If you've spent any time shopping for a thermal scope, you've probably noticed that most manufacturers enforce MAP pricing. In many cases, every dealer advertises the exact same price. That can leave buyers wondering, "If the price is the same everywhere, why does it matter who I buy from?" Last week, I had a customer trying to save about $200 on a thermal. That conversation reminded me of something I think every buyer should consider before making a purchase. It wasn't a normal price...

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to talk with hundreds of hunters researching their first thermal optic. Most don't end up with a bad scope. In fact, today's thermal market has a lot of excellent options. What I have noticed, though, is that many hunters later realize there were features, capabilities, or considerations they didn't fully appreciate when making their first purchase. Here are some of the most common things I encourage hunters to think about before investing in thermal....

By Chad Annon Everybody wants access to land. Not everybody deserves it. I’ve personally seen both sides of this. I know guys that get invited back year after year. Landowners trust them, and they’ve got more places to hunt than they have time for. They do things right, and it shows. And I’ve also seen guys burn every piece of ground they touch. They don’t communicate, tear stuff up, bring people that weren’t invited, go back to spots that weren’t theirs to begin with… and then wonder why...