I was out today and my Son called to say he saw two ASY males flying around above the gourd rack. I hadn't finished preparing the gourds and rack for this year so I asked him to run it up the pole anyway in case they wanted to come in and rest.
I came home in the late afternoon and didn't see them flying around so wasn't sure if they were out feeding or went in the gourd for a rest.
So I'm sitting here catching up on the news and decided to grab my Pulsar Trail2 XP50 thermal scope to see who, if anybody, came home.
The first thing I saw was the heat signature in the number one gourd. He is 9 days earlier than last year. Please enjoy the photos. I am.
Coolwhips
Attachments
White Hot Body.JPG (123.99 KiB) Viewed 2006 times
White Hot Entrance.JPG (131.26 KiB) Viewed 2006 times
Last edited by Whippy on Sun Feb 11, 2024 12:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Awesome idea whippy! Very cool .. I’m going to get one of those! Thanks for the photos and the idea!
Whippy, would a thermal night vision monocular, give a heat signature, through the entrance holes, as in your photos, or just night vision ?
Rob
Thermal is the way to go. I don't use night vision.
There are many good thermal brands on the market but, having done research based on my particular needs, I chose to go with Pulsar. They make a range of very good monocular. I've never used a monocular as I use my actual hunting scopes for scouting as well. With a quick attach mount I can take it on and off my rifle as needed.
The heat signature you see in my photos is from a thermal scope, the Pulsar Trail2 XP50 LRF. LRF is Laser Range Finder. Pulsar discontinued the Trail model and are focusing on their Thermion models. If you see any of the Trail2 units on the market for a very good price, be sure to ask if its a refurbished model. Pulsar sold many of their remaining Trail models to dealers at a discounted price and these remaining models have been refurbished. However, that's just so you'll know what you're getting. Pulsar is very honest and responsive about their products and warranties. The warranty on the Pulsar is 3 years and I would expect to get that even if I bought the refurbished Trail which I wouldn't hesitate to do for the price.
There are reviews on just about every thermal product made on youtube. Just search youtube for the models you're interested in and watch the videos. Compare brands, pricing, refresh rate, image clarity, and consider your specific needs when doing so.
What a great idea to keep from disturbing your martins early in the season when you are trying to get a count. I never stop learning from the landlords on the forum.
