Night Vision Scopes

[Packrat 6]

My brother just left here on his way back to Texas, but before he left, he asked me about getting a couple of Night Vision scopes for our Rifles. Seems that we cleaned out most of the Hogs in early June, but he is starting to see them coming back around the pond on the property lately, mostly in late evening. We had discussed night hunting them before, but seems like night hunts is all that he is going to have time for in the immediate future.

I told him I knew of some people with more experience at this sort of thing that might be able to help us so he said go ahead, so here I am. Maximum range of about 150 yds (Hill and brush country), and he said keep the cost down, so went shopping and everything seems to be bracketed into the $500 and under bracket or above $1200 up to more than I paid for my first house. Very little between the two prices.

Looking for something that might be used twice a year at most, so $ considerations are important. Don't need the best, just something that will do the job. Can also put 12V battery or Chem light IR lights over feeding areas near the pond to help illuminate the area if the range isn't that great on the scopes or ancillary illumination. Illumination doesn't have to be that great, but scope clarity does.

Any suggestions?

Bruce

 

[idaho elk hunter]

I will be going to Texas to hunt with Rustic River Ranch in January. I have no idea on if my combo is going to work but I am going to try to hunt the full moon with a Trijicon scope mounted to a FNAR. If the feeders have lights and the moon/weather cooperates, I suspect this would do the job. This might be something for you to consider.

 

[Packrat 6]

Thanks Idaho, the Trijicon is one that I was considering already. If you are going meat hunting, take along a few 7.62 x 51 M-80 149 Grain ball ammo for the FNAR. The rounds go right through the little young ones, don't damage much meat, and I have dropped more than one at a time with the round and it is Cheap.

When we meat hunt the hogs, we only take the little ones (up to about half grown) back to the house with us as my brother tells me that the SW Texas (Sabinal, TX) hogs taste rank if they get big. Can't swear to it though, have only tasted the little ones. Might not be the case with N. Texas hogs.

My brother hit one of the small ones with a 7mm Mag. soft or hollow? point and the poor critter disintegrated. Don't think we got more than a couple pounds of meat out of the probably 15# it weighed before he shot it. I asked him why he didn't just bring a howitzer.

Anyway, thanks for the response. Which model of the Trijicon did you get?



One of the guys got this big guy when I wasn't there. Guaranteed to tighten up your pucker strings if you're on the ground with it.

Bruce