MD Piney

I use a Princeton TEC head lamp with red lens at least once during my trip to or from the stand. It takes four AA batteries that last a week or two of hunting, walking to and from stand that is. I few of my friends switched to LED and that seems to be the way to go. At least when talking about battery life. As for the lens color I read an article that deer had a hard time seeing red and blue was a good color for tracking, blood really shines under the blue light.

Regarding getting drawn on... wow! I'm sure that got the old ticker pumping! Glad to see you were able to walk away from that situation! I'll always keep a light on after reading that story!

Swamp Dawg

Been there, done that! 14 years ago I was actually shot at with a rifle! Only by the Grace of God the boy was a poor shot and missed me. He thought I was a deer. It was pitch black and I walked right by his stand. I've never ran so fast in all my life all the way back to the truck. Needless to say, I have been using a light ever since, no matter how many deer I spook.

Jbra

did you ever find out who shot at you with the rifle? Man I would be scared S@#Tless, then I would beat the crap out of that kid. Thats scary to even think about. Glad your alright.

Swamp Dawg

Yes I did. the guy was an acquantence of mine. We were both given permission to hunt the property. I thought I was the only one hunting that evening, so at the time, I didn't think I needed a flashlight or hunters orange. Boy was I wrong. I was so scared I did not wait around to confront him. But we had words the next time I ran into him out there, after I gained my composure. He tried to tell me he saw me and there was a deer on the other side of him that he was shooting at. I called BS on him. The sound of 2 7mm Mag bullets buzzing by my ear told me he was lying!

Stalker22

I usualy use one going in. But in the evenings I try to walk out in the shaddows. After hearing your story I think I'll start using one going out too. I hunt a mid sized field that has a thick tree line all the way around. I don't think using a light would hurt and it's better than taking a chance on getting shot by someone not being careful. Thanks for adding to my awareness.

bugsNbows

I also use a Streamlight Stylus with green light. It has worked well.

Mike from Texas

Don't believe the story about the blue light making blood shine. I tried it last year and it actually made the blood look black.

PatriciaSTown

Yes, I use green flash light. It also helps me narrow down where the deer are entering the fields in the evenings, so I can reset my stand and cut them off.

MudderChuck

I've never used a light for walking in or out. I often come in early and hope to surprise a Hog rooting in a pasture or field. Which has backfired on me a couple of times.

I once stumbled into a whole sounder of pigs, maybe ten, who were taking a break and lounging around. The main body was maybe thirty feet in front of me, some piglets to my left and Mamma Sow to my right. My instinct was to make like a tree and not move a muscle, it worked. The other hunter that was following me in, made some noise and the Hogs bolted. I yelled run and she did, I stood stock still and hoped if they decided to charge they'd follow her, she was a whole lot younger and faster than I am. She asked me later why I didn't run too, I just smiled.

I was coming in slow and quiet going to a shooting tower at the corner of two pastures bordered by forest, the pastures are in a kind of "L" shape. I was walking slow up the small side of the "L", put my rifle on safe to cross a ditch. At a 45 degree angle across the smaller pasture from me is a little stand of young pine and some Bee hives the farmer puts out. A really big Sow comes charging out from the area of the Hives straight at me grunting and clacking her jaws. It was really dark out, all I could see was her shape, which kind of reminded me of an old Volkswagen bug, both in shape and size. I was standing in the ditch, all she could see was the top half of my body. I'm thinking all I have is a bolt action rifle and wasn't real confident I could acquire her in my scope and bring her down in one shot before she ran right over the top of me. Thankfully she stopped about half way to me and snorted, it was a mock charge. I backed out the same way I came in and didn't stop backing up until I had an open shot against a lighter background and a place to run to in case I missed or wounder her.

I learned my lesson, now when I walk in I carry my slug gun (a Remington 1100) and a 44 special revolver. And carry my bolt gun slung on my back.

Question is, I've had good luck stopping dogs coming at me with my 1000 lumen flashlight on strobe. I'm wondering what effect the strobe might have on a Hog or Deer? Any guesses? Or has somebody accidentally hit strobe when game is near and did it have any effect?

And even if you are going Bow Hunting, a large caliber handgun as backup may save your bacon some day. Nothing says don't mess with me quit like a .357 or .44 going off in the dark, the fireball is impressive. You might need it never, but if you need it once it is sure nice to have that option.

Ninety nine times out of a hundred the Hogs are going to take off in the other direction. It's that one time they don't, you have to worry about.

I have a light I got on special from Amazon, it says Police on it, I think maybe it is a Cree clone or maybe a relabeled Cree, or maybe an early model Windfire? It was like $12, batteries not included, the batteries were expensive, but they last forever. It is about three yeas old now and still working well. I did cut me some strips from an old bicycle inner tube and put them in strategic spots on the light. It really helps keep the noise down as the light bounces around in my jacket pocket. Super bright, they advertise it at 1000 lumens, which really comes in handy trying to follow a small/sporatic blood trail in the dark.

Oldtimr

If there is no moon or a small one and it is really black, I use a light aimed at the ground about 3 feet in front of me so I don't trip over a limb that wasn't there last time I hunted. I look ahead of the beam so I do not look directly at the light. I will clear the path prior to the season and on my way out each time I hunt but it is not uncommon for a limb to come down after I leave, especially if there is a wind at night. I really hate using a light because it blows my night vision for a while after it is turned off, but it is a necessary evil when getting in the stand when it is pitch black . I still remember when I used to hunt on State game lands and it looked like a bunch of fireflies comming through the woods, lights being swung around through the trees even up in the trees like these folks were scared something may have bee hiding in the trees waiting to attack them.