Deerslyr1,
The infrared lights are only visible if you are standing up close and looking directly into them. Then they only give off a very faint red glow, nothing bright or shiny but more of a dull red and very subdued. There is no illumination cast upon the ground that the eye can see, but the scope or Sony camera sees very well.
In order for me to see if the lights are on, I either have to look through the scope, camera or walk up to them and look directly up at them. Even from the side a bit I can't see the glow.
Too bad you can't use lights because these would turn a much cheaper Gen 1 scope into a real piece of hunting equipment. But, as you say, if the yotes are off the bait and somewhere else in the field, you would not be able to see them unless you use a better illuminator than the one that comes with the scope.
One final thing about illuminators, laser is much better. I purchased a $350 Luna laser illuminator and it works pretty darn good, even with the Gen 1. I know a guy in Illinois who purchased the Luna illuminator and uses it with a Pulsar digital Recon 550 monocular. He said he can see very well at 200 to 300 yards. We are thinking the digital Recon is more like a good Gen 2.
I'm like you, I would love to have a good Gen 3 scope, but they are expensive for sure.
