You are trying to understand what is better to buy for night hunting, a thermal imager or a night vision device, we decided to find out their disadvantages and advantages and what is better to use for hunting.

Thermal imager

Thermal imagers, what they can do and where they are used

Technically, a thermal imager is a sensor that detects heat (also called thermal energy or infrared). The higher the object's temperature, the greater its radiation, and this is better captured by the thermal imager.

The device can see the temperature difference of the object under investigation with an accuracy of 0.01 °C and display the data on its screen in the form of thermograms or a finished image. Different colors or tones are used to indicate temperature differences.

Simple devices use a black-and-white image, where the lighter the color, the hotter the object and vice versa, more expensive devices can use multi-color rendering of this data.

Almost all living warm-blooded creatures and mechanisms produce heat. Compared to other objects, people, animals or cars have a higher temperature and are displayed more clearly on the device screen. But, for example, such cold-blooded animals as snakes will be almost impossible to detect with a thermal imager.

Because the thermal imager captures thermal radiation, it does not require lighting to display data; this feature has enabled this class of devices to be used in the following industries:

When fighting a fire, the thermal imager can see through smoke, debris or obstacles, so firefighters can find people who are injured or hiding in the fire. It can tell firefighters that the fire inside the room is more intense and protect them from a sudden burst of fire when the door is opened.

Use in hunting - in hunting, the thermal imager is most popular when searching for game, especially wild boar. The wild boar is difficult to spot, very cautious and rarely ventures into open spaces. The most popular hunting device is the thermal imaging monocular. There are also thermal imaging sights that mount on the rifle.

Night vision device

Night vision devices, what they can do and where they are used

Unlike a thermal imager, a night vision device requires at least a small amount of light to function. When hunting or for other purposes, natural objects such as the moon and stars provide this light, but various shadows can make viewing difficult.

If you are in a dark room, this device will not work unless you use special lighting devices. For lighting, special IR lamps or flashlights are used, which are often installed directly into the device itself.

The downside of IR lighting is that you can easily be detected using the same night vision device. This is not a problem in hunting, but a serious problem in the military.

The second problem with night vision devices is bright light, which can easily damage the amplifier tube of the device, but this risk is constantly decreasing as technology improves.

In hunting - used very often, when it is allowed to hunt with these devices, the disadvantages of the device are not critical for hunters, and the problems associated with the recoil of the weapon have long been eliminated.

Thermal imager or night vision device

What to choose a thermal imager or a night vision scope.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to give an exact answer to this question, since these devices have significant differences and capabilities. You need to decide where and how you will use it for hunting and understand what works best for you.

When choosing, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

Price - Night vision devices and scopes are several times cheaper than a thermal imager.

Environmental Features - If the area you are hunting is prone to fog, rain, lots of foliage, and other obstacles, then a thermal imager would be a better choice than a night vision device. However, in cold conditions, the night vision device will be more effective, and the thermal imager may temporarily stop working.

Availability of lighting - Since night vision devices require little lighting, this must be taken into account when using them. IR lighting may not be sufficient. The presence of lighting does not matter to the thermal imager.

Use both devices - the thermal imager is great for finding a target, and the night vision scope allows you to identify it. The ideal option is to use a thermal imager to scan the firing sector, and a night vision device for targeted shooting. This will save you money because you can buy a portable thermal imager and a night vision scope, which can be cheaper in total than, for example, a separate thermal imaging scope.