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Walking in or out in the pitch of Dark

3637 Views 49 Replies 34 Participants Last post by  tracker1
Okay, need some thoughts here. I don't use lights if I don't have to but gotta say in a forrest at 5am it is pitch dark. What I try do within pre day light where there is enough light to see I turn off my head light around 100 plus yards a way to locate my tree to climb.

I was thinking of buying a red head light. Do they work? Are they non intrusive to alerting deer?
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Red and green they say are the best colour that game can’t see. So they say. I just go in and out with no light. But there have been a few times I had to use my light on my phone to locate my stand.


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I use red light in past...I hunt same area so I'm used to the trail no need for light

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In terms of pre dawn, I have regressed to an alarming degree in the past few years. Seven years ago, I could walk a half mile into the woods, find my stand, climb up and haul the crossbow up, and get it all set to hunt without using any light. A few years ago, I started walking past some very obvious (in daylight) stands. Started using a red head lamp and even bright eyes.:oops: I have had “stair downs” with two glowing red dots a few times. They rarely really react strongly, but sometimes some snorting. I have twice killed deer on mornings when I spooked deer walking in. Not ideal, but I’ve gotten to the point where it’s that, or don’t hunt mornings.:(
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I use a little pen light flashlight. Not alot of disturbance but enough to see
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I used to use red but got busted a lot so I tried green and found that as long as I stay downwind of a deer in the dark they ignore the green light. I had literally walked within a few feet of several without spooking them. I use a Streamlight Stylus in green and I have a headband that it fits in. Been using them for probably 20 years now. I keep a small bright white flashlight in my jacket pocket just in case I have to track a deer in the dark.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Streamligh...036088&hash=item3b3b354e68:g:xVQAAOSw509drnGQ
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The only time I get a little freaked out is climbing down after dark while bear hunting. If a bear wanted to attack I'd be screwed because Ontario regs make us have our bows encased on the way out!!!! :(
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Some how a green and white head lamp was just put on Santa's Xmas list. :D
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The only time I get a little freaked out is climbing down after dark while bear hunting. If a bear wanted to attack I'd be screwed because Ontario regs make us have our bows encased on the way out!!!! :(
I"m breaking that law. I'd be packing if I was bear hunting. That is my law for personal protection.
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I try to walk in without any light but like you guys know, that's not always possible when it's overcast in the deep woods at pre-dawn hours. I use a small Browning brim mount LED (night seeker 2) that has white and green options. I use the green all the time when walking and I generally carry it in my hand pointed downward a step or two in front of me. I only shine it upward when needed.

https://www.browning.com/products/flashlights/cap-lights/night-seeker-2-cap-light.html

It's a great stocking stuffer Tom!
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I've used both red and green walking in and out and have had about the same experiences of spooking deer, hopefully not into the next county. There are times when you're going to spook deer and there's not much you can do about it.

I can see with the green better that I can with the red, so I've been using that for the last few years.
Tom, I'd be very skeered walking in or at close to dark as the woods are sometimes full of crazy hunters that shoot at almost anything they see. Arent you primarily hunting on public lands? Better either wait on good light or use the headlamp so you don't get shot.:eek:
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I also use a green lid light if a light is needed. The green has never spooked any deer so far. I used to use a clear light which was too bright and definitely scared deer! Good luck!


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I have also been told by other hunters that my small green light is so bright they can see it from a long ways off. Deer do not see it though.
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I walk out every evening using the green light on my headlight. For whatever reason the red isn't enough light. Mine is just a cheap light though. Something I can see by for walking and keeping me from getting shot at. LOL:)
My hunting buddy and me use the brightest headlight we can buy. Walking in, walking out, it doesnt matter. The public land we hunt is not hunted hardly at all. Its big, remote and we boat across backwoods oxbow lakes and hunt deer that we figure have never seen a man.
Ive walked up on deer with a headlight and they just stand there and look. Deer arent really spooked by the light. Those that get a little nervouse dont go far.
The hunting is tough in this area because it's so vast and getting lost is always a possibilty. Bright eye tacks are always our best friend in this hog infested wilderness. The place is so remote that you cant hear traffic, trains or anything but commercial jets. Everywhere looks the same and a good light is a must.
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Even though I hunt private land and know my way to my stands but I still use a pen light that gives me just enough light to walk. It's amazing the noise one can make trying to stay quiet!

I can also limit the amount of light I use by putting my index over part of the lens! I also keep my light pointed straight down, not herky, jerky like Im trying to signal ET or land airplanes!

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I use a LED head lamp, used to just use my eyes but the older I get harder to see in the dark. I like the green light better than the red light. I walked up on two does bedded one time. I ended up sitting behind a tree for thirty minutes. The two does slowly left the are but never snorted or blew, so I think they did not catch wind of me but not sure what the hell I was.
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I have also been told by other hunters that my small green light is so bright they can see it from a long ways off. Deer do not see it though.
Robert, red is the same way. I was told once while hunting in Kentucky that they could see my little red light as I was coming out of a tree after an evening hunt, and they were over a quarter mile away!

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I always wear a light at my down river spot because of the hogs. On my Church Buddy's place I use a red light.
Bill
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