And yet another thermal vs night vision

[Goshawk]

I'm doing some Nutria thinning at night.
My flashlight is ok, but they are learning to spook at the light, so I'm looking at for night vision advice.
What I'm asking is, how well does thermal work on critters swimming in the water?  We've all seen those coyote and piggy videos, but never anything like muskrat or nutria.
So, for shooting at night swimming critters, which is better a thermal, or night vision?

Guidelines:
150 yards max.
Under $1,000.
Eye glass friendly.

Thanks all!
 

[birdshooter1189]

I've lit up beaver and muskrats swimming in the water with one of these kits. I could spot them pretty well. 

https://www.amazon.com/BESTSCOPE-Portable-Display-Riflescope-Hunting/dp/B08DFPFBQR/ref=sr_1_8?crid=I8ANA0K8ERR8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jtRq5-nmfKZmUhJ1mDu9JvW7EIuzlo9jnhk0mIS6TunpEDQd3FcBgyVLfIzPZKqgKhyzoBND7OovaZ8zg2VpXrLkM9YrjR8hpTNTUGwyDVOpJr5HKmZ5xZnHuJwofzl4F6tc02B-yLmFHfpGDFdAtGaZXy1ANNDmm5Ju_-NtU0B7I7qvx9YA8oyenf3OKm16pgC-VkdfkId-Gp_r7idOw3by7kCoNxE7Khc3C3vTLct3weSBLpxEwLxCZwhE4Kuk-tHmaiZm4H_OZgu8Ix0L-5GHV_Yg5_J-w2fmcr8K-7Y.p3zHK9bhbrvVY4Y8WVnSk1IT5aui44sQiwTBZFmyJlY&dib_tag=se&keywords=night+vision+best+site&qid=1713896846&sprefix=night+vision+best+site%2Caps%2C4379&sr=8-8

For a $1000 budget, I'd get one of these kits attached to a 3 or 4x scope.

Get an ODEPRO KL52 IR illuminator (About $100 on amazon)

Spend the rest of your $1000 budget on the best thermal monocular you can afford. (I'd look at AGM brand)

[Goshawk]

I've lit up beaver and muskrats swimming in the water with one of these kits. I could spot them pretty well. 

https://www.amazon.com/BESTSCOPE-Portable-Display-Riflescope-Hunting/dp/B08DFPFBQR/ref=sr_1_8?crid=I8ANA0K8ERR8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jtRq5-nmfKZmUhJ1mDu9JvW7EIuzlo9jnhk0mIS6TunpEDQd3FcBgyVLfIzPZKqgKhyzoBND7OovaZ8zg2VpXrLkM9YrjR8hpTNTUGwyDVOpJr5HKmZ5xZnHuJwofzl4F6tc02B-yLmFHfpGDFdAtGaZXy1ANNDmm5Ju_-NtU0B7I7qvx9YA8oyenf3OKm16pgC-VkdfkId-Gp_r7idOw3by7kCoNxE7Khc3C3vTLct3weSBLpxEwLxCZwhE4Kuk-tHmaiZm4H_OZgu8Ix0L-5GHV_Yg5_J-w2fmcr8K-7Y.p3zHK9bhbrvVY4Y8WVnSk1IT5aui44sQiwTBZFmyJlY&dib_tag=se&keywords=night+vision+best+site&qid=1713896846&sprefix=night+vision+best+site%2Caps%2C4379&sr=8-8

For a $1000 budget, I'd get one of these kits attached to a 3 or 4x scope.

Get an ODEPRO KL52 IR illuminator (About $100 on amazon)

Spend the rest of your $1000 budget on the best thermal monocular you can afford. (I'd look at AGM brand)

I appreciate the suggestion, but I'll pass. That's just too much stuff to stack on a weapon I'll be trudging through the swamps with, let alone a canoe.  Looking for a stand alone system.

[birdshooter1189]

I understand.  After using those kits exclusively for about 3 years, I got a thermal scope and thermal scanner.  I rarely use the digital NV anymore.  Mostly i now use it on air rifles for rats, or on a buddy coyote rifle if I need one.  It works, (really well at times and marginally at times), but I prefer the simplicity of the thermal scope/scanner.

Partly why I mentioned it is that you said "eye glass friendly".  You can view the 5" LCD screen just fine with glasses.

I'd check out the AGM rattler TS25-256.  It's just over $1,000.  But for about that budget, i doubt you'll find anything better if you're wanting both simplicity and performance.

[birdshooter1189]

This isn't my video. Nor is it the thermal scope I mentioned above, but it's a good example of how beavers in water appear through thermal devices.  I'm sure nutria would look very similar.

[Goshawk]

Thanks again.  I made a purchase and will see how it goes. Lots of tinkering to be done.

[Goshawk]

Just an update.  I ordered a ATN Gen 5 night vision unit. After a month of messing with it   I sent it on for repairs.  They sent a new unit. It was mounted, and has the same issues regarding its ROV (recoil operated video) not working, ballistic calculator, etc..  I'm still messing with it.  Over the past two months,  I've done some coyote thinning for the neighbor who has goats. Since the shooting is at 250 yards and under, I figured my ATN scope was the ticket; wrong. Out of 8 coyotes I've gone back to using an old Leupold 3x9 VXIII with a flashlight for the last 6.  It's so much clearer both day and night than the ATN out to 300 yards that it's just not worth using. So, my advice to others is if you're looking for a night system in ATN, consider thermal over night vision. 

[brew]

Just an update.  I ordered a ATN Gen 5 night vision unit. After a month of messing with it   I sent it on for repairs.  They sent a new unit. It was mounted, and has the same issues regarding its ROV (recoil operated video) not working, ballistic calculator, etc..  I'm still messing with it.  Over the past two months,  I've done some coyote thinning for the neighbor who has goats. Since the shooting is at 250 yards and under, I figured my ATN scope was the ticket; wrong. Out of 8 coyotes I've gone back to using an old Leupold 3x9 VXIII with a flashlight for the last 6.  It's so much clearer both day and night than the ATN out to 300 yards that it's just not worth using. So, my advice to others is if you're looking for a night system in ATN, consider thermal over night vision.

thanks...was considering buying one

[GWP]

I've lit up beaver and muskrats swimming in the water with one of these kits. I could spot them pretty well. 

https://www.amazon.com/BESTSCOPE-Portable-Display-Riflescope-Hunting/dp/B08DFPFBQR/ref=sr_1_8?crid=I8ANA0K8ERR8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jtRq5-nmfKZmUhJ1mDu9JvW7EIuzlo9jnhk0mIS6TunpEDQd3FcBgyVLfIzPZKqgKhyzoBND7OovaZ8zg2VpXrLkM9YrjR8hpTNTUGwyDVOpJr5HKmZ5xZnHuJwofzl4F6tc02B-yLmFHfpGDFdAtGaZXy1ANNDmm5Ju_-NtU0B7I7qvx9YA8oyenf3OKm16pgC-VkdfkId-Gp_r7idOw3by7kCoNxE7Khc3C3vTLct3weSBLpxEwLxCZwhE4Kuk-tHmaiZm4H_OZgu8Ix0L-5GHV_Yg5_J-w2fmcr8K-7Y.p3zHK9bhbrvVY4Y8WVnSk1IT5aui44sQiwTBZFmyJlY&dib_tag=se&keywords=night+vision+best+site&qid=1713896846&sprefix=night+vision+best+site%2Caps%2C4379&sr=8-8

For a $1000 budget, I'd get one of these kits attached to a 3 or 4x scope.

Get an ODEPRO KL52 IR illuminator (About $100 on amazon)

Spend the rest of your $1000 budget on the best thermal monocular you can afford. (I'd look at AGM brand)

I took out a lot of rats with one of the older units mounted on a pellet gun that is pretty much the same unit. I had a dim red light on the edge of the horse barn that I could usually see critters with before I bought the IR set up. To my surprise I turned on the IR night vision one night and 15' off the edge of the barn was a large rat I could not see with the red lamp.
While I would love a thermal, I cannot justify it for the amount of night critter hunting I will be doing now or in the future.
For sure the IR vid units are bulky and a bit cumbersome. Cheap though!

[Goshawk]

The other thing to keep in mind is both Thermal and Night Vision systems don't last forever. No matter how much you pay, it's not going to be a system you're grandkids can mount onto a rifle and use. The electronics that power these systems can't last as long as a regular glass scope.  There's no "Pay once, Cry Once" factor in electronic scopes. It's "Pay when needed".

[GWP]

The other thing to keep in mind is both Thermal and Night Vision systems don't last forever. No matter how much you pay, it's not going to be a system you're grandkids can mount onto a rifle and use. The electronics that power these systems can't last as long as a regular glass scope.  There's no "Pay once, Cry Once" factor in electronic scopes. It's "Pay when needed".

More info! I did not know there was a 'lifespan' on them. Unless you are talking about a general electronics failure over time that some electronics have?