i'm using the armasight zeus 640 3-24x, 75mm 30hz. they make a zeus pro line with more features you may want to look at. i'd also check out ir hunter line. it took me a while to give thermal a chance because i didn't think i was missing anything with nv in wide open territory. how little did i know. i see A LOT more hogs with the thermal, especially on dark nights.
i got banned from texas hunting forum years ago. i guess it built up from a few of us photoshopping each other in unflattering pics. bu mostly i feel it was ridiculous stuff. for example, a guy told me his kid asked him what i do with all the hogs. he told him i line them up and peel out on their heads. on my next pic i lined them up next to my back tire and dedicated the post to the guys kid but caught hell for it.
sometimes people ask me if i eat the hogs and i may have mentioned i piss on them so people don't give me a hard time for not eating them. believe it or not that one got me a lifetime ban. i had to crawl back apologizing to get my account turned back on.
then there's the 'you can't kill a hog with a 223' insult that drives people crazy. most folks knew i only teased the people i like. it wouldn't be fun otherwise.
then there was the time pigman posted something (if it really was pigman??) some folks said i was jealous of him. i responded that i admired anyone who could make a living killing pigs. then i photo shopped him wearing a 'djones' cap. the list goes on, but i'm in good standing there now, just don't post much anymore.
If we had pigs here, thermal is hands down what I"d have.
A buddy bought a small FLIR, a bit smaller than the thermal imager we carry in the fire trucks. Its amazing what you miss withotu it
Even though he doens't have a thermal sight, the ability to SEE the hogs regardless lets you scoot on down and shoot em. Thermal scope would be way cool if I would spend the cash but have no need for it.
What I was amazed at though, trying to use it to find dead animals, the dang cactus at night holds SO much heat its almost a waste down where we shoot some pigs.
I almost bought a thermal ad on for my iphone to just help in looknig for wounded deer at night, but then a stray dog showed up in our life and its MUCH more fun working Tiger. Heck of a track record so far for being barely 2.
Now, I think with your piss poor luck wiht 308 you should think more along the lines of 338 barrel next or isn't there a 308 necked to even 375????
