Terrific_tom
5 year old buck +
What light do you guys use for tracking at night?
Tracking Light
- Thread starter Terrific_tom
- Start date
M
MoBuckChaser
Guest
Big Mag light
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
I've got an old kids flashlight. It's shaped like a dinosaur and when you turn it on the mouth opens, it let out a roar, and light comes out of his mouth. Whatever bulb is in it shows blood a lot better than led, incandescent, or any other flashlight I've ever used.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Look for high lumen output but there are considerations based on the type of hunting you do. LEDs are more efficient meaning longer battery life. Some of the high output Xenon provide lots of focused light but eat battery. So unless you carry spares, you can get half way done on a long blood trail and have a problem. If you are the kind of hunter who returns to camp or a vehicle before blood trailing, a propane lantern can be an asset. While they attract bugs galore and are hot and hard to carry or focus, there is something about that kind of light that cause blood to almost glow. At least with my eyes, it is easier to identify blood with that kind of light.
I bought a pack of these: http://www.costco.com/Feit-Electric-500-Lumen-Flashlight-3-pack.product.100049686.html and carry one in my fanny pack when bowhunting along with a couple extra C batteries. I threw one in my ATV and one in my Truck. I find it sufficient for about 95% of my blood trailing needs. For that other 5% of tough trails, I break out the Coleman Lantern.
Thanks,
Jack
I bought a pack of these: http://www.costco.com/Feit-Electric-500-Lumen-Flashlight-3-pack.product.100049686.html and carry one in my fanny pack when bowhunting along with a couple extra C batteries. I threw one in my ATV and one in my Truck. I find it sufficient for about 95% of my blood trailing needs. For that other 5% of tough trails, I break out the Coleman Lantern.
Thanks,
Jack
Crimson n' Camo
5 year old buck +
I've always been able to track better with a lantern too Jack. I can see the blood better and the amount of light being cast out around me is a much bigger area than most small flashlights.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I've swear there is something about the light cast from a Coleman Lantern with those bags that almost makes blood glow. Someone once told me it was something to do with phosphorous, but I never got a full explanation.
Thanks,
Jack
mrlnfshr1
Yearling... With promise
One more for the double mantle Coleman lantern, especially with a reflector. Another thing that helps on difficult trails are a few cyalume sticks or small flashlights that can be hung over blood spots. Often when you reach a "dead end", you can look back at the hanging lights and get a better idea on which direction or trail the dear was headed than you can with your nose to the ground.
I'm an outfitter and I'm on a lot of blood trails. I use a low beam light, cheapo it's called Larry
https://www.amazon.com/Nebo-Larry-P...d=1471992321&sr=8-7&keywords=larry+flashlight
easy battery replacement, long life, and it seems to work out pretty well to find initial blood. Also, this may sound redundant but I carry a roll of toilet paper with to mark the blood. Clients will bring streamlights and all kinds of expensive lights. I've seen and used a lot of them. This is my preference, but I've got pretty good eyes. But I've been giving out a few Larry's for Christmas it seems to guys that are impressed.
https://www.amazon.com/Nebo-Larry-P...d=1471992321&sr=8-7&keywords=larry+flashlight
easy battery replacement, long life, and it seems to work out pretty well to find initial blood. Also, this may sound redundant but I carry a roll of toilet paper with to mark the blood. Clients will bring streamlights and all kinds of expensive lights. I've seen and used a lot of them. This is my preference, but I've got pretty good eyes. But I've been giving out a few Larry's for Christmas it seems to guys that are impressed.
Booner21
5 year old buck +
I use a led light I got from legendary whitetails as a gift. I believe it is labeled as a tracking light.
Not sure there is really anything special about it. My requirements for a flashlight are that it must use AA or AAA batteries none of those goofy sizes that you can never find or have extras of.
I used to use a lantern however feel after using it this light shows blood just as good and is a heck of a lot easier to carry and not nearly as hot.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Not sure there is really anything special about it. My requirements for a flashlight are that it must use AA or AAA batteries none of those goofy sizes that you can never find or have extras of.
I used to use a lantern however feel after using it this light shows blood just as good and is a heck of a lot easier to carry and not nearly as hot.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I had not considered the sticks. I usually use toilet paper or bits of flagging tape in a tree above the blood.
The larry light has a clip, its even magnetic, but thats another advantage and their cheap enough where I've left them out still on and came back to a spot a few days later even after dead ends and they were still on.
Ani cea dvantage we had last year was a guy brought his dog in, and has GPS on it. Shows exactly where the dog went.
at 8 or 9 bucks a piece they're very handy.
Ani cea dvantage we had last year was a guy brought his dog in, and has GPS on it. Shows exactly where the dog went.
at 8 or 9 bucks a piece they're very handy.
StickTime
5 year old buck +
have two of these and they are awesome. On low it will last 8 hours on high maybe 1.5-2 hours. comes with car and house chargers
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-De...fault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-De...fault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n
Tap
5 year old buck +
And don't forget to have some Luminol (aka Bloodglow) in your bag of tricks for night tracking. This stuff is not a gimmick. It'll show microscopic blood that's too small for the eye to see, even with the best tracking light money could buy. And it will still show blood after inches of rain. Blood trails cannot be rained-out with Luminol. In fact, blood shows even better after it's been rained-on.
http://www.bloodglow.com
And the small book "Blood In Motion" by Jerry Allen of Bloodglow also available at the Bloodglow website is very good.
I have no connection with this merchant...I'm not making or getting anything by recommending this product, I just fully believe that it's one of the best aids available for hunting. It's flat-out great.
Tip:
Certain minerals or pH level in some water can lead to false readings or no readings at all. Jerry Allen highly recommends using windshield washer fluid instead of water with Luminol. The pH is correct and it won't freeze in the nozzle of the spray bottle.
http://www.bloodglow.com
And the small book "Blood In Motion" by Jerry Allen of Bloodglow also available at the Bloodglow website is very good.
I have no connection with this merchant...I'm not making or getting anything by recommending this product, I just fully believe that it's one of the best aids available for hunting. It's flat-out great.
Tip:
Certain minerals or pH level in some water can lead to false readings or no readings at all. Jerry Allen highly recommends using windshield washer fluid instead of water with Luminol. The pH is correct and it won't freeze in the nozzle of the spray bottle.
Longleaf
Yearling... With promise
Another Coleman lantern guy here. Although I trained my current lab to blood trail and that is hands down the best tracking tool I have now. She goes with me on nearly every hunt and stays in the crate in the back of the truck. If it is just the two of us, I leave the Coleman lantern in the truck and wear a LED headlight since I also carrying a shotgun. If I have another person with me I give them the Coleman lantern but 9 times out of 10 we are just following the flashing light on my lab's collar right to the deer.
