Best Thermal Monoculars & Night Lights for Hog Hunting in the South
Hogs feed at night, and in a humid Southern pasture or a palmetto-choked creek bottom you can't shoot what you can't find. Most night hunters end up with two tools: a thermal monocular to find hogs, and a light (or a night-vision or thermal scope) to identify and shoot. Here are the scanners and lights worth a look, based on published specs.
Thermal monoculars compared
| Monocular | Sensor | NETD | Lens / Mag | Detection (maker) | Battery | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulsar Axion 2 XQ35 Pro Best for open fields Check price → | 384×288, 17µm | <25 mK | 35mm F1.0 / 2–8x | 1,300 m | APS5 removable, up to 11 hr | IPX7 |
| HIKMICRO Lynx 2.0 LH19 Best all-rounder Check price → | 384×288, 12µm | <20 mK | 19mm F1.0 / 1.8–14.4x | 900 m | Replaceable, up to 6.5 hr | IP67 |
| AGM Taipan TM10-256 Best budget Check price → | 256×192, 12µm | <35 mK | 10mm F1.0 / 1–8x | 410 m (6 ft object) | Built-in, up to 8 hr | IP67 |
Specs from Pulsar, the HIKMICRO LH19 2.0 datasheet and AGM. Detection range is a maker's best case for a large target; real-world identification distance is much shorter. Prices move a lot in this category, so check current pricing.
1. Pulsar Axion 2 XQ35 Pro: best for big pastures and ag fields
Who it's for: hunters glassing cattle pasture, peanut and corn fields, and cut-overs where hogs show up at long distance. The 35mm F1.0 lens and <25 mK sensor give it the longest listed detection range here, and Pulsar specifically pitches it for rain, fog and high humidity, which is most Southern nights. The APS5 battery pops out, so you can carry a spare.
- Longest listed detection range here (1,300 m)
- Swappable battery, rated up to 11 hours
- The 10.7° field of view is narrower than the LH19's, so scanning close cover takes longer
- Most expensive of the three
Check price on Axion 2 XQ35 Pro → Pulsar
2. HIKMICRO Lynx 2.0 LH19: best all-rounder for woods and fields
Who it's for: hunters who scan everything from 40-yard creek crossings to a few hundred yards of pasture. It pairs a 384×288 12µm sensor with <20 mK sensitivity, a sharp 1024×768 OLED display, a manual focus ring and a 13.7° field of view. The battery is replaceable, and it records video and audio to 16GB of built-in storage.
- Most sensitive sensor of the three, and the best display
- Wider view for close-cover scanning
- Shorter rated battery life (6.5 hr)
Check price on Lynx 2.0 LH19 → HIKMICRO
3. AGM Taipan TM10-256: best budget scanner
Who it's for: anyone getting into thermal for blood-trailing, checking a feeder from the truck, or close-range scanning in thick Southern cover. It uses a 256×192 sensor and a wide 18° field of view, weighs 0.57 lb and is rated IP67. It won't pick out hogs at 1,000 yards, but in palmettos and planted pines you rarely get that kind of distance anyway.
- Wide field of view for close cover
- Light and compact
- Lower resolution; the battery is built in
Check price on Taipan TM10-256 → AGM Global Vision
Night-hunting lights: the low-cost way in
If thermal isn't in the budget, a quality colored light on your rifle is how a lot of Southern hog hunters still do it. Hogs are generally thought to be less bothered by red or green light than by white.
- Wicked Lights A67iC: a green, red and white LED kit with adjustable focus and full intensity control. Wicked claims about 400 yards of visibility. No IR. Check price on A67iC → Wicked Lights
- Predator Tactics Coyote Reaper: interchangeable color modules, adjustable focus and intensity control, rechargeable 18650 batteries. Predator Tactics claims up to 500 yards on green and 400 on red, and sells an 850nm IR kit for use with digital night vision. Check price on Coyote Reaper → Predator Tactics
Light specs from Wicked Lights and Predator Tactics.
Southern night-hunting notes
- Know the law first. In Florida, wild hogs on private land are treated as livestock of the landowner, and night hunting rules on public land differ by WMA. Georgia, Alabama and Texas each have their own rules on night hunting and lights. Check your state wildlife agency before you go out.
- Humidity hurts thermal contrast. On muggy August nights, when the ground is nearly as warm as a hog, every thermal looks worse than it does on a cool winter night. Sensitivity (the lower the mK, the better) helps the most here.
- Scan, then confirm. Use thermal to find heat and confirm the target before you shoot. Cows, deer, dogs and people all glow too.
- Rinse and dry after hunts in salt marsh or heavy dew, and store devices with a desiccant pack.
FAQ
Do I need a thermal monocular for hog hunting?
Most night hunters use two tools: a thermal monocular to find hogs and a light, night-vision or thermal scope to identify and shoot. If thermal isn't in the budget, a quality colored light on the rifle is how many Southern hog hunters still do it.
Which thermal monocular is best for close Southern cover?
The HIKMICRO Lynx 2.0 LH19 is our all-rounder, with a wider 13.7° field of view for close-cover scanning. The AGM Taipan TM10-256 is the budget choice, with a wide 18° field of view.
What color light is best for hunting hogs at night?
Hogs are generally thought to be less bothered by red or green light than by white.
How accurate are thermal detection ranges?
Detection range is a maker's best case for a large target. Real-world identification distance is much shorter.
