Night Vision

[Hospguru]

Has anyone had experience with the Laser Genetics ND3 Illuminator?
I need something for hunting coyotes from 75-200 yards out at night. I am hunting with a Ruger 10/22 carbine and have a scope on it. The coyotes are running our calves and the calves drop dead from heat and exhaustion.
Also,what is the best call for coyotes? Thank you-

 

[Sky]

atn 350

atn aires mk350 gen1 I have one from opticsplanet paid $350 after discounts normally $399 on sale from $499 read the reviews more than adquate for hundred yrd shooting

 

[Fernando]

I would not recommend a night vision gen 1 to shoot a coyote from that distances, not only because the lack of illuminator power but mainly because of the short magnification (3x to 5x, max) - it will look like you are shooting rats. Plus, they cannot see the IR light but they will see the red lamp of the illuminator. You will not be stealth.

From what I’ve heard, nd-3 is, in the end, a “powerful torch with green color light”. I know it’s a laser, that can concentrate the beam of light at great distances, but it is a light. And there goes your stealth again. You will probably shoot the first ones, but after a while they will flee after you light up the nd-3.

What you need is a good 3-12x56 30mm tube scope with illuminated dot at the center of the reticle. And don’t get fooled with highly illuminated reticles because they have no use in night hunt: a good scope will allow very low illumination of the center dot only, so you can see very well your target. I have a zeiss with two reticles, a small cross in the first plane and a dot in the second plane, both illuminated, and although they both can be dimmed to very low intensity the dot is always the best choice at night.

More than 12x at night is useless if you are using only natural moonlight, as is less than 7x especially if you shoot from more than 75 yards.

A daytime scope in that configuration (3-12x56) will allow you to hunt completely stealth at night for almost 16 or 17 nights a month (starting around first quarter of the moon), as long as there is a moon in the sky (even if it is covered by clouds that allow diffuse light). And no, you don’t have to have a zeiss; a meopta in that configuration cost half of the zeiss and will let you see and shoot the same animals at the same distances. And if you want to buy similar for much less (as long as you don’t use larger calibers than 30.06 spring.) you can get a bushnell trophy 3-12x56 (illuminated) – it’s a low budget choice but very common in Europe (UK have it also).

Ps: for the other nights, without moon, get a cree led torch from ebay and shoot more close, because coyotes won’t see you as well either ;-)

 

[Double Naught Spy]

The ND3 is a piece of garbage. Google it and you will find that it does NOT function in cooler temps as warm as 50 degrees and by 30 degrees usually fails all together. The good folks at Laser Genetics even suggested wrapping the unit in chemical hand warmer packs to keep it warm in colder temps (stupid solution)..

Folks over at Texasboars have noted that contrary to the videos from Laser Genetics that show animals apparently unbothered by the light, the animals see the green light just fine and while some don't respond to it (just like some don't respond to spotlights either), many or most respond to it by taking flight. So basically, it is a long range flashlight in a bizarre green color that does not do a very good job of helping spot critters via color contrast as you would get with white light.

For 75-100 yards, you might do much better with a decent 200-300 lumen LED light. If your rifle is scoped with a good quality scope that transmits a lot of light to the eye (some scopes will actually help you see a good bit better at night than your unaided eye and some do not, so you want one that does) and combined with a good LED light, that should take you out beyond 150 yards. It won't be great and it won't work for trying to spot critters in high grass, but for open fields it should be fine for distinguishing between cattle, coyote, deer, hog, etc.

Beyond that, a quality spot light will give you more than the 200 yards you need, but it may not be as readily mountable on your rifle.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Just did a quick search. Here is a link to some alternative spotlight packages that might work well for your needs, cost a LOT LESS than an ND3. Check the Lightforce 170 Striker. It runs from 12v DC and has a cigarette lighter plug on it. So you could power it from your truck. Or, you would do what I do and go to Walmart and by one of the $30-40 jumpstart batteries and use it for a 12v power supply (like this one from Amazon, but there are a variety of sizes and prices http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1F1VJE462W52WKPTNYF1). I actually use mine to power IR floodlights used with NV scopes.

Of course, the problem with using a wired system is that you are a bit more encumbered and unless you carry the battery in a pack or are setup stationary such as in a stand.

For $270, you can get their whole package including a red lens, battery, case etc.

I would probably just go with the light, additional red lens ($23) and jumpstart battery from Walmart.

Also, I don't mean to suggest or endorse Lightforce as your only option. There certainly may be other very good spotlights that mount on the scope like the ND3 will do and may be less expensive.

 

[Fernando]

I know that you in US don’t like big objectives in the riflescopes because they are heavier and they increase distance to the barrel axel, but they are amazing in low light, at night. Take your usual 10x50 binoculars one night to the fields and seat there for a while in moonlight, without any other light. Keep your eyes pointed at shadows or darker landscape, not to the moon or stars. After 15 minutes, grab your binoculars and take a look through them. You could shoot a rabbit in the field at 60 yards if that thing had a visible reticle. With a 56mm objective you could shoot the same rabbit at 70 or 80 yards.

When I’m in the woods waiting for wild boars sometimes I see cats at far more distance.

Attract your target to places with good visibility, under direct moon light. Food is and always will be the best decoy. You can conquer almost anything by its stomach, lol

 

[Sky]

The atn 350 I mentioned does have an illuminator which I very seldom turn on unless it is a pitch black overcast night. It does put out a red glow in the top mounted IR tube if turned on. With every thing mounted it adds about 2.8lbs. to your rifle. You have to zero in during night. I just got on paper at 15yrds 2 3/4 low but on line moved to 100yrs made sure with braced rifle I could hit a bowling pin. Entire process took about 20 rounds. I am no ace of the base but jack rabbits out to 100yrs are easy pickings. I have a dedicated night rifle so the scope really just stays on the rifle. Youtube had a video or two and opticsplanet had all the reviews. A few reviews were written by guys who have used gen3 night scopes. If you go outside and sit getting you night vision as described above adjusted it really is surprising how well you can see with moonlight. For me the night scope works for pitch black openings in trees or between buildings.

 

[Fernando]

If you’re curious about 56mm scopes I’ve made a review of mine (zeiss and meopta) last January in a Portuguese forum. Obviously it’s in Portuguese but you can easily translate it with a Portuguese-English online translator like Babel Fish Yahoo.

It’s divided in four parts and all have lots of pictures taken by me with a canon 350D. Among others you have there photos taken at night of a building at 1357 meters (1.3 km) through both scopes.

Part one (General)

http://www.santohuberto.com/forum/forum_detalhes.asp?ID=17576&Origem=17576#ini

Part two (Meopta in particularly):

http://www.santohuberto.com/forum/forum_detalhes.asp?ID=17670&Origem=17576#ini

Part three (Zeiss in particularly):

http://www.santohuberto.com/forum/forum_detalhes.asp?ID=17689&Origem=17576#ini

Part four (conclusions):

http://www.santohuberto.com/forum/forum_detalhes.asp?ID=17735&Origem=17576#ini


Both scopes have 30mm tubes


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