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Looking for recommendations on bright flashlight for finding deer at night

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TyT10

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Wanting to get some feedback on a good bright light that will really shine the woods. Seems like at least a couple times a year I’m either tracking my own deer or helping a friend. Very little blood trail, but the deer expires in less than 80 yards from the stand. A few places I hunt have thickets and are heavily wooded. You can’t see far without a bright light with a wide beam.


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#2 ·
I have 2 different streamlights, 1 in my work truck and 1 in my personal truck. Both really light up the world. I also carry an Olight in my pocket everyday. Very bright to only be about the size of a small cigar and is rechargeable. Battery lasts forever too.


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#4 ·
I use Fenix LED lights, had good success in seeing bloodtrails. Whatever you use, carry extra batteries and keep them warm in case one set dies.

While not as convenient, I have seen the old Coleman propane filament lanterns used for tracking and it's amazing what those things will illuminate and they last for a long time too.
 
#5 ·
You want a high CRI led beam. I tested a bunch of different headlamps on a thread in the gear section of Rokslide, titled "Happy headlamp to me" with a bunch of photos, etc.

The quality of the light is important [Kelvin scale] Blood pops with the right 3,000K to 3,500K beam....where the higher Kelvin bulbs in the 5,000-6,000K range [like the new car headlamps] wash out color making blood a neutral gray.

Fenix and Zebra have some good CRI lights in that sweet spot. I like them both...but mostly use a Zebra with the 18650 rechargeable battery for the longevity and power....I break it all down- Light/Models/Batteries/Chargers- in that thread.
 
#6 ·
I have a zebralight and it's great for following a blood trail. I also have a Sofirn BLF SP36. Very bright for the price. Really lights up the woods. Great for when you can't find blood and need to search for a body laying somewhere.
 
#8 ·
TyT10 said:
Wanting to get some feedback on a good bright light that will really shine the woods. Seems like at least a couple times a year I’m either tracking my own deer or helping a friend. Very little blood trail, but the deer expires in less than 80 yards from the stand. A few places I hunt have thickets and are heavily wooded. You can’t see far without a bright light with a wide beam.


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For seeing long distances I think you mean bright light with a narrow beam.

Anyways olight is hands down the best right now for wide beam full flood and narrow beam rechargable lights.

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#11 ·
I've been playing with flashlights and headlamps for a long time...some have really impressed....the Skilhunt HO3 headlamp is a winner.....while the Fenix flashlight I received as a gift bagged in less than a year and their CS was a huge run-around with no resolution. Last year I bought a ThruNite TC15 and it is a really nice light, then my wife bought me a Nitecore MH10 for Christmas. Both of these are bright, compact and very solid for the money. For blood trailing, I prefer a headlamp as I like my hands free and the light to always go where my head is pointed. Same for field dressing at night.
 
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#15 ·
tmead said:
I don’t recall the brand, but I keep a hand held rechargeable spotlight in my truck. I think I bought it at tractor supply.


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this is exactly what i do. If I dont see the deer instantly, i just go to the truck and get the pistol grip spotlight from tractor supply, and it illuminates the woods like its daytime.

the one i have wasnt expensive, like $50-60?? It has a charger and works just fine.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I think 2 lights may be worth while.

I hunt in IL and want a bright floodlight vs a spotlight personally. I recover in thick cover. Timber and tall grass type of pastures. And I want another high CRI light for blood trailing.

The super bright spot lights are no good for me for blood trailing, for two reasons. One, generally the spectrum is wrong and as others have said blood looks dull and brown making it hard to see. Another factor is it is so focused and bright creating a hotspot that’s hard on the eyes when you’re shining it only 2 feet in front of you on the ground looking for blood.


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#17 ·
The best lights hands down are infrared lights. Basically a thermal camera. I use a Seek-Thermal XR but a FLIR one is a good option too. They're small thermal cameras that attach to the charging port on your smartphone, they do cost a few hundred $ so they're not exactly cheap. But it can easily be the difference between you recovering game or not.
How good is it? Well it can spot a rabbit 100 yards in a field, it can also spot mice in tall grass that I could never see no matter how hard I looked. It also was able to spot a 2 hour old dead turkey in thick brush on a warm spring day. I've heard people say it's "cheating" which is absolutely ridiculous. When you shoot an animal it is your responsibility to find it by ANY legal means necessary. Luckily I haven't needed it yet as I pick good shots but sometimes they're just hard to find.

Here is a GIF of a 230lb buck killed 2.5 hours ago from when this was taken. from approx 20 yards away. And yes, this was VERY thick brush.
7280720
 
#18 ·
Curtdawg88 said:
I have 2 different streamlights, 1 in my work truck and 1 in my personal truck. Both really light up the world. I also carry an Olight in my pocket everyday. Very bright to only be about the size of a small cigar and is rechargeable. Battery lasts forever too.


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I also have a small streamlight, man is it bright! Brightest light I’ve ever owned. I also know people that use Coleman lanterns for tracking and swear by them.
 
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