nightyowl
Skunks:
I got a couple skunk stories.
We lived in skunk territory [amongst others] and I was wont to toss garbage out the patio door for what ever critter that wandered by. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />One night I flipped the sliding patio door open and was about to throw a LARGE bone onto the patio when a movement caught my eye and 2 baby skunks not 3 feet outside the door stared at me from my target zone. I froze and slowly closed the door. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

So anyway armed with the knowledge from this: one night my wife and I were car camping in a dark camp groud and there was rustling in the bushes. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />Before throwing a rock I thought it smarter to pull out the Night Vision Gear and sure enough it was a skunk, so we ignored him. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I often hike around camp at night and find a place of concealment and watch for animals. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />Oh geez - the NVG is 3.5 magnification and sometimes the size and aparent closeness of animals is a bit unnerving. And eyes reflect the irfrared lazer like headlights. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />The first time I turned towards a crackling sound and stared a deer in the face I thought it was an alien <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> with huge glowing eyes and I screamed like a little girl <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />and scared the poor thing so that it ran off into distant bushes to hide. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Everyone who looks at the sky with NVG says "WOW", <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> and mine amplifies light 35,000 times so it looks like the Pleades everywhre you look. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Anyway as I said - I could be up in the rocks watching in passive or active search mode infrared. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> You wouldn't see any emissions in passive mode. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />Stealth would not work and you have to mantain "lazer silence". <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Assume that I do not monitor radio bands because you could be using an LPI signal. Low Probability Intercept. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> The bears and the bees will tell me if someones on the mountain.

Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.