Best light for deer hunting-New member needs help

i need a bright fairly long run time light with HA for use during deer hunting out in middle of nowhere (15 miles from any civilization) cost is really not an issue but runtime, water restistance, etc is. I can provide as many details as needed to help narrow a selection down. I am attracted to surefire because i think that the blue filter would be very helpful in illuminating blood trails.

I am posting this for a friend that will be a registered member tonight(Screen name is Nighthunter
Lets generate a light that will suit his needs. He will add more comments later.

Arc? Get a blue Arc AAA while they last. Define "bright."


If you want long run time than I don't think you want Surefire...they run about an hour on those expensive 123s.

Saaby. 123's are only $0.50 each. See the thread about carguy21.

The PT Surge is bright, has longer runtime than most 123 lights since it uses 2 sets of 4AA in parallel, and is waterproof.
It is plastic, though, so no luck with Hard Anodized

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by sunspot:
Saaby. 123's are only $0.50 each. See the thread about carguy21.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

True true...but still.

As I said again, when Nighthunter gets around to post this evening mabey he can give more input into his speicific needs. We talked briefly about the following lights. E2, Surge, UK2L, M3, He was pretty interested in the M3 but my personal opinion is that MAY be really too much for what he needs. He is currently using ?Browning (Pelican spinoff)2d light He is pleased with the "whitness" of the light(something that we all like in a fine incadesant)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Saaby:
Arc? Get a blue Arc AAA while they last. Define "bright."

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sabby, I don't think that the AAA would be bright enough. I have shown him my ARC ls and we both think it would be adequate for blood trails with a blue beamfilter attached from surefire but would not serve well for spotting etc. from 50yrds in...

I think that he would be pleased with anything over 60 lumens. Nighthunter has seen and test fired the e2 and 6p so far, In a few minutes he will compare a legend LX and Ultrastinger...

We also briefly discussed rechargables and he will return to look at the Brinkmann legend LX and the Ultrastinger.

I will post more when I know more.

Thanks guys for the help...Brightnorm seems to always have the best light pick for every situation, Norm, do you hunt too?

I still think that headlamps are ideal for hunting. Being able to see and to have your hands available, to carry, move through brush etc. It has been an invaluable tool for me.

Scared me there for a minute!

From my hunting days, I would suggest something like the Surge for tracking and a wide beam head lamp for use while dressing out the deer. For tracking a blood trail, a light bright enough to clearly see colors is necessary The PT Surge fits the bill here...desent run time and LOTS of light that can be wide or narrow beam. For dressing out the deer, head lamp because you need both hands for that messy work and probably both hands will be needed to drag the deer out! I would suggest a head lamp with a battery pack that goes on the belt and that uses C or D size batteries.

Seems like I always shot my deer (I'm a bow hunter) just before sundown and had to track them down at night using a two cell flashlight or if I was lucky, someone would show up with one of those lights that was screwed to the top of a big 6v battery.

Thanks Roy!!!


So far this is what I have recommended to Nighthunter...

1. Arc AAA led light for map, and blind use. (everybody ought to have one of these anyway, should pass them out in the take home kit from the hospital when you were born)

2. Surefire E2, or Princeton tec Surge, or Brinkman legend LX

3. Streamlight Ultrastinger for looking at things way far away.

4. Princeton tec Switchback headlamp with 4 cell battery belt pack, for setting up camp and dressing out the game.


Nighthunter, they do show a blue lens for the stinger but not the ultra stinger. Perhaps at this point looking for blood trails would best be accomplished with the E2 or similar with the $7.00 blue filter attached.

Also look at this website for a neat safety idea... Evidently green does not spook game and will keep you safe if you are all camoflauged up standing out in the middle of nowhere... http://www.streamlight.com/2001/huntsafe1.htm

what about the inova? one in white and one in blue. the blue light will make blood contrast against the grass and weeds. i say the x5 because the 123s that power it are cold weather friendly. i will be getting 2 for the same reason.oh, and a head lamp.

BUSHMAN

THANKS FOR ALL OF THE PERSONAL KNOWLDEGE AND GETTING ME HOOKED UP THIS WEBSITE - HAVE LOOKED OVER THE REPLYS AND LOTS OF GET INFO

WILL LOOK AT ALL OF THE ATTACHED WEBSITES AND SEE THE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED

WANTED TO ADD JUST A LITTLE MORE INFO ON THE HUNTING NEEDS THAT I AM TRYING TO ADDRESS

I ALSO AM A BOWHUNTER AND SO MANY OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE TAKEN ARE RIGHT AT THE END OF LEGAL LIGHT - AFTER WAITING FOR THE ANIMALS TO LAY DOWN OFTEN PUTS THE SEARCH INTO THE DARKER HOURS OF THE NIGHT

NEED A MUTLI USE SMALL LONG LIFE LIGHT TO ATTACH TO MY BACKPACK - SMALLER SIZES WOULD BE BETTER (USED TO READ MAPS AND SMALL CHORES WHILE IN THE WOODS)

NEED TO SMALL (E2) SIZE LIGHT WITH A BLUE FILTER TO CARRY IN THE PACK FOR BLOOD TRACKING IN TOTAL DARKNESS

NEED TO LARGER LIGHT WITH LONG LIFE AND LONG FIELD OF VIEW FOR GENERAL USE IN THE DARK - CAN BE CARRIED IN A PACK AND USED TO GET TO BLINDS IN THE DARK

ALSO INTERESTED IN ANY INFO ON HEADLAMPS SINCE WOULD MAKE IT EASIER WHEN CONFRONTED WITH ANY TASKS THAT WOULD CALL FOR THE USE OF BOTH HANDS

WILL WAIT FOR REPLIES FOR THE NEW INFO

I dont own anything with a blue filter so I can't comment. I have the PT Attitude, PT Surge, PT Aurora, SL Scorpion, Arc White AAA, and UKE 2L.

For small long life, I say the Princeton Tec Attitude. This LED light uses 4AAA and lasts for many hours.

For backpack light, I say the Princeton Tec Surge. It uses 8AA and batteries that you can get for about 25 cents a piece on Ebay. This light lasts about 3 hours.

What will you be using the headlamp for? Close up or for spotting? I think the Aurora is great for upclose lighting. I use it when I go fishing. The Streamlight Sceptor can operate on 1, 3, or 7 LED's and costs about $30 at http.www.brightguy.com/ .

I get my batteries from Carguy21. He's great to do business with. I ordered 50 new Rayovacs for $12.xx shipped. He offered me CR223A batteries for $1.25 each including shipping. Also CR123A batteries for $1.50 shipped. Guess which one im getting?

Hope you don't mean "spotting" as in hunting deer at night with spotlight! That'll get you jail time in Texas!

Nighthunter,
Try looking at this website for the Predator pro headlamp. www.princetontec.com
http://www.backcountry-equipment.com/accessrs/a-hd_lmp/switchback.html

The above link is the PT switchback which is low and high beam all in one!

Thanks funk, for the input.

Okay, here's my experience deerhunting.

First, you're often camping, but it's car camping with a basecamp. So you can bring along extra batteries and such without worrying about weight, but you do worry about battery cost! Your light will need to handle all regular camp needs, including possibly setting up base camp at night.

When you're deerhunting, the deer are active at night, so you're going to do a night hike until you find your way to a good spot, then hunker down and wait. When day breaks the deer are less active, you'll be humping around looking for them, but now you don't need a flashlight.

If you've got the cash, this might be a case where SureFires work fine. You're just going to hike an hour or so until you find your spot, so you'll need the light for that, and then you'll be sitting around waiting and don't need a light. Then you'll need the light to get back out. And if you bag a deer, you'll want a light for dressing it out, but a headlamp might make more sense here unless you have a buddy to hold the light for you.

I haven't gone deerhunting at night, just morning and afternoon, but I'd imagine a Surefire would work fine, but be an expensive solution. A UKE 2L probably works fine, even a 4D Maglite might work out just fine (yes, it's ridiculously heavy, but remember you've got a base camp and you're going on hikes). One of the brighter 4-AA headlamps might work out really nicely, too, especially if you don't have a buddy to hold the light for you.

Joe

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Roy:
Hope you don't mean "spotting" as in hunting deer at night with spotlight! That'll get you jail time in Texas!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Heck no! Im sorry I should have been more plain, Talking about spotting it after it has been taken legally. I personally do not hunt and probably don't know the correct terms to use here..

Ahhh Another 223 splitter in the crowd? I split my first 223 to get the 2x123's about 3 weeks ago, really rather easy but i did get one battery a bit warm once. No harm done.

Nighthunter, Please refrain from all caps typing, some consider it akin to yelling... It's kinda an unwritten rule... don't worry.

The surge is so cheap and with 3hrs run time you really cant go wrong.

The E2 is virtually indestructable except the bulb and some have dropped thiers from waist high on concrete and the bulb survives, but if and when you order go ahead and get and extra lamp assbly. MNO3 is the part number i believe.

the surge will run on just 4aa since it is in a serial/parallel configuration and that means if you needed the batteries for your GPS or FRS radio or something else that is AA powered you could snag them from it. Didn' realize it would double as a waterproof battery carrier too did ya?

Oh man i completely missed the post above about the blue x-5

Night hunter here is your blood trail light. Virtually indestuctable. you can run over this thing with your 4x4 truck and not hurt it. runs for about 5-6 hours...

It comes with white leds or blue leds so make sure you are getting the right one...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1846314903

The Streamlight Scorpion puts out as much light as the SF E2, uses the same batteries, goes from spot to flood, is about the same size, comes with a spare bulb stored inside the light and cost half as much!

Oh yeah, I forgot about the X5-T. I was wanting to get the white LED one. Well, I just got my Scorpion about 2 days ago and its really bright. I havent been playing around with it much because they say the lamp loses life really quicky when used in short burts. Also, if I use it for a long period of time, the battery will die out. Kind of a catch-22. I just dont have any extra cr123a batteries right now to be playing around with it. Its around $5 a piece at the store!