Hunting is an activity that was relevant at every stage of society’s development. Previously, people who had no hunting experience or relevant knowledge in this field were engaged in hunting. The main goal of hunting at that time was to obtain food, raw materials for the manufacture of clothes, some furniture, and carpets. At the same time, they used quite primitive weapons, such as spears, homemade arrows, hammers, etc.
However, over time, the situation has changed somewhat. People began to realize that using spears and melee weapons in general was quite dangerous for a hunter. Animals became smarter and began to hide in impenetrable thickets, behind thick trees, that is, they created obstacles for hunters to hunt them. This contributed to the development of weapons used by hunters during hunting.
The use of firearms began, which made it possible to shoot at greater distances and directly affect the animal. However, weapons that not only had destructive properties, but also had a clear sight became the most widespread. The latter contributed to high precision hitting the target during hunting.
Hunting usually takes place during the day, when visibility is better, and the hunter feels more confident with the weapon. At the same time, over the last century there has been extraordinary progress in the development of weapons for hunting.
This applies, first, to night hunting. The activation of this development process is since many hunters have understood the advantages of hunting at night when animals do not expect to be disturbed. Such night vision devices include special lights (which are attached to weapons, feeders that track traces of blood), thermal imaging cameras and other optical devices.
However, since the main attribute of a hunter on every hunt is a weapon, the most important invention in this field can be considered a night vision sight, which we will get to know in more detail.
Table of Contents
Generations
Before the invention of night vision sights, numerous attempts were made to improve visibility in the area and approach certain objects with the help of various devices. Yes, they used ordinary binoculars and flashlights at first. The main purpose of the first was to expand the possibilities of human perception of the situation through the greatest approximation through the lens of what is happening at a certain distance.
The lantern attached to the weapon was also effective in use because the hunter no longer needed to think about lighting at night. However, even this type of lantern had its drawbacks. Their operation was short-lived since many of them are produced on solar batteries. In addition, an ordinary flashlight cannot be an effective assistant during night hunting, because it overlooks a significant area of the terrain that can only be seen using thermal imaging devices. It is the night vision scope that best copes with such tasks.
Important parameters
When choosing a night vision scope, you should pay attention to various parameters that will distinguish high-quality devices from mass market ones. Sights, as a type of night optics, make it possible to receive light even in the darkest night. They also work with light only from the stars or a small illumination from the moon.
The user of the night vision scope sees a well-lit area, and contours that are usually imperceptible in the dark become clearer and accessible for visual perception. Attention-grabbing features include a lens that zooms three times or more and helps you see far away from the object of its use. It is also important to have a variety of colors in the lighting, because animals perceive different colors differently.
For example, most animals do not perceive red light as a stimulus because they see it as gray. This allows you not to attract too much attention of animals and not to frighten potential prey in advance. In addition, an important option of sights is their long functioning. Yes, most scopes have a power supply that is autonomous and does not require constant recharging. This is done for the convenience of the hunter, so that he does not have to take additional ammunition with him for hunting.
Night vision scopes are advanced systems with an Internet connection that allows you to periodically update the software of the programs responsible for their operation. Before using the sight, it is necessary to check the presence of the above parameters and make sure that they all work and can be used effectively.
Price and features
Night vision scopes are a relatively inexpensive piece of equipment, ranging in price from $300 to $1,500 per unit. Their price differs not only from the material of manufacture, but also from the purpose for which they are used. Yes, the most expensive are the sights that are used for hunting and military purposes because they are equipped with the latest technology and are made of the highest quality material.
This is due to the specifics of the tasks and the conditions in which both hunters are on the hunt and soldiers during combat missions. There are also sights used to protect various infrastructure facilities. Their use is due to the importance of certain objects and the prevention of unauthorized access to their territory. In this case, the night vision sight allows you to see what is happening outside the object at a long distance.
And one more field of application of the night vision scope is search and rescue operations. The principle of application practically does not differ from that used in the protection of objects. The sight is also used for security reasons, to monitor the surrounding environment and know what is happening behind or ahead.
First-time use of night vision scope
Before using the night vision scope for the first time, you should carefully familiarize yourself with its operating instructions and check the completeness and quality of the product. After that, you can use it for your purposes.
Each sight, depending on the purpose of its use, has corresponding specific functions. For night hunting, it is recommended to use sights equipped with thermal imaging cameras. This will not only allow you to focus on the distant image the most and make the most accurate shot but will also give the hunter certain advantages on the ground.
It is primarily about the ability of thermal imagers to scan the terrain and detect objects with an increased temperature index compared to the environment in which the hunter is located. This will give the latter the opportunity to understand what is behind certain obstacles – bushes, trees, or other tall objects.
Thus, using a night vision scope is very effective when hunting at night. This is not only an additional opportunity to hit the target accurately, but also to ensure the visibility of the entire space around the hunter on the hunt. It is important to familiarize yourself with the properties of this device before using it and understand for what purposes you need it. A high-quality night vision scope must meet all the generally known parameters for this type of device, and its appropriate use is the key to successful hunting.
