Thermal and Red lights

Jim A.

New member
Just curious of others opinions. I’m just getting into calling coyotes, and I’m using my thermal equipment we normally use for hog control. Only problem is with hogs the shots are generally at shorter ranges with plenty of running targets. My thermal’s 3.5x magnification is great for that application. However, in my country I could possibly shoot 400-500 yards if one hung up, on average more like 100 to 200. I’d like to have a bit more magnification for these shots. My thought was I could use my thermal viewer to scan while calling, and put a scope mounted red light on a bolt action 22-250. Once he’s in range, flip on my red light and lower it down on the coyote, and shoot. My question here is if this will spook them when the red light comes on suddenly? Don’t know much about this, thanks for any help you can provide.
 
I’ve killed them with a red light but spooked more than I killed. Our coyotes in the east are pretty light sensitive. I would probably just kill what I could with the thermal. Probably wouldn’t hurt to try it one night but in my very humble, inexperienced, opinion, there’s nothing like thermal. Just my experience. More experienced guys may know better than me and have different advice.
 
Find who's successful and emulate them, I think you'll find one of the most successful on the forum shoots with less magnification than you. Couple hundred yards is nothing for a 3.5x thermal. I don't think you will be shooting 4-500 yards with red lights. Most guys go to NV and thermal because of the adverse reactions to red lights. You'd be going backwards IMO.
 
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I'm also in GA Jim. Not sure of your location and dont have any experience with red lights but I guess you can try and see what happens. Might work fine but I know yotes in my neck of the woods are somewhat sensitive to IR light so perhaps they might be even more sensitive to a red light.

Most I've killed over the last 4 years have been 100 yards or less, with the average probably around 50-60 yards. I'd venture to guess maybe 10-15% react when I turn the IR light on them, but others dont seem to notice. Usually they stop and look but thats the end of them anyway. If you're quick on the shot it should work I would think. I agree with Toro indicating that eastern yotes are light sensitive, at least the ones around my area of operation.

I hunt with thermal on one gun and digital NV on another depending upon my location. I prefer digital for 100% positive ID before I send the shot though because of my location. If I'm hunting with my BIL I usually use my thermal as he has digital for positive ID before we shoot. When I'm hunting by myself I use digital.

But that's just me and I feel I need positive ID because of my past ingrained training in LE and I dont want to mistake a yote for a domestic dog or a fox for that matter. Perhaps I need more time behind the thermal to overcome that and that's a function of hunting more with my thermal and the style of shooting as we bait them usually

Give it a try and let us know how it works!
 
Thanks for the advice everybody. Makes sense that these southeastern coyotes would be more sensitive, it seems that deer, turkeys, coyotes etc. are all a little more skittish in this region. I might try to scan with a red light, and once I see eyes turn it off and go to thermal.
 
once I got a thermal I never used the light again for anything. It will probably only alert them to your presence. I used a trigger sticks tripod to assist me with shoulder fatigue while scanning with a gun mounted thermal for a couple years before I saved up for a second thermal for scanning. It was better than using the red light.
 
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