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Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. #8117423 01/06/21 02:57 PM
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Harkriscar Offline OP
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I just bought a Pulsar Axion 30 S monocular. I’m using it mainly for deer hunting in the early and late hours of dim light. But plan to try some night hunting of hogs or coyotes. The instructions with it are horrible. The battery life also is poor, so I’ve ordered some extra batteries. But I’m learning to use it, as far as turning off the screen. Any tips on its use? As far as battery life, using manual vs automatic, modes, settings, etc. Any advice or comments on its use would be helpful. It is amazing. I never thought it would be so helpful in detecting deer during the day, especially overlooking thick clearcuts. It’s changing how I hunt. Where before I was glassing and looking for hints of movement, now I can quickly scan a large area and see if deer are there with little effort. I’m seeing deer I was missing before. Plus birds, rabbits, squirrels etc.
I’m going rabbit hunting this weekend. I’m going to see how it works detecting rabbits in briar patches.
How do you Texas guys use yours? We don’t have the numerous pigs around here....yet.

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8122569 01/09/21 11:11 PM
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I have the Axiom XM38. I use it all the time for hogs, deer and yotes. The thermal saved me from busting out a buck that was bedded with a doe 20 yards from my blind early one morning. I sat out on a fence line and waited for light. Also use it when mule deer hunting out west. Deer can’t hide in the grass anymore.



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Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8122651 01/10/21 12:41 AM
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Used my thermal monocular this season for finding a buck after it'd been gutshot and ran over 400 yards from the location he was shot.

Still took about an hour, but I have no doubt without it, the chances of finding it would have been slim.

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8123308 01/10/21 05:28 PM
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You'll find thermals have all sorts of uses. You can look for poor insulation issues, hot wires and bad switches (shorts), critters in the attic, your neighbor's lost cat in the bushes, check campfires for remaining heat, find pet spots, spills, water leaks inside the house. I like to use mine for nature watching. Being able to watch flying squirrels is really cool. I find thermal is especially useful for spotting animals under tree canopy that would otherwise blend in too well to be noticed in the subdued lighting.

As far as tips for use, turn it off when you are not looking through it. Batteries last a long long when the unit isn't on. Also, run in semi-auto NUC mode and not in Auto mode. Auto will be nucing all the time, even when you don't need it. In semi-auto, you decide when to have the unit nuc, which usually will be much less often than when it likes to decide, PARTICULARLY if you aren't looking through it all the time and like to leave it on..


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Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8124136 01/11/21 02:46 AM
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Harkriscar Offline OP
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Thanks guys. What does NUC mean? I know it some sort of internal calibration. If in semi-auto, what triggers the NUC?
And I’ve been using it in forest mode. Please explain the differences in the modes.

Seeing deer in thick cover really is amazing.

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8124330 01/11/21 06:23 AM
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You would be well served to read the user manual.

NUC means non-uniformity correction/calibration (name varies by brand) that I believe Pulsar refers to as calibration.

In semi-auto, YOU trigger the NUC...as I explained.


Hogdalorian - Si vis pacem cum sus, para bellum.
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Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8124880 01/11/21 05:40 PM
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Yeah, on something like this we'll allow you to read the user's manual at least twice, maybe three times before you're required to turn in your man card.
Of course, once you kill three pigs with it you can get your card back…

Go get 'em!


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Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Revoman] #8124901 01/11/21 05:53 PM
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Just a heads up, make sure to read the hunting regulations for the states out west. Most have outlawed using thermals for all big game hunting..

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Double Naught Spy] #8124978 01/11/21 06:37 PM
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I have read the user manual. Many times. It’s amazing that a $2000 device comes with only three pages of instructions basically saying nothing about real world use of this technology. Nowhere is the term “NUC” ever mentioned as to what that means. When should you use manual, vs semi auto or auto? The only information given in the instructions is how to turn on the unit, how to scroll thru various functions, and how to charge the battery. Never does it say what the different functions are used for. For example when to use the identify mode vs the forest or rock mode? And it says a battery life of 4 hours? Not even close unless you continually turn the screen off every time you look thru it. And how does humidity or weather affect the image? When should I tweak the contrast? The instructions don’t say anything about real world usage. I learned that my first hunt when the battery died after one hour. So since the instructions basically are worthless, I’ve read lots about the functions on line. And I’ve now used it enough to figure some of it out. And my question to this forum was to to help learn from those who have actually used it in hunting situations so I won’t have to learn only from trial and error, so that I can operate it effectively. I was curious about how you guys use thermal monoculars and what settings give you the best results. Pulsar needs to provide much better information whether it be written in the guide or online. If they did, I’d be happy to read it., man card be damned.

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8125400 01/11/21 10:42 PM
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You Tube is a pretty good source of information on stuff like this.

Usually you can find a video that is informative by people that have been down that road before you.

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8126715 01/12/21 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Harkriscar
... man card be damned.


Easy now.... let's not be talking nonsense. smile

Nobody RTFM anymore, everyone just wants a "quick start" with a few pictures. Semi-auto, ID mode and yes, humidity will affect your image quality. Contrast/Brightness, etc are all user preferences, not "this" setting and will vary on temp/humidity, location, etc. Go out and play around with the different settings.

If you want the batteries to last, turn it off when you're not looking, no point in having it running while it's on your lap.

Charlie


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Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8126967 01/12/21 11:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Harkriscar
I have read the user manual. Many times. It’s amazing that a $2000 device comes with only three pages of instructions basically saying nothing about real world use of this technology. Nowhere is the term “NUC” ever mentioned as to what that means. When should you use manual, vs semi auto or auto? The only information given in the instructions is how to turn on the unit, how to scroll thru various functions, and how to charge the battery. Never does it say what the different functions are used for. For example when to use the identify mode vs the forest or rock mode? And it says a battery life of 4 hours? Not even close unless you continually turn the screen off every time you look thru it. And how does humidity or weather affect the image? When should I tweak the contrast? The instructions don’t say anything about real world usage. I learned that my first hunt when the battery died after one hour. So since the instructions basically are worthless, I’ve read lots about the functions on line. And I’ve now used it enough to figure some of it out. And my question to this forum was to to help learn from those who have actually used it in hunting situations so I won’t have to learn only from trial and error, so that I can operate it effectively. I was curious about how you guys use thermal monoculars and what settings give you the best results. Pulsar needs to provide much better information whether it be written in the guide or online. If they did, I’d be happy to read it., man card be damned.


The reason I said you should read the user manual is because you asked what triggers the calibration in semi-auto mode. That is explained specifically in the manual on page 3....

Quote
SA mode (semi-automatic). Calibration is engaged by a brief press of the ON button (5). The lens cap need not be secured (the sensor is closed by an internal shutter).


When to use identify mode versus forest or rock? That is covered on page 4 under MODE.

As for the manual not calling it NUC, as noted, different manufacturers call it by different names. Pulsar calls is Calibration. Most of us say NUC because it is much shorter and easier to spell, LOL, but it is what the process is calls by some companies.

Trial and error is your best teacher when it comes to the settings. Honestly. Why? Because there is no best set of settings that fits all situations. To have the best image, you have to make adjustments that correspond to the conditions where you are when using the optic. You can use the presets, or you can make your own adjustments.

Battery life will vary depending on circumstances. In colder weather, battery life is much shorter. It is that way with all the thermals.


Hogdalorian - Si vis pacem cum sus, para bellum.
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Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8127427 01/13/21 08:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Harkriscar
I have read the user manual. Many times. It’s amazing that a $2000 device comes with only three pages of instructions basically saying nothing about real world use of this technology......


You don't have the manual. You have the quick start guide that comes in the box. There is a full manual available in a digital PDF format. Your dealer should be able to point you in the right direction or you can probably find it online.


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Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Outdoor Legacy] #8127695 01/13/21 04:04 PM
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Thank you, you are correct, I was reading the Guide. I just found the longer online version. Yes, it does offer more detail.
I still would be interested in how others use this device, in deer hunting primarily, but also in other applications. I only had it the last few weeks of deer season, and I can see how it will change how I hunt/observe, especially in dim light.

Will try it out this spring to locate roosted turkeys. Maybe play with it rabbit hunting in thickets as well. Of course, I suppose where it really excels is night hunting pigs or coyotes. But I don’t do that, yet...

From an elevated position, it really is amazing. From ground level, it’s doesn’t seem to be as useful from my initial use. Of course, it depends on the thickness of ground vegetation from what I’ve seen.

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8136116 01/20/21 05:01 AM
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I added a lanyard to mine (rigged one up) to be hands free until I use the monocular.

Lately I've been using it as i slowly walk thru our woods - looking for hogs before they see me. I'll walk about 15-20 yards and stop, scan with my eyes and then scan with the monocular. After a couple minutes, I'll repeat the process. Been having some pretty good success that way!! It's a whole lot more fun hunting them in the woods.

Congrats on your purchase - they're awesome!

JR

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: jrgocards] #8136993 01/20/21 11:36 PM
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Are you doing your stalking at night or in daylight hours? I did the same one night. Walked up on a few deer. It is really cool technology.

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: Harkriscar] #8137423 01/21/21 05:03 AM
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During the day. it's hard enough to get thru the underbrush being able to see. can't imagine trying to walk thru our woods at night.

The thermal allows me to pick up the heat from bedded hogs during the day. They get down pretty low and I can just pick up the heat from their backs.

Our woods have been a hog sanctuary for years and we probably have three or four sounders that bed down in our 140 acres. I changed the game when i started stalking thru our woods a couple weeks back. Without the thermal, there's no way I could see them before they see me.

JR

Re: Use of Pulsar Thermal monocular. [Re: jrgocards] #8142043 01/25/21 12:09 AM
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Originally Posted by jrgocards
During the day. it's hard enough to get thru the underbrush being able to see. can't imagine trying to walk thru our woods at night.

The thermal allows me to pick up the heat from bedded hogs during the day. They get down pretty low and I can just pick up the heat from their backs.

Our woods have been a hog sanctuary for years and we probably have three or four sounders that bed down in our 140 acres. I changed the game when i started stalking thru our woods a couple weeks back. Without the thermal, there's no way I could see them before they see me.

JR
I’ll have to try that. Sounds like fun.


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