This ATV hunting setup video is a walk around and description of how I have built up my new hunting ATV quadbike. Hopefully it will help others who own, or plan to own and hunt off an ATV quadbike. It's certainly a topic I have been asked about on my previous Honda hunting quadbike. I figured when I purchased this newer 2017 Suzuki King Quad 500 AXI that it would be a good chance to show you guys and gals the rig.

The setup works for me, It's not a huge change from the last ATV quadbike I'd owned for 12 years.

This rabbit hunting trip was a zip out to a property I haven't hunted in over 10 years. Used to hold decent rabbit numbers and a fair few foxes. I was keen to get out on my new ATV Quadbike and give the thermal scope and scanner a run on the rabbits. Since the drought broke the grass has really shot up, The owner had warned me it was quite hard to see the rabbits and foxes but no way I was staying home. As you will see I racked up a fair old tally of rabbits shot with the thermal scope. I also shot a large feral cat and everyone know's I love nailing them.

This thermal comparison was fun. We lined up three (3) different thermal scanners and two (2) thermal rifle scopes. The thermal devices lined up - Night Tech HD-25 Lite (19mm lens), Night Tech XD-35 (25mm lens), IRAY XEYE E3Max (35mm lens), Thermion XQ50 (42mm lens) and a PARD SA45 (45mm lens). All the thermals have a 384x288 17um sensor. Cost values range from roughly $1600 through to $6000 per unit. It's a common question on what is the best value thermal or what is the difference between a XX and XX device. Running a comparison between 5 different lens sizes was quite interesting to see and it's a good gauge of performance. Larger the lens, the more detection range (AKA power). But also the larger lens increases the base magnification. I wouldn't call this a "thermal review", more just out thoughts as general punters out using this kit weekly. There's little bias in the products used, it's just what we own and use.

Huge thanks to Adam and Eric for bringing a few of them thermals we played with. This kind of thing doesn't happen without great mates helping out too.

I'm back on the local lucerne flats night hunting problem foxes again. Perfect area for my Lithgow LA101 17HMR fitted with a PARD NV008 LRF night vision scope. Thermal conditions were I think the best I have ever been in. Low humidity and 6°C. I was picking out hare body signatures at over 500 yards with ease. I've certainly put a good dent in the fox numbers on this small block. That's 13 foxes down in a short space of time. The farmer is very impressed with the effectiveness of thermal and night vision for hunting foxes. Winning all round

Hunting Wild Dogs in Australia. Another breeding pair of wild dogs removed last night with the 204 Ruger fitted with a thermal scope. These elusive evasive feral pests can be a huge challenge for the hunter to target. They are extremely in-tuned with their environment and super spooky to get within ethical shooting range of, even with passive night hunting equipment. Every wild dog that is reduced is a huge win for our agricultural industry and native animals. As you will see in the video these wild dogs were eating a native Australian Wombat which they would have killed.

I seem to get some strange questions around the hunting of these wild dogs. They are interbred over generations between escaped domestic animals and our Australian dingo. In Australia they are an animal that land owners loath due to the damage they do.

No - A mature wild dog cannot be domesticated (yes I have been asked that). It would be like capturing a wild lion and attempting to make it a house pet.

Hunting Wild Dogs in Australia. Another breeding pair of wild dogs removed last night with the 204 Ruger fitted with a thermal scope. These elusive evasive feral pests can be a huge challenge for the hunter to target. They are extremely in-tuned with their environment and super spooky to get within ethical shooting range of, even with passive night hunting equipment. Every wild dog that is reduced is a huge win for our agricultural industry and native animals. As you will see in the video these wild dogs were eating a native Australian Wombat which they would have killed.

I seem to get some strange questions around the hunting of these wild dogs. They are interbred over generations between escaped domestic animals and our Australian dingo. In Australia they are an animal that land owners loath due to the damage they do.

No - A mature wild dog cannot be domesticated (yes I have been asked that). It would be like capturing a wild lion and attempting to make it a house pet.

Great to get away hunting foxes with my new 204 Ruger thermal scope rifle build. Shooting 18 foxes had my cousin happy to reduce the numbers. Have had a few things in the pipeline for a while now to get a thermal scope on my Howa Mini Action 204 Ruger Varmint. Specifically for fox and wild dog hunting / shooting at night. This setup really needed a higher comb than the previous blue thumb-hole stock so I've mounted it in a MDT LSS Gen 2 Chassis system system. This set-up certainly proved a very efficient method for thinning out the foxes on this property. Running a red LED powerful thrower headlight I was quite surprised how many foxes and rabbits didn't show up in the light. Yet I'd look through the thermal hand scanner and sure enough there would be a fox snaking around in the paddock. Certainly nice to see a bit more feed in the paddocks in NSW Australia.

It's a yearly passion for me to go fallow buck hunting in the deer rut. For 2020 it's been limited to area's very close to home with the Covid-19 restrictions. What follows is a few afternoons and mornings chasing the bucks around.

I've been using this XEYE E3MAX thermal hunting monocular for a few months now. Here's my thoughts and a few insights of the practicalities of thermal hunting in Australia.

It should be noted that I paid full retail price for this thermal and in no way is this some type of biased or sponsored review.

I was completely surprised to end up shooting this Chital Stag on a local Fallow deer hunt. Have never heard a report of Axis Deer in the area and neither had the land owners. Nice little suprise to get I'll say that, freezer will be nice and full now.

A short wander on foot night hunting for foxes & rabbits with the thermal scanner and NV scope. No wild dogs about ATM, found two foxes and shot one. I ended up shooting a bunch of rats on a rubbish pile with the 17HMR from 40 meters. Good practice as the little buggers jump around a lot, Was an interesting little challenge to say the least.

On this little weekend ATV Hunting Trip in Australia we do a bit of quadbike shooting, a bit of pre-rut fallow deer scouting and a tonne of general ride around looking for feral pigs foxes hares and rabbits. It's so great to see the drought pretty much busted in this area with grass (and weeds) in abundance. The feral numbers were definitely lower that usual, but that's to be expected after the rough last few years.