The new IR illuminator is a tad better but had 3 pigs in the woods on the edge of a pasture, could see em plain as day at 200 yards with the thermal but had to get up to under 100 to see them with the NV and even then I just couldn’t get a confident shot.
Lesson for the day? Thermal is king.
Edit to add; the new IR illuminator is maybe a whole bunch better if you use it as intended. I had it focused all the way in thinking that was giving me the spotlight but instead that was the flood mode. Just mounted it on a more even plane with the scope and tried it on actual spot light mode and I can see trees and past trees out to about 200 yards now. I might make this work after all.
Make sure your light is shining the same direction that your scope is looking as well.
If you have an adjustable mount for the light, you have to "sight it in" so to speak to aim where you are looking. With a good light, and a tight beam, you should be able to see much, much further than you can shoot. I have no trouble seeing 800 plus yards with mine.
