Best light for hunting
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I'm assuming that you are speaking about deer hunting.
For what its worth, I use a SF KL4 2X123 lego with an McE2S 60 ohm tailcap. The low stage is plenty bright enough for clandestine navigation to your stand and close blood trailing and the high can light up the whole woods if you need it to scan for a downed animal or the like.
I like the KL4 for hunting given its wide flood beam. At arm height it will illuminate a good patch of ground for blood trailing rather than a tiny spot. It does eat batteries though, so you need to keep a spare set of cells handy. This inefficiency makes it less than the ideal hunting light.
I haven't tried colored lights to highlight a blood trail so I can't comment on that. I know that SF advertises the Kroma for this asset.
IMHO, Look for something with multiple outputs (with a fairly low low setting and a decent high) and good efficiency with a general-purpose beam-not too spotty. It's also handy to be able to clip it to the brim of a hat or something for hand's free use.
I'm still searching myself for something to replace my current light.
For what its worth, I use a SF KL4 2X123 lego with an McE2S 60 ohm tailcap. The low stage is plenty bright enough for clandestine navigation to your stand and close blood trailing and the high can light up the whole woods if you need it to scan for a downed animal or the like.
I like the KL4 for hunting given its wide flood beam. At arm height it will illuminate a good patch of ground for blood trailing rather than a tiny spot. It does eat batteries though, so you need to keep a spare set of cells handy. This inefficiency makes it less than the ideal hunting light.
I haven't tried colored lights to highlight a blood trail so I can't comment on that. I know that SF advertises the Kroma for this asset.
IMHO, Look for something with multiple outputs (with a fairly low low setting and a decent high) and good efficiency with a general-purpose beam-not too spotty. It's also handy to be able to clip it to the brim of a hat or something for hand's free use.
I'm still searching myself for something to replace my current light.
Yes, thats right, thanks for your answer
Another option to consider is carrying both a bright yet efficient light for tracking and a low-light headlamp for navigation. That will allow you to avail yourself to more conventional options.
For that combo, I would recommend a G2L and a Petzl Tactikka XP headlamp. All told, you will spend less than a high-end SF and get more versatility. This comes at the cost of adding one more thing to carry into the field.
This is the solution that I am leaning toward when weighed against the option of an updated, expensive multi-output torch.
p.s. the Tactikka includes both red and blue filters to test the usefulness of colored light for blood tracking.
For that combo, I would recommend a G2L and a Petzl Tactikka XP headlamp. All told, you will spend less than a high-end SF and get more versatility. This comes at the cost of adding one more thing to carry into the field.
This is the solution that I am leaning toward when weighed against the option of an updated, expensive multi-output torch.
p.s. the Tactikka includes both red and blue filters to test the usefulness of colored light for blood tracking.
What is with these colored lights? green, red, zyan and other.
Every dearhunter says that is best, i dont understand.
Now i need real answers from experts
For what is zyan, red....
What is with "wildfinder" flashlight ?
Someone more informations from this lights?
thanks
Every dearhunter says that is best, i dont understand.
Now i need real answers from experts
For what is zyan, red....
What is with "wildfinder" flashlight ?
Someone more informations from this lights?
thanks
I always use a headlamp when walking into the woods before the sun comes up. I prefer a small headlamp with lots of flood....I use a PT quad. I like the small size so that after the sun comes up and easily fits in my pack. You have many options on a good small headlamp. I also carry A Surefire A2. I keep it close at hand. The LEDs are a great backup light. and the Main light of the surefire is great for strange noises in the woods i also like the incan better in the woods.... things just show up better in the woods with an incan light. And in a worst case situation where you are stuck out all night you have a headlamp that should run all night if it has fairly fresh batteries and also the LED on the A2 will run all night even if the batteries are to weak for the Main light to work. Many lights have multiple levels i just prefer the Incan bright light and LEDs for low light. Good Luck hunting this year BTW
You want a white light for blood trailing. Other issues are portability, run time and throw.
For sure my favorite is the Surefire G2 modded with a p90 or equivalent with 2 unprotected 3.6V. Lot of folks don't like running unprotected cells in series though. I think AWs protected cells will fire it up, although I haven't tried.
I think though the new G2 LED run with an AW P18650, might be a good one as well, I'm waiting for a Cree Drop in to check and see what that will be like.
Another nice one is the Nuwaii Q3(or whatever model that is now) on one unprotected 3.6V. Overdriven white light and great flood for trailing. Unbelievably compact, extra long bulb life, tough as nails, not a lot of throw though.
If there is poor blood I use a modded 2C, some kind of ROP iteration with a lower drawing bulb for a longer run time and a smooth reflector for greater throw.
Last year a buddy of mine shot one high, no blood. I had both of my unmodded G2's side by side, in order to scan the field, it was barely enough light, to find that buck.
I'd suggest 2 lights one that is compact with good flood with a bright white light, for blood trailing, that you keep in your pack. Either the Nuwaii Q3 or maybe the G2 LED. Something like that.
And then something with more throw that you keep in the truck. Like maybe a Magcharger if you're not into mods.
For sure my favorite is the Surefire G2 modded with a p90 or equivalent with 2 unprotected 3.6V. Lot of folks don't like running unprotected cells in series though. I think AWs protected cells will fire it up, although I haven't tried.
I think though the new G2 LED run with an AW P18650, might be a good one as well, I'm waiting for a Cree Drop in to check and see what that will be like.
Another nice one is the Nuwaii Q3(or whatever model that is now) on one unprotected 3.6V. Overdriven white light and great flood for trailing. Unbelievably compact, extra long bulb life, tough as nails, not a lot of throw though.
If there is poor blood I use a modded 2C, some kind of ROP iteration with a lower drawing bulb for a longer run time and a smooth reflector for greater throw.
Last year a buddy of mine shot one high, no blood. I had both of my unmodded G2's side by side, in order to scan the field, it was barely enough light, to find that buck.
I'd suggest 2 lights one that is compact with good flood with a bright white light, for blood trailing, that you keep in your pack. Either the Nuwaii Q3 or maybe the G2 LED. Something like that.
And then something with more throw that you keep in the truck. Like maybe a Magcharger if you're not into mods.
WDR65
Enlightened
After this past weekend I have decided to carry a pair of Surefire L4's for tracking and my Cree L1 with red filter for walking into the woods and rummaging for things in my bag. I also carry a small Rayovac Sportsman headlamp just in case I need hands free.
To each their own though. I know a lot of people who still just carry standard mini-mags with them into the woods and they do just fine. I prefer more light, but then again I'm a flashaholic.
To each their own though. I know a lot of people who still just carry standard mini-mags with them into the woods and they do just fine. I prefer more light, but then again I'm a flashaholic.
Steve Curtis
Newly Enlightened
if you can send me an e-mail address ill send you some pics of my hunting rig, simple but powerful and wont cost a fortune :twothumbs
JohnB
Newly Enlightened
I talk to hunters at shows some prefer blue and red for tracking blood while others say the colored lights do not work.
It seems to be a matter of preferece
It seems to be a matter of preferece
Yes, same as here, everyone says different, but it can not be. It works or it works not, i am no hunter and i have no colored lights here, so i cant test.
I would say definitely yes. Incan will show the contrast between red/brown much better. I never tried to track blood in the woods 
, but I observed that green and brown colors look nearly the same under LED light, there isn't much contrast.
You could do a test - take some ketchup and spill it on some grass and leaves, and compare LED and incan
, but I observed that green and brown colors look nearly the same under LED light, there isn't much contrast. You could do a test - take some ketchup and spill it on some grass and leaves, and compare LED and incan
You could do a test - take some ketchup and spill it on some grass and leaves, and compare LED and incan
Yes, thanks, it is an good idea, i will do this.
cnjl3
Enlightened
Pm sent
I'm a member of a Michigan huntclub and spend about 45 evenings each year bowhunting. For the past 3 years we have been using leds to track deer at night with great results. Last night I took my 6P along to track a small 7 pointer. Maybe it's because I've been using leds so long, but the yellow tint of an incan does not seem to work as well for me. It only took me about 3 minutes to switch back to led!! I have no problems at all spotting small specks of blood with leds. One thing that I have noticed is that deer seem to see led light better then Incan light. I've done many tests were I'll shine the same deer with Incan and then Led. They do notice when an incan is shined on them but really get freaked out when I hit them with an led. Of course these are not facts, just a few years of my personal observations. One of the big benefits of using leds to track is the loooong runtime you get from them. I've been on many tracking jobs that went well into the morning hours. I've now settled on 3 lights for tracking and have 3 of each: 4AA Propoly (Seoul modded), EOS headlamp (Seoul modded) and Dorcy 3D (Seoul modded running 4 Cs). The Propolys handle blood tracking and spotting, the big Dorcy does the long range spotting and the EOS just does everything. I'm sure these will change in the future but for now I love the smooth beams and white warm tints of the Seouls. Missed a huge doe last night from about 10 yards because of a squeeky release!!!!!! Gotta remember to lube that darn thing!!
