Head lights and flash lights

[ompaathao]

I'm not sure if a thread was started for this but I would like to hear some opinion... I use both a Brinkman 1 watt head light and carry a flash light (back up light).. While walking at night in the woods back and forth to the stand.. Is brighter better or does it really spook game? I like to use bright lights so I can see further.. What do you guys use?

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[jlh42581]

I only turn a light on when absolutely necessary, like I drop something or I know Im about to enter a spot thats full of greenbriars.

[JV NC]

I used to think no light was better. I then realized I was a LOT quieter when I could see where I was walking/stepping.

I don't think deer are smart enough to know what something moving through the woods is......light or not.

I'll use whatever light I need to see well enough to walk as quietly as possible. Most times I use red light. Sometimes I use blue......and sometimes I'll crank up the high (white) beam. My small light has all 3 colors. I think I paid $30 or so for it @ Lowe's a couple of years ago.

Also.....when gun seasons is in.....I ALWAYS use light on the way in (AM) and out (PM). I don't want to become a statistic.

[PLB]

I used to think no light was better. I then realized I was a LOT quieter when I could see where I was walking/stepping.

I don't think deer are smart enough to know what something moving through the woods is......light or not.

I'll use whatever light I need to see well enough to walk as quietly as possible. Most times I use red light. Sometimes I use blue......and sometimes I'll crank up the high (white) beam. My small light has all 3 colors. I think I paid $30 or so for it @ Lowe's a couple of years ago.

Also.....when gun seasons is in.....I ALWAYS use light on the way in (AM) and out (PM). I don't want to become a statistic.

I agree.. I have Always used a light on public!! There are times on private I can get away with using the moonlight.I like the headlamps. They work good for climbing roomS have not had issues at all with spooking game with light.

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[Zap]

Deer can see you without a light just fine.

[Gardner Swamp]

Deer can see you without a light just fine.

I agree!!

i use a headlamp as well and have my "tracking light" with me as a back up.

[Zap]

Unless the moonlight is very bright, I always use a bright headlamp.
Not a fan of tree branches in my eyes and tripping and falling.

[Milk Weed Seed]

Good post, I was thinking about asking the question weather or not to use a light. I would say 95% of the time, I do not to use a light at all. This past Saturday evening I was hunting a very rocky hillside, the moon was 97% full. I noticed that my surefire E2L was too bright under these conditions and caused a glare, and I tripped on a rock. LW alpha to the back of the head ... I could see much better with just the moon. A friend of mine uses a red filter and claims to have walked past a doe in the am and then shot her at legal shooting light? He claims they don't see it. Does anyone use the red filters?

[Czabs]

I sometimes use a light and sometimes don't. I'm shying more and more away from using a light because I personally think a deer can see the light. And how do you know know you never busted a deer with one?

Going into areas that are hard on the feet and are very thick I use a small maglight and cover it halfway with my hand, so I can just see enough where I'm walking. I don't want to beam up the whole area, just enough to see where my feet go.

The thing that makes me wanna use a light is in one of Dan's post about a guy drawing back on him on public land when he wasn't using a light. That scares me a little because there are a lot of knuckle heads out there that I wouldn't trust. Another thing that sucks early season without a light is walking into spiderwebs because you didn't see them...i hate that

On public I also don't want anyone to know where I am and where I'm coming in or out so that's another reason why I don't use one that often. I was sitting in the public marsh one afternoon and had a guy come in and set up. When he was packing up to leave he had this huge headlamp on his head that lit him up like a star. I don't know how a deer couldn't see that, but that's just my opinion.

[Stanley]

I don't use a light unless absolutely necessary. Which is just about never.

[Dewey]

I rarely use a light near my hunting spots because I hate to give up my position to other hunters on public. Believe it or not there are idiots out there that watch for that and try to move in on your spots.

If I do turn a light on it is just for a very brief time to navigate some nasty thick stuff. I prefer a headlamp since it is hands free and my favorite is the Petzl Tikka. Mostly used for blood tracking though.

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[dan]

I feel that deer can see you at a longer distance when you use a light... I used to not use any light for night navigation but after a few close calls and almost getting shot I now use a light. I like to point it straight down, or just flick it on and off every 20 yards or so, so I don't get an arrow shot thru me.

[JV NC]

I feel that deer can see you at a longer distance when you use a light... I used to not use any light for night navigation but after a few close calls and almost getting shot I now use a light. I like to point it straight down, or just flick it on and off every 20 yards or so, so I don't get an arrow shot thru me.

I hear that. When I emerge from the woods in the evenings, my red light's waving around like an ambulance (when I hit a field edge).

Safety first!

[dan]

I feel that deer can see you at a longer distance when you use a light... I used to not use any light for night navigation but after a few close calls and almost getting shot I now use a light. I like to point it straight down, or just flick it on and off every 20 yards or so, so I don't get an arrow shot thru me.

I hear that. When I emerge from the woods in the evenings, my red light's waving around like an ambulance (when I hit a field edge).

Safety first!

Yea... I think the red light is a good idea, I might try that. I have to think they still see it, but probably not as much as white light.

[Brad]

I use one on public or private any time its dark or dark enough that I cant see where I am going. My reasons for this are this: I make WAY more noise without the light then I do with the light. I think noise carry's further than sight does in the woods, so odds are if a deer can hear you tromping through the brush without a light (which they can), they can certainly see you if there anywhere near, and there gonna run. If they are just out of visual range or obstructed by brush, terrain etc, the sound will most likely still reach them if you sound like a herd of elephants going through the woods. I also don't see how a deer can "see through" the light, and tell what you are. I know from my own personal experiances, if I don't use a light a deer in an open field could pick me off hundreds of yards away, where as I can much closer to them with the light on before they ran away, and I think it is due to the fact that they cant see what's behind the light, kind of like a deer in the headlights kind of thing. There eyes are more sensitive than ours day or night, so imagine how bright and blinded they would be with a light, and I don't think deer automatically run away from stuff they cant identify. I also use one for the safety issues mentioned prior, hunting isn't worth dying over, be it from a gun or bow, or a fall, and certainly I figure if I break or sprain my ankle my hunt is over for awhile (or possibly the season).