Head Count

[retrieverman]

I picked up a Pulsar Thermion XQ35 thermal scope yesterday and plan to sit out in the back pasture tonight to see what I can see. I watched deer from the porch last night, and this thing is cool.
I was asked why I put the scope on this gun instead of a bolt gun or semi auto, and there was a method to my madness. First off, the gun is super accurate, and I love the caliber and hunting with it. Secondly, Blasers have a mounting system that allow optics to be removed and reinstalled with 100% return to zero, and I really didn’t want to dedicate a gun to a scope that will probably get limited use.

 

[retrieverman]

Wasn’t necessarily the target species, but I drew first blood using the thermal.
I also saw 10 deer. I may be too old for night hunting, because I kept dozing off.

 

[AER244]

I lack the cool rig, but I did something similar. I saw no less than 7 and no more than 9 coyotes on a quarter tonight. Tonight was the first time I’ve seen a coyote in a tree. I didn’t see it go up, but I watched it come down from about 8-9ft off the ground, I thought it was a giant raccoon at first.

 

[dennishoddy]

My mind is blown. How high and what kind of tree did you see this yote climb?

 

[AER244]

It is an unusually grown willow that has a fair amount of horizontal growth, but it had to crawl 6+ feet up to get to that. I kept hearing it howl right next to me but couldn’t find it. I finally heard bark falling when it climbed down. I looked over and all I could see was tail against the sunset and thought it was a trophy raccoon, then it got down and ran into some Bermuda where I could see it. Then I looked to my right and had another yote about 20ft from me, so I shot that one.

 

[retrieverman]

With acorns falling, I haven’t seen any pigs in weeks, but I’ve been getting multiple coyotes on camera every night. There’s three less now.

 

[dennishoddy]

Awesome! Congrats!

 

[retrieverman]

I’ve been watching a skunk wander around my pasture every night since I got the thermal, but I wouldn’t shoot him because he had been too close to the house and would stink up the whole area. Well, he was further out in the pasture tonight, and it’s supposed to rain all night. No pictures for obvious reasons, but Mr Stinky won’t be down for breakfast.

Edit to add dead skunk x2.

 

[dennishoddy]

I’ve been watching a skunk wander around my pasture every night since I got the thermal, but I wouldn’t shoot him because he had been too close to the house and would stink up the whole area. Well, he was further out in the pasture tonight, and it’s supposed to rain all night. No pictures for obvious reasons, but Mr Stinky won’t be down for breakfast.

Edit to add dead skunk x2.

What do you mean no pics for obvious reasons? This isn't YouTube or fakebook. We like to see carnage!

 

[kirk1978]

What do you mean no pics for obvious reasons? This isn't YouTube or fakebook. We like to see carnage!

I expect a photo of him holding the skunk at arms length to make it look like a 40lb critter. (like some of our deer photos)