I just recently got an AR this year and im ready to do some Night hunting for hogs. I am located in east texas and we got alot of hogs on our place. I just need some advice on the tactics to be succesfull. On our place there is a river and i know the hogs run up and down it so we are either covered in hogs or we have one or two stragglers. So im just looking for some night hunting advice. Any help is appreciated.
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Step 1. Set blind and feeder.
Step 2. Wait 10-12 days go set 1 hour before dark. Bring food, drinks, pee jug, blanket.
Step 3. Go to sleep.
Step 4. Pigs wake you up.
Step 5. Shoot pig.
Step 6. Go back to sleep.
Step 7. Pigs wake you up again.
Step 8. Shoot pig.
Step 9. Pack up and go back in the morning.
Done deal.
If you will go on a half moon night... When the moon comes up before dark, you won't even need a light. I go a week before the full moon... Skip the full moon, my pigs don't like coming out in it.Comment
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Warning! Long Post.
There are three way of going at it, I will discuss from least expensive to most expensive.
First Way: Big Optics. Lots of folks have noticed that a good pair of binoculars seem to see better in the dark than the naked eye. And they are right! A pair of 7 x 50 binoculars with coated lenses will allow you see pretty well on a clear night with a half moon, at least out to 100 yards. 12 x 50 will not do as well. The big objective lenses soak up a lot of light, but trying to magnify it too much reduces the image brightness. Get you a 4-7 x 50 scope on your rifle to match , and away you go. (warning, 50mm scopes will require extra high scope rings) High priced binoculars and scopes do a bit better, but a $50 scope and $50 Bushnell binoculars will get you out there shooting. With this arrangement, you can shoot hog sized targets out to 75 yards under a full moon. One note, due to an effect called 'apparent brightness' you will be able to see better with the binoculars than with the scope, despite the fact that they have the same power. For this reason, a more expensive scope mated with cheap binos, is the way to go.
First Technique with appendix. You can add illumination when shooting at hogs under a feeder. (does not work so well at free-range hogs) For some reason, you can shine a dim red or green flashlight at feeding hogs, and they will take little notice. Add a $35-45 'Hawg Light' to the above if shooting at hogs under a feeder to allow you to hunt on moonless nights.
Second Way: Cheap Light amplification and infrared laser. Get you a 2x night vision monocular for about $125, even better if it comes with a headset that will hold it over one eye. Then get an infrared aiming laser (airsoft $85, 850 nm, or make your own with lasers from e-bay). Anything over 750 nm wavelength. (humans can't see light beyond 650 nm, but the critters see a bit further into the spectrum) Don't need big power, 3 milliwatt to 5 milliwatt is fine, you are not shooting beyond 100 yards. The night vision scope will allow you see in low light, and allow you to see the infrared laser dot on the target. (by the way, this is how the GIs do it in Afganastan). If you are rich, night vision goggles (two tubes) work better.
Third Way. (Getting expensive now) Buy a $450 night vision scope that mounts right on your rifle. It will be big and bulky, but will have crosshairs you can see in the dark. Still need a partial moon (or a cloudy night and reflected lights from a nearby city).
Forth Way. (big dollars $$$$) Buy a $2000 thermal weapons sight. Works with no moon. Your city or county may require you to get a permit first, thermal sights are kind of in the same category as fully automatic weapons.
And there you have it: the big dummys guide to aiming in low light. Enjoy.Last edited by NightStalker; 02-05-2012, 11:35 PM.Comment
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If you have a good stand and feeder setup, get two or three of those $20 solar garden spotlights from lowes or home depot. Put one on each T post about 5 yards from the feeder. They come on at dark and usually stay pretty bright until 12-2am.Comment
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Get you something like this.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=604949
Set out some sensors in different areas and sit within a half a mile. Then run and gun when you hear the signal go off. If you put out mutiple sensors you'll just have to check all of them.Comment
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I love hunting a full moon. I shot this one Saturday night
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Nice hog!Comment
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Agree. Except for skipping the full moon. I guess its different on different properties, but I love hunting pigs under the moon...the brighter the better!Originally posted by Coach W View Post
Cant use any artificial light on our place because they are GONE as soon as you put ANY type of light on them. Guess Ive educated them after all these years and theyve come to expect a death squeal shortly after the lights hits near them
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We just placed 3rd in a hog contest this weekend. I was borrowing a friends gun (AR platform)
Generation 3 night vision scope.... I was using a D-740 AWESOME!!!!! I could see a 3am in the poring down rain as good as most can see at noon from their Leupold's. I spotted every hog we shot (8) at 700-1000 yrds in rain with absolutly ZERO lights.
Cost $2700-$4000 for generation 3, Generation 4 start around 5K. I'd have heard nothing but poor on Generation 1 equipment (around $400) most wont hold zero.
I going to bring the owner of the gun out next week and let him shoot, for letting me borrow......but he will be adding the suppressor!!!!! I dont have a permit for one, so I wasnt able to borrow that this weekend. I plan on killing every hog we seen this weekend. Only thing you hear the the fireing pin click might need a bigger trailer
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