I’m leaving in a couple weeks for our annual Hog fest in east Texas. The past few years I was lucky enough to get to borrow a thermal scope from a buddy to shoot hogs with. I’ve been hesitate about spending $3500 for one because we can’t use them but for a month out of the year in Missouri, plus I feel like in 5 years it may be difficult to get software/support for those that are obsolete.

I found what I believe is going to be a pretty efficient setup for less than $750.

Amazon sells a Thermal Monocular made by InfiRay called a T2 Pro. It sells for $359. Infiray make some high quality thermal optics. It runs using an android or Iphone. I saw some pretty impressive youtube videos about them being used as thermal scanners for night hunting but was skeptical. I figured I’d take a chance, and since it came from Amazon I could return it. I’ve had it about a week and this thing is living up to my expectations. I comes with a hand held monopod and can be affixed to a tripod. It does not seem to use much battery and has the capability to take photos and videos. It has multiple color schemes and several other cool features. Below is link to the product on amazon, a photo I took of deer in my front yard, and a link to a good youtube video about them. I think its going to work out great as a scanner. I can affix it on small tripod and sit back and watch an entire field without having it up to my eye like a traditional scanner. It has a wide field of view and zoom capabilities. It would definitely be handy for checking traps from a distance where you might not want to use a spotlight. Or, help finding a wounded deer.







As far as optics, I purchased a Zulus 5x20 HD day/night scope that uses an illuminator. They sell for $399. So far I am very impressed with it. It is equipped with a Sony Starvis 2 chipset. Daytime has a crystal clear picture. Nightime is black and white and I can can see at least 300 yards with it. Has video capability, picture in picture, and one shot zero. Its built really well and is only 8” in length. It will pair nice with the thermal scanner. I have it mounted to an ar-15 and zero'd it at 150 yards. I shot two 3-shot groups at 275 yards and had 3 inch groups so I'm happy with that.

The nice thing about night vision vs thermal scopes is night vision is real time, no lag, and you can see what you’re shooting at. A domestic dog can be mistaken for a coyote with thermal scope but not with nightvision. That is one benefit but both have their pluses and minuses.




I will give a better review once I get back from Texas but I think the combination will work out well. I have played around at my farm with thermal scanner and can pick up squirrels in the woods at 150+ yards with no problem. I'm surprised this technology is so cheap when the same chipset in a thermal scope is in the $$thousands.

ol' dad

Hows the lifetime on NV? I've heard they have issues with the elements burning out. Maybe they've gotten better over the years.

I can only go off online and youtube reviews since I haven't owned it but for a couple weeks, but I haven't seen any negative reviews about them crapping out early. They come with a 2 year warranty. I would imagine that if it has a sony chip set it should stand the test of time. If it takes dump after 2 years I guess I'm out $400. We shall see.

I think some of the earlier versions of night vision scopes were designed to be used during nighttime only and had sensitive chip sets. Exposure to bright light was probably hard on them. This scope is a day & night scope, so hopefully better technology.



ol 'dad

Most everything is digital now in the hunting market arena. I assume military grade stuff still runs the phosophorus that is daylight sensitive and burns out over time so that troops can maintain concealment. But the hunting market relies on IR to make the digital work the same as your trail cameras.

My only problem with NV over thermal is I do bird control work and birds can see IR illumination and flush like crazy.

Looks good, only downfall I see is critters can see it, and I’d imagine seeing the reflection off your face…that’s for calling coyotes and cats. For hogs I don’t think it would matter. I used lights for hogs just fine, but all shots were under 50yds.

As far as the scope, it should work. What IR did you buy to go with it or just using built in IR? Again for hogs it should be fine cause I doubt you’ll be shooting far at all.

And not sure who told you thermal isn’t real-time and you’d mistake a domestic for a coyote, but they lied. If you can’t tell a domestic, then you DON’T need to be hunting period. Coyotes look and act COMPLETELY different than a domestic. As far as “lag”, I guess you’re referring to the NUC? There is no “lag” in a thermal, that coyote, hog, cat is exactly where he is when I touch the trigger and if I do my part he’ll be there when the trigger is released.

NV will never be superior to thermal except for walking. You can spot something with thermal but can’t see it with NV and that’s frustrating as heck. I can take you deer hunting and sit with you in a stand and you’ll miss seeing a lot of deer during the daytime. Take a thermal up there and you’ll see every deer within 1000yds and rats running around. Heat doesn’t lie, lol.

If you lived closer I’d loan you a setup to take, just need to add your own suppressor though. Don’t think that can leave without me.

I have used a lot of night vision and killed a lot of hogs with both. I easily kill three times as many hogs with thermal. Cant hardly see hogs in brush or woods with NV. Stand out like the have a light on them with thermal. For nest predators like coons, possums, skunks, etc - kill ten to one with thermal compared to NV

That said - even though thermal is coming down, it is pretty pricey. Hogs can sure be killed with NV. I have killed a lot with nothing but a red light

Those of you interested in night vision (and think it is subpar) need to watch video reviews of the AGM Spectrum digital NV scope.

One version has the laser range finder. This scope is a 30mm tube scope. It doesn't come with an IR light or a mount...so those would be an additional cost added to the $1095 scope cost.

On moonlit night...an IR light is not even needed. The light gathering capabilities of this scope is fantastic. Target identity at long distances is super.

I almost purchased one (and was then gonna use my AGM Rattler V2 384 thermal as a scanner) but decided to go a cheaper route and bought a handheld Rix K3 scanner. I'll leave the Rattler on the AR.

But, that Spectrum is on my list....gotta have it!

Just to clarify, I'm not saying this is a superior setup too someone who's hunting with quality thermal optics. This setup is for someone on a budget that's not going to be using it but a few times a year. If money was not an option then I would be set up with a $10,000 thermal scope and a separate thermal scanner.

And yes there is a delay with digital optics. It takes time for the processor to compute and display it. It might only be a fraction of a second but it is there. It is not real time. And that goes with night vision too. I'm sure better optics has better computing power.

I have looked through some pretty cheap thermals. Some ATN 1 power 320. From 100 plus yards away I don't think anyone can say they would be 100% certain then it's a coyote, especially if you didn't have much time to watch it. Let me put you in an area you're not familiar with and have one show up 150 yards out and you tell me that you are 100% certain it's a coyote? I'm talking with low level thermal, not what you're hunting with, 640 etc. ..Agree they act differently than domestic dogs but the point I was making is that with night vision you can see what you're shooting versus shooting at an image.

As far as light reflecting off the screen on my face, I can see that as a possibility and an issue while hunting coyotes. However this app has a setting called ninja mode that kills all the back light. It's like a white hot mode but instead of the critter being white it's red with a dark background. Definitely not going to be a problem with hogs which is my main use for it.

Ol dad

Thanks for posting and review. Not everyone has or wants to spend a fortune, sometimes good enough will do.

Good review. Let us know how the hog hunt goes.

If your “ninja mode” is red hot, take into consideration that you will be pulling heat “red” from trees. Depending how hot it is in Texas, the red hot mode may not be that great… white hot and black hot are my primary colors, may be different with the phone but red hot throws a lot of red out there and becomes to busy. Just my experience.

First…ATN and thermal shouldn’t even be allowed together. Yes, they’re budget scopes and budget means bottom of the barrel. I get what you’re referring to now, lol. I bought the “best” I could afford. One was a gift so it’s fairly nice. The other is my backup, but I did my research and I’m extremely pleased with it…both are 640’s.

In my opinion, if you’re buying budget, it’s because your shots would be 50-75yds max. Maybe like on a .22 shooting armadillos, coons, possums, etc. Even then 75yds is too far.

A lot has to do with the person as well. Have they ever seen these critters during the day and observed them. My suggestion would be to go out one night and don’t even load the gun. Play with all the settings and get that scope dialed in for your eyes. Hanger mentioned Red Hot, yeah at sundown it picks up a lot of Red. Later in the night it’s not as bad. I use Fusion or Red Hot on my scanner. Anything spotted shows up as White Hot, but those colors are easier on my eyes for night vision. My scopes are on Black Hot, it’s harder on my eyes, but the detail is perfect for me. I can tell spotted hogs, black hogs, red hogs, and even Hampshire’s in the scope. I can determine sows and boars as well. Of course most of hog shots are 100yds or less, normally less.

Swamp, NV would be a great cheaper option if I didn’t hunt brush. Wide open fields and it would be perfect. Think of times you’ve hunted and looked at something during the daytime and knew it was there but couldn’t see it…that’s NV at night compared to thermal. I hear guys all the time talk about why they switched and that’s the #1 reason. They’d see it fine with their thermal scanner, but couldn’t find it in the NV. Only NV I’d ever get are nods for walking, and then you’re talking some serious money. I’d rather take that $1K and save a couple more K and get another 640 thermal.

And lastly, scanners. My thinking was “fairly cheap” on the scanner, I went with a AGM Taipan V2 19-384 and it works great for me. I can spot anything out there…but I have to really look at it for several seconds to determine what I’m looking at. I figured I can spot it with the scanner then definitely ID with the scope. I’m now wondering if you’d be better with a 640 scanner where you can positively ID quickly then get on the scope (384) for the shot. Maybe if I was out West where their spotting coyotes at 500-1000yds out that might be the ticket. Down here, the farthest I’ve spotted them was about 300-350yds out. Had no shot, but still knew they were coming in. I’m still up in the air about my decisions, but that’s the way I jumped in, lol. I will say a scanner is a MUST have. Can you kill without one? Yep, did it for the first year and a half by just using the scope to scan. But, I can’t even imagine the critters or opportunities I missed without one. I haven’t had the scanner but a few months now and half the critters I’ve killed wouldn’t have been killed without it.

Whatever you do if you decided to go to the dark side, but the “best” that “YOU” can afford!!

Take a look at these 2 videos on the AGM Spectrum NV scope. They're much better than what you'd expect from a NV optic due to the incredible light gathering technology used today.

https://youtu.be/Ut01hwZP80g?si=-mOfP8rD-KbRJ0KN

https://youtu.be/s4amlIYdb-A?si=qx5rEvYl0w_FvuEu

Truth

Nah, weight alone is a big turnoff for me on that. 2.6# just scope, add rings, batteries, and IR and you’re at 3-4# extra. Now before anyone doesn’t think that’s much, you’ll also be carrying a caller and tripod. My goal is minimal weight with maximum equipment.
Other than the weight factor, the scope seems pretty sweet. I could see someone getting in trouble with it, lol. Even more so than your decent daytime scope. For deer hunting you’d have to really watch your clock for the end of legal shooting time. I have to do that now with the Leupold…it’s way past shooting light but I can see really good in the scope.

And again, if you can see it with your naked eye during the day, you can see it with NV. If you can’t see it during the day, you won’t see it with NV. Now I’m mainly referring my comments for predators and calling. For hogs in that one video, my Wicked light would work just fine. For the money, that scope gives the best of both worlds, but you’ll still not see things like you would with thermal, but you’re not paying thermal price either. I’d imagine it would work for a lot of folks, it just wouldn’t for me.

Editing to say, it would be cool as a daytime scope for recording your deer hunts.

Any ideas on AGM rattlers v2?

All true...especially when you have a heavy rifle to start off with.

I sure like my Rattler V2 384.

Have been able to easily ID deer and hogs over 400 yards. The features are good. I don't have anything negative to say. Have had it since last spring.

My thermal rifles are 10# or less. I use the bolt action with IRay for when I go to call coyotes. I use the SFAR with the AGM for hogs. Base mag on the IRay is 3.5, base on the AGM is 2.5, base on the scanner is 2.0.

I have the V1 Rattler and would definitely buy again, especially the V2 version. Mine is the 640. I will admit I hated it at first, but once playing with it and spending time one night dialing all the settings in, it’s on par with the iRay. When my son and I go I give him the option of either gun…he ALWAYS grabs the gun with the AGM. They have Pulsar thermal setups where he works but he prefers the AGM over those as well.

I’m curious to see how Ol’ Dads scanner works out in an actual hunting scenario. It would be pretty cool for riding around and looking.