Thermal Optics during the day: Legal or No?

[DaveTN]

Call and get verbal clarification or text and get written clarification.

I don't need to, I can read.

 

[BPhunter]

I don't need to, I can read.

I didn't mean for you to call and get clarification. I meant for those that don't quite understand the language used to call and get clarification. I like you buddy, but you do get butt hurt fast.

 

[scn]

Well you need to tell the game wardens in Overton County that then because i asked him a few weeks ago if that loophole had been closes yet that letting them road hunt at night with hand held thermals and he said nothing had changed. Good to know he is not correct.

First and foremost, I am sincerely sorry that you are having to deal with that crap. It would be frustrating to me as well.

If the officer was talking about the "loophole" of having a thermal imager and a firearm in a vehicle on a public road, he/she was telling you correctly. State law over rides TWRA proclamations passed by the commission. When the state passed statutes allowing the carrying of firearms in vehicles, that trumps TWRA Manner and Means. I would guess that the conflict between the law and the proclamation has been discussed with his/her DA who has advised that he would not be willing to prosecute such a case.

So, basically, until one of the poachers shoots, there wouldn't be much that the officer can legally do. And, they do not have the time or manpower to babysit your property.

If you are not in agreement with the way it is being handled, you need to go on up the chain of command. That goes all the way to the Executive Director. Taking frequent pot shots on here at the agency isn't at all productive.

But, the above does not mean that you are correct in stating that there are no regulations regarding the use of those devises. The Manner and Means Proclamation is pretty open and shut outside of the vehicle issue.

 

[Omega]

So how well will a thermal site work in daytime?

Actually, not bad, it just differentiates the heat signatures, so as long as the target is of a different temp than its surroundings it will work.

 

[DaveTN]

I didn't mean for you to call and get clarification. I meant for those that don't quite understand the language used to call and get clarification. I like you buddy, but you do get butt hurt fast.

I'm not butt hurt at all. I'm just saying, I can read. But heck yes, if you can get a cop in your area to put in writing the answer to the questions you have about a law; that's absolutely the way to go.

 

[BPhunter]

I'm not butt hurt at all. I'm just saying, I can read. But heck yes, if you can get a cop in your area to put in writing the answer to the questions you have about a law; that's absolutely the way to go.

I'm glad you're not butt hurt. Just realize that the comment wasn't meant for you to call. A lot of folks have a hard time understanding the Philadelphia Lawyer jargon that law makers try to confuse you with.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

So how well will a thermal site work in daytime?

Quite well. Not as good as at night when things have cooled off from the sun hitting everything obviously. But depending on the conditions (cloudy and lower temps), you can see just fine during the day. On hot sunny days, maybe half as good?

 

[Mattt]

If they have a firearm with them, that would be illegal between sunset and sunrise.

That's how I've always read it. Probably helps that I'm not reading anything into it.

 

[Tennessee_83]

It would be nice for TWRA to let us use thermal for spotting day or night. I'm not sure what the issue with thermal or night vision is. I ended up sending my thermal monocular back to Amazon. Not worth the headache of legal trouble. Thanks, everyone.