Night hunting is a favorite pastime for me and millions of other people. It gives unforgettable emotions, increases self-esteem, and allows you to test your strength. To carry it out, you will need night vision scopes. They will improve visibility in the dark, simplify the aiming process, and help reduce the percentage of inaccurate shots. After reading or hearing about all these advantages of night optics, always remember possible problems. I want to explain them in more detail and share practical ways to correct the situation.
1. Strong recoil from shotguns
While hunting at night, you have probably encountered the phenomenon of recoil. It occurs during a shot and often negatively affects the condition of the night vision optics used. Lenses and various optical components suffer the most from recoil. These structural elements of your scope sometimes cannot withstand the sudden movement of the shotguns, causing them to change their position or crack involuntarily. Such problems lead to serious negative consequences and degrade the sight’s performance. If there are cracks in the lenses, optical distortions become inevitable, resulting from the inability of the damaged scope to capture and transmit light typically. As a result, the image you see becomes blurry and less bright. Once the image quality in the night vision scope’s eyepiece drops, detecting and identifying animals becomes difficult. In addition, this problem leads to specific difficulties with aiming.
You can only solve the problem with recoil by purchasing night vision scopes with maximum structural strength. They will be able to withstand the sharp movements of shotguns without any issues, even in cases where the weapon is used repeatedly. Such optics are always made of unique impact-resistant materials. They resist strong recoil well and ensure efficient operation of the sight over a long period.
2. Fragility of night vision devices
Any night vision scope is a perfect device where each design element performs a specific function. If one gets damaged or even breaks down, the entire mechanism stops. Some parts in such sights are so fragile that they can fail from the slightest blow. Naturally, they are protected by the device’s body, but sometimes its capabilities may not be enough. Night vision sights with an electron-optical converter design are considered the most fragile. A vacuum glass vessel can crack even from minor mechanical stress. In addition, vibrations that occur when you fire many shots can damage it.
It’s up to the manufacturers to solve the problem of night vision scope fragility, not you. You need to use night optics carefully and not subject them to mechanical stress. Pay special attention to transporting the scope to the hunting location. Protect it as much as possible from vibrations and contact with various solid objects. In addition, you can take a closer look at the digital models. Their design does not have an electron-optical converter, making them less fragile.
3. Negative effects of bright light
For your night vision scope to work effectively and its internal components to remain undamaged for as long as possible, you must protect the device from exposure to bright light. The fact is that almost any night optics is initially configured to work in low light conditions. If any bright object appears in its field of vision, then irreversible changes occur in some structural elements. The consequence is a breakdown of the entire device. Therefore, only if you want to remove your night vision scope permanently, never point it at street lamps, car headlights, lit fires, or other bright objects.
You won’t always be able to eliminate the bright light source, so try not to remove the protective cover from the scope until you use it. Also, be sure to close the lens immediately after shooting. An alternative solution to the problem is to purchase digital models. Very often, they have a function of protection against exposure to bright light, so they do not fail even if you accidentally point the optics at a flashlight, car headlights, or a fire. This helpful option is present in all devices produced by the most well-known manufacturers. They are constantly improving their products and making them as adaptable as possible for use in any condition.
4. Design Complexity
If you look inside a night vision scope, you will immediately notice the complexity of its design. It contains a large number of small parts and various mechanisms that are responsible for the operation of the device. A breakdown or malfunction in one of them will make the regular operation of the optics impossible or will altogether disable it. Considering the above, try not to interfere with the operation of the sight and do not attempt to do repairs yourself. Otherwise, you can permanently damage expensive equipment, after which its repair will become impossible.
When hunting at night, the problem of the complexity of the sight design can be especially pressing. Because of this, you will not be able to start the device if it suddenly refuses to work. The latter can happen for dozens of reasons, from improper operation of night optics to factory defects. Solving such problems on your own will be challenging, but it is quite possible to prevent their occurrence. To do this, you only need to buy night vision scopes from trusted manufacturers. Their products will always be distinguished by maximum reliability and durability. It can work effectively in any situation, no matter its design’s complexity.
5. Non-identical batteries
Indeed, during a night hunt, you have at least once encountered a situation where the night vision scope is turned off due to battery problems. This could happen due to mechanical damage, exposure to moisture, and simple depletion of energy reserves. In all cases, your only chance to continue night hunting was to replace the batteries. Choosing them is as essential an undertaking as purchasing the scope itself. If you purchase and use non-identical batteries or accumulators, the chances of restarting your optics will be minimal. The fact is that most manufacturers of night vision devices try in any way to uniqueize their products. To do this, they change the design and internal structure and create special batteries with which the optics can work. This often leads to a situation where installing a battery from one night sight to another becomes unsafe. The main danger lies in the voltage difference, so the device may stop working forever.
This problem can be solved by purchasing several spare batteries, which the manufacturer of the night vision scope recommends. In all respects, they will correspond to the models used in the device, so replacing them will be as simple and safe as possible. In this case, even a complete discharge of the used battery will not force you to end the night hunt prematurely.
6. Fear of moisture
Night hunting is full of pleasant and unpleasant surprises. Among the latter, the hunter most often worries about unfavorable weather conditions. Because of them, night vision scopes may stop working, and you must return home. To avoid this, you must always remember that optics fear moisture. Even a tiny drop of water on the internal parts of the structure will be enough to turn off expensive equipment. To protect the device, manufacturers create a sealed case. It is made from moisture-resistant materials that retain their properties for as long as possible. However, during the operation of night vision scopes, microcracks appear in their housing, through which water can leak.
To ensure that your scope is comfortable with snow, rain, fog, or high air humidity, you must adhere to a few simple rules for its operation. First, you should always use protective covers. They must be removed only before using night optics and put on immediately after shooting. Secondly, hunting from a previously prepared shelter is better in bad weather. It will protect not only the scope but also you from water. Thirdly, thoroughly wipe the device’s body with a dry cloth after completing the hunt. It will remove all drops of water and eliminate the possibility of damage to internal parts of the structure. The same should be done after routine cleaning of the optics. And lastly, you need to find out in advance from the seller of night vision scopes the degree of moisture protection. If it is not high enough, I advise you to refuse the purchase and look for more suitable options.
Telling you about possible problems with night optics, I was once again convinced that with the right approach to business, you can overcome all difficulties and achieve the desired success. I hope the article you read has made you even more interested in hunting and finally convinced you of the need to use a night vision scope. If genuine, share the information received and express your opinion on this issue in the comments.