The best night vision scope for coyote hunting is going to give you an edge against a leery predator that can offer a much higher success rate.
Whether you’re looking for night vision or thermal for coyote hunting, you’ve come to the right place.
Best Night Vision Scope For Coyote Hunting - Top Picks
(Full List Below)
Best Night Vision
Best Thermal Scope
Budget-Friendly
- Available in multiple kits or standalone
- Day/Night mode
- Multiple reticles available
- 10+ hours internal battery
- IR850
- Recoil resistant
- One-Shot Zero
- 2,400 yrd. detection range
- 12-micron pixel detail
- 8x digital zoom –
- Continuous Zoom and Stepped Zoom
- Stadiametric rangefinder plus rock, forest, and identification viewing modes
- BAE sensor
- Rechargeable battery pack
- Great price
- Highly rated
- 720p HD recording capabilities
- 5W 850 nm laser IR
- 5-inch LCD screen display
- Includes 30mm and 1″ scope rings
Best Night Vision Scope For Coyote Hunting - Full List
- Available in 4-32×50 and 2-16×28
- IR flashlight
- Objective lens cover
- Fixed picatinny mount
- 850nm IR illuminator for enhanced nighttime image
- Target acquisition up to 200 yds.
The Sightmark Wraith HD is a great digital night vision scope for coyote hunting.
It’s offered in 4-32×50, as well as 2-16×28. The 1920×1080 HD sensor offers full color clarity in daylight, and for night mode, you simply press the left arrow to easily switch over.
You have the choice of classic emerald or black and white viewing, and it includes a removable 850nm IR illuminator that provides an enhanced nighttime image.
It offers accurate target acquisition up to 200 yards, and can be customized with 10 reticle options and 9 color choices.
One of its coolest features is the built-in camera, which allows you to record and share videos.
It boasts 4.5-hours of battery life, and takes 4 AA batteries. However, the external MicroUSB port gives you more options for power.
So, is the Wraith the best night vision scope for coyote hunting? All the features mentioned, coupled with its affordable price tag, make it a top contender for sure.
Let’s take a look at some other top contenders.
- Available in multiple kits or standalone
- Day/Night mode
- Multiple reticles available
- 10+ hours internal battery
- IR850
- Recoil resistant
- One Shot Zero
The ATN X-Sight LTV is a night vision scope for coyote hunting that comes with all the bells and whistles, but lacks the price tag of many of its more expensive competitors.
Not only does it offer HD recording, multiple reticles, IR850, and recoil resistance, but it has One Shot Zero.
That means you simply take one shot to sight it in. How does that work? You just take your shot and the scope calibrates based on the bullet hole.
It also has an internal, rechargeable battery that boasts 10+ hours of life. And thanks to its ATN Obsidian LT Core, it features ultra-low battery consumption.
It’s a 5-15X scope that mounts easily, has a QHD+ (2688×1944 PX) sensor, and records in 720p.
If you’re looking for the best night vision scope for coyote hunting, the ATN X-Sight LTV needs to be at the top of your list.
- 2,400 yrd. detection range
- 12-micron pixel detail
- 8x digital zoom
- Continuous Zoom and Stepped Zoom
- Stadiametric rangefinder plus rock, forest, and identification viewing modes
- BAE sensor
- Rechargeable battery pack
If you’re looking for a thermal scope for coyote hunting, look no further than the Pulsar Thermion.
It seems to have every bell and whistle you could hope for in a night vision scope for hunting coyotes.
Built in an all-metal housing, the Thermion is rugged and durable. Its internal 16-GB memory is capable of recording hours of video or thousands of photos.
Its built-in WiFi module seamlessly integrates to your iOS or Android device, and allows for wireless software updates, real-time image transmission, and remote control functions.
It saves battery life by offering instant startup, and the B-Pack Mini Combined Power System offers internal and external batteries, so the external batteries can be easily swapped out for recording to resume quickly when needed.
Color Palettes give you display options other than just White Hot and Black Hot.
Red Hot, Rainbow and Ultramarine highlight a heat signature’s more intense hot spots, while Violet, Red Monochrome and Sepia are better at reducing eye fatigue over long periods.
High-Def images, Variable Digital Zoom, Zeroing Profiles Management, Picture-In-Picture, and Customizable Reticle Options are just a few of the additional features of this thermal scope.
The price tag isn’t for everyone, but for those who can swing it, the Thermion Is the way to go. It’s easy to see why it’s the best thermal scope for coyote hunting.
- 60 Hz thermal sensor
- Black Hot/White Hot Mode
- 30mm standard rings
- One Shot Zero
- Ultra-low power consumption
- Recoil resistant
The ATN Thor LT is another great thermal scope for coyote hunting, and at a much lower price point than the Thermion listed above.
It comes with 30mm standard rings, Black Hot and White Hot modes, recoil resistance, and ultra-low power consumption, which allows its rechargeable battery to operate for 10+ hours.
All the features mentioned make a great night vision scope for coyote hunting, but the One Shot Zero takes it to a whole other level.
Like the X-Sight LTV listed above, you simply take one shot, and the scope calibrates based on your bullet hole.
The Thor LT is the lightest offering in the Thor line, making it great for not only rifles, but crossbows and air rifles as well.
This thermal scope made it on our Best Night Vision Scope For Coyote Hunting list, and we think it should be on yours too.
- 256×192 resolution
- 1024×768 resolution 0.39-inch OLED display
- 8x digital zoom
- Up to 4.5 hours continuous operation
- Recording and image capture
- Supports distance measurement
- External power supply capable
- Waterproof and shockproof
- WiFi capable
The AGM Rattler is another great scope for night vision coyote hunting. With 256×192 resolution, and being capable of 8x zoom, the Rattler offers great sight picture through its .39-inch OLED display.
With an internal, rechargeable battery, it’s capable of 4.5 hours of continuous operation. For extended use, it’s capable of accepting an external power source.
It offers both video recording, as well as image capture, and supports distance measurement.
The Rattler was built for hard hunting, being waterproof and shockproof. If you’re looking for the best thermal scope for coyote hunting, the AGM Rattler should be one of your top choices.
- Great price
- Highly rated
- 720p HD recording capabilities
- 5W 850IR
- 5-inch LCD screen display
- Includes 30mm and 1″ scope rings
Ok, so if you’re looking for a high-end night vision scope for coyote hunting, this is not it.
However, don’t write it off just yet. This scope is perfect for those who are thinking about getting into night vision coyote hunting, but aren’t to the point of making a large purchase.
This scope is great for trying it out to determine if you really want to level up.
It uses a 3MP, 16mm HD lens and CMOS image sensor for image capture, as well as a 5W, 850nm laser IR.
Zooming is possible with this scope as well. It includes a 5-inch, 720p display, which is a great feature for limiting eye fatigue during long periods.
It’s far from being the best night vision scope for coyote hunting, but I wanted to include it as a highly-rated, budget-friendly option for those not ready to pull the trigger on a more expensive model.
What makes the best night scope for coyote hunting?
The best night vision scope for coyote hunting is going to have certain features that not only help you see higher success rates in managing the population, but also deliver a more enjoyable experience.
Digital zoom is one such feature. Being able to zoom in while night vision coyote hunting is going to allow you to make better shots, thus cutting down on misses.
Display resolution is another. Having a clear picture is another feature that is going to allow you to make more precise shots, upping your success rate, and cutting down on eye fatigue.
Recoil/shock resistance is a feature that is going to make the experience more enjoyable. Playback of recorded shots is going to be higher quality when there is less recoil or shock to the video.
Low power consumption or an external power source is another feature that leads to a more enjoyable experience. When using a night vision scope for coyote hunting, there’s nothing worse than losing power and ending the hunt early.
Having a night vision scope that lasts as long as you’re prepared to is a feature found in the best night vision scope for coyote hunting.
This is not an exhaustive list, by any means, but it includes some of the most important features that should be prevalent in the best night vision scope for hunting coyotes.
There may be other features that you feel are too important to not have. If your wallet can handle it, don’t settle. Night vision scopes aren’t cheap, so make the purchase that you know you’ll be happy with in the long run.
What's the best thermal scope for coyote hunting?
If I was going to choose just one to reign supreme as the best thermal scope for coyote hunting, I’d have to go with the Pulsar Thermion listed above.
It’s an ultra high-quality thermal scope with every bell and whistle you can think of that can help to up your success rate, while making your hunts as enjoyable as possible.
And not just during the hunts, but after as well, with its recording capabilities.
That’s why I’d name it as the best thermal scope for coyote hunting.
Night vision vs thermal scopes for coyote hunting
The main difference between night vision and thermal imaging is in how the images are produced.
AGM does a great job describing the differences here.
The gist is this – night vision uses ambient light (moonlight, starts, etc.) through an image intensifier tube to provide an optical image of what you’re aiming at.
An IR Illuminator can be used in cases where there isn’t enough ambient light, such as when there is too much cloud cover. Night vision is only useful during . . . yep, you guessed it – night.
The only exception to that rule is for night vision scopes that are designed to be used as regular scopes during the day, and turned on for night vision after sunset.
On the other hand, thermal imaging can be used both day and night. Thermal imaging detects heat and creates a digital image of what you’re looking at. The digital image is measured in pixels.
Thermal imaging is better at viewing at longer distances than night vision, and night vision often requires animals to move to be picked up.
When using a thermal scope for coyote hunting, it can be drastically easier to detect and recognize them when compared to a night vision scope for coyote hunting.
Though thermal scopes may seem to offer more benefits for coyote hunting, they often come with a higher price tag.
With that being said, using a night vision scope for coyote hunting has been shown by many to be a great way of reducing predator population.
A thermal scope may offer some better features, but that doesn’t mean night vision scopes don’t have their place in nighttime coyote hunting.
What is an IR Illuminator
An IR (infrared) Illuminator is used with many night vision scopes to help illuminate field of view when there isn’t sufficient ambient light.
A night vision scope for hunting coyotes needs a certain amount of ambient light given off by the moon and stars to offer a clear nighttime image.
When there isn’t enough light available, an IR Illuminator emits an infrared light, which is virtually invisible to the naked eye, but is easily used by night vision scopes to create a clear picture.
Do you need an IR Illuminator?
Because there are times when ambient light is so low it can impede a night vision scope’s ability to produce a quality image, an IR Illuminator should be part of your night vision coyote hunting setup.
Fortunately, most high-quality night vision scopes include an IR Illuminator.
