AimShotBlack Thermal Heatseeker

Why did I buy this?I was interested in a Thermal scope but since I was still researching what I needed, I saw his item from one of the many things that Amazon recommends to me. I read some very negative reviews, but on some hunting forums, I read more positive experiences.What's in the box?Hard storage caseNylon carrying case9V batteryScrewdriver for removing battery coverEarphonesWarranty: 5 yearsLimitationsThis will not detect anything behind glass. If there is heavy brush, it may be obscured from detecting your target. It will not allow you to quantify what is in front of you (for example, one deer or two). It will not be more intense for a larger object than a smaller one, unless you put width into perspective (shallow positive reading versus a wider positive reading). You cannot identify what it is reading. You will only know that something of a particular temperature is different from its surrounding. This has to be in motion for it to work. This works by line of sight so if you're aiming at a person with a heavy coat it may not detect the difference in temperature and the person will be invisible, unless you're pointing it at say an exposed area like their head. If you use headphones, this will negate the visual LED readout. It's a one or the other kind of function, not both. Hence me removing one star from my opinion. The limitation of its maximum range of 300 yards is for an open field at 70 degrees, but it varies for anything else. Cut that estimate to a more realistic 50-75 yards in a place with lots of cover, like tree or brush cover.ConstructionThis is hard plastic and weighs about a pound. It's about the size of a conventional landline telephone receiver. On one end, there's a carry strap, and on the other is a detector. It is shaped like a flashlight. Built into the unit is a red laser. There is a rudimentary green to yellow to red LED indicator. No gradations of numbers or anything. It's not all that high tech. There are six buttons for the control panel, using the term very loosely. One is for power, one is for the laser, one does the sensitivity up, one does sensitivity down, one does volume up and one does volume down. The laser is visible out to approximately 50 yards.This is likely not waterproof and not shockproof based upon how this is constructed. It is, per the manufacturer, water resistant for what it's worth. It's likely splash proof but not submersible.UseOnce you put in the batteries, power it up. This takes 4 seconds. The LED will initialize. This device works by detecting differences in temperature, nothing more. It has to be waved horizontally, back and forth, to determine what, if anything, is in the line of sight. It takes practice to get the idea of how this works. As you move the heatseeker side to side, you get readings on the LED, green to yellow to red. Red is where there is something more likely out there. As you see the red, you need to move towards that direction to see what is out there. It takes practice and coordination while you're waving this to and fro.I was able to test this in different environments: in the house, in a public building, on a public sidewalk, parking garage, in the woods, in the yard, in the neighborhood, and in an office.Testing it in the house, the ambient temperature was about 71 degrees. Outdoor temperature was about 32 degrees. It detects differences in temperature, not just a heat source. So it would detect the differences between the temperature of the telescope and the window which was exposed to the outside temperature. If you think it will work for detecting, say an intruder, it won't necessarily work for that purpose if the differences of temperature from the outside and the inside of the house are high. You'll get a false reading. It works on detecting the heat emitted from a television, fireplace, the dog, or my family members; however, it is not like you have the ability to determine what the source of temperature variation that is present. I could detect my neighbor's window from about 50-75 yards away. Despite a large tree in their front yard.In an office setting, I could detect the heat from computer towers, a monitor, and even a power supply adapter that could get hot. But this is just detecting temperature differences between the room and the object.In a public sidewalk, I was able to detect people in a line of sight out to about 100 yards. However, interference came when cars passing by went into my field of view. It would detect hose, too. The heat emanating from a parking garage at a distance of about 50 yards was detected, by cars driving in and out. It won't necessarily help in an urban setting. Whether it's a car, a person, or an incandescent light post, they'll all "pop positive".In the woods, I don't expect much to give me a positive reading. I found this to be the best application for it. I pointed it at a place that I thought had nothing in front of me. The red indicator light detected something. After I blurted out, "There's nothing out here, what in the world!", out popped a doe and fawn. Another time, I was getting an erratic reading of something. It appeared to move, east to west. It was a bird about 35-45 yards away. So it detects even smaller critters from what I have seen. I never tried this on a hunted animal, for say, a blood trail, but I believe, this is the most important application for this. Tracking an animal. However, as you can see from some of my examples, you might be tracking a squirrel or bird, also.Sensitivity can be adjusted so that you are not fraught with innumerable false positive readings. There are 64 gradations, and it will take experimentation to see how much sensitivity you need. I don't believe increasing the sensitivity will necessarily increase the effective range, since it will likely detect difference in temperature in very nearby objects or animals.Battery life has been very good with all of my experiments thus far. I honestly don't know how long it lasts, but I'll put an update when this battery dies.ConclusionAs long as you understand the limitations of what this can and cannot do, and you take great practice in understanding how this works, then there is a good deal of utility. In conclusion, I find it most useful for finding wildlife in the woods in a colder climate. Although it's quite sensitive in telling me something is out there, it's not specific enough to let me know WHAT it is.For me, I find it's becoming more useful as I gain experience experimenting with it. It takes a great deal of practice, and there are videos on the internet to show you how to use it.It's two thumbs up for me. You're mileage may vary.

I can't give it less than a 1. It worked great in open field locating the heat of the engine on my truck. 3 times trying to locate deer was complete failure. It would indicate on trees which was no help at all.

Returned these as soon as it arrived. Description stated that this was an infrared night vision thermal heat seeker with a screen so you could defer between animal or human. Clearly it is not what was stated in the description.

So far not pleased with the heatseeker. Looks like a waste of money. I plan to keep on working with it and I hope I can figure out how to make it work like some people said it did

Not realistic for hunting unless you are blind and can not see. Save your money to buy something more useful.

This item didn't exactly work as advertised. It wouldn't detect my dog in the plastic dog house or thru a glass window. Not effective for hunting in the woods, might work in a field but then again you could see animals just as well.

Tried it in yard and did pin point dogs.Unit seems to work but gain function does not light up. Unknown what setting is at.Yes new 9 volt put in and still no gain indicator lights.

this doesn't work, can I return it?