Woman Kills a Man with Thermal in Hunting Accident

Gman757

Gman757

Well-known member
I have participated in numerous threads trying to stress the fact that Positive ID with thermal is not always possible. That fact is even more applicable with low magnification, low resolution units.

If you have ANY DOUBT about what you are seeing in your thermal scope then don't shoot.

"Woman fired shot using thermal night vision scope after mistaking man for hog"......

http://www.wyff4.com/article/shot-that-k...rs-say/12239667

It is especially disconcerting when I see posts where guys want to be long range "night snipers" with thermal scopes.


 
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That's a sad story and I can definitely see how it could happen given the few details in the article. And agree with you gman.. if you have any doubt DON'T shoot. But I can definitely see where a guy on all fours could look like a hog at not that far away especially when your expecting and wanting to see a hog.
 
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Thanks for posting this Gman...I've been accused of "bashing" a so-called hog hunting NV dealer and a few others on another site who's employee claims "they can spot hogs at 500 yards" because they want to pump their chest that their thermal gear can REALLY PID this far and so can they. This isn't just them but many others who claim they can ID something at looong ranges.

It is DANGEROUS to promote this as NO thermal device can PID a hog at 500 yards except a cooled array system such as the FLIR H.I.S.S. I am glad I have been beat up over the years that "I'm too conservative". This is a tragedy and I can almost guarantee calves over the years has also been mistaken for a hogs. These stories you don't hear about.

I hope hunters will finally understand what cheap thermal devices can and cannot PID! GEN 3 NIGHT VISION (I^2) DEVICES ID AT DISTANCES THAT THERMAL CANNOT DUPLICATE.

BOTTOM LINE, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PID, YOU CANNOT SHOOT EVEN THOUGH THE HEAT SIGNATURE WALKS LIKE SOMETHING YOU THINK IT IS.
 
Unfortunate incident.
Was just searching for the story about how a guy with long hair got shot because he was mistakenly targeted as a groundhog. Seems he was sitting just over a rise in a field and only the back of his head was visible, with his long hair it looked like a standing groundhog that was facing away from the shooter.
Couldn't find that particular incident, but did find several other incidents where people were mistakenly shot by groundhog hunters.
 
Originally Posted By: SixsixtyMagsUnfortunate incident.
Was just searching for the story about how a guy with long hair got shot because he was mistakenly targeted as a groundhog. Seems he was sitting just over a rise in a field and only the back of his head was visible, with his long hair it looked like a standing groundhog that was facing away from the shooter.
His mullet was mistaken for a varmint. Sounds about right.
 
Several months ago I walked over a hill and scanned a ravine below me that is an excellent coyote and hog freeway with an Eotech X320. This is one of my favorite shooting areas as I can shoot to about 250 yds with a Flir RS 64. I know every rock from memory and anything new jumps out immediately. At about 150 yds I see clear as day a coyote standing broadside looking right at me. The Flir is on 4X and he looks GTG but the feet aren't quite right and he has not moved an inch. I give it a few more seconds and stand up and walk to this "coyote". There was a cedar tree with a cow, my cow, laying behind the cedar. The tree had an open spot in a coyote shape that the cow's thermal signature got projected through as a coyote outline. Bottom line--What Vic said.
 
My safety stays on until i see the critter walking, i have seen many Jackrabbits that look like Coyotes at a distance. With the new IR Hunter Mark3 60mm that i am using makes a HUGE difference versus my IRPatrol M250. I can spot a lot more critters with the Mark3 versus the IRPatrol. As others have said, be 100% positive. If you have a partner, make sure you know exactly where they are at all times.

I have went to a Triopd and Pig Saddle. Stevie Wonder should be able to see me:)

I have shot 6 Coyotes so far with my new set up and really like it.


Please be aware of your surroundings out there guys and have a safe 2017-2018 hunting season.
 
This is a prime example of for my choice of a Thermal scanner and quality NV scope for ID.
Life is short when you pull the trigger, you cant take it back.
Be safe!
 
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