Thanks for all the input. I think that after reading you guys stuff, most are reco'ing not cheaping out with the Arken NV and to go thermal. I kinda like that cheap Wraith thermal that 10GA linked, as for not going whole hog on something that I won't use much. And the fact that it takes cr123's is a plus to me. Not having to worry about charging an internal and already having a bunch around for my headlights and flashlights seems good for only using a little. So, if I pull the plug on the Wraith thermal, what handheld should I be looking at? I can see THAT getting a lot more use around here than the scope. Is a monocular hard on your vision at night, or would thermal binocs be a better way to go? Keep it coming.....
Your handheld will see a lot more use than the thermal or NV weapon sight, and for that item I would highly recommend thermal. For detecting, you don't really need a lot of clarity, the thing just alerts you to the presence of something that might merit a little attention. There's nothing at all wrong with a higher quality thermal monocular if it doesn't hurt your pocketbook, but you can get by with something pretty utilitarian. You really do need to be able to identify something before you shoot it, of course, so either your scanner (or monocular) needs to be up to snuff or the weapon sight does. I am not suggesting that a thermal monocular typically will leave you guessing, but sometimes you may not be sure what you're looking at. For hog hunting down here, you get pretty good at making that call by the way the critters move and behave but you just can't be too careful when the only things you should be shooting at are hogs and coyotes and such.
A monocular IS hard on your vision at night. It will desensitize your eye for a little while and it can take five or ten minutes before your normal vision returns. I've never used a thermal or NV binocular myself, but it seems to me your vision would be totally wiped out in both eyes for a while and even if you just take a quick peek around. I'd rather have at least one good eye all the time.
I use a Pulsar Axion Key XM30 as a scanner. It was about $1350 or thereabouts, best I can recall. I've said it before and I'll say it again, that is the last of my night hunting equipment I'd want to give up. I have a quite nice Pulsar thermal scope on my night gun and I like it very much, but I'd give it up and go back to digital night vision before I'd give up that little thermal scanner. It's just too useful and makes night hunting MUCH easier.
