For foxing with a lamp, the best setup is an illuminated scope that starts at 2.5x or 3x and dims low enough not to flare at night, paired with a light chosen for candela (throw) rather than lumens. From our range, the Burris Veracity 2.5-12x42 Fiber Dot Plex and the Streamlight ProTac 2.0 Rail Mount HP make a strong pair. If you run night vision, a white-and-infrared light such as the ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro covers both.
A night fox rig is a different specification from a stalking rig. The optic has to work with almost no light, the lamp matters as much as the glass, and the whole setup has to hold zero after being carried across wet fields in the dark.
Key takeaways
- An illuminated reticle is essential at night; what matters is a low enough bottom setting.
- Candela, not lumens, decides throw. ANSI beam distance in metres is twice the square root of the candela figure.
- Infrared illuminators work with night vision only: 940 nm light is invisible to the naked eye.
- Foxes are not covered by the deer statutes or the Schedule 6 lists, but lamps and night sights must not be used against Schedule 6 animals such as badgers.
- We do not stock night vision or thermal devices, scope rings or quick-detach scope mounts.
The scope: illumination is the whole argument
At night, a black reticle on a dark fox in front of a dark hedge disappears. That is the main difference between a night scope and a day scope, and why a foxing scope needs an illuminated centre.
The setting that matters most is the lowest one. Plenty of illuminated reticles are ideal at dusk and too bright at midnight, flaring over the animal you are trying to see. Try the lowest settings in real darkness before you commit to a scope.
- A plain illuminated centre. The Veracity 2.5-12x42's Fiber Dot Plex puts a small illuminated fibre dot in a classic Plex. At 2.5x the exit pupil is 16.8 mm (42 ÷ 2.5), far more than a dark-adapted eye can use, and the 42 ft field at 100 yards (12.8 m at 91 m) helps you follow a fox along a hedge.
- Holdover marks. The Veracity 3-15x44 FFP with the RC-MOA reticle has what Burris describes as an 8 MOA illuminated centre cross with 1 MOA wind and elevation hashes. It is first focal plane, so the holds are true at any magnification. That helps when the range changes from shot to shot.
- A lighter option. The Burris Fullfield 2.5-10x42 with illuminated Ballistic E3 weighs 437 g (15.4 oz) on a 1-inch tube, which suits a lighter fox rifle.
All three run their illumination from a single CR2032 cell, according to Burris. The same scopes do double duty for stalking, as covered in best scopes for deer stalking.
The lamp: candela, not lumens
Lumens measure total light output. Candela measures beam intensity, and that decides how far a beam usefully reaches. Under the ANSI standard, beam distance is the point where light falls to 0.25 lux, which works out at twice the square root of the candela figure, in metres. A light with modest lumens and high candela will out-throw a much "brighter" flood.
For identifying a fox at 150 to 250 m you want throw, not spill. Here are the rifle lights we stock, with figures from Streamlight's own specifications.
| Light | Lumens (high) | Candela (high) | Beam distance | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Streamlight ProTac 2.0 Rail Mount | 2,000 | 17,700 cd | 266 m | SL-B50 rechargeable |
| Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro | 1,100 | 40,000 cd | 400 m | 2 x CR123A or SL-B26 |
| Streamlight TLR-1 HP-X USB | 1,300 | 77,000 cd | 555 m | SL-B9 rechargeable (1,000 lm and 53,000 cd on CR123A) |
| Streamlight ProTac 2.0 Rail Mount HP | 2,000 | 85,000 cd | 583 m | SL-B50 rechargeable |
Compare the first and last rows. Both lights produce 2,000 lumens, but the HP version concentrates its beam into 85,000 cd against 17,700 cd and reaches more than twice as far. The lumens vs candela chart works through the maths. More lights are in our weapon lights collection.
Lamping in practice
- Scan with the edge of the beam. The dimmer spill around a focused hotspot picks up eyes at distance without lighting the fox fully. Bring the hotspot on only to confirm and to shoot.
- Filters change the fox's behaviour, not the law. Red and amber filters are widely used on the basis that foxes react less to them. Whether one helps on your ground is something to test.
- Momentary switching matters more than output. A pressure pad you can pulse for half a second beats a click-on light you must remember to switch off. Streamlight supplies the VIR Pro with a momentary remote switch, and the ProTac 2.0 Rail Mount HP 89014 comes with a remote pressure switch and mounting clips.
- Check the water rating with the pad fitted. Streamlight rates the VIR Pro IPX7 with its standard tailcap and IPX4 with the remote pressure switch. That is worth knowing before a wet night.
- Carry spare cells. Streamlight lists the VIR Pro at 1.5 hours on high, 2.75 hours on medium and 11 hours on low with two CR123A cells, or 2, 3.75 and 14 hours on the SL-B26 pack. Cold nights shorten battery life.
Many shooters prefer a separate handheld lamp for scanning wide ground. We do not currently stock a dedicated high-candela fox lamp. Our handheld flashlights suit close work around buildings.
Where night vision and thermal fit
Two different technologies often get lumped together. Night vision amplifies whatever light is available and needs some, which is why it is usually paired with an infrared illuminator that the device can see and the fox cannot. Thermal images heat, needs no light at all, and has largely taken over for finding quarry in cover.
We do not stock night vision or thermal devices. We do stock the illuminator side. Streamlight's VIR Pro combines white light with a 940 nm infrared LED rated at 2,300 mW on high and 600 mW on low. It has a cut-off that stops you switching on the white light by accident while in infrared mode. The VIR Pro USB (88139) is the rechargeable version.
Some day optics also have settings dim enough to use behind a night vision device. The Primary Arms SLx 3X MicroPrism has three and the Holosun HS510C has two, according to their makers.
UK note
Foxes are not deer and are not on the Schedule 6 lists in Great Britain or Northern Ireland. BASC's night shooting guidance records no specific legal restriction on shooting foxes at night with a lamp or night vision, with the landowner's permission. Section 11(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 still prohibits using a lamp or night sight to kill or take Schedule 6 animals, such as badgers, so be certain of your target. BASC also advises never using a scoped or thermal-equipped rifle to scan for quarry. Your firearm certificate conditions set the quarry and land you may shoot over, so confirm them with your firearms licensing department. The position on deer and night sights is set out in is night vision legal in the UK.
Putting it on the rifle
A night rifle carries more hardware than a day rifle, and it has to hold zero through all of it. If the same rifle does daytime stalking, a quick-detach mount lets you take the light and scope off for transport and refit them on zero. We do not currently stock scope rings or quick-detach scope mounts, so buy those from a specialist and check they return to zero before relying on them.
For the light, you need a rail or an M-LOK slot far enough forward that the beam clears the muzzle and moderator. Mount it at three or nine o'clock rather than twelve if you can, so the barrel does not cast a shadow in the beam. If you run a SureFire Scout light, our weapon light accessories include SureFire remote switches and tailcaps.
Frequently asked questions
What magnification is best for foxing?
A scope starting at 2.5x or 3x and topping out around 12x. You need low power to find a fox moving in the dark and enough top end to identify it, but the exit pupil shrinks as you zoom in, so the top of the range is less usable at night.
Do I need more lumens or more candela for lamping?
Candela. It measures beam intensity and decides throw: Streamlight rates the 2,000-lumen ProTac 2.0 Rail Mount at 17,700 cd and 266 m, and the 2,000-lumen HP version at 85,000 cd and 583 m.
Will a weapon light work as a lamp?
A high-candela rifle light does the job at shooting ranges, and a remote pressure switch makes it usable while holding the rifle. For scanning wide ground, many shooters still prefer a separate handheld lamp and use the rifle light only to confirm and shoot.
Can an infrared illuminator be used without night vision?
No. The VIR Pro's infrared LED works at 940 nm, which is invisible to the naked eye, so you need a night vision device to see anything.
Does an illuminated reticle drain the battery quickly?
Not if you switch it off. The Burris scopes here each run on a single CR2032. The red dot sight battery chart lists what each optic takes.
Shop this guide
- Deer Stalking Scopes — illuminated, low-power scopes that also suit night foxing
- Streamlight ProTac 2.0 Rail Mount HP — 85,000 cd and 583 m of rated throw
- Weapon Lights — the full Streamlight and SureFire range
- Weapon Light Accessories — SureFire remote switches and tailcaps
