Walking to my stand last year through a pasture full of deer once I realized they were there I turned off my light. As soon as the light went out so did the deer. That was one boring morning. Since I have used the light all the way to the stand sometimes bumping deer, but they seem to run just out of range of the beam, and stand there. With their superior vision once the light goes out I think they spook a lot worse, because they are used to the shapes they commonnly see out in the woods. With the light they haven't a clue. Haven't you heard the expression "Like a deer in the headlights".