A successful journalist and news reporter in the past, George is now focused on freelance work to be able to dedicate more time to the most important things in his life: family, friends, his dogs, and fishing.
John is an avid traveler, hiker, and RVer. Moreover, it seems like he knows everything when it comes to fishing and hunting: his father started sharing all the tips and tricks he knew when John was a kid.
Last updated: June 10, 2022
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Hunting doesnโt need to stop when it gets dark. In fact, thereโs a whole host of targets that only come out at night, so what do you need to get shooting after dark?
Weโre going to try to help you find the best night vision scope for hunting in this article, and weโre going to take a look at the best five options that we could find.
Thereโs a whole bunch of things that you might want to go after once the sun is down and night descends, and a whole bunch of reasons you might want to do that. Be it purely for fun, or you could even just be trying to get rid of some pests or to protect a valuable crop, night vision equipment can be a great investment. Whatโs more, these days, you donโt necessarily have to empty your wallet completely to get out and be having a great experience hunting after night falls.
This guide and reviews are all about looking at whatโs on offer out there. Sure, weโll be trying to find the best night visions scope for hunting, but while weโre doing that, weโll also look to see what sort of features that each different scope for night hunting offers. Weโll also talk about identifying what to look out for when youโre choosing a scope in the buying guide, and we may even be touching here and there on how these things work. So, stick around and letโs get looking.
Extra features: waterproof, integrated HD video and sound recorder, picture-in-picture mode, Wi-Fi streaming for iOS and Android, 8GB internal memory
The quickest thing to say to sum this scope up is WOW. This is a thermal digital scope that does everything youโll ever need it to do in the field. It comes in a package thatโll withstand submersion is water at three feet depth for up to thirty minutes and itโll handle a 308 recoil with no problems, so itโs as tough and durable as can be.
One of the coolest things about this scope is the picture-in-picture display, which theyโve got the proportions of exactly right. The PiP takes up 10% of the view, so it doesnโt really affect field of vision, whilst offering the ability to really see where youโre aiming at range. Great feature, and very well done on this scope.
The range is great, magnification is awesome, and you also get full streaming, photo and video capabilities on both Android and iOS. And you can do all of that showing off either during the day or at night, in HD.
A refresh rate of 50Hz and a HUGE detection range of up to 1800 yards mean that this scope is unrivalled on this list. You wonโt find better. It comes with a battery pack that offers up to eight hours of uninterrupted use.
Extra features: HD video recording & photos, recoil-activated video, Wi-Fi streaming iOS and Android
The Thor ATN HD 384 4.5-18X is another digital and thermal scope that really impresses. One of the best things about this scope is the battery life. It comes in at a pretty amazing 22 hours of continuous use, which is a great feature. This unit also features great magnification
You wonโt be short of opportunities to show off your shooting successes with this scope either, because it also comes with full HD streaming, photo and video capability and you can use those features with either your Android or iOS phone, so thereโs no reason why you canโt capture all those great moments out in the field.
No problems here with ballistic calculations or range finding either. This little beauty will do it all for you, and reports about the user interface are all good. If you can use your phone, then youโll probably be able to use this night vision scope.
This comes in an aluminum casing and itโs durable. You can use this scope during the day or at night, with equal success, and itโs a decent little unit all round.
It only gets 2nd pick here because there have been a few issues in terms of image interference when using the Wi-Fi features, and although thatโs not a massive problem, it is going to affect you if you want to shoot while youโre using that.
Extra features: HD video recording & photos, recoil-activated video, Wi-Fi streaming
With the ATN Thor HD 384 1.25-5X, youโre looking at a very similar night vision scope to the number two pick on our list. This time, youโre getting a lot less magnification โ so youโll need to be considering whether or not the cost saving here is going to suit how youโre going to be using the scope out while youโre hunting.
Cheaper and with most of the same features as the 384 4.5-18X, but with less room to use effectively at longer ranges, this obviously wonโt be a great pick for you if youโre shooting out at 200 yards regularly, if not just occasionally. If thatโs the case, then spend the extra dollars on the other Thor scope on this list, because youโll really be struggling to have great times with this unit.
Apart from magnification, the two Thor scopes are very similar, in terms of features, and you get just about everything else with this scope as you do with its bigger brother. So, itโs definitely worth considering this scope if you always shoot at shorter ranges. Anything more and you might find yourself looking at a blurry image, and missing lots of shots.
Extra features: 42mm objective lens, 640ร480 resolution, resistant to bright light exposure, weatherproof, shockproof
Weโre moving into more traditional digital night vision scope territory with the Sightmark SM 18008 Photon XT. The unit comes with a very decent IR illuminator, though. And you also get the option of a side weaver rail so that you can mount an external IR device if you want to up the capability of the IR.
As with all digital scopes, you can use this perfectly well in either daylight or night time conditions and itโll really do a job for you for the spend.
This is a pretty heavy scope, though, and there is a question about whether it can be used comfortably while on the move. Youโll need to decide that and itโll come down to the type of hunter you are.
You get full streaming, video and photo capability with the Sightmark scope and it really is very good value for money in terms of what is offered here.
This is not the luxury digital thermal scope that youโll find at the top of our list here, and you will be sacrificing certain things when you drop down the price range, but itโs worth noting that with this model, you can achieve accurate use at longer ranges because the built-in IR illuminator is good, and the scope will perform even further out with an external IR fitted.
Extra features: weatherproof, 640 x 480 resolution, 40mm aperture
The first thing to mention here is that weโre dropping right down the range in terms of price. The Nightowl Optics Nightshot comes in at approximately 10% of the cost of our top two picks โ but it does still do a job. This is going to be considered a budget scope in any top-five list, but itโs important to keep perspective here and to figure out what it can get done in the field.
You get none of the digital or the thermal bells and whistles with this scope, that you do on the top few picks. This is night time hunting on a budget, but it does the basics very well.
Range on the scope is limited with the built-in IR illuminator, but this outfit will sell you an add-on version that will take your shooting capability further out.
This night vision scope is a favorite with many hunters because it does some stuff just as well as scopes that are far more expensive and itโs not pretending to do anything else. Itโs going to get you out in the field for very little cash and thereโs definitely a place in the market for it, and certainly a place on this list.
It definitely deserves a place on this list because itโs easily the best night vision scope under $1000 for hunting purposes, and if thatโs what youโre looking for, then look no further.
Why did it make our list?
Does the job
Inexpensive without sacrificing performance
What is not ideal about it?
Limited range
No bells and whistles
Things to Consider
In this buying guide, weโll try to talk you through the ins and outs of the whole business of finding the right scope for you. We realize that the choice out there can be a bit daunting, and so can the range of features available. As with buying any piece of equipment, itโs wise to start off after youโve had a really good think about how you hunt, and what sort of features youโre going to need. The last thing you want to do when you choose your scope, is spend money buying features that you donโt need or wonโt ever use.
Reasons to get a top-quality night vision scope for hunting
Apart from the obvious reason, being that having a night vision scope enables you to carry on shooting after dark, gives you a great advantage of having the cover of night during your hunt, and meaning that youโll be able to go for prey that just doesnโt stick its head up during the day. Itโs worth remembering that night vision scopes are pretty darn complicated pieces of kit. Technologically, they need to do a lot of stuff, and as with most technology, your user experience will improve markedly as you rise up the price range. Durability and capability will both be influenced by the quality of build, and whilst itโs fine to be on a budget, you should stretch your budget as far as you can when buying a piece of equipment like a night vision scope.
Features to consider when choosing a night vision scope for hunting
There are a few things to consider here, and some of it is going to come down to the exact type of shooting or hunting that you do. Range is a big factor, and field of vision is kind of related to that too. Donโt go buying a scope where 50% of the cost is down to the fact that itโs engineered to have excellent clarity and field at 250 yards, if you only ever shoot up to fifty.
Durability is another factor you need to consider. If you shoot in heavy rain or snow a lot, or you splash about in rivers and creeks regularly, then how waterproof is it?
If you tend to run around a lot, and youโre up and down and thrashing around all the time, consider shock-proofing as a major factor. If you donโt, and you tend to do a lot of prone shooting, then donโt worry about it too much, because itโll cost extra dollars.
If you spend a lot of time shooting with no moon, or in bad weather, then gain is going to be a massive issue for you and you really should be trying to find a scope that incorporates that. Unless of course, you go for a thermal scope, because it removes the gain factor completely.
If your scope comes with a mount, then make sure it fits your weapon.
Another thing to consider will be battery life and types, which weโll discuss a little further down the line.
Type of night vision scope
Scopes are generally broken up in terms of their generation. Gen 1 scopes being the least sophisticated and expensive. As the number rises, so does the price, but so does the capabilities of the scope. Older scopes tend to be lower generation scopes, and it works like that. The latest and greatest scopes, featuring the newest technologies and innovations are at the upper end of the generation scale. Then thereโs digital scopes, which are a whole different ball game, and my personal favorite type of scope. They offer more versatility and youโre more likely to get a scope that can be used in daylight too effectively, when you opt for digital โ without having a great deal more cost attached to it.
The other factor to consider here is Thermal Vs Night Vision. Thermal uses thermal imagery to produce a picture.
Magnification
Magnification is what is going to get you a nice clear image at more yards. Itโs obviously a very important point to consider when buying a scope for hunting.
Donโt pay lots of cash for large amounts of magnification if the range youโre going to be shooting at is pretty short.
One of the biggest needs for magnification with good clarity when hunting at night is obviously going to be safety. If youโre taking out targets at long range, at night, then do look at good magnification. You want to know that what youโre shooting is your prey.
If a scopeโs range is rated at 200 yards, thatโs just giving you the ability to detect movement at that range, it doesnโt mean youโll be able to tell a pig from a person โ so safety, range and magnification are all tied in together under certain hunting conditions. Be aware and be safe.
Night & day modes
If you already own a top-notch daytime scope, then this isnโt going to be quite as relevant for you. Thatโs to say that if youโre solely looking for a scope to use at night, it wonโt matter. However, there are advantages of being able to carry on shooting as dusk falls, without having to mess around changing out scopes โ and there might even be times where to do so would mean missing a target. Itโs great to have both capabilities in a scope, and youโll have to decide how much weight you need to put on that factor.
Itโs well worth mentioning here that optical scopes are way less likely to be suitable for daytime use than digital scopes are.
So, keep digital firmly in mind if you need a scope for all lighting conditions.
Aperture
The aperture size is a big factor in determining how well the scope will gather and use the ambient light thatโs available from the moon or the stars, or even from nearby street lights when youโre closer to more urban areas. Itโll also deem the scope more useful at dusk and dawn. The size of the lens improves how much available light is reused by the scope. A scope with good gain โ which is that ability to use ambient light, will be great for hunting at the beginning and end of the night. Youโll also use less of any built in IR illumination that a scope may have, and therefore drain batteries slower โ if you have good gain from the aperture.
Eye relief
With eye relief, itโs important to assess the position of your eye when using the scope on your particular rifle. Itโll affect your field of view if it doesnโt all fit together well. It can be hard to work out without physically having a scope and your gun at hand โ so it is advisable to ask the manufacturer whether the specs all suit.
Wi-Fi connectivity, streaming and recording
This is going to be an important consideration if you like showing off your shooting successes to your friends and family. If thatโs not something you want to do, then these features probably arenโt a big deal because they can cost a lot extra. If just hitting targets more often and in the dark is what you want to do, then youโre better off going for quality in gain and magnification and ignoring the streaming and Wi-Fi stuff.
Durable construction and build
We touched on this before, and different scopes will have different levels of shock-proofing built in โ same with waterproofing. It comes down again to what sort of shooting you do, in what conditions. And how active you are while youโre doing it. Keep all that in mind and choose the scope thatโs right for you.
Batteries and battery lifespan
This is a bigger factor if youโre going to be using a lot of IR, because that will drain batteries.
Options-wise, youโre looking at a few different types. First, and probably cheapest is using standard batteries and changing them a bit. This will cost over time but get you a cheaper scope, or a scope with better features, but it can lead to inconvenient situations and lost opportunities when they fail at the wrong moment. Secondly, you can get the same scope and invest in a couple of packs of rechargeable batteries. Thatโs a good middle option. Or thirdly, some scopes come with the ability to plug in an external battery pack. And probably the best option is the scopes that use lithium ion batteries, because they last longer, and you can recharge them. Some of the lithium ion scopes last up to 22 hours. Use what you plan on doing with the scope, your budget, and any weight concerns to decide.
Thatโs going to depend on what you buy. Make sure that your scope comes with a mount that fits your rifle, and that all batteries and chargers are taken care of.
You can, but youโll need to dial the scope in while youโre wearing them, if you want to wear them while youโre shooting. Otherwise youโll get distortion.
Some scopes can be mounted on a crossbow, but itโll depend which one you buy. If youโre looking to use on a bow, or youโre looking to use the same scope on both a bow and a rifle, then mounts are going to be your main area of concern. Youโll need to make sure that the scope comes with a suitable mount or mounts, or you may have to explore buying a separate mount or mounts.
Our Verdict
So, there we have it. Weโve looked at the five best night vision scopes available and the Pulsar Trail XQ50 Thermal Riflescope came out on top. Itโs a great scope, well-engineered and durable โ and it does all the things that a night vision scope should do. You will particularly like the Picture-in-Picture feature, which coupled with its range, makes it the best night vision scope for coyote hunting. Itโs going to be hard to find a tougher and more usable scope anywhere.
Next up came the ATN Thor HD 384 4.5-18X, which is also a very nice and usable scope, but it fell slightly short of our top pick here because although it boasted a far superior battery life to our number one pick, and was still a scope that operates at the very top end of the market, it suffers reportedly from picture interference when youโre using the Wi-Fi option.
At number three in our list was little brother ATN Thor HD 384 1.25-5X, and although being basically the same unit as our number two pick, fell short on magnification. A great scope for close range shooting, though. Itโs the best night vision scope for hog hunting on this list.
Thereโs something for every hunter on this list, and all of these scopes will get you out shooting at night, no matter what your budget. I donโt even know why youโre still here โ just go hunt!