A new opportunity arrived for me to use the all-new Pulsar Merger XT50 LRF thermal binoculars. I had the privilege of testing out this extremely high-class unit on several endeavors. I will be sharing some things that I found very handy while testing them out, along with some hunting stories from my firsthand experience using this incredible thermal.
First off, this thermal unit looks amazing. The smooth finish and sleek design of the thermal binoculars are something that Pulsar executed very well. As far as use cases go, Pulsar provides a three-point mount for convenient carry on either your chest or your neck. Depending on your preference, both of these options are very handy for easy access from the binoculars to the scope. Pulsar also provided an adapter to mount the binoculars on a tripod, which is what I found myself doing most of the time to capture some amazing footage. As far as the footage goes, you cannot beat this thermal image. When Pulsar advertises their units as having great image quality, they are not joking. That reality truly comes alive in the Merger XT50 LRF with its 1280x1024 thermal sensor. I was able to pick up ranges at 2,000 yards using the built-in laser rangefinder! When every thermal scope company claims that they have the best thermal on the market, Pulsar has the right to say that here! When I say that it’s the best thermal on the market, especially in its class, I truly believe Pulsar takes home the prize with this one!
When I first looked through the Merger XT50 binoculars, my first reaction was, “OH MY.” That is not a joke. I handed this unit to my hunting buddies and curious observers, and they all said the same thing. Such a reaction is probably better left unsaid in an article, but to put it simply, their mouths dropped in adoration. The night came alive as every little detail was so clear I felt as if it was fake!
Now, to get into a hunting story with my first experience using the Mergers. We set up in a picked bean field surrounded by trees and ravines, the perfect spot for coyotes. The first set we did did not yield a coyote, but we saw two coyotes meandering around 900 yards away from us. Because the coyotes weren’t interested, we decided to drive around a mile or so to where we saw one of the coyotes heading. On set number two, we decided to set up 150 yards away from the river bluffs of the Missouri River on the “top” where the farming equipment drives. Using a Lucky Duck, I was playing some lone female howls and scanning with the Merger XT50. I spotted this coyote making its way out of the brush. The coyote was upwind from us to begin with, but after coaxing for 20 minutes, the coyote finally decided to make its way downwind about 500 yards away from us. As minutes passed and the coyote got closer to catching our scent, now at 350 yards, I told my hunting buddy to take the shot. He took the shot and made a perfect heart shot, dropping it in its tracks. Another coyote was hit in the face with my .22 Creedmoor, a shot that was only made possible because of the high-quality thermal optics from Pulsar. All of this was observed and recorded with the Merger XT50.
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