Just like almost everything in life, hunting has changed in many areas. You can welcome it. Or not. But the fact is that hunting is no longer about the pure enjoyment, where making the shot is neither here nor there. And it has been this way for a long time. Above all else, it is the wildlife’s habitats, which are strongly influenced by human behaviour, that make different types of hunting inevitable. Particularly in terms of wild boar hunting, the raised hide and stalking have become vital, even on moonless nights, when there are noticeably fewer wild boars around. So it’s no wonder that night-vision technology has long been an integral part of many hunters’ standard kit. However, there has been, and still is, a lot of disappointment in reality here. Some of the less tech-savvy hunters (and I admit to being one of them, by the way!) simply struggle with navigating the menu and submenus on these devices with all the complex things these gadgets can do. So, when in the high seat at night, it’s not unusual for hunters to have to phone a friend in the know so that they can talk them through how to work the thing.
Eyes like a lynx
The new Liemke Luchs-1 thermal clip-on device, by contrast, is extremely easy to use. Right from the tactile on/off/standby switch that is as easy to use as the safety on a gun – even when you’re about to shoot. The large, easy-to-feel push buttons on the top of the device are just as intuitive to operate, and a lot of hunters will usually only need the front button near the lens. The one that controls the ten levels of image brightness.
One key highlight of the Luchs-1 is the sensational image/visual impression, which is down to the excellent image quality as a result of the high-resolution sensor technology as well as the circular, full-frame image with up to 4x rifle scope magnification. So looking through the rifle scope and just seeing a small, rectangular image is a thing of the past.
The Blaser 1–7×28 iC rifle scope and the matching Blaser adapter for the Luchs complement the Luchs-1 perfectly. The adapter enables the Luchs-1 to be quickly, simply and repeatedly removed and fitted, so the thermal imaging device can be used as a hand-held monocular at any time. And thanks to the powerful battery, which can last for up to 9 hours, users don’t need to fear any unexpected loss of sight, even during very long nights of hunting.