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Thermal Imager/Leupold LTO to help find dead deer

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Kevin2

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
While watching a Mark Drury vid last night, I took note of him using a Leupold LTO I think he said to help locate a dead deer down in TX. I thought it was really cool technology and was wondering how many have tried similar devices to help locate a deer that was dead, night or day. He was tracking during the day and the heat signature showed up really clearly on his LTO.

WOndering what other options are out there that might be better then that LTO and possibly cheaper. I like cheapter!

(65) Mark Drury's Giant 17 Pointer, Wade's Perfect Shot | Deer Season 21 - YouTube
 
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#2 ·
With this kind of tech you get what you pay for...if you skimp you're throwing your money away...the good stuff is pricey but truly amazing, like identifying living creatures completely concealed in logs amazing....you have to ask yourself what it's all worth to you....
 
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Discussion starter · #3 ·
Have you tried the Leupold I mentioned? What else have you tried Joe? I'm all into spending more $$ IF it gest me "amazing" results.

12-Ringer said:
With this kind of tech you get what you pay for...if you skimp you're throwing your money away...the good stuff is pricey but truly amazing, like identifying living creatures completely concealed in logs amazing....you have to ask yourself what it's all worth to you....
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Discussion starter · #5 ·
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#6 ·
Kevin2 said:
Have you tried the Leupold I mentioned? What else have you tried Joe? I'm all into spending more $$ IF it gest me "amazing" results.
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Yes, IMHO the Leopold was garbage, ambient feedback from all sorts of non-target items like decaying wood, the controls are inferior with no real adaptability for the user to help disquish.....there are tons of these items breaking onto the market for a variety of reasons.....from my experience the most likely to get into the hands of outdoorsman who would find value is the FLIR Scout series...you're still taking about entry level around $1k, sometimes you might find a 240 for less...the ScoutIII 640 is very nice for what it does, but caries an average pricetag around $2.5k...it's much less expensive to learn how to track and more importantly shoot well; but we all know crap-happens...tools like these thermal imagers help correct when things don't go as planned. I can almost assure you though, if you're looking at imagers under $1k you will disappointed...they will help a little, but to be fair, just reasonable tracking skills do a better job than most in that prie range...whereas the 640 that I mentioned, located a deer that was shot about an hour before light, tracked and kicked up 2x before 10PM at 4:00 AM in the morning from about 70 yards, in temps below freezing. I don't know how long the deer had been dead as it was stiff, but not frozen, but when the hunter called me, one scan with the 640 and you could see the deer in the brush.
 
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#7 ·
Keep in mind, there are all sorts of devices, for all sorts of usages, those that record, those that are used in search and recovery....if you think the 640 is pricey, well don't look at the search and rescue models or those on some of the recovery drones, you might pass out.
 
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#8 ·
I’m not a fan, especially in the day. Problem is that woods have a ton of heat differences and make finding anything in thick brush difficult. If the deer is lying dead in an open spot, maybe it helps a little, especially at night. But I think it’s much easier to see in the day when you have color contrast. Seeing where the leaves/dirt/grass is all messed up from a stumbling deer is more handy than a thermal. Not to mention if he goes down in thick brush that thermal isn’t going to pick him up. I thought it would be fun to hunt in my woods for predators with a thermal as I’ve heard a ton of coyote in there. Nope. Get to the edge and everything inside is just a mess of hot/cold contrast even with a mid range unit. Goes down in tall grass, never going to see it in thermal. I’ve had 5 different units from the cheap Seek options (same sensor/lens as in the Leupold units) up to state of the art handhelds and while they do certain things amazing, I haven’t seen them much help in spotting downed deer compared to tracking it’s trail. I can see a few cases where it would help now and then, but I’d bet a good spotlight will do more and be $100.
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
Thanks, that helps. Just looked so pure on the Mark Drury video, seemed worth a closer look.

Benzy2 said:
I’m not a fan, especially in the day. Problem is that woods have a ton of heat differences and make finding anything in thick brush difficult. If the deer is lying dead in an open spot, maybe it helps a little, especially at night. But I think it’s much easier to see in the day when you have color contrast. Seeing where the leaves/dirt/grass is all messed up from a stumbling deer is more handy than a thermal. Not to mention if he goes down in thick brush that thermal isn’t going to pick him up. I thought it would be fun to hunt in my woods for predators with a thermal as I’ve heard a ton of coyote in there. Nope. Get to the edge and everything inside is just a mess of hot/cold contrast even with a mid range unit. Goes down in tall grass, never going to see it in thermal. I’ve had 5 different units from the cheap Seek options (same sensor/lens as in the Leupold units) up to state of the art handhelds and while they do certain things amazing, I haven’t seen them much help in spotting downed deer compared to tracking it’s trail. I can see a few cases where it would help now and then, but I’d bet a good spotlight will do more and be $100.
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#10 ·
I've played with the Leupold LTO and for what it cost, I felt it delivered on par. That said, and please feel free to double check me, I believe Leupold discontinued the LTO series a year or two ago.
 
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#11 ·
12-Ringer said:
Keep in mind, there are all sorts of devices, for all sorts of usages, those that record, those that are used in search and recovery....if you think the 640 is pricey, well don't look at the search and rescue models or those on some of the recovery drones, you might pass out.
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unless things have recently changed,they aren't legal to use on big game in Pa.I say recently because thermal imaging scopes were just legalized for predators.
 
#12 ·
I saw that showthe other day, was surprised when he used it and mentioned it by name, I remember when they first came out andthe Drury's were talking it up. at the time it was around $600
 
#13 ·
Kevin2 said:
Thanks, that helps. Just looked so pure on the Mark Drury video, seemed worth a closer look.
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When it’s good it’s great. I have side by side tests of thermal and night vision where 3 deer were in light, leafless scrub and you couldn’t see anything with night vision but all three deer stood out on thermal as if they were in the middle of my yard. That said, if it was middle of the day they would have stood out clearly as it wasn’t enough cover to hide them.

There are likely a bunch of times where it will pick them up. I just think it’s nearly as likely to pick them up by sight. It’s not magic is all. If the deer runs 1000 yards into the woods, that thermal won’t see it. If it goes 40 yards, it may still be visible to thermal but likely would be visible in the day to the naked eye as well. The case where it seems most beneficial is if it makes it 100-200 yards and you have the direction and it dies in an openish area on some leaves. Here it may be blending in to the leaves a bit and was far enough you didn’t see it go down but it’s open enough that the thermal will be clear to see the heat. Most deer I find that aren’t dead within sight head for thick stuff where I can’t see more than 10-20 yards at a time. Thermal doesn’t do a ton of good in those spots. If you’re hunting more open areas though, it’s a different story. Using it (especially at night) to watch the side of a mountain that had little vegetation was incredible. Very easy to track everything in that case and would make recovery (especially at night) a breeze.
 
#14 ·
Check out the AGM’s. Balance between budget and high end. When FLIR stopped public sales a couple guys from there started the company, and they are solid units. I had a few buddies using them and had the convenience of testing them out. I went with the AGM TM-25. It’s clear, resists humidity good, and doesn’t completely bust the budget. Got mine off Optics Planet and believe it or not, they would actually haggle on the price. I had some rebates built up and talked them down on price to where I was way more comfortable with the purchase. My nephew got one of there budget units that is on par with the LTO. While better than the LTO, I wouldn’t recommend it, or any cheaper unit under 1K. As stated above, you get what you pay for in thermals. If you’re truly looking for one, you will drive yourself nuts researching, it’s endless. Look up Santa Claus Optics out of Indiana and give Travis a call. He deals in thermal, but will also give you honest feedback and opinions.
 
#16 ·
I didn’t care for the FLIR’s I looked through either and they didn’t fight off humidity very well. That made me nervous about the AGM’s, but they are legit. I never cared for the LTO either. Buddy had one and it was almost useless. He had a mid to high end Pulsar scanner, older unit though, and it was ok. He ended up selling it and got an AGM as well. He still uses Pulsar scopes though, but they are better than their scanners I’ve looked through.
 
#17 ·
dougell said:
unless things have recently changed,they aren't legal to use on big game in Pa.I say recently because thermal imaging scopes were just legalized for predators.
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they are legal as a recovery tool, not for weapon mounted scopes (except for predators)
 
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#18 ·
The Flir is also excellent for working your way to your stand in the am dark. I have found a couple deer over the years with it that I shot at last light and didn't bleed well, but it's MUCH better to make a good hit and follow a blood trail by flashlight.

They are also fun (if legal) in the offseason to ride around on a golf cart and pick up armadillos, possums, and racoons. Purely for observational purposes mind you.....
 
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Kevin2
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