I admit I'm completely ignorant and am going to likely waste bank on this all, but I'm bitten by the hog hunting bug. There's no way I can justify this but darn it, take my money (I haven't had a hobby for decades and the entire family is behind this).

I'm hoping TexAgs can help eliminate some newbie mistakes for me.

So far I've enjoyed my two scopes (one NV and the other thermal), but sweeping the area with the rifle, especially with a group, seems less effective than NVG. We have been hog hunting in wide open pastures or along tree lines at distances from 25 to 170 yards. Most at 50-70 yards.

Can you help guide me with things like:

-To shoot: with a dual tube setup, would I flip up one side to then engage in a thermal scope OR would I keep both eyes in the tubes and use a "regular" non-NV/non-thermal scope? If so, wouldn't the tube get in the way between my eye and the scope? Or would I need to use a red dot or my Holosun 510c? I have a magnifier for my Holosun but wouldn't that get in the way of my tube?

Also, the Holosun may not hold up to a Bushmaster recoil? I'm thinking I may could use just a normal day scope?

-It appears these two keep coming up as the best:

Armasight PVS-7 3P Gen 3
and
ATN PS-15-3

I know ATN is sort of the Walmart quality in their scopes (I have two and they are "okay" and worked for my budget getting into this), but it sounds like their NVG are better received?

I'm thinking 3rd Gen, but P and autogated and white phosphor seem added/unneeded expense for being out away from the city. Maybe I'm wrong?

Budget with helmet, ears and aux light am hoping for under $10k.

Thanks in advance for your help!

What is your budget?

Budget is the starting point.

You will need

Helmet. Non ballistic. 299

Ear pro that fits under helmet or attaches next to helmet

Ir light for helmet.

Ir weapon laser with in house ir illuminator. Steiner a3 gets you started.

After all that now you can go monacle, duals or Binos

And you will need a Wilcox arm to hold the nv.

But after all that. Need to know budget.

And Pvs 7.......would not start there at all. Pvs14 is your starting point.

Budget trying to keep under $10k.

I already have a Team Wendy SAR helmet that I use for skiing but even though it has a NVG mount, unfortunately the ears won't work with it. I also have some Sordins that - nope, won't work either because they aren't the helmet kind. So there already I'm going to have to invest again

When you say weapon laser, I do already have green lasers on my guns but I'm thinking those would alert the pigs. I also have IR lights on them but I'm assuming I'll need to add one to the helmet. But can I use a regular day scope with the goggles?

If you already have a thermal scope and NV, why not pick up a thermal monocular for scanning (I carry a FLIR Breach) and save some dough?

Or maybe I misunderstand your question (?)

I use my NV on a helmet for navigation, the monocular for scanning and the thermal for killing

For under10k. I'll show you what I would do. Someone else can put their list together.

Helmet.

https://www.teamwendy.com/products/helmets-accessories/helmets/exfil-carbon

Ear pro.

Peltors or Sordin. Your choice

If you already have Sordin. Unity tactical makes wires and adapters for mount your Sordins to your helmet. The only thing is they are never in stock. So follow them on Instagram and add your name to the email alerts.

Ir light helmet.

https://www.surefire.com/products/illumination/weapon-lights/m300v-scout-light-weaponlight/

Monacle.

https://licentiaarmsco.com/product/pvs-14/

If you later want to run dual setup. Get another 14 and use the knights armament bridge.

https://licentiaarmsco.com/product/wilcox-g24/

https://licentiaarmsco.com/product/wilcox-j-arm/

https://licentiaarmsco.com/product/knights-armament-universal-bridge/

If you go binos. Well there went 10k quick without getting anything else.

Add counterweight to back of helmet. Your choice


Ir laser. Steiner A3. The least I would go with. Not the best ir illluminator. But it gets the job done. Be Meyers mawl is sweet. But $$$$$

Wilcox raid. $$$$ and is badder than the mawl. 3800
Pushing 10k really quick.

And everything everyone else said too.

Helmet mounted PVS 14 (single tube)
PVS 14

Helmet

Will want counterweights on the helmet to offset the NV
Counterweights

Use non dominant eye.
Will allow you to navigate (scan area, walk around) without sweeping area with weapon
Get additional IR illuminator on the helmet.
Can wear it for hours at a time.

Weapon mounted laser sight. - Inforce WMLx 700 Lumens Gen 2 White Light with IR
Inforce WMLx IR/700 Lumen

Weapon mounted IR illuminator - NFORCE WMLx 400 Lumens Gen 2 White Light with IR
Inforce WMLx IR/400 Lumen

Budget minded (IR Laser only)
Steiner OTAL-C IR Laser

Both IR and visible laser
Steiner DBAL-A3 Green Laser

Shoulder the rifle. Aim with the laser - when you see the dot on your intended target using your PVS 14, squeeze trigger. I shoot a suppressed rifle.
You don't look down the gun using the helmet mounted PVS 14 like a traditional optic.

With practice you can get out beyond 100 yards. Very effective inside 100 yards. Asa you stated most of your shots are 50-70 yards.

Edit : slow typing...LOL...

You can use some illuminated scopes with NV, if they have NV compatible settings (really low illum). Check the specs on what you own.

Visible laser is workable, but with your budget might as well get IR too. Additional IR ilum comes on many IR lasers, whether you need supplemental IR ilum is dependent on what range, conditions, and environment you are hunting in, and how good your onboard lasers ilum is.

A Mawl for example is less likely to need supplemental IR ilum than an ATPIAL.

ETA: and if the scope is mounted high enough. Getting down on a low mount scope with NV sucks. Between that and eye relief fun, I almost always prefer to shoot a red dot over magnified optic under NV if shooting passive.

texrover91 said:

---

If you already have a thermal scope and NV, why not pick up a thermal monocular for scanning (I carry a FLIR Breach and ave some dough?

Or maybe I misunderstand your question (?)

I use my NV on a helmet for navigation, the monocular for scanning and the thermal for killing

---

I second this. Since you already have nv and thermal, you likely understand you will see animals with thermal you will not see with NV.

If you want NV to navigate with and have a 10k budget, get a set of refurbished anvis 9s, mount them to the helmet you have and spend the leftover for a low res thermal monocular.

Curious why you say visible is a no go?

Given the huge difference between thermal and night vision, you may find you're still using your thermal scope to spot hogs. Most night vision amplifies existing light or supplements with an ir light. These are great in the open but struggle in thick cover. A handheld flashlight with a green/red filter may be more effective than that whole setup given the hog's inability to see those. And then you're not looking through a soda straw anymore.

I know, not tacticool, but you can use natural differences to your advantage here.

So if you want to find and kill hogs that are potentially tucked in foliage, I imagine the jump to thermal is the real game changer.

*Disclaimer: I've played with some of these things in the Marines, but don't own/hog hunt with anything more than a red light & illuminated reticle. On the ranch I hunt the game changer would be seeing heat through the cedar.

Thermal camera on a drone and a nice NV scope? If I was playing around with money and hogs, that is what I would do. Maybe just not during deer season for legal reasons.

Quote:

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Night vision goggles/helmet setup for hogs

---

Do hogs really need night vision and helmets?

skelso said:

---

Curious why you say visible is a no go?

---

Because I'm an idiot.

I only use my slaved vis to zero during the day and just use IR at night. Completely blanked on vis being useful at night too if you don't mind being seen. With his budget, I'd still recommend an IR laser too.

Ill edit first post.

Then you also have the helmet mountable thermals like the IRay and the new NOX by NVision that's due to come out soon so there are plenty of options. What I've found with my setup is that you don't need a Team Wendy helmet for 300 bones when there are helmets for about $70 that will do the job but given the budget OP is willing to spend whats another $200 or so. Im not sure a beginner would want to start with a duel setup but go for it if ya want. I have a EOTech EXPS3 with a dual IR/vis laser setup which includes an illuminator. I have an extra IR torch on the helmet for my PVS14. I shoot an AR pistol suppressed with subsonic hunting rounds so Im as quiet as I can get for the most part. It does take practice if you want to be able to use the EOTech superimposed but mostly I just use my laser.

Have for shopping OP. Get with EyeGuy and he can probably save you a ton of money like he did me. Like a previos poster said, the ANVIS 9's setup would be killer but the wait for those could be a while who knows. Have fun shopping OP. Its addictive once get these toys.

malenurse said:

---

Quote:

---

Night vision goggles/helmet setup for hogs

---

Do hogs really need night vision and helmets?

---

Of course not but it is pretty fun to have. I use a Pvs 14 mounted to a helmet for walking and getting to set up. I have a Trijicon ReapIR thermal on one of my hog rifles. I only use a single monocular to keep my depth perception and see my gear below.

Best option for night vision is an aiming laser and magnifier unless you have a clip on with your sight. Just point and shoot. The visible laser is just useful for sighting in or a large group at night when you turn on the lights and just use the laser.

https://instagr.am/p/CIyHET0hMw2

I got started down this road with this:

Used/home built PVS 14 with J arm - 2200
Free chinese helmet - 0
Upgraded pads - 20
Rhino 2 - 45
Counterweight -20
Perst 4 green/ir - 600
Leupold LTO 2 - 450

I'll end up buying a decent helmet and Wilcox dovetail mount. I don't need an illuminator but I think it'd be handy.
I am looking to add a small IR laser to my MK III and waiting on a stamp to finish my dillo killer. Overall, I am very happy with my "budget" kit.

For 10k, I personally would skip the budget helmet, buy a PVS 14 with a warranty, get a Perst 3 and better thermal scanner and/or thermal scope.

Depending on how you want to hunt you can buy a tripod, thermal scanner, and thermal scope so you can skip the laser and illuminator. Taking a shot is much easier with a tripod compared to using a laser. You can do both but you are adding a lot of weight to tote around.

Navigating at night with NV is incredible.

How do you like that Perst?

It is awesome. It's closer to a lightsaber than a laser pointer. Totally worth the wait, would buy again. If you buy one and find it's not for you, resale value is very high.

I cannot express how grateful I am to all of you for this huge boost to my green learning curve. I'm so much looking forward moving with this. I'll also see if I can pay EyeGuy a visit in Houston. Thanks much!

Can some one explain the Wilcox mount to me. Trying to determine the difference between the dovetail and j arm rhino mount?

I have a Wendy's helmet and pvs 14.

My family uses trijicon reap irs to great effect. We just take the scopes off for spotting and once we see hogs it takes about 5 seconds to mount back. Scopes have held zero no problem and have been reattached probably a couple hundred times at this point.

Wilcox and other folks make mounts that uses a bayonet or a dovetail. All the bayonet j arms I've used are pretty wiggly. I understand the dovetail is not so sloppy.

Bayonet mount: https://tnvc.com/shop/norotos-rhno-ii-bayonethorn-nvg-mount-assembly/
Bayonet J Arm: https://tnvc.com/shop/milspec-pvs-14-j-arm-2/

Dovetail mount: https://tnvc.com/shop/norotos-rhno-ii-dovetail-nvg-mount-assembly/
Dovetail J Arm: https://tnvc.com/shop/wilcox-anpvs-14-arm-w-nvg-interface-shoe/

This mount can use either: https://tnvc.com/shop/norotos-aka2-mount-w-interchangeable-interface-sockets/


Someone may chime in with better options. I'm still learning so it's probably a good idea to double check my info.

So my Wendy helmet has the built in Wilcox mount connector. So is there a big difference between that and the ones you mentioned?

Wilcox is just a brand. Great Neck and Snap-on both make a 10mm socket and 1/4" rachet. One brand may be of a higher quality than the other but both should work with each other just fine and interface with a 10mm nut or bolt head.

Wilcox is good to go. You should be able to fit any decent mount into that shroud/receiver. Don't know the exact correct name for that part.
Wilcox and Norotos also make mounts. Some use a bayonet and some use a dovetail.