#3322556 - 05/17/23 12:41 PM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 01/10/16
Posts: 258
Loc: Washington Wet Side
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#3322590 - 05/18/23 12:24 AM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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PM senior
Registered: 07/31/05
Posts: 9358
Loc: USA
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CT, looking forward to your report from the relative’s place.
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#3322598 - 05/18/23 11:33 AM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Predator Master
Registered: 03/16/23
Posts: 74
Loc: Pennsylvania, USA
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I really like this info shared on thermal monoculars. I am wanting one just for detection purposes as well, but haven't heard too many people talk about the 256s. Everyone is talking about 384 and up. That's great if you can afford it, but is it necessary just to get heat signatures up to say 500 yards? I can live with identifying with the optic on the rifle. Will be interesting to hear the test results.
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#3322600 - 05/18/23 02:05 PM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 03/03/20
Posts: 115
Loc: WA
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jwebster:
what kind of optic do you have on your rifle? Thermal? IR nightvision? gun mount light and regular scope?
I got the 256 monocular having never owned or looked through a thermal scope or monocular. I was really excited about it and I was very impressed with what I could see in the dark. As I noted before, my 2 complaints with the AGM TM-10 right away were the small picture size of the viewing screen, and the refresh rate of 25hz. Instead of constantly panning, I would have to pan, stop and focus, pan, stop and focus, etc. Due to the 25hz refresh rate not being fast enough for a smooth picture when panning back and forth.
I went coyote hunting with a buddy after having the AGM TM10 for about a week. I used his Pulsar Axion XQ38LRF scanner (now mine). I was amazed by how much better it was. The viewing screen was much larger, the refresh rate of 50hz provides a much smoother picture when panning, the higher resolution helps too, and the LRF is a nice feature. Unfortunately the XQ38 doesn't have an internal recording feature. Pulsar since discontinued that model and replaced it with the Axion XQ35, available with and without LRF. The XQ35 has a wider field of view, has built in recording, and has a few other improvements I think.
With the XQ38LRF, I was able to spot and identify a coyote at about 250 yds along a treeline, partially blocked by light brush. I couldn't make it out clearly, but I could identify it and range it. In decent conditions i'm sure you'd be able to spot and possibly identify coyotes out to 500 yds with this monocular. In the heat of the moment I was just focused on the XQ38 and my rifle scope (Digital Nightvision at the time) and I didn't try looking through the AGM TM10. In hindsight I wish I had looked through (and recorded) through the TM10 for comparison.
Overall for me comparing the two:
AGM TM10--Gave me a huge advantage improvement over having no thermal devices. It was awkward/cumbersome for panning large areas, but it worked.
Pulsar Axion XQ-- huge improvement in clarity and usability, now I feel like I own the dark. It greatly boosted my confidence in what I can see. I enjoy looking through it, it's like exploring a whole new world.
I returned my AGM TM-10 to help pay for the pulsar, so I can't make and share any more comparison videos. 06 still has a TM-10 and I'm looking forward to seeing what he captures and shares from that.
Right now, before tax/shipping: AGM TM10 is $550, and Pulsar Axion XQ35 is $2000 ($2500 for LRF model)
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#3322602 - 05/18/23 02:26 PM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Predator Master
Registered: 03/16/23
Posts: 74
Loc: Pennsylvania, USA
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jwebster:
what kind of optic do you have on your rifle? Thermal? IR nightvision? gun mount light and regular scope?
I got the 256 monocular having never owned or looked through a thermal scope or monocular. I was really excited about it and I was very impressed with what I could see in the dark. As I noted before, my 2 complaints with the AGM TM-10 right away were the small picture size of the viewing screen, and the refresh rate of 25hz. Instead of constantly panning, I would have to pan, stop and focus, pan, stop and focus, etc. Due to the 25hz refresh rate not being fast enough for a smooth picture when panning back and forth.
I went coyote hunting with a buddy after having the AGM TM10 for about a week. I used his Pulsar Axion XQ38LRF scanner (now mine). I was amazed by how much better it was. The viewing screen was much larger, the refresh rate of 50hz provides a much smoother picture when panning, the higher resolution helps too, and the LRF is a nice feature. Unfortunately the XQ38 doesn't have an internal recording feature. Pulsar since discontinued that model and replaced it with the Axion XQ35, available with and without LRF. The XQ35 has a wider field of view, has built in recording, and has a few other improvements I think.
With the XQ38LRF, I was able to spot and identify a coyote at about 250 yds along a treeline, partially blocked by light brush. I couldn't make it out clearly, but I could identify it and range it. In decent conditions i'm sure you'd be able to spot and possibly identify coyotes out to 500 yds with this monocular. In the heat of the moment I was just focused on the XQ38 and my rifle scope (Digital Nightvision at the time) and I didn't try looking through the AGM TM10. In hindsight I wish I had looked through (and recorded) through the TM10 for comparison.
Overall for me comparing the two:
AGM TM10--Gave me a huge advantage improvement over having no thermal devices. It was awkward/cumbersome for panning large areas, but it worked.
Pulsar Axion XQ-- huge improvement in clarity and usability, now I feel like I own the dark. It greatly boosted my confidence in what I can see. I enjoy looking through it, it's like exploring a whole new world.
I returned my AGM TM-10 to help pay for the pulsar, so I can't make and share any more comparison videos. 06 still has a TM-10 and I'm looking forward to seeing what he captures and shares from that.
Right now, before tax/shipping: AGM TM10 is $550, and Pulsar Axion XQ35 is $2000 ($2500 for LRF model) Currently running a Sig Sauer scope with coyote light, but wanting to upgrade to good nightvision or a decent thermal eventually. First I want a thermal monocular. I feel like that would be biggest bang for the buck. I have AGM and Pulsar on my radar. Funds will dictate what I get, but I just wanted to know that some of the entry level units still get the job done. I will probably wait until I can get one that has good enough features like the Pulsar you describe.
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#3322605 - 05/18/23 02:55 PM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 03/03/20
Posts: 115
Loc: WA
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I've had both pulsar and AGM on my radar for quite a while too. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find much for side by side reviews between them. My buddy had pulsar and he wanted to upgrade, and having looked through the pulsars, but not knowing quite how AGM compared, that helped steer me to pulsar.
06 has a AGM Rattler 25. I don't remember if his is 256 or 384. He's posted a few videos from it and it looks pretty good to me.
The AGM TM10 at $600 was a big investment for me, and I really liked it, but with some reservations. My wife advised me that if I'm going to make a big investment, get something that I will be REALLY happy with, don't cheap out and spend (still a lot of money) on something that isn't quite what you want. Thankfully we were able to make the extra expense work and I'm really happy with what I got.
For me I hunt rats around my house at 5-30 yds. I shoot coyotes over bait piles at my house at 50-100 yds. I sometimes hunt coyotes on logging roads through thick forrest. I sometimes hunt coyotes over fields at 50-300 yds. I sometimes hunt coyotes in eastern WA sage brush (desert). I think the TM10 could have gotten me by in most of those situations, but the larger viewing screen, 50hz refresh, and larger viewing screen make it 5x more effective and enjoyable.
Without knowing your exact hunting conditions, I highly recommend saving a bit longer (or even sell a couple guns if needed) and get a nicer scanner. I've heard many people say the same thing online. Having now gone through the process myself, I say the same thing.
I looked through my buddies Pulsar Helion XP50 pro (640 scanner) and Halo XRF (640 scope). They give quite a bit of additional picture clarity beyond the 384 units I got, but in my opinion, in 90% of situations between 20-300 yds, I could spot and shoot coyotes just as effectively with the 384 units. For me it seemed very practical to spend extra money to get into the 384 class. It seemed cool, but not as practical to spend the extra money to get into 640 class.
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#3322607 - 05/18/23 03:07 PM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Predator Master
Registered: 03/16/23
Posts: 74
Loc: Pennsylvania, USA
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Thanks for the reply with your experiences. It goes with what I have been leaning toward. Nice to hear similar opinion from others. Thanks and good luck!
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#3322610 - 05/18/23 03:56 PM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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PM senior
Registered: 07/31/05
Posts: 9358
Loc: USA
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Jwebster,
CT gave some good advice in my opinion. The 256 resolution of the TM 10 leaves a lot to be desired, and the slower refresh rate is a bit lagging. Still, for my needs at this point, it will work for me at closer ranges - I think. I paid less than $500 for mine shipped, so the cost isn’t so bad. My main reason for the TM 10 purchase is hog hunting from an elevated blind while watching a corn feeder at distances of about 125 yards and less. I have a hunt scheduled for the middle of June, so I will know more then as to its usefulness. I also plan to do some bobcat calling in areas of relatively thick forests and vegetation, small fields etc. For that purpose I think it will work OK, though I realize it will never have the view like a 384 resolution does, but maybe it will be sufficient.
I have noticed the view of the TM 10 is not as good in high humidity, but at 100 yards I can tell something is there. One night with lower humidity I could see deer at around 100 yards, easily defined. On a high humidity night the view was not very good at all at the same distance, but I could see a faint heat signature of the deer. I can see my dogs well at around 40-60 yards or so in the yard. The view is a little fuzzy compared to a 384 resolution. I guess for me the verdict is still out on this monocular, but I will have to put it to use on hunts to know for sure. I hope to do that soon.
I do like the Rattler 25 scope, for the money. It is a 384 resolution and is much better than the 256. My biggest complaint about the Rattler is the video recording size not being wide screen like Pulsar. As far as usefulness, it works fine, is compact and can double as a scanner, which was my main reason for purchasing it. Another negative, though not a game killer, is that when pressing the control buttons to activate various things, the response time is slower than I like. The video-on button requires a few seconds of press and hold to activate. Maybe I am used to my ATN 4k Pro digital scope controls. That scope has instant video activation at a quick press and release.
If you hunt more open areas and at ranges further than 100 yards, you probably should consider a 384 resolution monocular, but they do come at a higher cost. For my simple needs of close range detection, I couldn’t see spending the difference in price.
Hope this helps.
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#3322884 - 05/26/23 09:36 AM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 03/03/20
Posts: 115
Loc: WA
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So I recently purchased a Kopfjager Reaper 700 shooting tripod. It is a much needed accessory to hunting with thermal at night in open fields. It arrived earlier this week. Last night I pulled it out and set it up with the 20 practical to show my brother who is currently living next door. I was then talking with my wife in the house while I waited for my brother to reply to a text (he never did, must have been asleep already). Then an alarm rang. I told my wife, "i'm going to check it out with the thermal". I took the gun off the tripod, put one shell in it (just in case), and went to the window. My wife grabbed the thermal monocular and was watching over my shoulder. I was watching two shooting lanes in the direction of the alarm that went off. Coyotes usually trot through pretty quick. The delay between my two alarms going off was long so I figured it was a cat, rabbit, or deer taking it's time. Hence in part why you hear me say "I think it's a deer" when I first spotted it through the trees. After watching the replay a couple times it was obvious to me it was a coyote right away. But the way it was walking slow, and then stopped to look across the field was very similar to deer behavior. As soon as it stepped clear of the trees I got a positive ID, gave a lip squeek, and dropped it. I was pretty excited to get my first coyote with both the 20 practical and with my thermal scope! And my wife was standing right behind me watching the whole thing! That was pretty cool too. Bolt action 20 Practical. (32gr .204 varmageddon bullet @3800 fps) Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lJLqrcxKgYI hope to have more to report about after tomorrow night.
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#3322891 - 05/26/23 03:48 PM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 01/10/16
Posts: 258
Loc: Washington Wet Side
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Awesome! Really nice shot. That 20 is a coyote tipper.
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#3323000 - 05/30/23 09:35 AM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 03/03/20
Posts: 115
Loc: WA
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This isn’t a post about baiting, but since I do a lot of baiting, I’ll just keep all my activity reports on a single thread here.
My weekend coyote hunting was a disappointment.
I visited my relatives Saturday and Sunday. They own about 5 different 5-acre properties, mostly hayfields adjacent to forest, that are all located within about ¼ mile of each other. I also gained permission to hunt a nearby 15 acre field that is adjacent to big forest, and has several other large fields adjacent. This was great looking coyote habitat and I was excited to hunt it. Last week my uncle had 3 coyotes challenging his dogs at the edge of his yard. The neighbor with the 15 acre field showed me game cam pics of bear, coyote, bobcat, deer, and cougar within the past few months. Coyote activity within the last week.
I chose 3 locations to make night calling stands. Between traveling, setup, calling, takedown—I spent about an hour per stand. I hunted for 5 hours and made 5 stands, I rotated through the 3 stands, and then returned to two of the locations and called there a second time. I DIDN’T SEE A SINGLE COYOTE! =( I saw a couple deer, a rabbit, bats, I had 3 different (barred?) owls (~18” tall) show up and check out my caller. But no coyotes. I went to bed around 2am.
In the morning my uncle told me his dogs started barking a bunch around 5:30am, and then he heard a coyote bark/howl in the field in front of his house. Then the neighbor with the 15 acres sent me a game cam pic of a coyote that came through at 7:30am at the spot where we were calling.
I guess I just picked bad timing and should have gone to bed early and got up early and hunted early morning instead. The moon was shining bright when we were hunting. Maybe that was part of the problem. I know some guys who won’t hunt under a bright moon, but I know others who do and say they still get tons of coyotes night calling under a bright moon. If I were to do it all again (and I plan to), I would still hedge my bets on there being more coyote activity early in the night than in the morning. But I sure missed the timing bad this time. I was excited (and expected) to get several coyotes with the new thermal gear, hunting a great looking area. I really didn’t expect to get skunked, but I guess it’s part of the trade…
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#3323005 - 05/30/23 12:43 PM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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PM senior
Registered: 01/01/13
Posts: 5302
Loc: NC
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It happens to all of us and to me, more so than others lol.
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#3323898 - 06/29/23 10:22 AM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 03/03/20
Posts: 115
Loc: WA
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Not Baiting on this one. Last week I went out one evening at my inlaw's. They have a field with cattle next to their garden and back yard. I put my foxpro caller in the back yard, then set up the gun and tripod inside the garden. I turned on the thermal, didn't even get the gun loaded yet, and spotted a coyote wandering through the cattle field next to me. Field had about 6 cows and 2 small calves in it at the time. I watched the first coyote for about 5 minutes, partly indisbelief that there was a coyote there already and I hadn't even turned on the caller. I watched for a while to be sure it wasn't a neighbor dog. It was clearly coyote. By the time I decided I should shoot it, it wandered in front of some houses, so I had to wait. Then I spotted another coyote a little ways behind it. I turned on vole squeeks on the foxpro. Both coyotes looked, but didn't come. Then I turned on rabbit sounds. The first coyote mostly ignored me and continued mousing in the field, but the second coyote came to investigate. As the video shows, I got that one. I cut the video short, but the front coyote popped back out of the woods and stared at me for about 30 seconds. If I'd have been more decisive I could have shot it there and had a double. I was trying to be patient and call it in closer. Then I noticed the shot coyote starting to get up off the ground. I fired again but missed barely. I fired again and hit it a second time....pretty far back though. It still got up again and went about 30 yards before it expired. By that time the other coyote was long gone. I continued running the caller for about an hour with nothing to show for it. It was a fun hunt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is_ZpE-cTG4
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#3323935 - 06/30/23 12:56 AM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 01/10/16
Posts: 258
Loc: Washington Wet Side
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Very cool write up and an entertaining video. I was convinced he'd stop behind that post and the nuke got me  Looked like a close shot. What do you estimate the range on the one you knocked down?
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#3323945 - 06/30/23 09:12 AM
Re: Coyote_Thumper-2023
[Re: coyote_thumper]
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Seasoned Member
Registered: 03/03/20
Posts: 115
Loc: WA
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Thanks. I think I took the shot at about 40 or 50 yds. It was about 150 yds where the 2nd coyote disappeared into the bushes after the shot.
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