I bought some land a few years back to eventually build on and also to hunt on (20 acres). I mainly deer hunt and while deer hunting the first year I had the property one hunt 4 hogs came out about 30 minutes into my hunt. I proceeded to drop 3 of the 4 and the 4th was easily recovered. So yesterday afternoon deer hunting that same 20 acres I shot a doe right before sunset, she dropped. So I decided since I didn’t have to track I would grab my memory card out of my trail cam and check my corn. Walked over and 3 bags of corn gone in less than a wk. So after getting home from the processor and checked my camera pics. 2 real nice bucks and lots more right at or outside the ears. Problem is that 75-80% of my pics were a group of 7-10 hogs. Needless to say I think they are keeping more deer from coming to the corn. I want to know if hide members think it would be wise for me to invest in a thermal scope, cuz I for sure want them dead. I figure that way if it’s a problem every year I can get rid of them and also see if any land neighbors need help with them. I can also deer hunt legally with thermal in SC (not at night) but an hour prior to sunrise and hour after sunset. Also my shots would probably be 100 yards max. Thoughts and opinions please!
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Night Vision Should I Buy Thermal????
- Thread starter SCGunner84
- Start date
Yes get a thermal
I had one. Sold it. About to buy another
After lots of research I’m really looking at the Hogster R35
I had one. Sold it. About to buy another
After lots of research I’m really looking at the Hogster R35
Yes, get a thermal. I have the Hogster 35 and it's legit. Extremely good value.
Your cheaper (and much less fun) option is to set up a motion light and hunt the hogs hard for a few days. They'll move off onto someone else's land.
Your cheaper (and much less fun) option is to set up a motion light and hunt the hogs hard for a few days. They'll move off onto someone else's land.
Thanks for the input on the Hogsters. I will look at them closer but from my research so far is the user must send the hogster to the mfg for firmware updates is that right?
@kirsch
The guy above I’m sure will comment here. He’s a pro staffer for nightgoggles and has a lot of hours behind many thermal including the hogster and can probably answer you question best
Yes, that is correct. The 25, 35, and Super Hogsters have been super reliable. When your thermals work, they don't need firmware updates. I used a prototype model all last year and it worked great. I have requested Bering add a firmware update to the Super Hogster since it can act as a drive since it stores video files. It isn't available right now but maybe in the future. I have used many brands of thermals and at this time in my opinion, there is no better value in thermal than the Hogster line up.
Lots of video hunting examples of the Hogster 35 and Super Hogster can be found here
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Here are specs comparing. The Thermion will be more conducive to use on a bolt gun due to it's more traditional scope design. The Super Hogster has a longer warranty, doesn't use proprietary batteries, is half the weight, comes with a locking QD mount, and is less expensive. Night Goggles sells both and both are nice thermals, but I own the Super Hogster.
Not sure what your budget is or how hardcore you are but I just bought a refurbished ATN Thor 4, 384, 2-8x, with the range finder ABL 1000, and QD Mount from ATN for like $2,100. I figured I’d give it a shot. I thought about the HOGSTER really hard but I kinda figured some of the fun was recording it with sound. I thought the ATN was better for that. Also, ATN said if I wanted to upgrade within a year, send in the scope, and pay the difference. I couldn’t beat that. Talk to Frank Mora at (321) 396-7187.
What part of SC do you live in I have a FLIR PTS 536 I would be willing to let you look at I live in Charleston, but hunt near Hemingway?
Thanks for the offer, I’m about 2 hours from there. I’m in Barnwell County.
Here is a video of a recent coyote stand using the Super Hogster. Keep in mind, the Super Hogster uses super high compression, so it looks way better through the eyepiece.
Get a thermal! If you have hogs in the area they’re running off your deer. I’ve seen it happen day and night more times than I can count - just saw it happen last night while I was hunting with my bow. Most of the deer where I hunt will not get within 200 yards of a hog.
not as fun, but if your on the land regularly just trap em. we get 2-3 every time we set a trap on ourplace.
I’ve noticed this as well by looking at my trail cam. Liking the Bering Hogsters and Pulsar Thermion XQ38 from my research so far.
For sport and purpose, yes, thermal. It'll help you get a few each time you see them.
For pure purpose: build a heart-shaped pen around the feeder and check it daily. Once the sounder gets in, they can't get out, so you can stand off a few hundred yards and pop them at your leisure. For deer, they can jump over a hog fence with ease, so you won't bother them. The other option is forget the heart-shape and just fence in the feeder, which is what we do. With a short fence, no hogs, deer can get in with ease.
I have the hogster 35 and for the money it is hella useful.
For pure purpose: build a heart-shaped pen around the feeder and check it daily. Once the sounder gets in, they can't get out, so you can stand off a few hundred yards and pop them at your leisure. For deer, they can jump over a hog fence with ease, so you won't bother them. The other option is forget the heart-shape and just fence in the feeder, which is what we do. With a short fence, no hogs, deer can get in with ease.
I have the hogster 35 and for the money it is hella useful.
Not yet, just AR platforms and as a scanner.
I find the value of thermal is the capacity to send multiple rounds quickly, which isn't bolt gun duty. Bolt gun, for me, is precision fire at range, and that isn't what current thermals do exceptionally well. At least not civilian variants.
My shots are inside 200 yards and high probability for multiple targets, so I can place rounds well with thermal, or can use the IR laser with NODs and get less precision, more gratification.
The first time you kill a yote on the run with a laser inside 50 yards, the world just gets a little more awesome.
I find the value of thermal is the capacity to send multiple rounds quickly, which isn't bolt gun duty. Bolt gun, for me, is precision fire at range, and that isn't what current thermals do exceptionally well. At least not civilian variants.
My shots are inside 200 yards and high probability for multiple targets, so I can place rounds well with thermal, or can use the IR laser with NODs and get less precision, more gratification.
The first time you kill a yote on the run with a laser inside 50 yards, the world just gets a little more awesome.
Yes, at times I use thermals on a bolt. Bolt guns when suppressed tend to be quieter and run cleaner. The main issues with running many thermals besides the Thermion and some ATN on a bolt gun is getting the scope far enough back and low enough. Here is my bolt 22-250 and the chassis helps with the issues.
I hear comments all the time how thermals aren't precise. I am here to say this is not the case on all thermals and guns/ammo. The 2nd image is an image from the bolt gun/thermal shown above after shooting 2 sets of groups. One group was shot while laying prone off bipod and one from my Night Stalker tripod. This was not off a vice. sled, or bags and it was shot at 100 yards. I can replicate a similar group with my bolt and Super Hogster or my AR and Super Hogster.
However, back to the question, most thermals are used on ARs and yes, it is nice to be able to have quick follow up shots if on a sounder of hogs, or shooting at multiple coyotes, etc.
Here is a picture of the worst case scenario for using thermal, in fog,mist or rain where everything is the same temperature. Even in this thermal shines over everything else. Here are two squirrels in two trees after the rain where everything else is washed out due to the temperature similarity on everything. This is at 115 yards. As you can see the two squirrels still stand out quite well and would not have been seen with my PVS 14’s or a white light.
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Damn probably a bit out of my price range for a first thermal. It looks like an awesome thermal scope though.
For hunting larger animals, hogs, deer or coyote at under 150 yards one does not need something as expensive as a Reap. The Hogster line work fine at a much lower price point. My neighbor can hit just about anything with a Hogster out to 200 yards but I shake too much and have to use a bipod.
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That’s about it, as you talking 640 vs 320. You truly do get your money’s worth in optics. The Hogster might be the best bang for your buck for the middle weight boys but isn’t ready yet to run with the big dogs and pee in tall grass - maybe someday.
I know I mentioned it earlier but if you are in that price range, then maybe look at ATN. Call them and talk to Frank Mora. I got a refurbed ATN ThOR 4 384 2-8x, their range finder, and a mount for $2,079. No, it’s not a Hogster or FLIR, and I really wanted those, but this was in my price range. Maybe it’s in your’s too. Just a thought.
There was a Pulsar Apex I was looking at prior to learning about the hogster. That’s what I owned before and was a good entry level thermal.
Is it as clear as a hogster or any expensive thermal, no. But it did work and would pick up deer over 1/2 mile
I paid around $1300 for the pulsar apex in the px here. Downside is you don’t get the warranty
It is a great thermal for anyone needing some extra range over the standard Hogster. The video recording is a super nice feature. The additional 4 reticles are very nice as well.
No, just wanting to try something. I love my 22-250 AR, but suppressed ARs tend to run very dirty, and they are a little noisy. I have only used it one night so far, and the bolt gun worked great. I have to use it more if I want to train my brain to automatically work the bolt. One of these days I am going to squeeze on a 2nd coyote, and there will be a spent round in the chamber.
Keep saving unless buying used. With used, you are rolling the dice. Also if buying used, make sure the brand has a transferrable warranty if there is any left on the scope. Many of the cheaper models such as the Flir PTS233 and Pulsar Core RXQ30 really struggle in humidity. The Apex has been mentioned a few times, and this was a good model for Pulsar.
Actually, it is more about what FOV and magnification that fits a person's terrain and hunting style more than it is 640 vs 384, vs 320 or 17µm vs 12µm.
Well, I have had a Trijicon MKIII 60 sitting in my truck for the last 3 coyote hunting trips. This was sent to me to test to get familiar with it. Guess what, it still sits in my truck. With no recording, manual NUC, weighs 2.5x more, no color backgrounds or reticles, it stays in my truck unless I take someone hunting, and then I run it because it takes a lot of tweaking to get a great image. Does it have a better image than my Super Hogster, yes, but this difference decreases the higher the humidity. The Super Hogster lets me ID as far as I need to and shoot to 300 yards comfortably. For me the Big Dogs, stay in the truck, while I pee in the short grass I guess.
^^^^I looked through a Trijicon Hunter 60 last year and not knowing much about anything thermal - I was very, very impressed and damn glad I'm not involved in anything where I would be going against military type high end thermal at O-dark-30.
You've got the experience, so if the Super Hogster is your choice over the Trijicon - that's saying a lot in my opinion.
When I was shooting competitively, I spent a few short minutes trying to pee in the tall grass but spent years in the short grass.
You've got the experience, so if the Super Hogster is your choice over the Trijicon - that's saying a lot in my opinion.
When I was shooting competitively, I spent a few short minutes trying to pee in the tall grass but spent years in the short grass.
It comes down to what fits a person's needs and budget. The Super Hogster does everything that I need it to do for open plains coyote hunting. For hunting in the woods of Maine, for instance, it wouldn't be my choice. As for MK3 60 vs Super Hogster, they have a similar FOV so the comparison is a little more applicable. The MK3 retains better image quality with digital zoom, and will have a longer PID. The Super Hogster has PIP so that is a plus. The choice for me comes down to what fits my needs better. The Super Hogster fits my specific hunting needs better. For others, it won't. However, when I can buy the Super Hogster + the new Bering Optics Phenom 640x480 12µm scanner that is releasing soon, and still keep $2-3K in my pocket with an extra year of warranty, it is going to be a tough combo for people hunting terrain like mine not to go for.^^^^I looked through a Trijicon Hunter 60 last year and not knowing much about anything thermal - I was very, very impressed and damn glad I'm not involved in anything where I would be going against military type high end thermal at O-dark-30.
You've got the experience, so if the Super Hogster is your choice over the Trijicon - that's saying a lot in my opinion.
When I was shooting competitively, I spent a few short minutes trying to pee in the tall grass but spent years in the short grass.
Not at all. I am prostaff for Night Goggles and I get $0 on commissions. To me this is preferred as I don't want this to influence my comments on various brands and models. Night Goggles sells Flir, Bering Optics, Pulsar and Trijicon at this time for thermals.
One of my roles with Night Goggles is to test equipment and provide feedback on pros and cons of various equipment. The models I really like when I test, I then buy from Night Goggles to use for my personal use. I currently own a Hogster 35 and a Super Hogster and have a Bering Optics Phenom scanner on order currently. I own all Bering Optics at the moment because of their quality, features, price, and warranty.
However, although I have no affiliation with Bering Optics, I have spent a lot of hours behind them in the last year. I help answer a lot of questions on this forum and others about them as well as other thermals that I have used or tested.
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I hunt regularly with a guy that runs a Mk3 60 and his image is definitely cleaner than my Hogster. Where mine is a bit pixilated, his has nice clean lines of delineation. Then again, I ain't photographing wildlife, I am shooting it - and the hogster image quality is more than sufficient to positively identify my target and place rounds accurately therein at ranges I can reasonable take a shot. My hunting is thick cover with close encounters, so my rifle and optic are set for that scenario.
The answer to that will be in native magnification and field of view - wider and lower is better for up close.
I had to make the same choice not long ago and went with the 35 for 2 primary reasons:
1. I could get it before the first hunt of the season, and could not the other.
2. It is the better fit, in my opinion, for short range shots and mid-range identifications.
Having not looked through a super, for me it came down to how much I cared about different color reticles (none) and how much I valued internal recording ($53.32.) I hear some of the other upgrades are good, but I've gotten kinda attached to my 35 so won't be spending the money to upgrade.
Be advised, these are often on backorder. I recommend you figure out what you want to put money on the proverbial counter.
I had to make the same choice not long ago and went with the 35 for 2 primary reasons:
1. I could get it before the first hunt of the season, and could not the other.
2. It is the better fit, in my opinion, for short range shots and mid-range identifications.
Having not looked through a super, for me it came down to how much I cared about different color reticles (none) and how much I valued internal recording ($53.32.) I hear some of the other upgrades are good, but I've gotten kinda attached to my 35 so won't be spending the money to upgrade.
Be advised, these are often on backorder. I recommend you figure out what you want to put money on the proverbial counter.
The 35 and Super Hogster look the same externally. Same size, weight, buttons, etc.
HOGSTER DIFFERENCES:
FOV: Super Hogster 7.5°, R-35 10.7°, R-25 14.9°
Base Magnification: Super Hogster 2.9x, R-35 2x, R-25 1.4x
Recording: Super Hogster Internal, R-35 and R-25 Video out
Wifi Integration for Super Hogster only (Android) including screen streaming and viewing/downloading videos and images
4 Additional Reticles with Super Hogster
Compass and Inclinometer included with Super Hogster only
12µm for Super Hogster vs 17µm for Hogster 35 and 25
Zero adjustments are smaller on the Super Hogster at .67" vs .94" and 1.34"
Super Hogster image doesn't degrade as much with digital zoom as the R-35 and R-25
The chart below compares them:
FOV and magnification is a personal choice. However the more a person hunts areas like heavily wooded areas where the field of view is somewhat limited, the more a wider FOV becomes critical. Also, the more a person hunts large groups of animals, such as large sounders of hogs, the more a wider FOV can be helpful.
As for comfortably shooting, the R-25 has a comfortable range (with PIP turned on) of around 150 yards. The R-35 to about 200 yards, and the Super Hogster to about 300. If you ask me would I rather shoot a coyote with the Super Hogster at 200 yards or the R-35, the answer is still the Super Hogster as the animal will look a lot bigger, and I can make a more precise, confident shot. However, if I have 50 hogs at 50-100 yards, and want to shoot at as many hogs as possible, I would go with the R-35. If I was hunting in heavy woods, I would go with the 25, etc.
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I went with the clip-on version. It's nice, but really wish they had an app, and Bluetooth/wifi so my buddies could see what I see via their phone/device.
The rail mount is the best option, assuming to have a hood/rail to mount it to. The nice thing about the clip on is that the scope if already zeroed... just clip it on and lett'r rip.
The Super Hogster does have wifi and does allow streaming/video feed via an Android app. I know Bering is considering a Super Hogster Clip on, but have no idea if or when this may actually happen.
I use the FLIR on a suppressed 300 AAC. Wicked cool to shoot multiples without them scattering. A collateral benefit for deer hunting is that I detach from my rifle and use the thermal before daylight to scan the area while I'm walking to my stand. I have spotted several bedded down that I am certain I would have blown out if it were not for the thermal.
