Many on this forum use NV and thermal to hunt in a wide variety of environments. I've used more different set ups than I can count from: 14's helmet mounted, weapon mounted, paired with eo-techs and Lasers to dedicated I2 sights (d-740's and 760's) to clip on sights (22's, 24's and 26's) and now mainly use nv for strictly navigating and thermal for shooting.
I have not personally used the gen2 white phosphor units that were recommended, however I've read some very good reviews of them and have seen some good images through the tube. The d-series has a great housing with excellent optics. It is a proven housing that I've personally killed a metric shit ton of hogs with (gen 3). On good nights or paired with a illuminator I see this being a viable option.
Now probably the most versatile NV device out there is a good pvs-14 which you can navigate, shoot, and observe with while your hunting. You can pair it with a eo tech which works well, however the extra glass will result in a darker image. A good IR illuminator is a fix for this issue, and if you need more range you can use a 3x lens. Put the unit on a helmet and you can also use a IR laser. Like I said a 14 is very versatile and can give you a wide range of uses for hunting. Saying that it is not perfect for every situation. Dark nights, rain, fog will all play roles in detection and ID range. You will need to purchase mounts and possibly a extra optic ( aim point, eo tech) to use in front of your 14.
Thermal is another option. I believe tyler mentioned the xd38. I haven't looked at the specs, but I'm guessing its a 320x240 unit with a relatively small lens system for the price. Image quality looked pretty good, and I'm sure its capable of taking game. Thermal is great at detection, and with some of the latest 640x480 units is also very good at ID'ing targets.
If i were stand hunting watching sanderos or fields I'd probably opt for the d series or xd 38. If I planed to be on foot, or have to navigate and I wasn't hunting in a static position I would probably opt for a 14.