Do you guys use a headlamp

[Swamp_bucks]

Always.  I switch to the red setting while setting up in a tree.  I’ve walked past deer in the woods with my headlamp and they don’t freak and run they just watch.  Last year second day of gun 3 of us with headlamps walked past a deer at 7yrds. 

[luberhill]

3 hours ago, mowin said:

I hunt in some nasty stuff.  Never needed a light.  Not worried about getting shot.  I don't hunt public and most of the adjacent properties to the land I hunt and off limits to hunting and unless one trespass across multiple properties, crosses a large creek or the mass Pike, I know I'm the only one there. 

Yea I hear ya , but again , I have to climb into a gully and cross a few electric fences on the adjoining farm fields .

On a moonlit morning maybe but I’m much quieter if I see where I’m stepping 

[grampy]

15 minutes ago, skully said:

I do not go in woods till after first light anymore.  No reason to in my spots

Me too. The last 20 or so years I prefer to hunt my way in just as it's getting light. And have killed deer doing so. Very seldom bump deer on the way to my set up. As I usually see them before they see me. Think still hunting to get there. Slow and easy. Also get in much quieter, as I can step over and around branches. By the time I'm up and in, it's full daylight. It works for me. I do carry a head lamp in my pack. Mostly for if I need to track a deer after last light.

[sbuff]

One spot I like to sit on our property is about two miles deep ,I use this head lamp on way in or way out .

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-by-princeton-tec-alaskan-guide-rgb-headlamp

[mowin]

20 minutes ago, luberhill said:

Yea I hear ya , but again , I have to climb into a gully and cross a few electric fences on the adjoining farm fields .

On a moonlit morning maybe but I’m much quieter if I see where I’m stepping 

Several of my spots are off fields by 15-100yrds or so which makes it easier.  Several are a PITA to get to.  Electric fences do present a challenge tho. Grabbing the wrong spot definitely wakes you up, lol. 

[Robhuntandfish]

Me too. The last 20 or so years I prefer to hunt my way in just as it's getting light. And have killed deer doing so. Very seldom bump deer on the way to my set up. As I usually see them before they see me. Think still hunting to get there. Slow and easy. Also get in much quieter, as I can step over and around branches. By the time I'm up and in, it's full daylight. It works for me. I do carry a head lamp in my pack. Mostly for if I need to track a deer after last light.

Agree here. Used to go in the dark and it seemed all I did was bump deer I couldn't see. I wait til there is just enough light to see outlines and have often been able to skirt deer I would have bumped otherwise. Plus like you said can see where I'm stepping. And whether a deer reacts to a light or not they still know something is there.

I keep a clip on like Al said on my hat to use if needed. I have a headlight ready to go though in case I need to do a night track .

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

[luberhill]

2 hours ago, sbuff said:

One spot I like to sit on our property is about two miles deep ,I use this head lamp on way in or way out .

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-by-princeton-tec-alaskan-guide-rgb-headlamp

Holy cow , 2 miles !!!

How many acres do you own

[skully]

2 hours ago, grampy said:

Me too. The last 20 or so years I prefer to hunt my way in just as it's getting light. And have killed deer doing so. Very seldom bump deer on the way to my set up. As I usually see them before they see me. Think still hunting to get there. Slow and easy. Also get in much quieter, as I can step over and around branches. By the time I'm up and in, it's full daylight. It works for me. I do carry a head lamp in my pack. Mostly for if I need to track a deer after last light.

Yup I go in at 930 am and stay till dark...  Last 5 mature bucks were shot between 1030 and 130

[luberhill]

On 10/8/2022 at 11:14 AM, skully said:

Yup I go in at 930 am and stay till dark...  Last 5 mature bucks were shot between 1030 and 130

I like afternoon hunts , mostly because I hate getting up in the morning

[sbuff]

On 10/8/2022 at 11:11 AM, luberhill said:

Holy cow , 2 miles !!!

How many acres do you own

1400

[luberhill]

7 minutes ago, sbuff said:

1400

1400 acres ?? For real ?

[sbuff]

Yes been in the family a long time ...

A good head lamp like the one in my post comes in handy 

[G-Man]

I try not to use a light at all . A shine is a shine doesnt matter what color . Clear my trail to stand and walk in the dark your etes adjust.. i feel bad for those that live inder street lights you lose your night vision living like that. Though it seems the current trend is brighter more intense lights on cars  streetlights emergency vehicles..  all of which i find blinding..   tracking i prefer a good Colman lantern or good handheld light.

[518BowSlayer]

I usually use a headlamp. I don't think the light spooks deer nearly as much as our sound and smell. The property I hunt behind my in-laws house is owned by a trucking company so I had to walk around their parking lot which wasn't really well lit but enough to see until I get around it. One morning I get to where I usually turn the head lamp on and as soon as I push the button I see a big old buck not 30 yards in front of me. Gave me the deer in headlights stare for maybe 30 seconds and went right back to feeding on apples. This was well before daylight so I had to just stand there as still as I could. He casually walked away after a few minutes. I just stood there and watched him til daylight work a cut corn field. Tried to put a stalk on him but he circled around downwind. Even tried spraying some tinks on me in a desperate attempt to cover my scent but that did not work. Before that I was always on the fence about headlamps or flashlights spooking deer but after that I don't think it does

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[Bolt action]

I agree that I think deer spook more because of our smell and movement than they do because of lights. 

I carry a small flashlight for walking in the dark and use my hand to cover most of the light. I want just enough so I can see the ground in front me of. There are lots of branches and hickory hulls on my walk and both cause plenty of noise. I feel less likely to blow out the area if I can avoid stepping on those on the way in.

[Gobbler Chaser]

I love my headlamps for getting into or out of my ladder stands. I'm not even sure how the hell I used to get up in a climber without a headlamp many years ago but I did. I use rechargeable headlamps now and love them because they're always at full charge. I use them all the time when I'm doing welding projects and have one Velcro'd to my welding helmet. When I'm working on saws or anything anymore I have one on 

[Nomad]

53 minutes ago, Bolt action said:

of. There are lots of branches and hickory hulls on my walk and both cause plenty of noise. I feel less likely to blow out the area if I can avoid stepping on those on the way in.

Bring a rake . I did this spur path after a morning sit , it runs from my main 4 foot wide path up to a stand . There’s nothing but sticks on the ground there it’s blanketed with them , I raked it about as fast as I walked . On the way down I move larger ones along the side like a curb ,makes it easy to follow in the dark .

When leaves drop I use a backpack blower to really clear things .I make as much noise walking in as walking on my yard , you can also see the size and direction of deer tracks , some  start walking it almost immediately.

 

[suburbanfarmer]

9 minutes ago, Nomad said:

Bring a rake . I did this spur path after a morning sit , it runs from my main 4 foot wide path up to a stand . There’s nothing but sticks on the ground there it’s blanketed with them , I raked it about as fast as I walked . On the way down I move larger ones along the side like a curb ,makes it easy to follow in the dark .

When leaves drop I use a backpack blower to really clear things .I make as much noise walking in as walking on my yard , you can also see the size and direction of deer tracks , some  start walking it almost immediately.

 

I just did a similar path yesterday noon  from main trail to the blind  

[airedale]

One night Coonhunting with my brother we walking in some thick stuff to where my two hounds were treeing hard and loud, we both were wearing Coonhunting caplights which are very bright. About thirty yards from where the dogs were blowing the top of that tree out with their barking I spot the glow of eyes. I always carry a small pair of binoculars for spotting hard to find Coons in the tree tops, so I take a look at those eyes and there lays a big doe chewing her cud. I said to my brother there must be something wrong with her laying that close to the dogs with all the commotion and us added in with those bright lights. So we take a walk over to have a look see and at about fifteen yards she gets up blows and takes off like a bat out of Hell, go figure!

Al

[phade]

I use a small flashlight when going into timber in the dark of the morning. Like most I will cover it with my hand and only use what light is absolutely necessary. I've used a headlamp maybe 3x in the past five seasons for walks in or out. I don't like them due to the preference of how much light they throw even on low. I can say that I do walk in, in the dark, without a light on, for about 75% of my hunts. I'm typically in the seat 1 hour to 1.5 hours ahead of legal sunrise. I don't agree with the you aren't going in or out in the dark without a light at all. It's not always needed.

Above all else key for me is low and slow. Low or NO light, and slow/steady entry. I struggle with that in the AM for the first few walks in each season. I tend to rush in, in the morning, due to excitement, but I am getting better at that over the years and as the season progresses. My partner is like a bull in a China shop walking in or out in any condition, lol. He also walks warp speed naturally...ADD/ADHD has made it near impossible for him to slow down. Crushes his seat time, too when needing to do all dayers. One time we had the same trail in and his stand was first. He got up and I literally ripped the steps down, lol. Stuck his butt up there all day. 

Edited October 10, 2022 by phade

[eaglemountainman]

I use a nitecore HC33 headlamp without the harness. Its barely bigger than the 18650 battery that powers it. I use it handheld for going in and out. I bought a small helmet clamp for it, that goes on the bill of my hat for field dressing and deboning after dark.

Edited October 10, 2022 by eaglemountainman

[moog5050]

35 minutes ago, phade said:

I use a small flashlight when going into timber in the dark of the morning. Like most I will cover it with my hand and only use what light is absolutely necessary. I've used a headlamp maybe 3x in the past five seasons for walks in or out. I don't like them due to the preference of how much light they throw even on low. I can say that I do walk in, in the dark, without a light on, for about 75% of my hunts. I'm typically in the seat 1 hour to 1.5 hours ahead of legal sunrise. I don't agree with the you aren't going in or out in the dark without a light at all. It's not always needed.

Above all else key for me is low and slow. Low or NO light, and slow/steady entry. I struggle with that in the AM for the first few walks in each season. I tend to rush in, in the morning, due to excitement, but I am getting better at that over the years and as the season progresses. My partner is like a bull in a China shop walking in or out in any condition, lol. He also walks warp speed naturally...ADD/ADHD has made it near impossible for him to slow down. Crushes his seat time, too when needing to do all dayers. One time we had the same trail in and his stand was first. He got up and I literally ripped the steps down, lol. Stuck his butt up there all day. 

Knowing how David can climb a tree, I am betting he was in and out of that stand even without steps without you knowing.  lol

[Five Seasons]

i use a very low power clip on headlamp for walking in and out and typically the green setting. I do carry a much brighter one in my pack for recovery if needed. I use a headlamp for just about everything at home too, much more convenient than holding a light. 

[Otto]

4 hours ago, Nomad said:

Bring a rake . I did this spur path after a morning sit , it runs from my main 4 foot wide path up to a stand . There’s nothing but sticks on the ground there it’s blanketed with them , I raked it about as fast as I walked . On the way down I move larger ones along the side like a curb ,makes it easy to follow in the dark .

When leaves drop I use a backpack blower to really clear things .I make as much noise walking in as walking on my yard , you can also see the size and direction of deer tracks , some  start walking it almost immediately.

 

I'm sure your shoulders were aching after that workout.....

[Judoka95]

I always carry both a handheld and a headlamp. Both are made by Coast and are LED. The handheld has 2 buttons (one for red and one for white) I like red on the way in to maintain some night vision. but when I walk the property edge i will flash white because I don't trust the neighbors not to shoot at the first thing they hear in the dark.

The head lamp is great when you are tracking or field dressing or any other task that requires both hands. You can focus the beam for a spot or widen it out for flood. and both are available through the Home Depot website. The headlamp can run off a rechargeable pack or AA batteries. The handheld runs off 3 AAA's and will last 2 seasons. 

https://coastportland.com/products/hl8r

https://coastportland.com/collections/led-flashlights/products/px20