Night vision scopes

[lavacarancher]

I searched here and found a few posts on NV scopes but I still have questions.

I looked on line at several scopes ranging in price from $500.00 to $6000.00 but the one thing they all have in common is:

- the vendors don't tell you how to sight in the scope
- very few vendors will give you the effective range (how close do you need to be in order to clearly see the prey)
- some come with illuminators - some don't. Is it necessary?
- some don't use NV optics at all but simply provide a "heavy duty laser flashlight" that you use to target the prey. Then you pull the trigger when you have illuminated the target. Still don't say how to align (site in) the device and none of the vendors tell you if you use your normal vision scope mounted on your weapon. Had one guy tell me you can pull the trigger from the waist once you've lite up the target and you don't need a scope. Personally, I'm not that steady to do something like that and would prefer to sight through the scope.
- some have green reticle, some red, some white, some all three. What's the difference as far as accuracy and range is concerned?

I guess what I'm looking for is someone who has actually used the NV technology for night hunting hogs, what works, what doesn't and how do you sight in the device. I'm thinking that 100 yds is about as close as I can get without spooking them.

Thanks,

 

[HOSS]

It is all about what generation the scope is . Gen 1 and 2 are not really that great out any distance. It also depends on the conditions i.e. moonlight, snow, amount of stars etc. The illuminator is a great help especially the IR models. The reticle adjustment is similar to a conventional scope with both windage and elevation internally adjustable. I have never used NV to hunt hogs but I would think it might be better to sit on a field and wait for them to come to you.....oh getting one with adjustable gain controls would be nice.

I prefer the green reticle over the red.

 

[Anonymous]

It might be a little redneck, but I've got a 3rd gen monocular that has the ferrule for mounting to something. I cut a hole in a ball cap bill an mounted the monocular to the hat. It's now hands free and I can use it to look thru a scope at night when needed. Looks funny as he77 but its functional

 

[skyhightree1]

I tell ya I wanted night vision till i found my led torch its bright as s... to human eyes but doesnt bother the predators. Myself and friends get paid to clean up predator problems around here. We love the torches in lieu of night vision.

 

[lavacarancher]

Thanks Hoss and Hook. I know less than nothing about NV hunting so please forgive my ignorance. Hogs, or at least the hogs in my part of Texas, don't come out in the daytime. They've also gotten wary about traps. And to make matters worse, they are not in my fields every night, only once in a while.

What I'm thinking is to bait them with corn or slop and get them used to coming to the bait then bust their a$$ at night. I know (or I think I know) that range depends a lot on external forces. Hoss, you mentioned amount of available light, how much haze or fog, etc. It seems that these conditions would also influence illumination so lighting the target would not be much better than a true starlit scope using background light.

I have a laser that will project a pin point beam for at least a half mile. It is green. But what I don't know is will I be able to see the spot with 6X50 wide field rifle scope. I guess I could test it, huh. (

Thanks for your input. I'll keep you posted on how this plays out.

 

[lavacarancher]

I tell ya I wanted night vision till i found my led torch its bright as s... to human eyes but doesnt bother the predators. Myself and friends get paid to clean up predator problems around here. We love the torches in lieu of night vision.

Sky, what is the range of your light? I know, as I mentioned above, that range is effected by a lot of things, but can you see the predators at 100 yd's (conditions being right)? I assume your light is NOT IR but visible red LED?

Do you use iron (open) sights or scope?

Thanks,

 

[skyhightree1]

I tell ya I wanted night vision till i found my led torch its bright as s... to human eyes but doesnt bother the predators. Myself and friends get paid to clean up predator problems around here. We love the torches in lieu of night vision.

Sky, what is the range of your light? I know, as I mentioned above, that range is effected by a lot of things, but can you see the predators at 100 yd's (conditions being right)? I assume your light is NOT IR but visible red LED?

Do you use iron (open) sights or scope?

Thanks,

We take shots 200+ yds That light I use is I will say really great up to 200-225 yds and its green the red we didnt like so we changed the bulb red is good for hunting in the woods but green is the best when you are in fields or open areas its ridiculous how bright they are. We use scoped rifles. You can see a predator like you can in the day time at 100 yds NO PROBLEM if its a clear day. We haven't hunted in fog so I can't tell you about that but clear I guarantee you its clear.

 

[skyhightree1]

This is my original posting about the LED torch

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=81920&p=988781&hilit=xlr+250#p988781

 

[Brute 23]

I searched here and found a few posts on NV scopes but I still have questions.

I looked on line at several scopes ranging in price from $500.00 to $6000.00 but the one thing they all have in common is:

- the vendors don't tell you how to sight in the scope
- very few vendors will give you the effective range (how close do you need to be in order to clearly see the prey)
- some come with illuminators - some don't. Is it necessary?
- some don't use NV optics at all but simply provide a "heavy duty laser flashlight" that you use to target the prey. Then you pull the trigger when you have illuminated the target. Still don't say how to align (site in) the device and none of the vendors tell you if you use your normal vision scope mounted on your weapon. Had one guy tell me you can pull the trigger from the waist once you've lite up the target and you don't need a scope. Personally, I'm not that steady to do something like that and would prefer to sight through the scope.
- some have green reticle, some red, some white, some all three. What's the difference as far as accuracy and range is concerned?

I guess what I'm looking for is someone who has actually used the NV technology for night hunting hogs, what works, what doesn't and how do you sight in the device. I'm thinking that 100 yds is about as close as I can get without spooking them.

Thanks,

You can buy a NV monocular at wal-mart for a couple hundred bucks. It will most likely be Gen I. It can not be exposed to light. The picture is not real defined and the range is faitly short. Its purpose is like if you are going to bait a feeder or some thing and just check it occasionally. Definatly less than 100yds.

You do not need the IR illuminators with the Gen III. They use them on I II.

Most of the scopes you see are 2x, 4x, 6x so that effects your range. The good ones that are $5-6K can be used in the daylight like a regular scope or at night. You sight them in like a normal scope. The cheaper ones can not be exposed to light or it will damage them.

If you are hunting big areas like pasture or some thing and do a lot of looking you may just want a monocular to scan and find the hogs. They just use a normal spotlight to actually shoot them. Its tought to scan all the time with the gun. If you are hunting a baited area, deer feeder, or some thing like that its not so bad.

Hogs see light intensity. Colors like red and green are less intense. A spotlight that adjusts the beam is a must. You always scan with the least amount of light and when you find the hogs you can increase the intensity as needed to see in the scope. Good glass like Leupold VX III, Zeiss, ect with a large reticle makes all the difference.

I have killed many of hogs and some coyotes with this light and a Leupold VXIII out to around 300yds.
http://www.magnalight.com/pc-46711-64-1 ... -lens.aspx

I know a guy that does guided NV hunts. He also sells scopes, can get you lined up wth ARs, supressors, ect. He has a NV range and all kinds of stuff. You can test any thing before you guy. If your going to spend $5-6K spend a couple hundred bucks on a guided hunt or some thing to make sure you understand them. There are a lot of options for a lot of different uses.

 

[skyhightree1]

The hogs I hunt here are done in the day never tried at night.

 

[lavacarancher]

Ok, folks. Everything you are telling me is starting to make sense. As I mentioned above I have a really intense point source green laser that I can project for at least a half mile and I tested it Saturday night. I can see the light at that distance through my normal scope. Problem is, thats all I see, hence requiring the lighting of the surrounding area in order to see the game. I think that's what you've been trying to hammer in my thick skull - now I get it.

By the way, I saw a "herd" of hogs in my pasture Saturday morning as I was enjoying my coffee on the front porch. Ran inside and got my most accurate rifle and managed to knock down one sow and scared the crap out of one of the piglets while shooting between my cows. And no, I did not hit a cow. Actually I'm kinda proud of my self because it was about 150 yd shot and they were at full run. This is the first time I have ever seen them in the daylight.

Thanks for the input.

 

[bear]

Tried out a Laser Genetics ND-3x40 last night on deer. Pretty awesome!

See deer easily at 250 yards.