Red vs White light...
- Thread starter KingTito
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hickerx2
Member
Just to add my $.02....
Red and only red for me. White light will scare just about everything here. Many years and many critters have led me to believe that canines are very well able to see the shadows cast by a white light. That, and the fact that as night-hunters, their eyes are quite sensitive to light. Lots of times when you think a fox or yote is being especially "smart" and hangs up on you, it's the light being too bright. I run red always and use as little light as possible. Wear camo at night and only call in the open on extremely dark nights when the "glare" from the light hides you. A very dim red light will light up eyes at very long distances.
Red and only red for me. White light will scare just about everything here. Many years and many critters have led me to believe that canines are very well able to see the shadows cast by a white light. That, and the fact that as night-hunters, their eyes are quite sensitive to light. Lots of times when you think a fox or yote is being especially "smart" and hangs up on you, it's the light being too bright. I run red always and use as little light as possible. Wear camo at night and only call in the open on extremely dark nights when the "glare" from the light hides you. A very dim red light will light up eyes at very long distances.
BillyTheKidd
New member
I kinda of agree with you hickerx2, except for the camo part. Just use dark clothes, camo is not needed unless you hunt a full moon, I don't do that lol....Good Hunting
smilinIB
New member
Quote:
White light will scare just about everything here. Many years and many critters have led me to believe that canines are very well able to see the shadows cast by a white light.
Down here where I hunt, all shadows are the same color regardless of light color.
Quote:
That, and the fact that as night-hunters, their eyes are quite sensitive to light. Lots of times when you think a fox or yote is being especially "smart" and hangs up on you, it's the light being too bright.
I agree 100%. It all stems on light intensity, not the color.
Quote:
... use as little light as possible. Wear camo at night and only call in the open on extremely dark nights when the "glare" from the light hides you. A very dim red light will light up eyes at very long distances.
I agree 100% again.
White light will scare just about everything here. Many years and many critters have led me to believe that canines are very well able to see the shadows cast by a white light.
Down here where I hunt, all shadows are the same color regardless of light color.
Quote:
That, and the fact that as night-hunters, their eyes are quite sensitive to light. Lots of times when you think a fox or yote is being especially "smart" and hangs up on you, it's the light being too bright.
I agree 100%. It all stems on light intensity, not the color.
Quote:
... use as little light as possible. Wear camo at night and only call in the open on extremely dark nights when the "glare" from the light hides you. A very dim red light will light up eyes at very long distances.
I agree 100% again.
Have you guys tried a white light with a dimmer (rheostat) to its full potential, meaning - when the predator comes in, you turn the light down so low that only the eyes are visible through the scope, if you look past your scope you see close to now light shining. That way the predator comes in without any light (white or red) bothering it. You also turn up the light only when the predator is moving and just bright enough to identify the body to be able to shoot it. I do ADC work for a living and have used this method for close to 6-7 years now, before that(for 6years) I used a red light and will not go back. You can see some of the effects on http://www.jaracal.com
Adding my 2 cents...
Several years ago my farm had a coyote issue. I took a 60watt 12v mobile home light bulb, spray painted it IH Farmall red, stuck it in a socket wired to a 12 volt marine battery and dangled the bulb over a tree branch overlooking a small clearing at 11PM. A pan of chopped chicken and venison liver was placed on the ground below the bulb while I waited 200 yards away. Harvests ran to sun up each day for about a week. Worked like a charm and it has been several years since any predator larger than a fox has been spotted here.
Several years ago my farm had a coyote issue. I took a 60watt 12v mobile home light bulb, spray painted it IH Farmall red, stuck it in a socket wired to a 12 volt marine battery and dangled the bulb over a tree branch overlooking a small clearing at 11PM. A pan of chopped chicken and venison liver was placed on the ground below the bulb while I waited 200 yards away. Harvests ran to sun up each day for about a week. Worked like a charm and it has been several years since any predator larger than a fox has been spotted here.
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Randy Watson
New member
The great red white debate...I really don't know why folks have trouble shooting with a red light. I have done this for 42 years, starting with a white light. I went to red 30 years ago, and kill hundreds of predators a year.Literally thousands of varmints have died under my red light. All the "flipper lights" and white dimmer lights??? If you run the light correctly, you can kill good numbers with red, or at least I do. I get stuff in , within feet of the truck , if they don't die before that. I have snuck up on cats, walking with a red light, within a few yards, and that just won't happen with a white light. I'll stay with the red, but I guess I could be wrong.
idahovarmintcaller
New member
I have used both the white and red lights, I prefer the red. I use an aircraft landing light, and I coat the bulb with red dyechem....that way you can control the brightness by adding coats of the dyechem. Start out with thin coats untill you get the beam you want.
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
Todd Woodall
New member
It has been a long time since I have posted on any light issues, expecially "red vs. white". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif In my mind this issue has been debated to death, everyone knows everyones elses views and also knows they arent going to change eithers, no matter how hard they try.
With little effort you can read several posts that Mr. Watson and I have been apart of expressing our views. I consider Randy a friend of mine even though our views differ drastically.
I often hear about scientific surveys and experiments and have read about any I have had access to. I hold these experiments in low regard in contrast to actual hunting experience. In the spirit of these experiments we delayed the release of our upcoming video INSOMNIA and did our own little scientific survey last week that I really found quite shocking.
This past week the predator pursuit guys actually bit the bullet and strapped on colored filters!! I KNOW, I KNOW it was hard but we did it, we did it to the tone of 5 different colors actually. The colors we used were all stock lightforce items. We used Red, Blue, Amber, Green, and of course white. I cant reveal all the details, but I will say that we killed a similar number of coyotes with each color, the coyotes acted similar with each color, however certian colors where harder for the shooter to obtain a good sight picture than others. The rusults where pretty shocking to me! I shot one coyote I would swear was well over 200 yards one night, he ranged at 140!!! He was leaving and all he gave me was a head and neck shot, after the shot Skeet said "how in the world did you hit him?" After the true range was revealed he took back the comment. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
That brings up a pretty good topic within itself actually. What is the best colors for critters as well as the hunter? I have used all but green before and had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Of course all filter makers can have different tones of colors, but we are talking lightforce products here.
My list from best to worst WAS this
Amber
Green
Red
Blue
What would you choose? And why?
Take care,
Todd
With little effort you can read several posts that Mr. Watson and I have been apart of expressing our views. I consider Randy a friend of mine even though our views differ drastically.
I often hear about scientific surveys and experiments and have read about any I have had access to. I hold these experiments in low regard in contrast to actual hunting experience. In the spirit of these experiments we delayed the release of our upcoming video INSOMNIA and did our own little scientific survey last week that I really found quite shocking.
This past week the predator pursuit guys actually bit the bullet and strapped on colored filters!! I KNOW, I KNOW it was hard but we did it, we did it to the tone of 5 different colors actually. The colors we used were all stock lightforce items. We used Red, Blue, Amber, Green, and of course white. I cant reveal all the details, but I will say that we killed a similar number of coyotes with each color, the coyotes acted similar with each color, however certian colors where harder for the shooter to obtain a good sight picture than others. The rusults where pretty shocking to me! I shot one coyote I would swear was well over 200 yards one night, he ranged at 140!!! He was leaving and all he gave me was a head and neck shot, after the shot Skeet said "how in the world did you hit him?" After the true range was revealed he took back the comment. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
That brings up a pretty good topic within itself actually. What is the best colors for critters as well as the hunter? I have used all but green before and had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Of course all filter makers can have different tones of colors, but we are talking lightforce products here.
My list from best to worst WAS this
Amber
Green
Red
Blue
What would you choose? And why?
Take care,
Todd
Red because the human eye adjusts to it more quickly, not green cause coyotes see Green as white, not Blue cause the human eye adjusts to blue very slowly.
But what do I know? I base my decision for this on science and experiments, not someones uncontrolled experiments. If the rods and cones can 'see' certain colors, they can, if not they cant. Disection shows coyotes and many other animals do not have the rods and cones to see red. Beleive what you want.
Carl
But what do I know? I base my decision for this on science and experiments, not someones uncontrolled experiments. If the rods and cones can 'see' certain colors, they can, if not they cant. Disection shows coyotes and many other animals do not have the rods and cones to see red. Beleive what you want.
Carl
Todd Woodall
New member
Interesting,
Wouldnt they see green as a shade of grey instead of white? Of course it would be white with high intensity, but with less intensity it would surely be a color, or shade of grey. Would using a color a coyote cannot "see", be better than a color they can? Maybe it will create less of a treat as grey, rather than a color? Is it better to use a light more suited for you, or the coyote? What is the happy medium?
In my mind we are all students, and the coyotes are the teachers. We all learn everyday, or we should hang it up. I just happen to like "studies" that end with a coyote at my feet.
Take care,
Todd
Wouldnt they see green as a shade of grey instead of white? Of course it would be white with high intensity, but with less intensity it would surely be a color, or shade of grey. Would using a color a coyote cannot "see", be better than a color they can? Maybe it will create less of a treat as grey, rather than a color? Is it better to use a light more suited for you, or the coyote? What is the happy medium?
In my mind we are all students, and the coyotes are the teachers. We all learn everyday, or we should hang it up. I just happen to like "studies" that end with a coyote at my feet.
Take care,
Todd
R Buker
New member
Todd,
I've enjoyed following all of these threads over the years of red vs white light debates.
I know I've said it before but I'll say it again. I believe if you hit the right areas in places like Texas where the animals haven't be educated to hunters at all, I believe you can get away with white light if you run the light correctly. But, in areas where the coyotes have been hunted hard, I believe in the science of red. I believe it works better. Heck, just drive around some night shining a red light and a white light and see which the critter shys from first. You can get away with more mistakes and noise and such with a red light.
But, I've said it a whole bunch of times before too. Each person can and should use what they like and what works for them. I'm just thinking for a newbie, he should start out with red and if that doesn't work for him, switch to white and see if that works better.
Randy
I've enjoyed following all of these threads over the years of red vs white light debates.
I know I've said it before but I'll say it again. I believe if you hit the right areas in places like Texas where the animals haven't be educated to hunters at all, I believe you can get away with white light if you run the light correctly. But, in areas where the coyotes have been hunted hard, I believe in the science of red. I believe it works better. Heck, just drive around some night shining a red light and a white light and see which the critter shys from first. You can get away with more mistakes and noise and such with a red light.
But, I've said it a whole bunch of times before too. Each person can and should use what they like and what works for them. I'm just thinking for a newbie, he should start out with red and if that doesn't work for him, switch to white and see if that works better.
Randy
Todd Woodall
New member
Buker,
I believe in our way of thinking so much, that we flew half way around the world to hunt predators "100 times smarter than our coyotes" and didnt pack a red filter. I guess we got lucky that those critters were stupid too? We also killed a Caracal with a white light on that trip and I dont recal what the odds of that was?
You can keep the science, I will take good old common sense any day of the week.
Todd
I believe in our way of thinking so much, that we flew half way around the world to hunt predators "100 times smarter than our coyotes" and didnt pack a red filter. I guess we got lucky that those critters were stupid too? We also killed a Caracal with a white light on that trip and I dont recal what the odds of that was?
You can keep the science, I will take good old common sense any day of the week.
Todd
Tommy Johnson
New member
Started out using a white light and had mild success, noticed more bug outs and seemed to have less success with getting them within 100 yards and still coming. Switched to a red lens and noticed I could get animals in closer even to within 10 feet from the truck which of course increased my success rate.
If I was stranded on some island armed with only a white light I could manage to kill critters as Id have to adjust how I spotlight, the halo technique would have to be applied more. With the red lens and a light under 400k cp, I dont halo anything.
Just my history.
If I was stranded on some island armed with only a white light I could manage to kill critters as Id have to adjust how I spotlight, the halo technique would have to be applied more. With the red lens and a light under 400k cp, I dont halo anything.
Just my history.
Intensity and color are not the same thing, I (with some actual experience) have found that to "bright, intense" a light is a real deal killer. I thought the "brighter the better" and sucess went down, got back to lowwer light scanning an a medium bright red, maybe switch to white for the shot, worked better. Had a few hit the afterjets when I switched on the "super bright" white light I tried out, lower intensity and aim over the head a few feet seems to be better.
Tommy Johnson
New member
Thats probably it Bofire. I can be lazy with the red lens and if I accidently drop the light onto the animal because I scratched my butt it wont spook the game as bad. Whatever the science is it takes me probably two seconds to snap in a filter.
jimmyjames
New member
Just wondering if spotlight hunting is legal in Wyoming. I am working up in the green river area and have little time to set up a stand before dark. Also just wanted to say that I am a predator hunting beginner and tonight knocked off early to set up on my first ever stand for dogs. Had only about a half hour or so before dark and called in three coyotes in fifteen minutes on stand with help from this site. Two ran up within a few feet of me and my 270, I failed to shoot either. Just thought I would say thanks for the tips and know I am hooked.