Flashlight question

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Robbo
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Flashlight question

Unread postby Robbo » Sun Dec 30, 2018 3:29 pm

Do you guys use a flashlight walking in for hunts or wait till day break and use no light? If you use a light, is it a dim or bright? Just wonder if lights spook game


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Ghost Hunter
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Sun Dec 30, 2018 3:47 pm

I try get in on low power headlamp early enough to let everything settle down. Usually try be in tree 20-30 mins. before first hint of sunrise.

Hope that helped. Glad you joined us.
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P&YBuck1
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby P&YBuck1 » Sun Dec 30, 2018 3:49 pm

When hunting private land I try to minimize or not use a flashlight at all, but on public land I use a flash light 35-lumens for safety. I do carry a backup flashlight which is 250 lumens for emergencies. I feel lights do spook deer so I minimize use and do not shine them all around the place to minimize spooking deer. I have waiting till light to enter some stands since I felt getting there quiet was more important then early.

This is my two cents worth. :)
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Tufrthnails
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby Tufrthnails » Sun Dec 30, 2018 4:05 pm

public land I use a bright head lamp until I get to crawl distance. I then switch to the red light settings. One thing about red light if you've never setup a stand with red light I suggest trying it at the house first to get accustom to it. You would be amazed how it will make things harder to distinguish especially if you use certain color items. Also you really got to have a good idea of where you are going. red light doesn't travel far and makes moving in thick woods a bit more difficult if you are using terrain features to guide you.

Private land I don't use a light I generally know the private ground I hunt very well and unless there is just no moon light I don't use a light. If I do it's a red light.
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EllieTheChubb
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Sun Dec 30, 2018 7:09 pm

I use a headlamp, nothing crazy but bright enough to see the steps infront of me. My thought is that my sound travels farther than my light in the woods and I want to be on stand before gray light when they can see better. Ive walked within 60yds of bedded deer with a head lamp and not spooked them just by going slow and picking my steps carefully.
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funderburk
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby funderburk » Mon Dec 31, 2018 12:29 am

Tufrthnails wrote:public land I use a bright head lamp until I get to crawl distance. I then switch to the red light settings. One thing about red light if you've never setup a stand with red light I suggest trying it at the house first to get accustom to it. You would be amazed how it will make things harder to distinguish especially if you use certain color items. Also you really got to have a good idea of where you are going. red light doesn't travel far and makes moving in thick woods a bit more difficult if you are using terrain features to guide you.

Private land I don't use a light I generally know the private ground I hunt very well and unless there is just no moon light I don't use a light. If I do it's a red light.


Agree. Red makes things appear different. I’m in a spot this morning and when nocking my arrow, I couldn’t perceive yellow vanes from red vanes. Takes some getting used to. But I’ve read that deer can’t distinguish red from green, so I use red once I’m at a certain distance from my tree in hopes of minimizing spook. Also, you don’t see spots after turning a red light off as opposed to yellow/white lights.
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby hambone » Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:01 am

I only use a light when it is necessary. At that, I keep it pointed at the ground directly in front of me. I prefer a green light, when I already know each step to my destination. Some deer, don't seem to mind a light, others scram immediately. Deer seem to act differently in the woods in the dark. I have walked right up on deer, several times in the dark without them spooking badly. I also saw this quite a bit, running coon dogs, back in the day. I check my cams at night, either before or during a good rain. Many times, I have walked right past bedded deer that pay me little mind. Last year on the way to my stand, I walked right past a mature buck, that was at the edge of my yard. He stood still until I got past him, then walked off. I kept the light on him, because he was so close, I felt it could get dangerous. I got to witness his response under the beam of my light. That was an isolated incident, I might add. There could have been a hot doe close, that I failed to notice. Or?...Back when shining was legal in MO, we had a lot less deer spook in front a a red lens, than a white light. Most mature bucks wouldn't waste much time in the spotlight, after a time or two, though. From my experience, stumbling around, breaking sticks and leaving unnecessary ground scent, as you try to weave your way to your destination will skeer more deer than will the light, should you need it.
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby bigredneck61088 » Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:06 am

Red headlamp here, if I need it to be quiet I use it, if I can see enough and still can be quiet I won’t use it
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tgreeno
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby tgreeno » Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:51 am

Here are a few threads I SEARCHED on this topic. I'm sure there are even more threads about this out there. Many guys use lights. Some colored, and some not. .

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42661&hilit=lights%3F

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=46241&hilit=lights%3F

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=45764&hilit=lights%3F

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=42248&hilit=lights%3F

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=36502&hilit=lights%3F
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Horizontal Hunter
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Mon Dec 31, 2018 6:56 am

I always use a light in and out for safety reasons. No exceptions.

I generally use a Nitecore HC 90 as my go to headlamp for hunting. It has R/G/B leds and an infinitely adjustable white light that goes up to 900 lumens. It will put out the 900 lumens for an hour and 3/4 on one good battery. It does get toasty though. The downside is that it is a heavy light.

When it comes to recovering a deer at night there is no substitute for a good bright light.

I just a Fenix E16 flashlight. It looks to be a great flashlight for this purpose and I am looking forward to trying it out.

The clip is designed to clip on the bill of a ball cap and this light is small enough and light enough to do that comfortably.

With the rechargeable 16340 it will put out 700 lumens on turbo for an hour.

https://www.fenixlighting.com/product/fenix-e16-edc-flashlight/

The E16 is a new offering for Fenix and the first two runs sold out.

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ghoasthunter
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Mon Dec 31, 2018 3:01 pm

funderburk wrote:
Tufrthnails wrote:public land I use a bright head lamp until I get to crawl distance. I then switch to the red light settings. One thing about red light if you've never setup a stand with red light I suggest trying it at the house first to get accustom to it. You would be amazed how it will make things harder to distinguish especially if you use certain color items. Also you really got to have a good idea of where you are going. red light doesn't travel far and makes moving in thick woods a bit more difficult if you are using terrain features to guide you.

Private land I don't use a light I generally know the private ground I hunt very well and unless there is just no moon light I don't use a light. If I do it's a red light.


Agree. Red makes things appear different. I’m in a spot this morning and when nocking my arrow, I couldn’t perceive yellow vanes from red vanes. Takes some getting used to. But I’ve read that deer can’t distinguish red from green, so I use red once I’m at a certain distance from my tree in hopes of minimizing spook. Also, you don’t see spots after turning a red light off as opposed to yellow/white lights.

most nocks have a indexing mark on them just keep them all turned the same way and you should be able too feel when your arrow is on right.
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ghoasthunter
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Mon Dec 31, 2018 3:08 pm

some places i hunt im walking for up too an hour in the dark i use mine depending on if i can see or not if im in a open field or logging road i will go without but if im trying not too crash threw brush its on. its always on during gun season too. way i look at it if your spooking deer with a light in dark your probably not picking a very good approach too your setup.
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Killemquietly
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby Killemquietly » Mon Dec 31, 2018 5:05 pm

Headlamp on lowest setting generally angled toward the ground.
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby Rich M » Tue Jan 01, 2019 9:46 am

Killemquietly wrote:Headlamp on lowest setting generally angled toward the ground.


This is what I do. I once watched a buddy walk about 1/3 mile up a road with his headlamp as such and couldn't hardly see him if I didn't know where to look.
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JakeB
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Re: Flashlight question

Unread postby JakeB » Wed Jan 02, 2019 10:55 am

If I was starving and my life depended on getting a deer, I would do it at night with a bright headlight..


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