Anyone try using their thermal monocular or scope to spot squirrels in the tree when hunting with a dog?

That’s a pretty interesting idea. I hunt squirrels with a rat terrier. Can’t say I ever thought of using a thermal to locate them. What kind of dog do you use to hunt?

I use a Pulsar spotter for them but without the dog.

I got a mountain curr last fall. She has been treeing since spring. I have a very difficult time spotting the squirrels, thought I would try my thermal this fall.

I was told by a few people with more experience than I that your lucky to spot 1 squirrel for every 4 trees when hunting by yourself. They’re just so apt to timber out and they hide so well that it’s difficult to spot them. I imagine a thermal really would help!

haha..

Unless they are on the bottom of a tree limb I don’t see how a thermal would help. Besides, trees put off a ton of heat signature which would also make finding them extremely hard

If trees show up bright, I adjust my settings/palletes until they don't. Armadillo with trees on the background. Once I get it set, birds look like Christmas ornaments in the trees.

Well that’s a thermal that’s no longer produced. I don’t know how you can tell it to not pick up heat, given that’s it’s sole job, but my Pulsar picks up any and all heat signatures. Air 1 is absolutely worthless if there’s are in play

They still make the Breach.I have several late model pulsars too. It’s in the settings. Mainly the palletes.

I have actually hunted squirrels with a thermal. Thermal tends to separate out targets based on individual heat signatures. So unless the trees, in question, are roughly the same temp as the squirrels, they squirrels should stand out as either being hotter or colder.

How much heat trees radiate will depend on (primarily) sun exposure. In a good canopy, most of the tree isn't going to be receiving a lot of sunlight and so they will be trailing ambient temperature. They will heat up slower than the air and cool off slower.

If heat is really a problem, the hunt in the mornings before the temps get too close to squirrel body temp.