I have had many memorable hunting trips with the Hikmicro Alpex 4K Lite this year, but one recent foray really stands out because it enabled me to take full advantage of this impressive digital scope’s full day and night capability.
The outing was a visit to a farm where corvids and rats were causing serious problems. The birds were swooping in to raid animal feed and to drink from the troughs during a spell of hot weather. This was costing the farmer in lost feed and also causing a health risk by polluting the livestock’s drinking water with droppings. Similar problems were being caused by the rats, so the farmer was eager for me to reduce their numbers.
I was using the Alpex 4K Lite with my sub-12ft/lb FX Impact. Compact and lightweight, this little digital optic is a great match with a bullpup airgun and will also help to keep the weight down if you pair it with a bigger air rifle. Its body is built around a 30mm tube; a feature I really like because it means I can use normal mounts and always have a solution close to hand if I need to switch between airguns with dovetail or Picatinny rails.
The plan was to start on the birds and then move over to the rats, which I expected to become active as darkness closed in. For the first stage of the hunt, I positioned myself in a shady corner of a large barn, from where I could get a clear view of – and safe shots at – a stand of trees that crows, rooks and jackdaws were flighting to prior to dropping down to the yard.
Shots at the birds were likely to be between 20 and 35 metres, depending on which of the trees they decided to perch in. This was no problem, as the Alpex 4K Lite’s laser rangefinder and ballistic calculator would give me clear confirmation of ranges and an accurate aiming solution. The result was four birds accounted for in the first hour.
Below: Mat hid in the shady corner of a barn to snipe corvids with his Alpex 4K Lite / FX Impact MkII combo
Although I wasn’t expecting to see rats on the move before nightfall, the rodents clearly had other ideas. Large sacks full of seed ready for autumn drillings provided an easy feeding opportunity, and the rats were taking full advantage of it.
The sacks were stored in a gloomy corner of the barn where I would have struggled to spot the rats through a traditional telescopic sight. However, thanks to the Alpex 4K Lite’s excellent low-light performance, I was presented with a bright, full-colour sight picture. Again, the ballistic calculator put me right on target, adding precise holdover to compensate for the close-range shot, and two rats were promptly added to the tally.
Below: Mat had no problem spotting and shooting rats in the shady barn, thanks to the 4K Lite's low-light performance
Over the next hour, I split my attention between the trees and the seed sacks. Surprisingly, the ratty activity tailed off but the birds kept on coming – they were obviously eager to fill their bellies with calf feed before darkness closed in. Their raids continued right into twilight and the Alpex 4K Lite’s brilliant twilight performance again presented me with a pin-sharp full-colour image. This feature provided a huge advantage, enabling me to make the absolute most of the dusk feeding frenzy, and I shot another six birds before the rest of the flock flighted back to their woodland roost for the night.
Below: Mat was treated to a clear full-colour sight picture in the fading light
The birds may have backed away, but the shooting trip was far from over. I had expected the rats to become more active as darkness closed in and, judging from the scratching and squeaking sounds coming from the opposite side of the barn, they were starting to venture out on their nocturnal rounds.
With night upon me, it was time to clamp on my IR illuminator and switch the Alpex 4K Lite into night mode. My ruse now was to use low magnification to provide the widest possible field of view while scanning the barn and the outlying yard for rats and then zoom in for extra precision when taking shots.
It didn’t take long to account for the first rat of the night which, unsurprisingly, was close to the seed sacks. The 4K Lite’s sharp image quality made for precision aiming and, coupled with the revised aimpoint provided by the ballistic calculator, the unsuspecting rodent fell to a pinpoint head shot.
Although the Alpex 4K Lite is packed with sophisticated technology and very clever features, it is extremely simple to operate – another reason why I enjoy using it so much. Its main controls are positioned on the top turret, which makes them very easy to locate. I haven’t had any problems distinguishing them, even when shooting with gloved hands and in total darkness.
Because I was able to shoot with lamp-free stealth, the rats went confidently about their business while I picked them off from the cover of darkness. Some were as close as eight metres while others were almost four times that distance. The important thing is that I was able to dispatch them swiftly and with confidence.
Below: A foraging rat viewed in clear detail in total darkness through the Hikmicro Alpex 4K Lite
The Alpex 4K Lite has an impressive runtime, which can be extended indefinitely by the ability to swap out its removable battery. It also has another great power-saving feature in the form of its standby mode, which is activated by a short press of the power button. Give the button another quick press and the scope springs immediately back into action. It’s a really handy feature and one that I took full advantage of during this extended session.
I shot into the small hours of the morning, taking out well over a dozen rats before tiredness persuaded me to call it a night and head for home. It had been a thoroughly satisfying pest control session on the farm, and the farmer was delighted with the reduction I made to rat and corvid numbers. It is an ongoing battle though. I have already returned with the Hikmicro 4K Lite and look forward to making more visits over the coming weeks.
Article first published 4th August 2025
