Ok guys, this thermal hunting is fun. I’m either in the market for a “cheaper” thermal or possibly an NV scope for one of my AR15’s so I can have a partner join me, as in my son, lol.
I’m not spending what I spent on mine and would really like anyone’s opinions on NV if they have one or two.

I have learned if walking in the dark with NO lights whatsoever, that you could just about pet a deer, lol. I also know that I’ve never jumped more from a deer blowing than I have the past couple of nights. I can see them in the scope and almost get right on them before they realize you aren’t what they consider friendly.

Also if anyone has any NODS they use, what brand and likes/dislikes. I could use those for walking after spotting the target.

Any help or advice welcomed.

I have an ATN day/night scope. While I can see very well through the night vision, with added IR Illuminator, a second shot is often difficult - as is it finding game in cover or recovering a dead animal. To be honest, I prefer a standard red light over night vision for shooting. A NV screen would be great as an aide for walking

I'd hit up steeltraps ! Guy is a wealth of knowledge on the subject! As far a budget NV there a few little gems out there. If you don't mind the weigtj I love my ATN X-Site ll . It's ancient as far as NV goes but still works great with a good IR will say though their heavy as sin but robust as all get out and the picture clarity is aclu pretty good once you get good a tweaking it in the fly. Can identify fox and coon out to 400 most nights. Also alot of NV guys will sell them to you for next to nothing since their counted as "outdated". Picked min up used " whole kit" for $400 off of a guy on FB.
Here some stuff from my rig.

Around the 7min mark I show some of the NV footage




The ATN 4k pro has been a pretty good one all around form eveyone I've talked to and what I've seen the only thing is their not as rugged as "blockier models"
Now another cool little deal you MIGHT like is what's called in the UK a PARD unit. Really all they are are clip on units that go in your regular scope. Now you can get one called a one leaf commander state side and I've seen nothing but good reviews about them. And again their only like $400. Now they do come with an on board IR but eveyone ive talked to highly recommended getting a better external IR

Pretty good review

As far as nods. If you can just go ahead and and get a legit 3rd gen PVS 14. Your gonna be droping $1200 bare minimum Fo a decent one . Also don't ask about Jerry rigging stuff because the NVG community is pretty toxic and they'll just roar you for being poor, ask me how I know lol. Also if you do get one GET A HELMET!! All you need is a little airsoft bump helmet but I'm telling you , as someone whose don't the whole deal with the head strap rig and other stuff, GET A HELMET. It's just there to help you carry the thing.
Now you COULD do what's own air soft guys do and get one of those cheap digital PVS 14 set ups and run a IR flash light on your helmet. Not good for PVP because that IR is gonna make you look like a light house but for hunting..

I would check out the Sitemark wrath ,it's IR and for about $500.

Pvs 14.

Sounds to me your in a tight spot. But I understand what your saying. I own a Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XP 50 Pro, plus QX 35 Pro Monucular, and neither are cheap. Hunt with another person, who has ATN, without range finder I'm thinking he said half the price of my Pulsar. Not familar with ATN, but he said have several price ranges. Wish I could offer better advice. Use QX 35, to locate and range, then get under the rifle with XP 50 PRO. Best toy I've bought Good lick and keep your boots dry

I got both thermal and digital NV. On a budget you can get into ATN or Sightmark for easy under $1000 even with light upgrade. Since your son woukd be with you I think either woukd work for entry level being you’d have thermal there too

i dont have the ATn but a guy I hunt with sometimes does. I have a sightmark. To me they are about same. Prices not far apart and functions similar. Where they shine is at very first light and very last light. They make that dawn/dusk period look like middle of day and I’ve decided I’d not give mine up just for that specific quality. But if you buy either first thing is to upgrade to aftermarket IR if your hunting in the dark. That will let you actually see sonething. The light will only be couple hundred bucks but it’s difference between seeing 200 yards vs 400 plus. FYI if you happen to already have common red lights for hunting many also take IR. I ran a dual IR light setup fir awhile to give flood and spot options at same time.

In many regards I like digital night vision over thermal as you see the critter vs just the signature. But as others mentioned it’s nit thermal. It’s nearly worthless for scanning and quick locating but I always run a monocular fir that even when I’ve got thermal on gun too. The IR is just like like running a regular or red light at night as what you’ll see first in the scope is eye reflection. When nit looking at you it’s very easy fir critters to somewhat disappear as everything is muted tones and there’s no eye reflection. Some backgrounds are wirse than others. You’re also nit going to be a viewing thru grass etc that you often get some leeway with when using thermal. You also need open space in front of you——heavy brush directly in front of your light is like driving with high beams in a snow stirm. Light bounces all over and whites out the screen. And as an extension of that don’t expect good results in rainy mist ir sniw fall. Lastly if your in area where IR is used heavily you’re eventually going to experience a critter that detects the IR especially if youre running it full tilt.

But even with the downsides I still like. I just pick and chose when I’m running it vs thermal

Is the image of the nv good enough to distinguish between coyote and a small wolf at say 100 yards with a decent IR torch?

If you're running thermal, don't hand off NV to someone else. NV is handicaping your son and will be frustrating for him. Step up and get a second thermal or commit to using the NV for yourself. Simply put NV will have you kicking rocks.

Depends. The main problem you have is if you don't zero your IR to your scope and if you don't have your scope adjusted right. These things are basically jus digital cameras that see in the IR spectrum so just like a camera you nee to play with the settings I can go from not being able to see my dog 30yd in front of me when my stuff isn't set up right to being able to identify skunks out to 400yd when it is

Pa Wild has some good thoughts on some cheaper NV and thermal stuff . Forgot to mention I'd recommend looking into AGMm their rattler has been making some big waves for the price point it's in.

I don’t have wolf experience but my answer is yes. I do have a lot of domestic dog experience and it’s often number one reason I run digital nv over thermal in certain locations. Granted In thermal you get good at distinguishing critter by the outline and way it moves especially when running in from aways out. But you’re still seeing heat and not an actual picture. As wolf dog said nv is nothing but a camera sitting on the gun. Unlike your trail camera though you can see out much farther. 5-600 yards at times but inside 300 is pretty much good picture

ATN is bottom of the barrel. We have had multiple units ruin hunts before they start. For a budget thermal, go AGM, skip the NV.

Appreciate all the input. Based on reading, I think I’ll save a little or dip in the sock drawer and get another thermal and a monocular. Now I’m not disagreeing with anyone, but I’m seeing more than just a heat signature with this thermal. I’m seeing whiskers on rabbits at night. The detail is there. I was told it would be difficult to differentiate between a deer and a hog at certain distances, and it might be. But for the distances I can see, you’d about have to have some serious eyesight issues if you can’t.
I shined the red light the other evening and saw eyes in the woods and swore it was a coon…my son looks through the thermal and in under a second says it’s a fawn laying down. What makes that unique is we are still in the learning phase with this scope. It seems to have a lot of bells and whistles we haven’t even rang yet.
I leave for a cruise this weekend, but hope to do some serious playing with it when we get back and before upcoming surgery.

The lower quality ATN thermals , you don't see alot of the details. They're junk.

So what’s considered lower quality?

I shopped around and looked through several nigfht scopes, spent several hrs. at Tulsa gun show, comparing, and talking to several people, and know several people who own different types. Most said, they wished they had bought built in RF. Pulsar XP 50 2 LRF Pro, works great for me. I'm able to tell at long ranges what animal I'm looking at. Watched some coons the other night hunting crayfish, and could see what they had. Watched several foxes, coons, and can see their fur, have to switch from white hot, to blackhot, simple manuever with the Pulsaar, depending on the back ground. As I stated mind shows great detail . Went ahead and bought the better NV, or the 1 I liked the best

I have an IRay Bolt TH50 C…I consider it a midrange Thermal at $5500 from what I’ve seen. I’m just looking for something a little cheaper for a second thermal or backup. I don’t need a rangefinder. I actually have too much for what and where I hunt now. Even hogs in fields aren’t shot at long distances, they’re spotted and stalked to within 50-75yds. I’m on at 100yds and within the kill area at 200yds. I don’t have an area I can see more than 200yds. I guess if I went somewhere I don’t know it would be nice, but that’s what OnX is for.
I have noticed that some monoculars have a rangefinder as well. May look into one of those if I find I need one.