Night vision scope in woodland.

[hunta]

I have asked a similar question before so am hoping that people's recent experiences may help me make a choice.
I shoot across 50% wooded terrain and 50% open fields typically surrounded by high hedges and trees. I stalk several deer species and foxes/vermin over this area. I already have a couple of thermal scopes for vermin control but would like to try an NV scope for better ID to use particularly at night and occasionally in daylight.
My particular concern is shooting vermin along woodland rides and in more open areas of woodland. How much will the scope be affected by white out? Should l use LED or laser illumination? Would it be better to use spot or flood? Should the illuminator have variable power settings? Which NV scopes would work best in woodland?

 

[Rural Management Services]

HIK alpex 4k is the current market leader, but there are new alternatives arriving nearly monthly at the moment. Also as HIk have just dropped the price by £200 there is an assumption that a new model
Is due out.

With regards to white out I rarely use IR with the alpex and certainly never for deer. It gathers enough light to used for deer during UK legal stalking hours.

I also assume that when you are referring to white out you are worried about IR splash on stuff like branches and similar? There isn’t an easy answer to this, but generally IR in woodland needs to be used sparingly if at all.

 

[slider]

I'm using a DNT Zulus 5-20, having moved on from a Pulsat C50 with seperate IR torch.
I saved over a kg of weight and have a much less bulky scope, with LRF, decent IR torch and ballustic calculator all built in.

 

[hunta]

Thanks for your replies. I have been considering the Alpex 4K and the DNT Zulus. I did wonder about trying the Zulus as a spotter to improve ID when out with rifle and thermal scope. Rural Management Supplies. I see you are fairly local to me. I have read some of your reviews with interest. Do you have an Alpex or Zulus that l could have a look through?

 

[Rural Management Services]

I have an Alpex 4k and yes you are welcome

 

[hunta]

I have an Alpex 4k and yes you are welcome

Will PM you

 

[Dari]

Have you consider using something like HIKMICRO Habrok?

You have 4K colour daylight and black&white night vision channel. Plus, thermal channel.
There are several different models, each one with different thermal channel.

For your type of hunting Habrok HQ35 4K would probably be the best choice.

 

[hunta]

Hi Dari,
Yes l have considered the Habrok HQ35. As you say it seems a good compromise for me. Would be interested to know if the NV + IR is effective in woodland after dark. Also what range they will ID stuff on open ground at night. Like the scopes l would like to see through some.

 

[Rural Management Services]

Hi Dari,
Yes l have considered the Habrok HQ35. As you say it seems a good compromise for me. Would be interested to know if the NV + IR is effective in woodland after dark. Also what range they will ID stuff on open ground at night. Like the scopes l would like to see through some.

Thread 'HIK Habrok HQ35 4K Review'

Aug 24, 2025

Following on from previous reviews of HIK Habrok products, I thought I’d give an update on their latest release. While it’s technically a new product, it’s actually the love child of two existing ones. The HQ35 4K is the optical channel from the HE25, and the thermal channel is from the first-generation HQ35.

Now, even though it’s basically two existing products, it’s the best of both worlds. For the first time, the Habrok is a viable product for deer stalkers.

The first-generation Habrok had decent thermal and an all-in-one format, but the optical channel was poor and didn’t allow me to...

• Rural Management Services
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Equipment & Accessories

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[hunta]

Thanks RMS. Great review and as you say a good deer stalkers binocular. Probably not for me as l would like to use at night to confirm ID at distances beyond the Habrok's IR. Most of my stalking is dawn/dusk in and around woodland so it could be that the Alpex 4k (or the new Nocpix Nite? ) is the way to go. Can then carry on looking for a fox after dark.

 

[Smellydog]

@hunta
Post in thread 'Fallow rut??' Fallow rut??

 

[hunta]

@hunta
Post in thread 'Fallow rut??' Fallow rut??

Interesting thread and a good video from your Zulus showing the effect of IR splash from near by vegetation. Thanks.

 

[Tim.243]

Interesting thread and a good video from your Zulus showing the effect of IR splash from near by vegetation. Thanks.

I shot with a friend his wood for 4 years, a few stats, we did the first year with his Swro bins (and I give him his due) he was very good with them.
Then took my thermal spotter the stats went from %35 to %65 with him starting to want to see why I had jabbed him with my sticks to "stop" so I passed them over which takes time and a number of deer crossed the small rides with out him set up.
We shot in turns unless the other person had no line of sight but with the thermal that stat went up.
On the trips we did in the afternoons I took the .243 with my Drone 10 (digital scope) as many times on the way back there was not enough light for his scope yet mine was just fine. The wood is long gone to the clutches of a company but we still chat about "that muntjac"
The usual jab to stop him "what" with a shrug of the shoulders, "there" "where ****ing there" " get out the way lol" "bang" "there you blind twit"
I never took the IR as he was not sold on using it but my Armsight IR has 4 setting and sure the low one would have been fine.

 

[hunta]

@Tim.243 A friend of mine has a drone 10 and same as you often uses it for an evening stalk and then fits the IR for the foxes later. He has used his pbirX on low power in the woods and can see pretty well.
Thanks for the input