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Living out in the country with no close neighbors it is very dark. Last night was not the first time that I had an unwanted four-legged visitor around the homestead. It didn't help that the polecat was in the egg rollout when I opened it late last night to gather the eggs. Fortunately he didn't get me. I thought about shooting him with my 9mm I was carrying but really didn't want my ears ringing all night so I ran back in the house to get the .22. Now I'm trying to find the skunk with a .22 rifle and a flashlight. Even if I would have found him I don't know that I could have been coordinated enough to hold the flashlight, rifle, and line up the peep sight to get a shot. I've had similar experiences before with unknown visitors upsetting the chickens but when I turn the corner with a flashlight they are gone before I even know what it is or where to look. I need something a little more stealthy.

That got me thinking about night vision (again) and I went back and looked at TAMs thread on night vision http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... ght+vision which lead me to Bitter Clinger's link for the Bushnell http://defenderoutdoors.com/bushnell-26 ... t-ar-mount

Does anyone have any experience with the Bushnell Equinox? It sounds promising for what I need, seeing varmints around the yard and immediate area. It says to use is with a "night vision red dot" but could you use a regular scope with it? Would the reticle be visible? Can you use a regular red dot turned down to the lowest setting? It looks like you could even swap it between platforms and not have to worry about re-zeroing since you're only moving the NVD. I really don't quite understand how it all comes together so I'd appreciate any insight.

I had been looking at the ATN Smart scopes, and while they seem to be a good product at a reasonable price point, it is just more money than I think I want to spend for an occasional hen house raider or transient coyote. If (OK when) I decide to take that plunge I'll move up to thermal. Right now I just need to be able to see around the yard with some degree of clarity.

I have used a buddy's ATN digital night vision scope and the refresh rate made it ok for stationary work but on moving targets, it is worthless. I don't know about the new 4k series as they just came out. Their thermals work just fine though.

For skunks, rabbits, and varmints not pigs, a red light mounted on the scope has worked well for me.

Had a skunk in the doghouse one night. Shot it with a 22 in the face, went to drag it out with a rake, he wasn't dead. The skunk sprinkler came at me in slow motion. After he for sure was dead, when I went in the house, for some reason my wife made me leave my clothes outside.

Well, if you were closer I would just let you borrow it!

I have run the Bushnell on my SIG MPX SBR behind a red dot and was hitting steel at 50 yards in the dark. So I know it works with a red dot, no idea about the results with a reticle. It does add some non-trivial weight to the SBR.

Flashlite and shotgun.

Havahart trap bait it with canned cat food, only set one door, place the bait at the closed end, when you catch it use a old blanket big enough to hide your form, hold the blanket up as you approach the trap, might have cut small peep hole to see thru, when you get to the trap lay the entire blanket over the trap, pickup the trap by the handle thru the blanket, take the trap to the nearest pond drop the whole thing in the water, wait about 15mins and retrieve trap W/ dead skunk and blanket, dispose of skunk!
Key things to remember the skunk must never see your form, stay hidden behind blanket!
You have about a 50/50 chance skunk won't spray at all, but if it does it'll hit the blanket and not you!
Skunks can be very accurate with their spray!

WTR wrote:Flashlite and shotgun.

I have one of these on my HD shotgun, mounted on the left side of my barrel, so I can activate it with my thumb. https://www.elzetta.com/product/zsm/

Much cheaper Than any type of NV scope ect., and a shotgun will dispatch a skunk very quickly.

I appreciate the advice about how to either use a flashlight, shotgun, or trap but I already employee those methods with success. Just this morning I trapped the skunk and dispatched him. There have been several times that flashlights and traps don't work, work right now or for scanning without alerting (especially coyotes). I also have several cats so I have to be creative with trap placement or can't use it without trapping the cats. As for dropping them in the nearest pond, well I'd have to drive awhile to find one deep enough to cover the cage. I just make sure I'm upwind and put a .22 in it, let it sit a few hours and then dump the carcass in the burn pit. It smells for a little while but it's not too bad.

I just asked if anyone had any experience with the Equinox Z.

Clinger I appreciate the offer. I think I'll order one and give it a try. I suspect it will work fine.

Personally i'd use my 17hmr, but most try to avoid the skunk spray/smell, and that is the only way I know of to avoid the smell!

Where are you located?

Too bad you don't have thermal. That would be perfect. I have a thermal weapon sight on a 22

I'm up near Lubbock.

I went ahead and picked up the Bushnell Equinox with the AR mount. It works well for what I'm wanting it to do. I'm tinkering with how to mount it on my around-the-house AR. I haven't been able to set it up with a scope, the scope's magnification screws with it. I have a cheap red dot but with dot is pretty big when using the Equinox. It may still work or I'm looking for a 1x scope.

I normally use a 22 for skunks but the AR will help me with coyotes after dark.

I would love a decent thermal scope but for what I'm doing this will be sufficient.