I'm looking to get a scope before next fall. I've always wanted a thermal. Would it or night vision be the best bet? I'll be hunting mostly field edge type areas but I will be hunting next to a lot of woods/thick nasty cover. Would love to hear if someone has tried them both and which they prefer. I would like to be able to see and shoot up to 300 yards, if that's possible.

I have a pulsar xq30 thermal. You can see animals partially obscured by trees or brush that are difficult to see with the naked eye. I can see coyotes and differentiate from whitetail at ranges exceeding 500 yards. It's been about 15 years since I've used anything with night vision so can't help you there. It should be noted that range estimation is more difficult using thermal rather than lights (at least for me). You don't spook game with the thermal though.

How far can you shoot with it? Anything you dislike?

Had it on my 204 tikka and had it zeroed at 200 yds. The poi shifted though and I didn't realize why until I went to move it to my 17 WSM, poor fit between mount and rail on the tikka, and the stock mount can't be adjusted like you can moving individual mounts along the tube of a standard gun scope. The 17 has a different rail configuration that the scope matches up with better. Short battery life with the cr123a batteries so I purchased the external battery pack which works pretty well. It is fairly heavy for scanning, I started calling standing up so I can r st it on a tripod. Have shot a few varmints using the scope - coyotes, coon, etc. it's a 2 to 8 zoom the image becomes very pixelated around 4 power I usually use it at 2 power and use the picture in picture for shooting. I use a pop can with warm water in it for siting in. Since mounting on the 17 haven't noticed a poi shift. Kind of rambling response but it's a pain editing on my phone.

I can tell you from using gen 2 night vision as well as thermal that unless you use it the entire time while scanning etc it ruins your night vision. Every time you take your eyes away it’s like someone turning your bedroom light on in your eyes as soon as you wake up in the pitch dark. I always got a massive headache within an hour of hunting. I went back to using a light. My partner had a $10k thermal setup (scope and monocular) and sold them and switched back. We both currently use the Foxpro Fireye for scanning and scope mounted lights from Wicked Hunting Lights.

I've been researching and the deeper I go, The more confused I get. Can you easily see predators from a good distance with the NV? I would like to easily be able to see an animal without having to study for a while to find it.

spend some time over at ar15.com. they have a Night Vision subforum. i spend a lot of time there.

I've checked that site out some, it's got a lot of info.

so, i'll just throw this bit of info out... i use a couple of MOD3B's. i like them a lot. they are helmet mounted and i use various IR lasers on my suppressed AR uppers. i can see coyotes, coons, etc with ease, without illumination. i can see eyes a lot farther off, but i can't determine what it is until its about 200m or how it moves. also, my Gen 3 tubes are expensive, not white phosphor, but expensive.

i see you wrote about thickets, etc.... if you have to use illumination on the thickets, you will wash out and "flatten" your vision. its hard to explain, but the nearby stuff is very bright and it kills your vision into the darker areas.

i've never tried thermal, but i want to. ive seen lots of videos online and talked to people who own them. i might look into getting a handheld thermal scanner before jumping into a thermal scope..... but then i don't want a thermal scope, because in order to see something, i have to point my firearm at it, which breaks one of the firearm safety rules.

it all kinda depends on what you want to hunt and how you hunt. and make sure its legal.