Infa-red

PeterMac · 01-13-2003, 08:03 AM

My brother called me last night and asked if I had any experience with the Infa-red devices available thorugh Cabellas. I guess that they would be used for tracking / locating a wounded animal? He said that they had models available for $100, and some for around $200.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Is it better to spend the higher end of the range? Do they actually work? Thanks in advance.

PeterMac

[ 01-13-2003, 09:04 AM: Message edited by: PeterMac ]

PeterMac · 01-14-2003, 07:44 AM

Hmmmm, no one has anything on these? I thought for sure I would get some sort of feedback.

PeterMac

Grantspastor · 01-14-2003, 09:37 AM

As an Optician I can tell you that infra-red devices certainly work. The military uses them for night vision, FLIR, and so forth. I just can't tell you about the quality of the devices you asked about. No experience with them. In theory they could help you locate a wounded or hidden animal in poor light conditions. They measure light that is invisible to the human eye
(infra-red). When an object is warmer than its surroundings it stands out in contrast.

Jellyhead · 01-14-2003, 04:24 PM

The one I have used looked like a flashlight.

It had a little light bar that would light up as it picked up heat. I Borrowed it from a buddy to try and find quail that would often drop in thick cover. (I didn't have a dog) Well, for quail it sucked. It was waaayy too sensitive even on it's lower setting. It would pick up areas of the ground that had sunlight on them, and it would light up when ever I passed over a rock (because rocks hold the heat of the sun more than vegitation)

My buddy used it for finding downed elk while bowhunting, but he said it was just as easy to track and follow blood.

I personally don't think I'd spend the money.

Aaron

BlindSquirrel · 01-14-2003, 11:38 PM

Hello Peter Mac,

Sorry -- no first hand experience either -- but I can't believe the models I've seen on TV (in the price range you mention) could possibly work reliably. They looked more like a water divining rod than something that could actually help you track a wounded animal. I have access through work to $1500 IR viewers -- and although I have never tried using them to track game -- I don't believe they would work either.

Without a money back guarantee if not satisfied -- I would be extremely leery. You could test it out on tracking horses, cows, or dogs where you already know the path taken. I would be interested to hear the results.

Good luck

Blind Squirrel

PeterMac · 01-15-2003, 07:18 AM

Thanks for the responses. I am thinking of a situation a few years back when I shot a cow, but couldn't find her. Did the whole grid run on the area looking for any sign what-so-ever. After several hours, gave up. Was back in the area two weekends later and found her, only 50 feet or so off of where our search area ened (it had to end somewhere!).

My brother and I where discussing whether one of these devices would have been good to have. Note we hunt coastal area, so sunshine is usually not an issue.

PeterMac

outdoor.spec.ops · 01-15-2003, 07:38 AM

We tried the Cabelas game tracker device this year in our TEAM CABELAS camp. It really did look cool, and make us feel like official Team Cabelas Members since we had almost all of Cabelas gear in our camp, but it really sucked. We all sent ours back to Cabelas and recomended that they not try to sell these anymore. Just my experience.

[ 01-15-2003, 08:40 AM: Message edited by: outdoor.spec.ops ]