A night hunt is a one-of-a-kind experience. Not only is it a wonderfully different experience than hunting during the day, but some animals, such as boar, are the most active in the early morning or late evening when there’s minimal sun. If this sounds like your type of scene, then a night vision scope is a must.
Even if hunting after dark isn’t your thing, it’s still a good idea to have this type of rifle scope for days with low light conditions and low visibility. This is especially true if your hunting tool of choice is a crossbow. However, picking the best crossbow scope for hunting is no small task. If you don’t know where to start looking for the best scope, you’ve come to the right place.
Keep reading to learn more about why you need a night vision scope for your crossbow hunting and discover the best night vision rifle scope for crossbow excursions.
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- Razor-Sharp Quality
- Enhanced Night Vision Mode
- Ballistic Calc
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- High-Resolution Display
- Great for day or night hunting
- Excellent for beginners
- Extremely customizable
Why Use a Night Vision Scope for Your Crossbow?
Crossbows have been used for hunting for thousands of years. They remain a distinctive, effective, and powerful method of hunting today and have evolved thanks to the ever-developing optics that enhance the crossbow experience. They are great for hunting deer at night!
A crossbow is a unique piece of artillery, which means it requires unique optics. A scope is one of the most useful accessories that you can choose for your crossbow, as they improve your aim and increase your chance of hitting your target successfully. The crossbow you have should align with your goals and hunting needs, which consequently makes choosing the right scope for your crossbow important.
It’s even more important to choose the right scope for your crossbow when you’re used to hunting in early mornings or late evenings, or if you’re not one to let low light conditions stop you. This is why it’s important to spend time choosing the right night vision scope for crossbow hunting.
Let’s take a look at your options.
Best Night Vision Scope for Crossbow Hunting
There are several options for those who want a night vision scope for their crossbow. The problem is that it becomes overwhelming to choose the best one for your hunting needs, especially if this will be your first one.
The good news is we’ve done a lot of the work for you and narrowed down the top contenders to give you an idea of what the best one for you is. Here are the 5 best crossbow night vision scopes.
- ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Hunting Scope w/ Ballistics Calc
- Night Owl Optics NightShot Digital Night Vision Riflescope
- Sightmark Wraith HD 4-32×50 Digital Riflescope
- OpticGuru ATN X-Sight-4k Night Scope
- Pulsar Thermion 2 Thermal Riflescope
1. ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Hunting Scope w/ Ballistics Calc
- Razor-Sharp Quality
- Enhanced Night Vision Mode
- Ballistic Calc
- Cost
To kick off our list of the best night vision scopes for crossbow users, we have the ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Hunting Scope w/ Ballistics Calc.
This scope delivers razor-sharp quality and enhanced image sensitivity, no matter what distance you’re at or the light conditions you’re hunting in. To take it one step further, turn on enhanced night vision mode, which brings any hidden prey into sharp focus for precise target acquisition in total darkness. Plus it is easy to zero. You can even read out guide on how to sight in a crossbow scope without shooting to make your accuracy even better!
Additionally, the ballistic calculator allows you to set up as many as six profiles to account for factors such as range, angle, temperature, and humidity to increase the accuracy of each shot. I also found that ATN has the best night vision scope for coyote hunting that I’ve tested.
What other features does this night vision scope have?
The ATN X-Sight 4K comes with all the bells and whistles, including Wi-Fi dual streaming, recoil-activated video, recording at 120 FPS, Smart Mil Dot Reticle, and ATN Radar.
What is the power like for the ATN X-Sight 4K?
This night vision scope has an ultra-low power consumption, as it features 18-plus hours of battery life. You can also get the ATN power weapon kit that provides up to 22 hours of continuous use.
2. Night Owl Optics NightShot Digital Night Vision Riflescope
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- High-Resolution Display
- Not very effective in dalylight
Next, we have the Night Owl Optics NightShot Digital Night Vision Riflescope.
The NightShot is an affordable and lightweight night vision scope with polymer construction. It’s weatherproof and has a high-resolution display for optimal view.
This easy-to-use night vision scope for crossbow users is intended to be used at a range of 100-200 yards in typical nighttime environments. The built-in infrared illuminator further improves visibility, and the 3x magnification helps make sure you single in on your target.
Can the Night Owl Optics NightShot be used for daytime hunting?
Although Night Owl says daytime use will not damage the scope, it isn’t as effective when used during the day. To make the best out of it, we recommend using this scope solely after sunset. Consider checking out our other list of the Best Crossbow Scopes if you want something better for daytime hunting.
What is the expected operating time of this night vision scope?
The Night Owl Optics NightShot is battery-powered. The expected operating time with good batteries is four hours with IR on high and seven hours with IR on low.
3. Sightmark Wraith HD 4-32×50 Digital Riflescope
- Great for day or night hunting
- Excellent for beginners
- Extremely customizable
- Short battery life (~4.5 hours)
Next on our list of the top night vision scopes for crossbows is the Sightmark Wraith HD 4-32×50 Digital Riflescope.
This small night vision scope is one of the best options for beginners who want something effective but not too complicated, as well as those who want the most versatile scope possible.
What makes this crossbow scope unique is that it is equally great for hunting during the day or night.Many shooters use it as a hog hunting night vision scope! That can’t be said for most scopes, even if they advertise otherwise. The advanced HD sensor provides full-color clarity in the day, and with the flick of a switch, you can get the same quality view in night mode with classic emerald or black-and-white viewing options.
You can customize this scope with 10 reticle options and nine color choices to fit your needs. It also comes with a removable IR illuminator and detects a range of up to 200 yards. Just make sure you understand the difference between a night vision scope vs thermal scope for hunting.
What is the battery life of the Sightmark Wraith?
The Sightmark Wraith takes 4 AA batteries, and the battery life is approximately 4.5 hours. That means it isn’t the most efficient night vision scope on this list, but it’s still beneficial for a short evening hunting trip.
Can you export photos and videos?
Yes! The Sightmark Wraith has a micro USB and memory card slots so you can record and export your footage. This also allows you to outboard additional memory supply.
4. OpticGuru ATN X-Sight-4k Night Scope
The last night vision scope for crossbows on our list is the OpticGuru ATN X-Sight-4k Night Scope.
This is one of the most expensive night vision scopes on the list, but it’s worth it if you have a big budget. This scope operates on an Obsidian IV dual-core processor and has an ultra HD sensor to satisfy a long hunting trip.
Use the ballistic feature to ensure that every shot is a kill. With the point of impact automatically adjusted, and taking your environment into consideration, all you have to do is focus on your shot. What’s more, you can have Wi-Fi streaming and video recording operating at the same time without sacrificing performance. Video is automatically stored so you can keep your hunting outing worry-free. Just make sure you know about sighting in a thermal scope or night vision scope!
What is the power life of the OpticGuru?
This night vision scope has an ultra-low power consumption with over 18 hours of active use, making it suitable for a whole day trip.
Night vision scopes aren’t your only option for a great night hunting experience. If you’re an avid night hunter and willing to splurge, you may appreciate a thermal crossbow scope for its enhanced capabilities.
Thermal Crossbow Scopes
As you may guess, thermal scopes, by default, work as night vision scopes. However, these types of scopes are significantly more expensive than other night vision scopes for crossbows. They don’t have an IR illuminator, and they are designed to read heat energy. Therefore, they have more expansive configurations. That being said, if you’re passionate about night hunting and regularly hunt in bushes, grass, or less than optimal weather conditions such as fog, then you can’t go wrong with the effectiveness of a thermal crossbow scope.
5. Pulsar Thermion 2 Thermal Riflescope
- First Class Performance
- Incredible Range
- Picture-in-picture Zoom
- Cost
The Pulsar Thermion 2 Thermal Riflescope is our pick for the best thermal night vision scope for crossbow users.
With a 1,975-yard detection range and 640×480 resolution, you can’t beat the performance of this scope. The picture-in-picture digital zoom and Stream Vision app make it easy to connect this scope to your smart device for a second screen, creating a full system.
With multiple ballistic features, this scope boasts versatility and ensures the comfort of the user. Although this is by far the most expensive night vision crossbow scope on this list, it might also be the most effective for serious night hunters.
How does the Pulsar Thermion 2 perform in bad weather?
This thermal scope performs well under all weather conditions: rain, fog, and general low visibility.
Features to Consider When Buying a Night Vision Scope for a Crossbow
Choosing a night vision scope for crossbow use takes a lot of research, and each option is unique. However, there are a few particular factors that you should consider when looking for the best night scope for your crossbow.
Lens Quality
As with any scope, your lens quality can make all the difference when it comes to how effective the scope is. This is even more important when it comes to nighttime hunting. For the best results, you should choose scopes with more coating for additional exhibition and more durability. Better yet, a nitrogen-filled lens scope prevents fog and moisture from affecting your vision.
Illumination
As you can imagine, illumination is one of the most important aspects of a night vision scope for crossbow use. This is a must after sunset in order to get the best view after dark. Unless you opt for a thermal crossbow scope, it’s a good idea to choose a scope with an illuminator, and maybe even multiple reticles.
Durability
As with all scopes, durability is important for crossbow scopes. Some shooters might think that durability should take a backseat in choosing a scope since a crossbow doesn’t have the same impact as a rifle, but this isn’t the case. You want to ensure that your scope is sturdy enough to handle the impact of your crossbow, so choose scopes made from strong materials such as aluminum and titanium. It also helps if your crossbow scope is waterproof, shockproof, and overall weatherproof.
Price
Last but not least, unless you have an unlimited budget, you want to ensure that you choose a night vision scope for crossbow hunting that stays within your budget. These types of scopes are naturally more expensive than regular scopes, and most can cost you at least a couple hundred dollars. However, the price tag doesn’t fully determine the effectiveness of the scope, especially considering that everyone’s needs are different. It’s more important to check out the scope’s features rather than its price. That being said, if you can afford a thermal scope and think you can get good use out of it, it’s worth investing in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put a night vision on a crossbow?
Which is better thermal or night vision scope?
Do you need a special scope for a crossbow?
Are crossbows accurate at 100 yards?
Conclusion
There you have it – our choices for the best night vision scope for crossbow users. Hopefully, you’re better able to make an informed decision on which scope is best for your low-light hunting. You’ll love the freedom that comes with hunting after sunset, and with the right scope, you’ll refine your overall hunting skills. Check out our list of the best low-light scopes for even more after-dusk options.
- Razor-Sharp Quality
- Enhanced Night Vision Mode
- Ballistic Calc
- Cost
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