Hunting Coyotes at night

Doug Herold

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Sep 14, 2017
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213
I am starting my journey on a new disease: Night Hunting for coyotes. Actually, I am starting to gather together the equipment I will need to hunt them this coming winter. What is your experience with IR vs Thermal? Also, ATN vs Pulsar? I feel Pulsar is a better piece of equipment, but reviews on their Customer Service are horrible. ATN customer service reviews are excellent. Since this will be a new disease for me, Customer Service is important. IR and Thermal technology is an entirely different language and pretty intimidating.
All "tips " for nighttime hunting will be appreciated, from "set ups " to equipment. I will be hunting in the eastern mountains, so the shot should be less than 200 yds.
Thanks for your help !
 
I hunt hogs a lot in our farm fields in south Texas. I use a PVS 30 NV clip on in front of my day scope. And PVS 14NV plus Flir breach on a helmet for driving. Main reason i shoot with NV is i hunt pastures and want to make 100% sure i am shooting a hog and not a calf. I would pick Pulsar over ATN any day. But the Trijicon IR reaper is an excelent thermal unit if you go that rout for a stand alone scope. If you want a clip on thermal device i would go Trijicon IR Snipe. Coyotes may be hard to see through NV in low moon light situations because they are tan, thermal may be the way to go for night hunting coyotes.
Also another thing is depth perception is terrible through night optics. With NV you see the IR laser that all civilian type laser rang finders use.
 
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Interesting seeing in the night has come a long way in the last few years even for us civilians . All it takes is time to figure out what you want and the money to buy it after that .
 
I am starting my journey on a new disease: Night Hunting for coyotes. Actually, I am starting to gather together the equipment I will need to hunt them this coming winter. What is your experience with IR vs Thermal? Also, ATN vs Pulsar? I feel Pulsar is a better piece of equipment, but reviews on their Customer Service are horrible. ATN customer service reviews are excellent. Since this will be a new disease for me, Customer Service is important. IR and Thermal technology is an entirely different language and pretty intimidating.
All "tips " for nighttime hunting will be appreciated, from "set ups " to equipment. I will be hunting in the eastern mountains, so the shot should be less than 200 yds.
Thanks for your help !
I had thermal and sent it back didn't care for it,I run a Pulsar Digex 455,clear as bell at 300 yards with the ir is a walk in the park.it's been a game changer for sure,and Pulsar any day over ATN,their employees know little about their products and are high pressure.I can put you in touch with the right guy at Pulsar if interested.I had a 4000 thermal,and swapped out for a 1600 Nv,after a two week trial period. That's Pulsar for ya,two weeks and they took it back and swapped ,plus a refund.
 
I hunt hogs a lot in our farm fields in south Texas. I use a PVS 30 NV clip on in front of my day scope. And PVS 14NV plus Flir breach on a helmet for driving. Main reason i shoot with NV is i hunt pastures and want to make 100% sure i am shooting a hog and not a calf. I would pick Pulsar over ATN any day. But the Trijicon IR reaper is an excelent thermal unit if you go that rout for a stand alone scope. If you want a clip on thermal device i would go Trijicon IR Snipe. Coyotes may be hard to see through NV in low moon light situations because they are tan, thermal may be the way to go for night hunting coyotes.
Also another thing is depth perception is terrible through night optics. With NV you see the IR laser that all civilian type laser rang finders use.

Joseph,
Thank you for your response. Very useful. So much for me to learn, but I don't think anyone hates coyotes more than me.
Doug
I had thermal and sent it back didn't care for it,I run a Pulsar Digex 455,clear as bell at 300 yards with the ir is a walk in the park.it's been a game changer for sure,and Pulsar any day over ATN,their employees know little about their products and are high pressure.I can put you in touch with the right guy at Pulsar if interested.I had a 4000 thermal,and swapped out for a 1600 Nv,after a two week trial period. That's Pulsar for ya,two weeks and they took it back and swapped ,plus a refund.
Ohlongarm,
Yes, who should I be talking to at Pulsar? Thanks. Yes, I did find the folks at ATN to be high pressure and somewhat lacking in knowledge.
Thanx
Doug
 
I never bothered with calling companies. Looked at forums and articles. Picked up an ATN 4K Pro 5-20 NV not long after they came out.
It came with an IR torch, but I already had one. Can see out to 300 easily.
Hafta make sure the eye cup fits you or it illuminates your face.
Mine works fantastically, but makes me illegal in OR.
These aren't something you can just go to a shop and sample.
Here it is, cheap and sold by amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BYDUZ60/?tag=lrhmag19-20
 
I really like thermals for target detection and NV for shooting. I run a handheld thermal for finding animals and then NV for confirming the animal is what I think and taking the shot. If your in an area that has fox, bobcats, the neighbors dog potentially running around thermal may not be clear enough to differentiate them from a coyote. Other upside to Night vision is you can see IR lasers, you can't with thermal. I have a weapon mounted rangefinder and can see the laser through my night vision on my target to ensure I've got the correct range for long shots on 'yotes at night. The new FLIR IR Hunter has me considering another purchase and going to a thermal over night vision but I'm still not sure because of the reasons I stated above. Ultimate Nightvision offers rentals on some different systems so you could try them out and the rental price goes towards your purchase if you then decide to buy one.
 
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I never bothered with calling companies. Looked at forums and articles. Picked up an ATN 4K Pro 5-20 NV not long after they came out.
It came with an IR torch, but I already had one. Can see out to 300 easily.
Hafta make sure the eye cup fits you or it illuminates your face.
Mine works fantastically, but makes me illegal in OR.
These aren't something you can just go to a shop and sample.
Here it is, cheap and sold by amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BYDUZ60/?tag=lrhmag19-20

Thank you very much!...Yes, that is my thinking: Scan with thermal, kill with NV. In Virginia I am covered up with coyotes. Been hating them for years after watching what they do to live stock and game populations. Habitat very close here. They sneak in, never see'em in daylight. Need the advantage... Need to get it now before the socialists take over.
 
I never bothered with calling companies. Looked at forums and articles. Picked up an ATN 4K Pro 5-20 NV not long after they came out.
It came with an IR torch, but I already had one. Can see out to 300 easily.
Hafta make sure the eye cup fits you or it illuminates your face.
Mine works fantastically, but makes me illegal in OR.
These aren't something you can just go to a shop and sample.
Here it is, cheap and sold by amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BYDUZ60/?tag=lrhmag19-20
Great, THANK YOU!
 
I never bothered with calling companies. Looked at forums and articles. Picked up an ATN 4K Pro 5-20 NV not long after they came out.
It came with an IR torch, but I already had one. Can see out to 300 easily.
Hafta make sure the eye cup fits you or it illuminates your face.
Mine works fantastically, but makes me illegal in OR.
These aren't something you can just go to a shop and sample.
Here it is, cheap and sold by amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BYDUZ60/?tag=lrhmag19-20

What is your favorite "forum" for night hunting?
 
What is your favorite "forum" for night hunting?
Not enough time so I don't. After three outings, I found night hunting in OR with NV of any sort is illegal. Though I have hunted hogs and javelina only in the day (bow), it seemed to me that the NV setup is better suited for hogs at night. I have not heard of any in the north end of Oregon. What I discovered with yotes at night is they run in patterns. Scout them, watch the patterns, set yourself up in an interception point.
My calls never brought them in, though with the ATN, I could describe the coat markings on the cats I brought in with the calls.
The other nice thing about the ATN is I can use it in the day. So it still sits on my 224 Valk when not in the safe. You can zero it for multiple guns. So while I use it on the one, I plan on putting it on my Grendel AR too.
Until this covid thing, I was 80% travel. While I flew with guns half the time, I would bring the NV with me in my carry-on. Even with pre check, TSA will inspect my bag and look at the NV. I'm usually wearing a shirt that says something about guns, so you can clearly see which TSA are pro vs anti by their body language. IMO about 50:50.
 
If anyone thinks that coyotes won't ruin your eastern Turkey population, check this out; that's a 9" beard coming outa both ends!!!...View attachment 205993
Ha!
In Salem, there's a street called McGhilchrist, where there is a VA and Soc Sec office. It's among industrial area and a man made lake nearby. Walk that field, you'll see lots of yote scat, full of cat hair, and I supposed rabbit too.
Everytime I see a "Lost Cat" sign posted in my area, I want to put this underneath it:
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