Night Activities
- Thread starter cockrill
- Start date
Austin Laughlin
Well-known member
Sweet setup budI will use this thread to post about our night activities - me and local group ...
Here's my new VooDoo-ML ... a bae cored gen2 hybrid utm/utc ... good for 15x on the day scope, smaller and lighter than the utc.
cockrill
Sponsor
Yeah, putting a PoT ML on a 22LR is massive "overkill" ... but I'm doing it to learn the buttons on the ML, since I go out every night 2-3 times with the 22LR around the chickens.
So far this year I've gotten a coon, 2 opossum and 5 mice. Coon and opossum from 150 (with 556 - all rest with 22) and 100, 25 and all mice at 25. But I can verify the ML collimation is dead on, center punching the mice.
Normally I have olde armasight apollo 42 (640-30) on the 22LR which with the VO pst gen 2 is actually perfect - and after manually collimating it - I can take it off and put it back on and still hit mice.
So far this year I've gotten a coon, 2 opossum and 5 mice. Coon and opossum from 150 (with 556 - all rest with 22) and 100, 25 and all mice at 25. But I can verify the ML collimation is dead on, center punching the mice.
Normally I have olde armasight apollo 42 (640-30) on the 22LR which with the VO pst gen 2 is actually perfect - and after manually collimating it - I can take it off and put it back on and still hit mice.
cockrill
Sponsor
2024-02-10
1800-2200
35F
10 MPH NNE
Goals: Reduce yote population in neighbor BILs pasture. Test Pot ML. Test Armasight Sidekick.
Environment: Windy, cool, partly cloudy. Orion and B dipper visible but cass and Polaris not visible. Pastures are mostly flat, woods to the SW, S and SE, open to the W, NW, N, NE and E. About 200 cattle visible and a few horses.
Equipment:
(cockrill) 762x51(16) L&S mk6 3-18x T3, Radius LRF, POT ML, Amax 155gr
N-Vision Nox-18, Armasight upgraded Sidekick-640, Breach, RRS+anvil 30.
(cantankerous) 6CM(20) Revic 4.7-28, I400 LRF, Theon ELR, Hndy 108 ELD, Breach, Tripod, Fox Pro, 3xoyster pans
Activities: Setup on roof of BIL’s corral (roof is 15 foot in the air, so ) the rifles were about 20 feet in the air, on the tripods.
SIDEKICK TESTING
Tested sidekick side by side with Nox-18 and Breach.
Startup process for sidekick. Turn on and let warm up for 10m with auto-nuc on and compass (and other display items) off. After 10m turn off auto-nuc.
Sidekick much improved and jerkiness is 90% reduced by turning off auto-nuc. We suspect this reduces the load on the CPU.
Sidekick overall performance is between Nox-18 and Breach. Sidekick leans towards the N18 in terms of detection and PID of critters and is similar to breach on terrain. We did not further adjust the SK and had the breach on “sea and sky”.
CRITTER CONTROL
We divided our scanning responsibilities into sectors. Primary anticipated yote ingress routes were to the West, so Cant started out with the W sector and I with the East. We alternated sectors about every 20m and also alternated between detailed scanning with the rifles and clip-ons vs general scanning with the handheld thermal monoculars.
We saw 7 yotes, 2 were at 0.75 miles and 2 others at 1.25 miles. Two came from SW and briefly stood on a pond berm, one for ~3secs and other for about 5secs, but we failed to complete fire distribution plan before they moved down the back side of the berm not to be seen again. We had the call going and their noses were pointed in the direction of the call during their brief stand on the berm. The call was about 150yds to their NW.
At one point we swapped guns (to swap sectors without moving the guns and to give each other a chance to see image the other had been seeing). I have to admit, I felt like on this night with the settings on both units, the ELR had a better image – I was surprised as on my land (forest) the ELR has a poorer image than the M. Then Cant reported seeing a yote coming in and before I could reorient (I was looking NE he was looking NW) he fired and I saw the yote not moving. It was DRT.
Pic of the 762x51 wth radius and M.
Summary: The corral roof is a good firing point for critter control as we have better visibility and fields of fire than we would have on the ground. This was the 4th time we’ve been critter controlling together, we got 1 yote each time except the 3rd, when we were in a different location. That time I was flying a drone and Cant was the shooter setup in the middle of a soybean field. The yotes came in to within 200yds of us that time – but we never saw them as they were in a heavily wooded gully. The other 3 times we were on this corral roof.
We need to have a complete fire distribution plan worked out in advance. We had agreed before hand that I would take the far one and he would take the near one, but in the event the 2 yotes were within 5 feet of each other at the same distance. One was to the left and one to the right. Cant was to the left of me. He said “I’ll take the one on the left” and then they departed within 2 secs. They never looked our way, they were looking in the direction of the call, which was “yote barking” at the time, so no evidence they detected us. But we should not have had to say anything about the fire distribution plan. At most one word “Fire”.
There is also an alternate firing point SE of the berm (SSW of corral) where we could position one shooter, that would give field of fire behind that berm. Given that we have often seen yotes on or near that berm even when not critter controlling, we need to try putting one shooter down there. There’s a diagonal – radial from the corral - fence line that is perfect sector marker to make sure no one moves a barrel past that fence line to the S.
This was the first center fire rifle shot with the M since I got it. Evidence indicates the collimation is solid. Cant said the exit wound was reflective of his POA.
1800-2200
35F
10 MPH NNE
Goals: Reduce yote population in neighbor BILs pasture. Test Pot ML. Test Armasight Sidekick.
Environment: Windy, cool, partly cloudy. Orion and B dipper visible but cass and Polaris not visible. Pastures are mostly flat, woods to the SW, S and SE, open to the W, NW, N, NE and E. About 200 cattle visible and a few horses.
Equipment:
(cockrill) 762x51(16) L&S mk6 3-18x T3, Radius LRF, POT ML, Amax 155gr
N-Vision Nox-18, Armasight upgraded Sidekick-640, Breach, RRS+anvil 30.
(cantankerous) 6CM(20) Revic 4.7-28, I400 LRF, Theon ELR, Hndy 108 ELD, Breach, Tripod, Fox Pro, 3xoyster pans
Activities: Setup on roof of BIL’s corral (roof is 15 foot in the air, so ) the rifles were about 20 feet in the air, on the tripods.
SIDEKICK TESTING
Tested sidekick side by side with Nox-18 and Breach.
Startup process for sidekick. Turn on and let warm up for 10m with auto-nuc on and compass (and other display items) off. After 10m turn off auto-nuc.
Sidekick much improved and jerkiness is 90% reduced by turning off auto-nuc. We suspect this reduces the load on the CPU.
Sidekick overall performance is between Nox-18 and Breach. Sidekick leans towards the N18 in terms of detection and PID of critters and is similar to breach on terrain. We did not further adjust the SK and had the breach on “sea and sky”.
CRITTER CONTROL
We divided our scanning responsibilities into sectors. Primary anticipated yote ingress routes were to the West, so Cant started out with the W sector and I with the East. We alternated sectors about every 20m and also alternated between detailed scanning with the rifles and clip-ons vs general scanning with the handheld thermal monoculars.
We saw 7 yotes, 2 were at 0.75 miles and 2 others at 1.25 miles. Two came from SW and briefly stood on a pond berm, one for ~3secs and other for about 5secs, but we failed to complete fire distribution plan before they moved down the back side of the berm not to be seen again. We had the call going and their noses were pointed in the direction of the call during their brief stand on the berm. The call was about 150yds to their NW.
At one point we swapped guns (to swap sectors without moving the guns and to give each other a chance to see image the other had been seeing). I have to admit, I felt like on this night with the settings on both units, the ELR had a better image – I was surprised as on my land (forest) the ELR has a poorer image than the M. Then Cant reported seeing a yote coming in and before I could reorient (I was looking NE he was looking NW) he fired and I saw the yote not moving. It was DRT.
Pic of the 762x51 wth radius and M.
Summary: The corral roof is a good firing point for critter control as we have better visibility and fields of fire than we would have on the ground. This was the 4th time we’ve been critter controlling together, we got 1 yote each time except the 3rd, when we were in a different location. That time I was flying a drone and Cant was the shooter setup in the middle of a soybean field. The yotes came in to within 200yds of us that time – but we never saw them as they were in a heavily wooded gully. The other 3 times we were on this corral roof.
We need to have a complete fire distribution plan worked out in advance. We had agreed before hand that I would take the far one and he would take the near one, but in the event the 2 yotes were within 5 feet of each other at the same distance. One was to the left and one to the right. Cant was to the left of me. He said “I’ll take the one on the left” and then they departed within 2 secs. They never looked our way, they were looking in the direction of the call, which was “yote barking” at the time, so no evidence they detected us. But we should not have had to say anything about the fire distribution plan. At most one word “Fire”.
There is also an alternate firing point SE of the berm (SSW of corral) where we could position one shooter, that would give field of fire behind that berm. Given that we have often seen yotes on or near that berm even when not critter controlling, we need to try putting one shooter down there. There’s a diagonal – radial from the corral - fence line that is perfect sector marker to make sure no one moves a barrel past that fence line to the S.
This was the first center fire rifle shot with the M since I got it. Evidence indicates the collimation is solid. Cant said the exit wound was reflective of his POA.
Last edited:
cockrill
Sponsor
We got some new (chinese) GuideIR thermal scopes. GuideIR is a new brand but they are the OEM who makes the thermals distributed by many other brands such as Steiner, AGM, Bering and Burris. GuideIR's new strategy appears to be to also go more directly to the USA market, through dealers like us (SOK).
Here's a video (that's actually me, I don't usually appear in my videos !
)
And of the pasture ...
Those are from the 35mm 640 unit ... which was direct mounted to a manfrotto tripod that night (not on a weapon). The tree line on the ridge is average about 700yds from the thermal. The cattle are from 500yds to 650yds.
Here's a video (that's actually me, I don't usually appear in my videos !
)And of the pasture ...
Those are from the 35mm 640 unit ... which was direct mounted to a manfrotto tripod that night (not on a weapon). The tree line on the ridge is average about 700yds from the thermal. The cattle are from 500yds to 650yds.
cockrill
Sponsor
And here's the 384 25mm unit (optical magnification 2.4x) ... deer in S pasture are about 50yds, those in the N pasture about 200yds.
If you can put it in the cart, its in stock ... and we have another shipment on the way, including a new thermal clipon 640 50mm unit.
Thermal
FYI, the pricing on the 25mm 384 unit is $1,800 !
If you can put it in the cart, its in stock ... and we have another shipment on the way, including a new thermal clipon 640 50mm unit.
Thermal
FYI, the pricing on the 25mm 384 unit is $1,800 !
cockrill
Sponsor
OK Mother's day sale ! If u can put it in the cart, its in stock and ready to ship ! Sampling of most popular sale units, others shown on the website: Guide Sensmart
640 50mm TWS Usually $3,199 sale price $2,799 Guide Sensmart TR650 TWS
640 35mm TWS Usually $2,799 sale price $2,499 Guide Sensmart TR630 TWS
384 50mm TWS Usually $2,349 sale price $2,049 Guide Sensmart TR450 TWS
==
The pic rail mounts for the clipons, will be ready to ship in June '24, but can also be pre-ordered now, for discount:
640 50mm Clipon Usually $3,699 sale price $3,199 Guide Sensmart TA651 Clip-On
384 35mm Clipon Usually $2,299 sale price $1,999 Guide Sensmart TA431 Clip-On
Let me know if any questions. These are made by the same folks that make the Steiners, Bering's, Burris, AGM, etc. Going via a more direct path to the USA commercial market, so you get the same quality for less $$.
640 50mm TWS Usually $3,199 sale price $2,799 Guide Sensmart TR650 TWS
640 35mm TWS Usually $2,799 sale price $2,499 Guide Sensmart TR630 TWS
384 50mm TWS Usually $2,349 sale price $2,049 Guide Sensmart TR450 TWS
==
The pic rail mounts for the clipons, will be ready to ship in June '24, but can also be pre-ordered now, for discount:
640 50mm Clipon Usually $3,699 sale price $3,199 Guide Sensmart TA651 Clip-On
384 35mm Clipon Usually $2,299 sale price $1,999 Guide Sensmart TA431 Clip-On
Let me know if any questions. These are made by the same folks that make the Steiners, Bering's, Burris, AGM, etc. Going via a more direct path to the USA commercial market, so you get the same quality for less $$.
cockrill
Sponsor
Ok, here's some first impressions on the Jockey 640.
I shot it some
I looked around with it some
I compared it to the 10 year olde Armasight Apollo 640 ... an older "grand-cousin".
==
Note its HOT in SW MO these days - and so terrible thermal conditions !
I used a mk 12-ish with an ATACR 1-8x
==
I day zeroed (the green dot) and I night collimated - the handwarmer. I'm a little bit left - IDK what the "click value" is but it isn't 0.1 inches.
Collimating was super easy. You line up the "collimating reticle" with your day scope reticle - done. For a decade - we have to guess and guess and guess and shoot. No longer !! Now we line em up and shoot to verify.
==
Here's a shot of the mineral cube and salt cube on the ground around the corral ...
==
And here's a shot of a cow ...
==
Here's a side by side shot of the Jockey and the Apollo (my current Apollo is a 640 (30hz).
==
And here's a shot of the cubes by the corral with the Apollo (the cow had moved)
==
Pros and Cons
The Jockey is small
The apollo is about 50% longer than the Jockey
Judging by my mk1eb I'd say the Apollo could see more detail
Neither of them are a voodoo-S but they can get the job done. I usually run the Apollo on the 22lr and counting the earlier apollo I got back in 2014 - I've killed > 200 critters with Apollos ... mostly mice - but plenty of coons and opossum and other. I shot eley 40gr(or36gr) subsonic HP.
Both have manual focus. WIth the Apollo not much changes in the middle of the adjustment range ... only at the 2 ends. With the Jockey its much more sensitve and a small turn at any point thru the range gets you some visible adjustment.
This is a newer Apollo and has auto-nuc, so does the Jockey.
The jockey does NOT exhibit the "jerkiness" I experienced with the sidekick when the SK was first released - so that good !!!
The Jockey seems to be using a modified SK housing. The Jockey has a larger front lens and a different rear lens - a collimating - non-adjustable lens since its a clipon. The jockey has a double length battery compartment so can use a 16650 or 2xc123 without a extension cap.
==
I would not rule out using the Jockey for critter control - the small size is the most attractive aspect to me. I could even run it on the 10.3 carbine in front on an nx8 1-8x ...
I hope they keep hammering away improving the image - the upgrades have improved the SK.
The SK is way better than the breach. Breach starts getting fuzzy above 50yds ... and sees blobs above 100yds. The SK is still clear out to 200yds which is a far as I can see on my land - I'm in the Ozarks, in the Mark Twain National Forest. But the SK isn't up to the level of a VoodooS/Skeet/Nox18 etc.
I haven't seen the latest upgrade to the SK software, but I suspect the Jockey's have that. The auto-nuc frequency is much reduced (still higher than the Apollo).
The focus is better on the Jockey (vs Apollo). Collimating is WAY better. WIth a little practice you can collimate the Jockey in seconds.
Battery compartment is better on the Jockey as well.
I briefly had a T&E Contractor 75mm 4.8x TWS last year and I thought it was great - it seemed to be in the OASYS ball park, so I'm not sure why the newer models aren't up to that standard. I'm sure the larger lens on the 4.8x helps.
I've been out 3 nights with it - but we hit 101F yesterday so not ideal conditions ...
Ask away if any questions and I'll try to answer.
I shot it some
I looked around with it some
I compared it to the 10 year olde Armasight Apollo 640 ... an older "grand-cousin".
==
Note its HOT in SW MO these days - and so terrible thermal conditions !
I used a mk 12-ish with an ATACR 1-8x
==
I day zeroed (the green dot) and I night collimated - the handwarmer. I'm a little bit left - IDK what the "click value" is but it isn't 0.1 inches.
Collimating was super easy. You line up the "collimating reticle" with your day scope reticle - done. For a decade - we have to guess and guess and guess and shoot. No longer !! Now we line em up and shoot to verify.
==
Here's a shot of the mineral cube and salt cube on the ground around the corral ...
==
And here's a shot of a cow ...
==
Here's a side by side shot of the Jockey and the Apollo (my current Apollo is a 640 (30hz).
==
And here's a shot of the cubes by the corral with the Apollo (the cow had moved)
==
Pros and Cons
The Jockey is small
The apollo is about 50% longer than the Jockey
Judging by my mk1eb I'd say the Apollo could see more detail
Neither of them are a voodoo-S but they can get the job done. I usually run the Apollo on the 22lr and counting the earlier apollo I got back in 2014 - I've killed > 200 critters with Apollos ... mostly mice - but plenty of coons and opossum and other. I shot eley 40gr(or36gr) subsonic HP.
Both have manual focus. WIth the Apollo not much changes in the middle of the adjustment range ... only at the 2 ends. With the Jockey its much more sensitve and a small turn at any point thru the range gets you some visible adjustment.
This is a newer Apollo and has auto-nuc, so does the Jockey.
The jockey does NOT exhibit the "jerkiness" I experienced with the sidekick when the SK was first released - so that good !!!
The Jockey seems to be using a modified SK housing. The Jockey has a larger front lens and a different rear lens - a collimating - non-adjustable lens since its a clipon. The jockey has a double length battery compartment so can use a 16650 or 2xc123 without a extension cap.
==
I would not rule out using the Jockey for critter control - the small size is the most attractive aspect to me. I could even run it on the 10.3 carbine in front on an nx8 1-8x ...
I hope they keep hammering away improving the image - the upgrades have improved the SK.
The SK is way better than the breach. Breach starts getting fuzzy above 50yds ... and sees blobs above 100yds. The SK is still clear out to 200yds which is a far as I can see on my land - I'm in the Ozarks, in the Mark Twain National Forest. But the SK isn't up to the level of a VoodooS/Skeet/Nox18 etc.
I haven't seen the latest upgrade to the SK software, but I suspect the Jockey's have that. The auto-nuc frequency is much reduced (still higher than the Apollo).
The focus is better on the Jockey (vs Apollo). Collimating is WAY better. WIth a little practice you can collimate the Jockey in seconds.
Battery compartment is better on the Jockey as well.
I briefly had a T&E Contractor 75mm 4.8x TWS last year and I thought it was great - it seemed to be in the OASYS ball park, so I'm not sure why the newer models aren't up to that standard. I'm sure the larger lens on the 4.8x helps.
I've been out 3 nights with it - but we hit 101F yesterday so not ideal conditions ...
Ask away if any questions and I'll try to answer.
cockrill
Sponsor
2024-01/02
2000-0500
70F
NW 3 MPH
Goals: Barnyard defense
Environment: Starting to cool off ... overcast, barely whiff of wind from NW
Equipment: Mk12ish, ATACR 1-8x dmx, PoT ML, 77gr IMI, RRS+anvil, Radius
Activity: Started going out 3 times per night starting on 1 Sept as Cows should start calving soon. Have heard yotes both nights so far, but none seen. So far they hang out at neighbors, but once they smell blood I figure they'll be here.
Got 3 chicken predators on the 1st night, a skunk and 2 coons. Distances 68 to 126 yds. Hard to find a shot over 200yds around the house here due to being surrounded by forest !
The 2 coons were together, got the first one, the second ran off aways, turned around to look back, BANG. The coons flopped around a little after being hit.
The skunk got off a squirt before expiring, its been smelly, but smell was gone today. Looks like I carved a channel across the back of the skunk. But it did not move after the shot.
2000-0500
70F
NW 3 MPH
Goals: Barnyard defense
Environment: Starting to cool off ... overcast, barely whiff of wind from NW
Equipment: Mk12ish, ATACR 1-8x dmx, PoT ML, 77gr IMI, RRS+anvil, Radius
Activity: Started going out 3 times per night starting on 1 Sept as Cows should start calving soon. Have heard yotes both nights so far, but none seen. So far they hang out at neighbors, but once they smell blood I figure they'll be here.
Got 3 chicken predators on the 1st night, a skunk and 2 coons. Distances 68 to 126 yds. Hard to find a shot over 200yds around the house here due to being surrounded by forest !
The 2 coons were together, got the first one, the second ran off aways, turned around to look back, BANG. The coons flopped around a little after being hit.
The skunk got off a squirt before expiring, its been smelly, but smell was gone today. Looks like I carved a channel across the back of the skunk. But it did not move after the shot.
cockrill
Sponsor
cockrill
Sponsor
Oops, forgot link !!
strictlyoffensivekit.com
Guide Sensmart
The worlds most trusted source for your night vision and thermal needs.
strictlyoffensivekit.com
cockrill
Sponsor
N-Vision sale items (rare event !! ))
strictlyoffensivekit.com
strictlyoffensivekit.com
Nox 35mm
Nox is a small 12-micron 60Hz fully functional thermal weapon sight that can serve double duty as a head-mounted monocular or a scanner. This unique product is proudly designed and built in the USA, using the best commercially available BAE thermal imaging cores and the highest grade optical...
strictlyoffensivekit.com
Halo-XRF 50mm
HALO-XRF is N-Vision Optics latest groundbreaking product that combines state of the art BAE thermal imaging CORE with top customer demanded features, such as integrated laser range finder, onboard video recording, and WiFi connectivity. HALO-XRF is proudly designed and built in the USA, making...
strictlyoffensivekit.com
