A flashlight is an indispensable item in a night hunter's backpack. It will be helpful in various cases, from finding the right path to highlighting the gathering place for animals. There are many types of such devices. They all demonstrate their effectiveness in performing specific tasks and helping hunters get the desired trophy. To find a good option, you should briefly study the nuances of all existing models and learn the secrets of choice.
Types of lights every night hunter needs
The growing popularity of night hunting has led to the fact that many manufacturers of hunting flashlights have expanded their range to the maximum. This created specific difficulties in choosing the optimal model. To avoid offensive mistakes, you should carefully study each type of device, how they are used in hunting, and their positive and negative qualities. The information obtained will make it possible to find the ideal option for each case.
Handheld lights
The simplest of all existing flashlights are classic hand-held models. They are suitable for hunting and also helpful in everyday life. These devices are always distinguished by their compactness, which makes using them as comfortable as possible. Also, manufacturers pay much attention to design. In this regard, hundreds of unique models appear on sale, which their owners can boast of.
Most often, such models are used to move around poorly lit areas. For these purposes, single-color devices are ideal. They are selected depending on personal preferences or on the intended use cases. Very often on the hunt, you may need flashlights with different lights. In such a situation, hunters can choose universal models (capable of emitting light of various shades) or purchase 2-3 different devices. The second method is preferred since versatile models are expensive and difficult to find on sale. Owning several flashlights with other lights will make it possible to adapt to changing conditions (for example, at the beginning of the event, hunt some animals, and after a couple of hours - others).
Handlamps have many advantages over other models. In addition to the mentioned compactness, experts highlight the minimum weight, simplicity of design, and long service life. There are manual models and several disadvantages. Chief among them is the lack of battery life. This is due to the desire of manufacturers to create the most compact device, where a minimum of space is allocated for batteries or an accumulator inside the case. Another significant drawback is a weak power. It prevents the user from lighting up a large area, which can be problematic when hunting.
Weapon light attachments
When hunting, you need to have weapon flashlights in your backpack. They are the most compact devices connected to the rifle (thanks to the universal mount). Their point light makes it possible to illuminate the target exclusively without affecting the surrounding area. This feature makes aiming as easy as possible, which has a positive effect on shooting accuracy.
Flashlights for weapons are most often distinguished by versatility. They are easily attached to almost any gun, which makes it possible to see the same model on different rifles. Another significant advantage is the presence of a small nozzle. It opens up the possibility of smoothly changing the intensity of the glow, bringing it to the optimal value. Also, some models allow you to adjust the shade of light. This further expands the range of applications of the flashlight.
Headlamps
Many hunters call headlamps the most convenient to use. These devices attach to the user's head, freeing their hands to hold the weapon. This maximizes comfort and makes tracking animals easier.
Headlamps are renowned for their versatility. They are often used to perform various household chores where using a handheld flashlight is impossible. The versatility of these models is also evident in hunting. In addition to tracking animals, they can safely move through rugged terrain, overcome various obstacles, and find your hobby colleagues. Among other positive features of headlamps are their compact size and comprehensive functionality. A significant disadvantage is the high price compared to manual models.
Feeder lights
These flashlights are ideal for professionals who like to hunt from ambush and use a variety of lures. Such an event is only allowed in some places, so it is recommended to find out in advance all the rules in force in the region. Feeder lights are pretty simple devices. They are installed at the bait locations, illuminating everything around the future feeding place for animals. The soft light does not scare off potential prey but attracts its attention. The animals will enter the illuminated area when they reach the spread-out treats. Then it remains only not to miss the live target.
All manufactured models are significant. This makes it possible to equip them with powerful energy sources, maximizing the period of offline operation. Among other advantages, the ease of use of such flashlights is distinguished. It is enough to install them in a suitable place and turn them on. After that, it remains only to wait for the arrival of hungry guests.
Experts distinguish three types of feeder lights. The first of them is installed above the location of the bait and illuminated well. This attracts hungry animals, which inevitably fall into the light. The second type involves placement on some natural object (tree, hill, etc.). In such a situation, the bait is placed near the selected object, and the light falls on it from a small height. This feature slightly expands the visible area but makes the light dimmer (diffuse). The third type of feeder light is located in the seating area. Its rays are directed to the bait left nearby. The animals become visible to the shooter as soon as they get close to her.
Blood tracking lights
Only the most professional hunters can kill an animal with one bullet. Everyone else often has to finish off a wounded animal. To find it in the dark, turning on the blood tracking lights (BTL) is recommended. These flashlights are unique in allowing the user to see traces of blood on the ground, leaves, stones, and other surfaces. From them, you can determine the direction of movement of the beast and then quickly catch up with it. Then it remains only to finish the fowl and get the long-awaited trophy.
BTL will only sometimes be effective. Much of their usefulness will depend on environmental conditions. In spring and summer, such lanterns can qualitatively cope with the tasks set, as the blood will contrast against the background of green foliage. However, in the fall, these devices will be able to show the bloody traces of a wounded animal only if there are no significant numbers of red and orange leaves on the ground, bushes, or trees. In winter, such flashlights will almost always be useless since blood is found on white snow without them.
What is the best color light to not spook animals?
There are several primary colors of hunting flashlight lights. All of them are suitable for hunting only certain animals. If you make a mistake and choose the wrong color, potential prey will quickly notice the artificial light and hide even before the hunter removes the gun from his shoulder. At the same time, the correct choice of color will not frighten away the animal, and the chance of getting a trophy will increase many times.
Suitable flashlight light shades for popular animal species:
- Ungulates. Representatives of this species are the most popular among lovers of night hunting. Ungulates are valued for their tasty and vitamin-rich meat and horns of various shapes and sizes. To get such a trophy, use any flashlight that emits red light. Most ungulates need to distinguish it. Therefore, they will not even notice a person. In this case, the shooter will illuminate the animal well and get the trophy without problems.
- Coyote, wolf, fox. These predatory mammals have attracted the attention of hunters since ancient times. They are all brilliant, cunning, and have a good sense of smell. In this regard, extracting such a trophy will be a difficult task that only real masters can cope with. To become one of them, hunters take flashlights with white or red lights. In both cases, it should be spotty or as dim as possible. Only in this way will the animals not pay much attention to him, and the shooter can properly aim before the shot.
- Different types of wild boars. These animals' tasty and nutritious meat makes them a popular object of hunting. To shoot a wild boar at night, pay attention to disguise quality. In this case, you can choose any shade of the light flux of the flashlight. This feature is explained by the rapid adaptability of wild boars to new conditions.
- Feline. Representatives of this family are the dream of many night hunters. These animals have excellent eyesight, so they see much better than humans. To get close to them at the place of the shot, professionals advise using models with a green tint. It does not bother the felines much, but it does allow the shooter to see the potential prey usually.
Various flashlights are a mandatory attribute of a night hunter. They compensate for the lack of natural light, allowing people to hunt and do other related work comfortably. Each available model has its characteristics, which is why it is ideal for some instances. If you do not make mistakes when choosing, you can maximize your chances of success and fully enjoy the hunt.