just getting into night hunting- thermal and nv questions

J

joshdosmil

New member
The question is to go with a thermal scanner and pair with a nv scope or just go with a full thermal scope. I hunt in the east where everything is under 200 yards. Budget is around 1k total.

Setup would be for night hunting but daytime use is a plus. Originally thought a FLIR monocular and a NV scope like the ATN was the ticket but the more I read the more convoluted it becomes.

Please, any recommendations and fist hand accounts are much appreciated.

thermal scanner + NV scope vs Thermal Scope
 
I started out with a PVS-14 and then went to a FLIR Rifle scope.
Never went back to using the NV. Just used the FLIR from then on.
It never failed the nights i was going to hunt was far from a clear crisp night. NV didnt work all that great and even worse with a IR Torch.
Thermal just takes a little while to ID your target. But gotta be careful either way.
 
With your 1K budget you're looking at Digital NV and something like the FLIR Scout TK. The Sightmark Wraith is decent at around $500.00 but any $500.00 thermal is going to be very weak.
You will not find a 1K thermal scope. At least not one that is usable.
 
Let me start by saying, thermal is a true game changer. This is especially true for scanning. I know 1K is a lot of money, but as others have said, it isn't when thermal is involved. The problem with low-end thermal is two fold. Lower quality thermal impacts the detection distance as well as image quality, especially if there is any type of humidity.

I am not sure if 1K was your limit for your scope or for both devices. You could probably find a 1K scanner such as a used Pulsar HD19-a. Besides this, a Flir Scout TK or Leupold Tracker are the only two that are in this price range. I hate to recommend a thermal with such limited range. The 19-a is as low as I would go. I would typically say 2K is about the real minimal with a scanner/scope like a Bering Optics Hogster-R 25mm.

The Wraith is OK, and could get you to 200 yards. You may need a better IR light source to get there consistently. I again, am very partial to thermal unless you have a lot of fox or farm dogs and need the NV to be 99.9% sure the object is a coyote. Even with a Flir TK and a Wraith and aftermarket IR, you are still over 1K most likely.
 
Awesome, great info. I am open to adjusting the budget, it will just extend my timeline a bit. How difficult is identifying with an entry level thermal scope? (there are normal canines in the areas I hunt)
 
It is difficult with any thermal scope. However, the better the scope, the better detail you will see. With decent thermal, you should be able to tell a coyote from a deer, rabbit, etc fairly easy. The harder part is a large fox from small coyote, or medium sized farm dog. I have never been close to shooting a farm dog, but have shot a fox and had thought it was a coyote until I got there.

I can tell you that my hunting partner struggled a lot with a PTS233 trying to know if something was a coyote or not. This is entry level at around 2K. He also was able to see coyotes at surprising distances when humidity was low, so it really depends on conditions and distances. The closer the animal, the better chance of making a positive id. I would take a hard look at the Hogster-R either 25mm or 35mm. The reason I say this is it could be your scope or scanner. It could always be used for the other purpose depending on what you add to your equipment over time. You may want to start with one of them and a Wraith. As budget becomes available, the Bering could be either and then you could add a thermal scanner, or a thermal scope so you could go either direction.
 
Originally Posted By: KirschLet me start by saying, thermal is a true game changer. This is especially true for scanning. I know 1K is a lot of money, but as others have said, it isn't when thermal is involved. The problem with low-end thermal is two fold. Lower quality thermal impacts the detection distance as well as image quality, especially if there is any type of humidity.

I am not sure if 1K was your limit for your scope or for both devices. You could probably find a 1K scanner such as a used Pulsar HD19-a. Besides this, a Flir Scout TK or Leupold Tracker are the only two that are in this price range. I hate to recommend a thermal with such limited range. The 19-a is as low as I would go. I would typically say 2K is about the real minimal with a scanner/scope like a Bering Optics Hogster-R 25mm.

The Wraith is OK, and could get you to 200 yards. You may need a better IR light source to get there consistently. I again, am very partial to thermal unless you have a lot of fox or farm dogs and need the NV to be 99.9% sure the object is a coyote. Even with a Flir TK and a Wraith and aftermarket IR, you are still over 1K most likely.

If limited to a NV less expensive scope which of the 2 would you recommend? The Wrath or the Phonton RT 4.5 - 9, or is there something better in the no more than $1000 price range?
 
For ID sake I think I'm leaning towards a thermal scanner and an nv scope, I'll up the budget on the scanner and keep an eye on the classifieds section, maybe I'll find a deal.

Thanks for the info, learning a lot so far.
 
Hold off for a few days and I'll give you a quick review between the Photon RT and Wraith. I bought a Wraith and haven't been satisfied with it personally so I ordered a RT but haven't picked it up yet.
 
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