Estimated read time: 7 min.
Summer can be a mixed bag for a lot of hunters. While some enjoy the green scenery, warm weather, and getting a sun tan, others can be quite annoyed by the increased activity of bugs, the burning heat, and sunburns. Because it‘s a “love it or hate it” thing, we wanted to find out our brand ambassadors’ opinions on the subject. Here is what we learned from the experiences of Nathan Stuart from Australia, Kevin Murphy from the UK and Joel Henrysson from Sweden.
How do you generally spend your summers? Is it peak pest control time, hunting for your own pleasure, or maybe you take a break all together?
Nathan: Summer can be quite busy when hunting in Australia. It’s the season when crops like wheat are harvested, leaving short stubble. This is very effective for hunting wild pigs at night with a thermal scope due to the increased visibility over what used to be a long, tall crop. Smaller game like rabbits and foxes are also prolific over this time, with younger animals moving around after leaving the den.
Kevin: I enjoy roebuck hunting as the season runs through summer. I also like taking advantage of the longer days and warm evenings on rabbit control. Being outdoors in the warm summer days makes me happy.
Joel: My summers are generally spent with a mix of hunting, fishing, and being out in nature. Summer is the peak of crop protection from wild boars, which is a very exciting form of hunting and one of my favorites! I also do some pike fishing and fly fishing for sea trout. A few weekends camping out in nature is a great way to escape your everyday routines and recharge a bit.
What about equipment? Anything new to try out?
Nathan: Last summer, I was among the first people in Australia to use the Merger LRF XP50 and Thermion 2 LRF XG50. Both have been fantastic devices that I still use weekly in my professional shooting capacity.
Kevin: I recently had the Merger LRF XL50 delivered to me and I‘ve enjoyed using it. With the Thermion Duo on its way, it should make for an amazing combo!
Joel: I just received a new photo camera, the Canon EOS R7. It will probably follow me everywhere I go in the coming months. I’ve also been curious to see how the Axion 2 LRF XQ35 Pro performs in action in the crops this summer. I think it will be a great asset for me!
I recently had the Merger LRF XL50 delivered to me and I‘ve enjoyed using it. With the Thermion Duo on its way, it should make for an amazing combo!
Kevin Murphy
What are the things you love about hunting in the summer the most?
Nathan: Long days and cold drinks to keep me cool.
Kevin: Not wearing heavy clothing! The sunshine and the longer days as I’m a real sun worshiper.
Joel: Oh, that list is long. I love the sunshine, the chirping birds, the sunsets, the wildlife activity, and, of course, being able to go out in just a t-shirt without getting frostbite. Living in Sweden gives you a night-and-day variation between summer and winter, so I long for every season. However, it’s nice to finally stop freezing for a while.
Any annoyances during the season?
Nathan: Yes, it’s really hot in Australia, which means it’s often uncomfortable to hunt during the day, and can limit the available hunting hours at night.
Kevin: The biggest one for me is hay fever – it can make being outside really uncomfortable. I’d say the other one is the vegetation being so much taller that it makes wildlife harder to see.
Joel: Most definitely the mosquitoes – they know for sure how to ruin a party. If you forget your mosquito protection, you sure are in for a “treat”.
Do you find yourself using thermal more or less during summer?
Nathan: There is no change to my thermal use, in winter or summer. It’s just as effective for pest control year-round. If anything, it can be more useful in summer when a lot of animals turn nocturnal to avoid the heat of the day.
Kevin: This question is a funny one to me. I want to say I use it less, but as I’ve mentioned previously, thermal can give a great edge on getting the spot you’re looking for when the vegetation is much taller.
Joel: This will actually be my first summer using thermal. I’m really looking forward to trying out the Thermion DUO DXP50. Since the sun sets very late here in the summer, it will be an awesome switching between thermal and digital daytime!
The Pulsar Merger LRF XP50 with the 640×480 < 25 mK sensor is the best for summer. It really helps a lot in a hot, humid environment, ensuring image clarity and excellent target identification.
Nathan Stuart
How about the best thermal for the hot season? Which Pulsar unit do you find yourself reaching out most often for?
Nathan: Absolutely the Merger LRF XP50 with the 640×480 < 25 mK sensor. It really helps a lot in a hot, humid environment, ensuring image clarity and excellent target identification.
Kevin: The Merger series have been the most useful because they have all that extra power for identification abilities.
Joel: Thermion DUO will probably be used a lot due to the ability to switch between daytime and thermal. Since we experience a lot of darkness during winter, with the sun setting early, I want to grab every possible minute of sunlight in the summer.
Summer is also a great time to observe animals. Do you often go to the forest – perhaps with your family or friends – to just observe, learn about animals’ habits?
Nathan: Not just for animal viewing. It’s also a great time to spend time around the creeks, rivers, and beautiful beaches, relaxing with family through the hot days. Inadvertently, there will always be animals to observe near the water.
Kevin: Absolutely! We often go to the local nature reserves and I always take the binoculars with me when walking the dog, just in case I spot any animals.
Joel: It sure is! I’ve always spent a lot of time out in the forest. My father was also a hunter – I didn’t have much choice. This really stuck with me. I love going on evening drives or walks to the hunting grounds, observing and learning about animal habits.
Since my new camera arrived some time ago, I’ve been out almost every day straight after work – sometimes alone, and sometimes with my girlfriend, spending the whole afternoon and evening outside in nature.
Any curiosities you’ve noticed in the animal life that only occur in summer?
Nathan: Snakes and reptiles become more active. No need to mention that it‘s an occupational hazard one should avoid, not investigate! I never had an issue with them myself, but it‘s something to be aware of.
Kevin: The roe deer rut happens here in the UK during July and August, so watching their behavior is always very interesting.
Joel: Always fun and interesting to watch the wild boars with their fresh born piglets. It’s always impressive to me how intelligent they are and how fast they learn. Watching how the sows collaborate in maintaining control over their enthusiastic piglets while remaining vigilant for potential dangers is very amazing to me.
What’s your favorite summer hunting memory?
Nathan: Stalking feral pigs along the creeks and dams in the afternoons. When it’s hot and dry, they always seek water to drink and cool down. It can be very exciting shooting, often at close range with shotguns.
Kevin: I shot my very first roe buck during summer, and I remember it was quite high on the top of a valley. The view, combined with the emotion of my first kill ever, was incredible, and I won’t forget it in a hurry.
Joel: It is perhaps not the most beautiful moment I’ve experienced, but definitely the one that has stuck with me and one I often think back on.
I was out hunting alone, protecting the crops from wild boar. It was around 30 °C outside, so I was sweating before I even left the car… After a lot of sneaking, I observed a large wild boar male out in a wheat field, treating the crops like an ”all-you-can-eat” buffet. I took a long and stealthy approach to get close to it in the dry heat, but everything went well once I took the shot. However, I found myself in a bit of a pickle.
I was standing about 1 km away from the car, all alone, with no way to get the car closer to the wild boar, as I was surrounded by wheat. I had to drag it all the way back by hand, which took me longer than I would like to admit.
When I finally reached the car, I looked like I had gone for a swim with all my clothes on. However, the farmer was happy, and so was I. The freezer got a good refill – grilled wild boar sure is delicious!
My summers are generally spent with a mix of hunting, fishing, and being out in nature. Summer is the peak of crop protection from wild boars, which is a very exciting form of hunting and one of my favorites!
Joel Henrysson
Before purchasing any night or thermal vision device, please make sure you adhere to the local legislation and only use it when it is allowed. Our ambassadors come from various countries and travel a lot, which allows them to test different devices. We do not encourage or support the illegal use of our devices in any events. If you wish to learn more about export and sales restriction policy, please visit the following link: Export and Sales Restriction Policy.