What lights (I'm assuming an LED) scared critters least?

I was wondering what lights would scare critters you run into at night the least? Among other things I've noticed that their eyes reflect a bit of light. I'm looking for something that lets me see the critters without startling them as much.

Red lights.

Red is definitely the color. Animals cannot see in that spectrum.

Red for naked eye observation or Infra-red if you have light intensifier equipment.

i read on streamlights site that animals cannot see the green light spectrum. that is why the hunting series of lights come with either a green led or a green light filter.

Green looks the brightest to humans so it is a good signal to other hunters that you are not a deer.

Art Vandelay said:

Green looks the brightest to humans so it is a good signal to other hunters that you are not a deer.

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i'd think the fact that you were holding any flashlight would categorize you as non-deer.

youreacrab said:

i'd think the fact that you were holding any flashlight would categorize you as non-deer.

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Nearly fell out of my chair when I read that!

That's a good one. I'm glad I was not eating when I read that.

You probably don't want to have a regular flashlight on if you are hunting dear. A 2 lumen green Streetlight Stylus clipped to the bill of your cap might keep you from getting shot, and you will not get accused of spotlighting deer.

Freddy said:

Red is definitely the color. Animals cannot see in that spectrum.

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So a bullfighter's cape is invisible to the bull?

Oh how I love this topic. I know for a fact that red and green light is NOT invisible to animals. Heres an old post I did on this https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/166863

It seems with my experiances lights tend to make animals stare dumbfoundedly no matter the color.

defloyd77 said:

Oh how I love this topic. I know for a fact that red and green light is NOT invisible to animals. Heres an old post I did on this https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/166863

It seems with my experiances lights tend to make animals stare dumbfoundedly no matter the color.

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I tried my red diffuser over my L2D on my hamsters last night. They woke up when i shone the red light at them.:shrug:

DM51 said:

So a bullfighter's cape is invisible to the bull?

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It's red in order to mask blood if the bull scores a hit on the bullfighter. If bulls indeed can't see red, then it would appear black to them...

defloyd77 said:

Oh how I love this topic. I know for a fact that red and green light is NOT invisible to animals. Heres an old post I did on this https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/166863

It seems with my experiances lights tend to make animals stare dumbfoundedly no matter the color.

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While both red and green will be visible to them; red should appear less bright, but not invisible, especially if you shine a fairly bright red light right at them.

Green will appear bright to them. They'll percieve it as the same color as red, but green will look much brighter.

Best bet is a DIM red light, and try not to shine it in their eyes, it's still not totally invisible (I think the deer vision graph tends to be a little exaggerated, low sensitivity doesn't necessarily mean no sensitivity).

Funny, I was using my Dad's Fenix hunting the other day and was leaving the woods. I had it on 180 lumens and I literally walked up to 20 yards to 2 deer before they bolted. Seems like the white light hypnotizes them.

Wonder if they'd be just as "transfixed"

by a Red light ? (Incand. or LED)



Gee, we've gotta' test these theories !




Or else, submit 'em to MythBusters.


_

DM51 said:

So a bullfighter's cape is invisible to the bull?

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I don't know about red masking the bullfighter's blood, but it isn't the color of the cape that aggravates the bull, it's the movement.

naked2 said:

I don't know about red masking the bullfighter's blood, but it isn't the color of the cape that aggravates the bull, it's the movement.

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But if the bull can't see red, as Freddy says, it shouldn't matter whether the cape moves or stays still, lol.

Bulls are color blind. It doesn't matter what color the cape is you wave he is going to kick your butt cause your waving something infront of his face. It's the movement that attracts him.

And for the deer and flashlights comment, LOL

I dont know about that, didn't Rudolf have a red flashlight?

Burgess said:

Or else, submit 'em to MythBusters.

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Speaking of Mythbusters, bulls and capes, they concluded it wasn't the color but the movement of the cape, all colors ticked them off equally. Bulls can see things that are red and all other colors, but they aren't visualized by the bulls in the way humans see them.

Here's an interesting article on how animals see color http://www.colormatters.com/kids/animals.html