I bought a head lamp to use when walking to and from my stand in the dark during the morning and late at night. Will this scare anything off? It will all be new ground to me so i kinda need to see where im going but i could survive with out it if need be. i just want to know if it will bother the deer or spook them?
I use a headlight with 3 functions; high beam white, low beam green, and high beam green. I generally keep this on the low beam green when making my way too or from a stand. Hasn't seemed to bother any deer down here so far.
Generally speaking, no. My Browning Nitro has high/low white, blue, and red. I use the red to get to and from some of my stands.
Thanks guys. The one i have doest change colors just different settings. I got it from cabelas its called the princeton tec fuel headlamp. its really nice it has a high,med,low , and a flash setting its really bright.
I think it just depends on what time your going into your stand in the morning. Think about it, not the light that is spooking anything away - it's probably your movement through the woods, noise or sent - all of that before it is the light. Good story: 4 year ago I went deer hunting for the first time with a 12 gauge and a good buddy with me (guide fees lol) and we get to our spot about 6:30 a.m. or so and it is still dark (again my first hunt ever). We set up against a back drop in fold out chairs, no blind, nothing in front of us but the open woods. I sit down and get comfortable light still on. Guide asks, you going to shut off that light??? LOL! I had no clue what I was doing, didn't think anything of it. 2 hours later 8 point buck down and on my wall - first ever hunt!
Thats true thanks for the inputs. and nice story id be super happy if that happened on my first hunt.
get one of the cabelas hat lights they are small and very simple. they have a couple colors. they are only like $10 too
I already bought one from cabelas so its kinda late. not having a colored light shouldnt be a big problem should it ?
I use one walking in to my stands. I usually use the red light. Two years ago I was quite surprised when I looked up from the ground to see two burning red eyes floating in front of me. I immediately switched it to the white light and saw doe standing 10 feet in front of me. The white light didn't seem to bother her much either until I started moving again. I don't mind telling you I almost filled my pants flashing to the scene in the movie Amityville Horror where the guy saw the floating red eyes outside the window. SPOOKY!
Use a red or green light to be safe, but I don't think it makes much of a difference. If the deer can see your light, then it can see you walking and it is going to spook anyways. I got a coleman from Wal-mart that has 3 white light functions and a low red light function and it works great, and I think it was only like $20.
I use a head lamp and it works great, i have not spooked anything that I know of, and I use the red color for both entry and exiting
^This. They are going to hear you way before they ever see the light. Heck the light might bother them less since you're not tripping over everything and cursing when fall flat lol. I have never found animals to be bothered by light too much. They are around them all the time (vehicles, street lights, etc.) You see enough multiple trailcam pics of deer that are scared off by the flash. That quick burst of light would be more likely freak them out, I know it would me if I was out in the woods
I try and go in, in the dark. I know most all of the woods well enough to go in just by moonlight. However, if for some reason I don't, I do have a headlamp and depending on conditions depends on the color. Like said above, they aren't going to see the light and run, they're going to hear you coming and detect your movement, even if the light were off. That is why an entrance plan is so important!
