Best Thermal Scopes for Coyote Hunting

Why should you listen to me, though? Well, I have done plenty of coyote hunting and hours of research into the technical aspects of these scopes. I know how confusing it can be to put two scopes against each other and not really understand the difference between them before purchasing.

Based on my own experience and research, I will do my best to ensure that is not the case for you.

1. Most Affordable: ATN Thor LT

2. Most Advanced Features: Pulsar Trail 2 LRF XP50

3. Best Value: ATN Thor 4 1-10x

The ATN Thor 4 is likely the best bang for your buck. This scope uses ATN’s 4th gen 640 x 480 thermal sensors and has a refresh rate of 60 Hz.

You can choose different options for your magnification. The lowest level is a 1 – 10x lens, and the highest is 4 – 40x, which is incredible. This scope weighs slightly more than most, but with the extreme magnification and high-quality imaging, it is worth it.

This scope is also capable of recording your hunt. It supports a 64 Gb SD card which will store your 1280 x 720 HD footage. It also supports WiFi streaming, so your friends can see what the scope sees on their phones. This scope also comes equipped with a built-in smart range finder, ballistics calculator, and 16-hour long battery life.

4. Highest Image Quality: Trijicon REAP-IR 35mm

5. Most Compact: AGM Global Vision Varmint LRF

6. Most Versatile: AGM Global Vision Rattler

7. Longest Detection Range: Pulsar Thermion 2 XQ50

8. Also Great: Burris BTS 50

9. Also Great: Steiner eOptics Nighthunter S35

If you plan on hunting coyotes at night, you will need either a thermal scope or a night vision scope to see them. The differences between the two can be confusing for a beginner, so let’s break down both types of scopes and see which one is better.

Night Vision vs. Thermal Scopes

• Thermal scopes do not need any additional light sources
• Thermal scopes can be used during the day or night, whereas daylight can potentially damage a night vision scope
• Night vision scopes have better image clarity and allow you to see the details of your target farther away.
• Thermal scopes significantly contrast the target and the rest of the picture, making it easier to see, and night vision does not.
• Thermal scopes only look at heat and, therefore, can cut through camouflage or dense fog.
• Targets standing still are harder to recognize with night vision

Now that you have a good idea of what a thermal scope is and how it works, you need to know what to look for before you purchase one. There are a lot of features that are very important in the best thermal rifle scope, but there are also extra things to consider.

We will start with those extra or subjective aspects and then dive into the must-have elements of a thermal scope.

Magnification

However, there is a digital continuous zoom. It is fairly common to see digital zoom capabilities go as high as 8x.

If you have ever played around with cameras, you probably know that digital zoom is not nearly as good as optical zoom. All digital zoom does is make the picture that your optics acquire bigger. You do not get any added resolution, so this can also make the picture more blurry.

I still think digital zoom does more good than bad, though. Zooming in will not allow you to count the hairs on a yote’s snout, but it will let you get a better idea of the overall body shape of a target and could help you distinguish a coyote from a hog or deer at a distance.

Color Mode Options

Reticle Options

Multiple Zeros

More expensive scopes can have dozens of extra features. One of those is a multiple zero setting. This is something you will have to set up at the shooting range before a hunt.

In essence, you can sight in your scope and set your zero like you normally would with any scope, save the settings on a preset, and then re-zero your scope for a different range and save that to another preset setting.

Range Finder

These are the fundamental aspects of a thermal scope. These qualities will vary depending on how much you are willing to spend on a scope. In this section, we will cover all of those aspects and see which ones are non-negotiable for you.

Image Quality

Pixel Pitch

Pixel pitch is the distance between two pixel-sized thermal sensors. These are measured in microns or micrometers(0.000001 of a meter).

Typical measurements are 12, 17, and up to 35 microns. The smaller the number, the better. A 12-micron scope could fit the same amount of pixels as a 17-micron scope but in a smaller space. Usually, the smaller the number, the higher the image quality of the scope.

Refresh Rate

The next thing to look at is the refresh rate. The refresh rate is simply how many times a second your picture is refreshed.

The three standard refresh rates are 30, 50, and 60 Hz. A higher refresh rate will give you a crisp picture that looks good, and 30 Hz will give you a standard view but will save battery life comparatively.

Field of View

Glass Clarity

Durability

Battery Life

Depending on how much you want to spend, there are a few thermal scope features you might be giving up. In this section, we will help you recognize what you can get at a range of price points so you can decide how much you want to spend on the right thermal scope.

$1000

• Low Resolution at Low Refresh Rate – A cheaper scope is expected to have a lower quality image, and with a lower refresh rate, that image will not be as crisp. Typical resolution values in this price range are 320 x 240 or lower, with a 30 Hz refresh rate.
• Higher Pixel Pitch and Bulkier Build – The thermal sensors are farther apart with a higher pixel pitch, which means you need more space for the sensors. This will make the scope a little larger.
• Lower Magnification Options – These scopes may depend more on digital magnification than optical zoom, giving a poorer quality image at a distance.
• Limited Reticle Options – You may get a couple of reticle options or just one at this price range.
• Limited Color Schemes – Color modes at this price range will likely be limited to white hot or black hot, but some scopes will have additional modes.

$2500

• Many Reticle Options – some scopes have as many as 9 reticle options.
• Multiple Color Schemes – some scopes have as many as 6 color modes.
• Rigorous Waterproofing & Shockproof Certifications – Many scopes are IPX7 certified waterproof and shockproof.
• 12 or 17 Micron Pixel Pitch – the lower the pixel pitch, the better, but some scopes in this price range may still have a 17-micron pixel pitch.
• Higher Thermal Resolution – you can expect at least 320 x 240 resolution, with many scopes reaching 640 x 480.
• Quality Construction – Most of these scopes are built from aircraft-grade aluminum and can certainly take a hit or two.
• Higher Magnification – with the addition of an adjustable lens from the factory, some scopes in this range can get up to 40x magnification.
• Built-in Laser Range Finder – some scopes in this price range may offer a built-in rangefinder, but not all.
• Ballistic Calculator – a high-quality thermal scope is able to make ballistic calculations with a little user input. This means if you are shooting at a distance, your reticle will move to where you should shoot instead of zero. This is not usually needed under a couple hundred yards but is useful at long ranges.

$5000+

• The Above Qualities
• A Highly Trusted & Respected Name
• Extremely High-Quality Materials – these scopes will be even more rugged and stronger than the former category.
• 12 Micron Pixel Pitch – this is the best pixel pitch available, which is expected at this price.
• Higher Thermal Resolution – 640 x 480 thermal imaging at a 50 to 60 Hz refresh rate.
• Multiple Zero Settings – some scopes at this price range allow you to save various zero settings to change your rifle’s zero with the press of a button while in the field. Here is a list of links to manufacturer sources for each scope. Check them out if you want to learn more about a particular scope or available variants.

We have certainly used a lot of thermal imaging scopes in our day, but not every single one on the market. We try to do as many hands-on reviews as possible, but sometimes we have to rely on other expert online reviews or customer reviews. Nonetheless, we have handled most products listed here or talked to an expert who has. You can be confident that anything you see here will be worth your while and effective in the field.

1. Cover Photo
2. ATN Thor LT
3. ATN Thor 4
4. Pulsar Thermion XM50
5. Trijicon REAP-IR 35mm
6. AGM Global Vision Varmint LRF
7. AGM Global Vision Rattler
8. Burris BTS 50 3.3-13.2x50mm
9. Pulsar Trail 2 LRF XP50
10. Steiner eOptics Nighthunter S35