some of these items because I can, but I would not miss them if they were banned.

At what point do we become too effective in killing, how much more technology’s can the game with stand?

Has any of that stuff increased the success rate even a fraction of a percent? 
By and large the success rates in Washington are best described as static or unchanged from historical levels.  It's looking for a solution to a non issue. 

[pianoman9701]

I find it unlikely that people who would use thermal imaging during a big game season aren't breaking other rules. People use all kinds of things to hunt illegally/poach. But, I also don't think we should be going around making equipment illegal because we don't personally use or like it. There are other uses for thermal imaging devices, including small game and predators, personal property surveillance and security, etc. The best we can do is act as an example in our own sporting pursuits, acting as ethically as possible  .

[hunter399]

No argument from me.
But will say ,technology is getting better by the second.
Some of it needs to be addressed quickly.
There is no way I'm going to depend on anybody these days to be accountable or ethical in any way.

[GWP]

Bringing in any new tech is always a slippery slope. I stopped black powder hunting in Washington, and was very surprised how much was allowed when I looked into it again. Not sure if it is good or bad. Both I guess.
I never have understood the restrictions on recovery. My feeling is if it will help recover a critter, let people use it. Dogs particularly.

[huntingfool7]

Bringing in any new tech is always a slippery slope. I stopped black powder hunting in Washington, and was very surprised how much was allowed when I looked into it again. Not sure if it is good or bad. Both I guess.
I never have understood the restrictions on recovery. My feeling is if it will help recover a critter, let people use it. Dogs particularly.

Need a "like" button for posts like this. 

[pianoman9701]

No argument from me.
But will say ,technology is getting better by the second.
Some of it needs to be addressed quickly.
There is no way I'm going to depend on anybody these days to be accountable or ethical in any way.

Thermal imaging has been around for a while, hence the exclusion in the regs. Ethics are subjective. To you, ethics means one thing. To someone else, another. I use a compound bow. To a trad hunter, that may be unethical. I, however, consider my ethics intact. Game cameras, certain MLs, using an AR to hunt - all of new tech is unethical to some and not to others. I would say that the important thing for all hunters is to support each other in legal hunting and leave the ethical dilemmas for each to sort out on their own. 

[idaho guy]

I must not have had a good one but it cost 3000 I think. I specifically wanted to try one in daylight hours. It was November and snowy. Idaho we can use them in certain areas for wolves and of course coyotes. I have never used thermal to hunt and don’t intend to but was mostly curious. I looked at our horses in the mostly open pasture and they stuck out like neon lights. They were 50-80 yards out. I looked in the thick woods behind my house and EVERYTHING was lit up trees, stumps etc. they hold apparently a fair amount of heat. There is usually always a few deer back there and nothing stood out. I also tried to see my hounds in their kennel which is surrounded by trees and thick brush and they did not stand out. I decided to check some other places.  I glassed a little farther away timber patch that I knew elk were in and just saw a bunch of white trees. I feel like I could pick out the tip of an antler, leg, and other small parts of elk/deer better with good binoculars than I could with thermal in the day time. Has anyone used thermal in the day time and thick stuff and found it to be effective? I almost forgot but I glassed some deer in a far away field also and the thermal showed little to nothing. It could have all been operator error but I found no advantage during daylight hours. I can’t remember brand but it was supposed to be effective beyond 1000 yards. I realize I might be too dumb on how to use one but I found no advantage? Friend of a friend is how I tried them and the guy I was talking too had little experience with thermal also. We might be getting worried about some huge advantage that doesn’t exist in daylight hours? Or it’s a huge unfair advantage and I’m just don’t know what I am doing 😂. I was wondering if they worked in early fall better where the trees and stumps aren’t holding a lot more heat than the surrounding air? I don’t know but I’m interested in other experiences. Thermal might not be an issue for daytime hunting and hunting at night is already illegal. Maybe it’s not a problem

[idaho guy]

I think it’s time to put a end to some of this stuff and just straight out ,out law it during hunting seasons. With low game numbers and a huge number of hunters seeking them. It’s just time to pull the plug on a lot of this stuff.

Every year better scopes, binoculars, atv, electric bikes, see through blinds, drones, shooting 300 plus yards. Trail cameras with cellular service. Where does it end. I think it’s time to step back and get back to hunting basics.

I use some of these items because I can, but I would not miss them if they were banned.

At what point do we become too effective in killing, how much more technology’s can the game with stand?

   

I agree with this but actually bought some cell cams ha ha. It’s hard not to take advantage especially as I get older and lazier. I think we are losing a lot of woodmanshio skills like reading sign. I find myself missing just taking off with no trail cam pictures or on x maps etc. I will still just take off into new areas and try to find what is there by just looking at rubs, scrapes tracks and figuring out their trails. Despite having trail camera picks of nice bucks elsewhere. Technology is making the kill easier and at the same time It feels like we are losing a big part of the actual hunt to technology. But I still use it.

[huntingfool7]

I must not have had a good one but it cost 3000 I think. I specifically wanted to try one in daylight hours. It was November and snowy. Idaho we can use them in certain areas for wolves and of course coyotes. I have never used thermal to hunt and don’t intend to but was mostly curious. I looked at our horses in the mostly open pasture and they stuck out like neon lights. They were 50-80 yards out. I looked in the thick woods behind my house and EVERYTHING was lit up trees, stumps etc. they hold apparently a fair amount of heat. There is usually always a few deer back there and nothing stood out. I also tried to see my hounds in their kennel which is surrounded by trees and thick brush and they did not stand out. I decided to check some other places.  I glassed a little farther away timber patch that I knew elk were in and just saw a bunch of white trees. I feel like I could pick out the tip of an antler, leg, and other small parts of elk/deer better with good binoculars than I could with thermal in the day time. Has anyone used thermal in the day time and thick stuff and found it to be effective? I almost forgot but I glassed some deer in a far away field also and the thermal showed little to nothing. It could have all been operator error but I found no advantage during daylight hours. I can’t remember brand but it was supposed to be effective beyond 1000 yards. I realize I might be too dumb on how to use one but I found no advantage? Friend of a friend is how I tried them and the guy I was talking too had little experience with thermal also. We might be getting worried about some huge advantage that doesn’t exist in daylight hours? Or it’s a huge unfair advantage and I’m just don’t know what I am doing 😂. I was wondering if they worked in early fall better where the trees and stumps aren’t holding a lot more heat than the surrounding air? I don’t know but I’m interested in other experiences. Thermal might not be an issue for daytime hunting and hunting at night is already illegal. Maybe it’s not a problem

Pretty well sums it up.  Those that are concerned, have not used thermal. 

I've shot some coyotes during daylight hours with thermal.  All of those daylight coyotes were spotted with the naked eye before thermal was put on them.  Daylight scanning with thermal is an exercise in futility...at night, especially well after the trees and rocks have cooled down... there's nothing better.

[follow maggie]

I must not have had a good one but it cost 3000 I think. I specifically wanted to try one in daylight hours. It was November and snowy. Idaho we can use them in certain areas for wolves and of course coyotes. I have never used thermal to hunt and don’t intend to but was mostly curious. I looked at our horses in the mostly open pasture and they stuck out like neon lights. They were 50-80 yards out. I looked in the thick woods behind my house and EVERYTHING was lit up trees, stumps etc. they hold apparently a fair amount of heat. There is usually always a few deer back there and nothing stood out. I also tried to see my hounds in their kennel which is surrounded by trees and thick brush and they did not stand out. I decided to check some other places.  I glassed a little farther away timber patch that I knew elk were in and just saw a bunch of white trees. I feel like I could pick out the tip of an antler, leg, and other small parts of elk/deer better with good binoculars than I could with thermal in the day time. Has anyone used thermal in the day time and thick stuff and found it to be effective? I almost forgot but I glassed some deer in a far away field also and the thermal showed little to nothing. It could have all been operator error but I found no advantage during daylight hours. I can’t remember brand but it was supposed to be effective beyond 1000 yards. I realize I might be too dumb on how to use one but I found no advantage? Friend of a friend is how I tried them and the guy I was talking too had little experience with thermal also. We might be getting worried about some huge advantage that doesn’t exist in daylight hours? Or it’s a huge unfair advantage and I’m just don’t know what I am doing 😂. I was wondering if they worked in early fall better where the trees and stumps aren’t holding a lot more heat than the surrounding air? I don’t know but I’m interested in other experiences. Thermal might not be an issue for daytime hunting and hunting at night is already illegal. Maybe it’s not a problem

I used to use infrared a lot for work, even paid for professional training & bought a very good quality camera. What you describe is exactly how infrared works. It’s not useful during daylight hours, even a thick fog can keep you from seeing things. It doesn’t see through walls like people think from watching movies, and it’s not going to find a deer hiding in the middle of a bunch of trees from your truck. For finding animals it’s useful in the dark in open areas & the angle of the lense will determine how far you can see.