Coyotes have always been a menace, but in the recent past, they have become craftier, quicker, and hard to kill. On top of these, coyotes are nocturnal animals. And since God never gave us eyes to see in the dark, you will need something to even the playing field. When hunting a predator such as a coyote, hunting skills alone won’t cut it. You will need something to even the playing field. And here is where the best scope for ar 15 coyote hunting will come into play.
A coyote can be anywhere from 50 to 500 yards away from you. As such, the Best AR 15 Scopes for coyote hunting need to be flexible. More importantly, it needs to perform excellently during the dawn as well at dawn or dusk.
After scouring the scope market, we narrowed it down to seven scopes that met this criterion. Using this criterion, the Trijicon ACOG BAC rifle scope is our top pick. While it doesn’t come cheap, it is well worth its hefty price tag. If you are looking for something a bit less costly, then we recommend going through the entire list.
Top 7 Best AR-15 Scopes For Coyote Hunting
TRIJICON – ACOG 4x32MM BAC RIFLE SCOPES
KEY SPECS
- 4x magnification
- 32mm objective lens
- 5.8 inch long
- Anodized coated lenses
- Aluminum housing
Trijicon scopes aren’t cheap, and the ACOG 4x32MM BAC Riflescope is no exception. This scope can set you back some few thousand dollars. So is it worth it?
The answer, yes. The glass on this scope is the best we have seen on a scope, which isn’t surprising given Trijicon’s reputation. The optical quality of this scope is enough to warrant its inclusion on our list.
However, the real question is how it fairs while hunting coyotes or other predators. The construction of this scope is world-class and will last you for a lifetime. The reticle, on the other hand, is illuminated to give you fast target acquisition even in low light conditions. And this is the main thing a coyote hunter like me needs in the field.
The scope uses a combination of both tritium and fiber optic technology. This means, unlike most other scopes it does not require a battery to illuminate the reticle. The mounting is also simplified with the inclusion of the QD mount.
Pros
- This model has the best glass quality we have seen on a scope
- Its reticle is illuminated by a combination of tritium and fibre optic thus no need for batteries
- This scope has a rugged construction
- You can use it with both eyes open
- Is easy to mount on to any rifle
Cons
- The eye relief is a bit short
- This is a pricey scope
Verdict
Is it expensive? Yes, so should you buy it. The optical quality of Trijicon scopes is legendary. And keeps true to Trijicon’s optical legacy. Thus you are getting the same optical quality that is used in the military, which makes it worth the extra dollars.
ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Vision Scope
KEY SPECS
- Ultra HD 4K Sensor
- Ballistic Calculator
- 3-14x magnification
- 50mm objective lens
- Recoil activated video
- 20000 battery pack
Picking the ATN X-sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night rifle scope as our top pick was a no-brainer. It is one of the top coyote hunting thermal scopes on the market. It comes in two variants a 3-14x and a 5-20x version.
For purposes of our review, we picked the 3-14x option. The latter is more affordable and offers a wider field of view of 460ft at 1000 yards. When it comes to the quality of the optics, the scope excels.
Both options feature HD lenses paired with a 50mm objective lens. With this configuration, you get a clear view of your target during the day and night. And you will love the long 3.5 mm eye relief if you wear glasses.
On top of being a great scope, this ATN model also has an inbuilt sensor for video recording. With it, you can take 1080p videos. Also inbuilt into the scope is a rangefinder.
Pros
- Has a ballistic calculator that calculates the distance of a target from your scope
- With this scope, you can capture images and record 1080 p videos
- Uses thermal technology for nighttime hunting
- Is very easy to mount onto a AR 15 rifle or any other kind of rifle
- Has a long battery life
Cons
- Requires an IR illumination upgrade for proper night vision functioning
- The memory card slot is not easy to use
Verdict
It comes with plenty of accessories, on top of it being a great scope. It has one of the best image sensors on the market. The fact that it can record videos, capture pictures and still live stream is an added advantage of this scope.
ATN – X-SIGHT II 3-14X SMART RIFLE SCOPE
KEY SPECS
- 65mm eye relief
- 3-4x magnification range
- Smartphone Bluetooth connectivity
- Micro SD slot
- HD video recorder
The ATN X-sight II is one of the scopes that represents a significant shift in scope manufacture. Instead of traditional lenses, this scope uses an HD LCD to give you a detailed view of your target.
Thanks to this, you get an image quality similar to that of a high-end smartphone. This presents a whole host of opportunities. Firstly the scope has three view settings, green night view, black and white night view, and day view.
With these three settings, you can customize your optics to fit the time of day you are hunting. Being a digital scope, it has some exciting features up its sleeves.
One such feature is the built-in ballistics calculator. With the latter, it is possible to get ballistic calculations right in the scope.
Pros
- Has three-view settings to suit different environments day and night
- It has a lot of features packed into it including a ballistics calculator, rangefinder, HD video recorder, and others
- The scope offers the ability to take pictures as well as record HD videos
- The scope has an easy to use interface that you use to control all its features
- There is the option of using a smartphone app to control the scope
Cons
- Compared to other similar digital scopes it has a limited battery life
- For its price, the night vision feature could be better
Verdict
There are some costly digital scopes out there. So it was refreshing to see that this is offered at a affordable price range. While it does come with a few drawbacks, the sheer amount of features you get makes it a worthwhile investment.
SIGHTMARK – PHOTON XT 6.5X50MM DIGITAL NIGHT VISION RIFLE SCOPE
KEY SPECS
- 600X800 LCD resolution
- 6.5x magnification
- 50mm objective lens
- Built-in laser guide
- Digital reticle with six options
One of the best night vision scopes for long-range shooting is the Sightmark Photon XT 6.5x50mm. Everything about this scope makes it suited for nighttime hunting.
The 6.5x magnification will give you the ability to pick out your target from 300 yards out. As its name suggests, this is a digital scope. Thus the target is displayed on a 640×800 display. While it’s a bit underwhelming compared to that of the ATN, it’s still ideal.
One of the best things about this scope is that it helps you get the best out of your AR 15’s long-range capabilities. The reticle gives you six different green, white and red options for different hunting times.
There is also a built-in laser designator. The latter helps you to know where your rifle is pointing as you look through the scope.
Pros
- Offers the ability to adjust for windage and elevation
- Has decent resolution and is optimized for low light use
- Comes with a fast-focus eyepiece that makes it easy to focus your diopter
- Features a high magnification suited for long-range shooting
- The reticle is easy to use
Cons
- Is a bit bulky
- Given its features its a bit pricey
Verdict
Yet another digital scope that offers exceptional low light optical quality. As with all other digital scopes, it gives you the ability to record your kill. Overall this is an excellent digital scope that excels in low light.
NIGHTFORCE – SHV 5-20X56MM SCOPES
KEY SPECS
- 56mm objective lens
- 5-20x magnification range
- MOAR illuminated second focal plane reticle
- 3.15-3.54 inch eye relief
- 30mm main tube
Nightforce is a company known more for its tactical and competitive shooting scopes. However, the company does make some fantastic hunting optics. And one such scope is the Nightforce SHV.
Fun fact, the SHV abbreviation stands for shooter, hunter, varminter. So how is this scope as a hunting scope? Outfitted with a 5-20x magnification lens, it is a flexible scope capable of both short and long-range target acquisitions.
It has the reticle in the second focal plane, which further adds to its long-range capabilities. When the sun goes down is when this scope comes alive. The large 56mm objective lens is designed for maximum light collection.
On top of this, it features an illuminated MOAR reticle. The MOA increment lines on this scope are useful for ranging in on targets from a long way out.
One thing we have noticed about scopes is that color distortions and blurriness tend to increase with high magnification.However, this scope doesn’t seem to suffer this problem even when set to its maximum 20x magnification and you can easily mount it on any AR-15 platform.
Pros
- The large 56mm objective lens is beneficial in low light shooting
- This scope is 100% waterproof, fog proof and shockproof
- It is designed for low light use with its illuminated MOAR reticle
- The 5-20x magnification range is ideal for both short and long-range shooting
- The glass-etched second focal plane reticle is fantastic for long-range shooting
Cons
- This scope doesn’t come cheap
- Is quite heavy and large compared to most scopes
Verdict
This is another scope that will set you back a few thousand dollars. However, considering its advanced features, it’s worth it. Its image quality is exceptional, especially for a scope with such a high magnification.
Vortex Optics Crossfire II Adjustable Objective rifle scope
KEY SPECS
- 4-16x magnification
- 50mm objective lens
- Windage and elevation finger adjustable turrets
- O-ring sealed tube
- Nitrogen purged
If you are looking for something a bit more affordable, the Vortex Optics Crossfire II series of scopes are worth checking out. This line of scopes come in several configurations. But for our review, we settled on the 4-16x50mm version.
One of the best things about this scope is the magnification. Ranging from 4x all the way to 16x it is ideally suited for both short and long-range coyote shots. Considering this scope costs a bit expensive for some user, it’s quite impressive.
Similar to the other scopes in this line, it uses a BDC reticle. This offers Bullet Drop Compensation points below the crosshairs. Thus you get a pretty accurate estimation of the impact of bullet drop on your target.
There are finger adjustable windage and elevation turrets as well as a parallax adjustment. All these make it easy to use and an ideal option for hunting predators with AR-15.
Pros
- The 50mm objective lens collects plenty of light for low light use
- The scope has fully multi-coated lenses that deliver a crisp and bright image quality
- Has a relatively long eye relief compared to some other budget options
- This scope is offered at an affordable price tag
- The 4-16x magnification is ideal for both long-range and short-range shooting
Cons
- May not hold up to the recoil of some rifles
- It’s a bit heavy and long
Verdict
This scope is well within reach of most. Thus, you may opt for this one if you don’t have thousands of dollars to splash on a Nightforce. With its features, this Vortex scope will deliver for prey hunting.
CVLIFE Hunting Rifle Scope 6-24×50 AOE Red and Green Illuminated Gun Scope
KEY SPECS
- 6-24x magnification
- 50mm objective lens
- Coated lenses
- 28 feet at 100 yards field of view
- 3.52-inch eye relief
The CVLIFE Hunting rifle is another budget option designed for long-range shooting. So what exactly does it offer at such an affordable price?
Just by looking at its name, you can tell that this is designed for long-range use. Its 6-24x magnification is ideally suited for the long-term. Throw in the fact that it has a large 50mm objective lens and you got yourself a winner.
For night time hunting it features a red and green illuminated reticle. And that’s not all you can choose from five illumination intensity settings. Also, it comes with a battery included for the illumination.
For such a budget scope, you would expect it to have a crappy eye relief. But on the contrary, this has a long 3.52-inch eye relief which is enough to protect you from recoil.
Pros
- It is one of the most affordable scopes on the market
- For its price, it offers a decent eye relief
- Comes with red and green illumination with five different intensity settings
- Its optical performance is excellent for a scope at its price
- Has a high magnification designed for long-distance shooting
Cons
- The focusing system is not good as you have to focus at every distance you are shooting at
- With its high magnification, it’s suited only to medium and long-range shooting
Verdict
The first thing to note is that this is a budget option. It may not perform at the same level as a Nightforce. However, if you are looking for a dependable scope that won’t cost a fortune, this is the scope for you.
CVLIFE 2.5-10x40e Red & Green Illuminated Scope
KEY SPECS
- Red and green illuminated BDC reticle
- 2.5-10x magnification
- 40mm objective lens
- Laser designator
- 3-4 inch eye relief
- 34.86 feet at 100 yards field of view
CVLIFE seems to have a knack for producing high-quality scopes at throwaway prices. Another that fits this description is the CVLIFE 2.5-10×40 illuminated scope.
What makes this scope suited for coyote hunting is the magnification. The 2.5x to 10x magnification is ideal for short to medium-range shooting. The scope’s multi-coated optics also add to the scope’s surprising optical performance.
As if it couldn’t get any better, CVLIFE also throws in an illuminated MIL-DOT Reticle. The latter is specially designed for the .223 55 grain round. As with the other budget CVLIFE scope on our list, this also has red and green illumination.
On top of all this, the scope has a laser designator. Also, it comes with 20mm and 11mm mounts for installing it onto your rifle.
Pros
- It is offered at an incredibly affordable price tag
- There is a built-in laser sight
- It comes with a red and green illuminated reticle for low light shooting
- Comes with two types of mounts
- Has multi-coated optics
Cons
- The reticle is not the best
- Given its a cheap scope its construction is not the best
Verdict
For such a budget scope, we were surprised by what it has to offer. There aren’t many scopes in this price range that can match its quality. It is an inexpensive alternative to the many pricey scopes in the market.
Dealing With Coyote and Other Predators
Predators such as coyotes are a menace in most parts of the country. So much so, that in most states, there are regulations on the control of coyote populations. Essentially permitting you to deal with these animals.
Coyotes and other similar predators pose two main challenges. Number one of these animals causes a lot of havoc when they invade our homes. Coyotes have been known to kill poultry and other farm animals as well as destroy drip irrigation and fruit farms in rural areas.
Secondly, coyotes come with a host of parasites and viruses that can be transmitted to humans and other animals. Coyotes have been known to frequent urban and suburban areas where food and shelter are easy to access.It is for this reason that controlling the spread of coyotes is essential.
How To Buy Best Coyote AR 15 Scope: Buying Guide
Coyotes, just like other predators are not easy to kill compared to prey animals such as whitetail deer. That being said, there are some things to look out for when shopping for a ar 15 scope for coyote hunting.
Magnification: Which Magnification To Choose?
A coyote can be as close as 50 yards or as far as 500 yards. As such, you need a scope that can be used for both short and long-range shooting. And here is where magnification becomes essential.
High maximum magnification is best for long-range shooting. Therefore you will be looking for a magnification range of between 3x and 20x. However, a max magnification of 10x to 20x will still be ideal for coyote hunting.
Illumination; Why? Is it necessary For Coyote Hunting?
Coyotes are nocturnal and can be found at night or in the wee hours of the morning. Therefore a coyote hunting scope needs to be illuminated. This way, you will be able to see a coyote even in low light.
There are many different technologies used in illumination. If you do not want a scope with a lot of moving parts, one that uses tritium or fibre optic technology is ideal. For night time shooting green illumination is recommended.
Thus a scope with two or more illumination types is ideal. Typically, illumination types range from red, white to green.
Which Reticle To Choose For Coyote Hunting
You may be forced to shoot at a coyote from a long distance. In such a scenario, the type of reticle you are using will be necessary. A second focal plane reticle is better for long-range shooting.
Additionally, a BDC reticle or Bullet Drop Compensator reticle is ideal for long ranges. The BDC component helps accommodate for the bullet drop effect. For digital scopes, you will want an inbuilt rangefinder.
Objective lens: A Close Relation To The Light Transmission To The Scopes
The size of the objective lens matters a lot. A large objective lens means more light passes through it. Typically, scopes designed for low light use have larger objective lenses. Therefore, for coyote hunting, a large objective lens of between 40 mm and 50mm will be recommended.
Eye relief: Choose Wisely To Avoid Accidental Injury On Face
Eye relief is essential to avoid being hit in the face by a rifle’s recoil. A long eye relief is recommended for a hunting rifle. An eye relief of more than 3.5 inches will be best for any hunting application.
Lens coating Is a Must For Clear Image Quality
Fully multi-coated optics is what you should strive for in a coyote hunting scope. These types of lenses give you a clearer picture than multi-coated optics. If you are on a tight budget, you can invest in an affordable scope with multi-coated optics.
Conclusion
As mentioned before, coyotes aren’t the easiest animals to hunt. However, with the right rifle and scope the chances of taking down a coyote increase. Ultimately, the best scope for ar 15 coyote hunting needs to be flexible enough to be used in both short and long ranges.
About The Author:
Lake Streeter, A Gun enthusiast, and loves to hunt in the middle of the wood. Always check the latest hunting gears out in the market and try to share his honest opinion with the audience in Hunting Nook.