Photo hunting is a unique pastime that is popular on all continents. Unlike hunting with weapons, this activity involves photographing rather than killing animals. Thanks to this, photo hunting is allowed even in protected areas where rifle or gun entry is strictly prohibited. Various environmental organizations approve of such an event. They use the obtained images for scientific purposes, studying in detail the representatives of the fauna. Precious are the photographs taken by hunters in the dark. To do this, you must use various night vision devices (NVDs) capable of providing good image quality even in external light conditions.

Features of night photo hunting

Photo hunting at night is an unusual hobby that will give photography lovers new unforgettable emotions. During its implementation, you need to use various NVDs and consider several important features. This will help increase work efficiency and the chances of "extracting" a photo trophy.

Important features:

1. The success of night photo hunting directly depends on preparation. Before you hunt with a camera, you need to study the lifestyle and habits of animals in detail. This will give a lot of helpful information to help you quickly find the object of photography and not frighten it away while photographing.
2. During night photo hunting, you often have to wait several hours for an animal or bird. In this regard, photo hunters need to have such quality patience. This will help cope with the psychological stress and make it easy to sit in the dark for several hours.
3. Daytime photo hunting requires good camouflage. It will hide the person from the eyes of the animal and will not prevent the latter from coming close to the photo hunter. At night, camouflage is equally essential. At this time of day, all the senses are heightened in animals, so it can be challenging to go unnoticed. It would be best to mask everything, starting with different body parts and ending with the night optics used.
4. In addition to visual masking, you need to take care of the smell emitted by a person. Animals catch it with a good sense of smell and bypass the place of equipped shelters. To mask the smell, you must use various products sold in specialized stores for hunters. You also need to take into account the direction of the wind and create shelters in those places where it blows on the photographer.
5. If you photograph nocturnal animals, you need to equip the shelter during the day. In this case, it will be possible to exclude the possibility of detecting a photo hunter long before the start of the planned event. The shelter created must provide a 360-degree view. Thanks to this, it will be possible to notice all the animals surrounding the hunter.
6. Night photo hunting involves a complete merging with nature. Therefore, for the duration of the event, you need to forget about smoking, various mobile gadgets, and other devices that create noise, light, and smoke. Otherwise, the animal will quickly identify the presence of a person and leave at a safe distance.

Popular night photo-hunting destinations

Photo hunting at night is much more complex than during the day. The main problem of this type of activity is the darkness, which makes it possible to find various representatives of the fauna only with the help of special night optics. It is she who makes photo hunting possible at this time of day. There are several popular directions for such an activity. Each of them provides for the search and photography of certain types of living beings.

Popular destinations:

1. Shooting mammals. The most popular type of night photo hunting is shooting various mammals. Some of their species rest at this time of day, so taking good photos will be pretty straightforward. At the same time, it is essential to remember the excellent sense of smell of such representatives of the fauna, because of which only well-trained photo hunters will be able to get close to them. Shooting nocturnal mammals is considered more complex. During this period of the day, they are most active, so it will be challenging to find them and take a good photo. In all cases, the photographer will need different types of NVDs. With their help, you can simplify the search for animals without getting lost in the dark.
2. Shooting night birds. Night birds deserve the special attention of hunters. These representatives of the fauna are different from their daytime counterparts, so watching them and taking photos becomes the most interesting. This direction of photo hunting is gaining popularity. It is essential to use a variety of NVDs during an event. They will speed up the process of finding birds and help you choose the best location for shooting.
3. Shooting insects. This direction is complex and requires a high level of professionalism from the photographer. In this case, NVDs are used only as an assistant in the search for small living creatures, and photography takes place using unique macro photography techniques. Without night optics, finding insects in the dark will be tough. This is due to their small size and increased activity, which peaks after sunset.
4. Shooting underwater animals. This extreme direction of photo hunting is gradually becoming popular in different countries. To carry it out, you will need a special camera that can work underwater and withstand its pressure. Also, the photo hunter will need special NVDs with the most durable and moisture-proof body. These devices will help you find aquatic life in meager light and take good-quality pictures.

NVDs for photo-hunting enthusiasts

The only option for anyone who loves photo hunting is to buy quality NVDs. Here, many models are available to users, each of which will be useful in certain circumstances.

Best NVDs for photo hunting:

1. NV monocular. This NVD is the best option for photo hunters who use a quality camera to take pictures. In this case, the monocular will search for animals and birds hiding in the dark. It is also possible to use such optics as the only equipment, but for this, it must be equipped with the function of photographing and video recording. At the same time, it is necessary to assess the device's capabilities sensibly and not demand super-quality images from it. The main advantage of NV monoculars is their compactness. Thanks to this, photo hunters can easily transport the machine and carry it to the place of photo hunting. Also, the positive aspects include the low weight and reliability of the optics compared to larger NVDs. Among the shortcomings, photo hunters single out only insufficiently broad functionality and the need to use additional power sources (in most models, small-capacity batteries are installed).
2. NV binoculars. This night optic is perfect for wildlife enthusiasts, animal rights activists, researchers, and photo hunters. With its help, you can quickly find representatives of the fauna of interest in the dark and carry out one or another work with them (for example, study behavior, evaluate the population, and take pictures). NV binoculars are good because they allow you to observe with two eyes. This opens the user to a full-fledged image, which is more familiar and convenient to watch. Modern models of these optics are equipped with a photography function. This will allow you to engage in photo hunting without using cameras. However, in this case, obtaining an image of the highest quality is only sometimes possible. Among the notable advantages of NV binoculars are their strength, ease of use, and advanced functionality, compared to NV monoculars. At the same time, the binoculars are pretty large, and it would be tiring to conduct long-term observation with their help.
3. NV camera. This night optic will be a great alternative to monoculars and binoculars. It can simultaneously perform the functions of the listed devices and act as a camera. Such a device will make it possible to inspect the surrounding area and find signs of the presence of animals on it. In parallel with this, it can conduct video filming and capture representatives of the fauna, which the photo hunter missed. An NV camera will be no less effective when shooting animals with a camera. In all cases, the device will create a sharper image, which will be able to see the fine details of objects. The only significant drawback of such optics is its high cost. Because of this, most top models become available only to photo hunters with unlimited financial resources.

The choice of night optics for photo hunting

Almost all NVDs can be used for photo hunting. However, for photographing animals to grow from an amateur level to a professional level, you need to choose night optics more carefully. In this case, you should consider several essential nuances that may affect the quality of the resulting photographs.

Rules for choosing NVDs for photo hunting:

1. If you plan to do night photo hunting with NVDs and not a camera, then it is important to choose models with a photo function. It will allow you to take pictures of good quality and save them to the device's memory. Such models can be equipped with a removable memory card, which will fit many photos if necessary.
2. Among the characteristics, first of all, you need to pay attention to the resolution of the optics. This indicator is critical for photo hunters, as it demonstrates the ability of optics to create a clear image on display. The higher the value, the better. However, it is essential to know that high-resolution models are much more expensive, so you need to balance your needs with financial capabilities.
3. To be able to find animals in the dark and observe them from a long distance, you need to choose NVDs with an increased range. On average, most modern devices have an indicator of 200-250 meters. However, choosing appliances with a range of at least 300 meters is advisable for photo hunting. In this case, it will be possible to notice the animals long before approaching the hunter and get time to prepare the camera for shooting.
4. Another important indicator is the multiplicity of night optics. The possibility of visual approximation to the subject depends on it. The higher the magnification, the more detailed the animal can be viewed. It is important to remember that the image quality will be worse at the maximum approximation.
5. Choosing models with an extended field of view is essential for photo hunting in an open area. This will enable the hunter to inspect the surrounding area and find various animals quickly. However, it is necessary to know that the field of view will decrease when using the zoom function. This feature should be considered when choosing NVDs that the photographer plans to use to search for animals at a great distance.
6. Buying models equipped with a noise-reduction function is the best option for photo hunters. This will make it possible to get a better image and take good pictures with the help of NVDs. If the optics are planned to be used only to search for animals, and a camera will carry out the shooting, then this option can be neglected.
7. Photo hunters doing what they love at night can sit in a shelter for many hours. In this case, using NVDs equipped with powerful batteries is essential. They will withstand many hours of operation and will not be discharged at the most crucial moment. You can also give preference to models with low power consumption. They will work 5-7 hours even with medium-capacity batteries. It is important to remember that energy consumption directly depends on temperature conditions. The battery charge is consumed faster than in the warm season at sub-zero temperatures.
8. Photo hunting takes place outdoors. Therefore, various weather surprises that can ruin the optics are not ruled out. It would be best to choose the most secure models to prevent this. Their body does not allow moisture to pass through, so the internal structural elements are not susceptible to its adverse effects. In addition, NVDS must withstand sudden temperature changes and are not afraid of minor mechanical impacts.

Safety regulations

Watching wild animals and birds at night is much more dangerous than during the day. Therefore, a photo hunter must adhere to several basic safety rules that guarantee the absence of unpleasant situations.

Basic safety rules:

1. Not only photo hunters but also predators dangerous to humans can observe animals. To avoid meeting them, inspect the surrounding area using the available NVDs periodically. This will allow you to detect signs of the approach of a predator in advance and take the necessary measures for protection. If there are a lot of dangerous animals in the territory where photo hunting is carried out, it is better to shoot from a robust shelter (for example, from a specially equipped hunting lodge or a car).
2. Insects can become a massive problem for a night hunter. They are most active at night, so protecting yourself from their bites is essential. For this, it is recommended to use particular aerosols and creams. Also, it will not be superfluous to have the most closed clothing, which will protect most of the open areas of the body from direct contact with insects.
3. Going on a night photo hunting, you should never forget the activity of snakes at this time of day. Many of them are poisonous, so one bite can be enough to kill a person. Equipping the most closed shelter to protect yourself from these reptiles would be best. Its walls must be dense so the snake cannot bite through them. It is also important to close all places where poisonous reptiles can crawl out.
4. At night, the weather is less predictable than during the day. In this regard, you must be prepared for unpleasant surprises in rain, snow, hail, and strong winds. Also, remember that temperature drops much more significantly at night than during daylight hours. If you prepare in advance for such problems, you can increase comfort and protect yourself from various diseases. The latter most often occurs due to hypothermia, leading to serious health problems.

Photo hunting at night is one of the best forms of entertainment. It provides close communication of the photographer with nature and makes it possible to use a variety of NVDs. Such activity is no less exciting than the classic night hunting with weapons. However, in this case, the photo becomes the trophy and not any part of the killed animal. This makes it possible to save the fauna and sometimes the whole ecosystem, which suffers significantly from human activities. Such a result will be the best reward for a photo hunter for dozens of hours.