Looking to dispatch some rats around the chicken coop. Besides buying nightvision scopes, what are the other options ?
What’s your setup for night hunting
- Thread starter swiper65
- Start date
You can set up red flood lights over the area where the rats are. They don't seem to mind the red colour lights. It worked for me until I got my PARD008 and that changes everything and gives me the upper hand.
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Infrared night vision scopes are cheaper now and days, infrared scope add on from eBay are descent and cheap. Thermal is still really expensive but the clones are starting to come and becoming cheaper. However a descent IR scope add on is what most people would need.
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I'm using the pard007. Its not a night vision scope. Its more of a night vision camera that attach to your own rifle scope to be able to use both day and night. It will also be able to record all your shots both day and night time. It will make your scope longer. I had to move my scope forward to use the pard007.
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Trouble lamp with red led bulb hung 5' above the bait station
aluminum foil wrapped around the light so I am not blinded
bait station is saucer size paper plates with peanut butter and chocolate chips microwave melted in to it
the white paper plate provides some contrast for the crosshairs
barbecue skewer driven through plate
Smart Home doorbell camera with motion detection set to send my phone an alert
I shoot from the breakfast bar so all the appliances in the house are blacked out, no lights whatsoever
low magnification on scope
I don't use the scopes illuminated reticle because there's enough light on the targets
Or get an ATN NV scope for $700
aluminum foil wrapped around the light so I am not blinded
bait station is saucer size paper plates with peanut butter and chocolate chips microwave melted in to it
the white paper plate provides some contrast for the crosshairs
barbecue skewer driven through plate
Smart Home doorbell camera with motion detection set to send my phone an alert
I shoot from the breakfast bar so all the appliances in the house are blacked out, no lights whatsoever
low magnification on scope
I don't use the scopes illuminated reticle because there's enough light on the targets
Or get an ATN NV scope for $700
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Buy one red varmint light and it’s game over. Nothing else to change on your daily shooter. 
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I have good success with the green light, and my eyes pick up the green better than the red, much like the green laser on my handgun...went green because higher visibility to human eye. The rats seem to "notice" the light, but doesn't stop me from picking them off
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If using green or red light just make sure to leave them on, all prey animals are more sensitive to motion so red light that moves with your rifle won’t work.
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That is my experience as well. I used a remote controlled red LED spotlight mounted on a tripod. When an alarm goes off, I turn on the light. The light is programmed to ramp to full brightness over 30 secs. The animals don't seem to mind it at all since the light is stationary. The light is bright enough for humans to easily see it (if you look directly at it) on a sunny afternoon day at 30 yards. It brightness is programable up to 9 watts with a 6 degree beam spread.
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I leave the red overhead light on all night cuz they definitely get startled by lights coming on. Sometimes startled works out OK for me but I'd rather not do it that way. I've seen motion in soft diffused porch light then hit them with 4000 lumen LED and one just stared for a little bit but it's unpredictable and you end up shooting a moving target.
Their hearing is ridiculously excellent so I am challenged to be quiet. Gotta know where all the furniture is and have all the clinky things put away.
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I've been pretty fortunate. Some of then seem to "notice" the green light on my gun, but they either look at it and freeze, or ignore it. Others seem to not even notice it.
I sat outside a tunnel they created under my garage and would nail at least 4 per night. Took quite a few nights, but the adults stopped showing up, and got a few youngsters. Then no activity at all...filled the hole and issue done.
I also frequently use the light at night and spot a fewraccoons, opossum, etc. Could easily pick them off, but they haven't been a nuisance to date.
I love the idea of a flood light that they get acclimated to...just never did it and never had to.
I sat outside a tunnel they created under my garage and would nail at least 4 per night. Took quite a few nights, but the adults stopped showing up, and got a few youngsters. Then no activity at all...filled the hole and issue done.
I also frequently use the light at night and spot a fewraccoons, opossum, etc. Could easily pick them off, but they haven't been a nuisance to date.
I love the idea of a flood light that they get acclimated to...just never did it and never had to.
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Cool shooting and the nuisance is gone, congratulations. I LIKE the idea of having a flashlight on the gun but these rats are few and far between and I rely on the camera, guess I could dispense with constant light since the cam has infrared live stream? Hoping for another tonight.
Here's last nights victim, only 13 seconds and no stupid music:
https://youtu.be/Vz2HboQ-tU8
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Skunks are an exception in my area. They can care less about what color or brightness the light is. They completely ignore the light and dare you to take a shot and smell up the neighborhood.
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Love the camera clarity. Fun to watch them get smacked away like that!
Keep up the good work!
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Glenroiland,
Thank You Sir. It doesn't feel like work and I love it. Back at it this morning.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shooting
Thank You Sir. It doesn't feel like work and I love it. Back at it this morning.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shooting
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