I'm a firm believer in a flashlight period, any kind but a red or green light is certainly better. I used to not use one, that was until I got a stick in the eye....knocked me flat down and I sat there for all but an hour cause I could not see....I'm glad it worked out in the end....I always use a flashlight now...and deer are not spooked by flashlights. I believe and have experienced they are more spooked by not using one. They seem frozen and deer don't have the depth perception to know how far a light is from them. Hell in the dark, it's tough to know how far for a human....I once tracked a light through the woods thinking someone was in my area that shouldn't be only to find I was seeing a street light from more than a half mile away. It looked like a flashlight at ground level...I was shocked.

The key is to shine minimal light onto the ground so you can see to walk. I cup my hands over the end of the light allowing just enough to show my way. There is no way this spooks deer. I've walked up on them in the dark while using a flashlight but without one, I hear them go way out in front of me. SO it's safer with one than without one...for those against flashlights, I hope your wearing eye protection or wish you the best of luck.