hunting at night...

jim532 · April 28, 2005, 06:50 PM

Any of you guys who go on the hunt at night able to suggest a high quality portable spotlight? I wanna turn night into day. I've seen a lot that say 3 million candle power or even 10 million candlepower but candlepower doesn't say much, none of the ones I've seen have a lumens rating. Any help would be great.

jim

Art Eatman · April 28, 2005, 10:57 PM

I use an old Q-Beam; I dunno, maybe 250,000 cp. I put a red lens over it to cut it down some. I also use a Streamlight SL-20.

All you need is enough light to tell the difference between a deer and a coyote, really. And if you're coyote hunting, you don't want all that bright a light. They shy away from it. I try to just barely catch the eye-gleam in the edge of the light and then turn it off and keep calling.

Up close, a two-cell flashlight works well to not spook them...

, Art

MassHunter2190 · April 29, 2005, 01:37 PM

I have a 3 million candlepower spotlight and a 10 million. The 3 million one is great for scouting deer or hunting coyote at night because it is much lighter than the 10 mil. But with the 10, I can see eyes at 5? maybe 6 or 7 hundred yards away. I can see the whole body at 300 yards. That thing is BRIGHT! No problems with either of them, ordered both from Cabelas. I guess it really depends on what your gonna be using it for.

MeekAndMild · April 29, 2005, 06:36 PM

What states allow night spotlight hunting without a depredation permit?

novus collectus · April 29, 2005, 08:19 PM

Quote:

What states allow night spotlight hunting without a depredation permit?

Maryland. Just two species though, racoon and something else I can't remember now. Never done it though. I'm not sure if spotlights are allowed but lights are allowed at night.

Ohio Annie · May 2, 2005, 10:57 AM

Shining deer is illegal in OH even if you are not hunting. You have to be careful about using lights in hunting anywhere you are, as sometimes the regulations are not always in the little booklet you can get when you get your license. Best to contact your local Division of Wildlife guy and ask.

I know because in another life I am known as The Coonminator.

20cows · May 2, 2005, 11:11 AM

Quote:

What states allow night spotlight hunting without a depredation permit?

Texas

Edit: What's a depredation permit?

novus collectus · May 2, 2005, 11:33 AM

Quote:

What's a depredation permit?

I assume it is a permit for ranchers to kill predators that are eating their stock.

20cows · May 2, 2005, 12:12 PM

We don't need one of those in Texas. Any critter causing damage to personal property or depredating livestock can be dealt with. Even deer out of season, if they are destroying your pecan seedlings. But you're not supposed to harvest them in the same manner as during the hunting season (don't take the carcus to a packer, can't sell the hide of fur bearing animals and such).

arthurrh · May 2, 2005, 12:49 PM

California allows predator hunting at night, except for certain areas. So basically you can do fox, bobcat, and coyote.

**4V50 Gary** · May 2, 2005, 07:27 PM

If you can't get a spotlight, use a cast iron frying pan. Get some pinecones and soak them in turpentine. These are placed into the frying pan, lit and carried on the shoulder. Your horse should have a blanket placed over his rump to protect him from embers that may fall.

Now, you ride slowly until you see the deer. Stop, don't move and steady your horse. The fire will attract the deer's eye and hold it steady while your friend quiety and slowly circles around the deer to get in a shot.

Oh, modern days? What I was describing was done in Virginia and the Carolinas before the Revolution. Opps.

**JohnKSa** · May 2, 2005, 11:12 PM

Hunting at night in TX is only legal with certain species.

It's recommended that you contact the game warden before a night hunting expedition to prevent misunderstandings.

20cows · May 5, 2005, 12:27 PM

Hunting at night in Texas is legal for "non-game" animals only. That is animals that are not protected nor subject to hunting in the proper season. There's lotsa critters that fall into the non-game group (rabbits, coyotes, bobcats, coons, hogs, possums, cats, dogs, rats, mice, foxes, snakes, nutria, beaver, frogs, turtles, grasshoppers,.... like I said, lotsa critters).

impact · May 8, 2005, 06:06 PM

Yep and any legal means possible. 22lr, FMJ bullets are ok. I even know some class three guys that hunt hogs with full auto MP-5s, M-16s. I wish I had that kinda money

April 28, 2005, 06:50 PM	#1
jim532 Member Join Date: March 27, 2005 Posts: 18	hunting at night... Any of you guys who go on the hunt at night able to suggest a high quality portable spotlight? I wanna turn night into day. I've seen a lot that say 3 million candle power or even 10 million candlepower but candlepower doesn't say much, none of the ones I've seen have a lumens rating. Any help would be great. jim

May 2, 2005, 10:57 AM	#6
Ohio Annie Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 351	Please don't shine deer Shining deer is illegal in OH even if you are not hunting. You have to be careful about using lights in hunting anywhere you are, as sometimes the regulations are not always in the little booklet you can get when you get your license. Best to contact your local Division of Wildlife guy and ask. I know because in another life I am known as The Coonminator. __________________ Annie @8-) Maker of fine GSR since 1998

May 2, 2005, 07:27 PM	#11
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	If you can't get a spotlight, use a cast iron frying pan. Get some pinecones and soak them in turpentine. These are placed into the frying pan, lit and carried on the shoulder. Your horse should have a blanket placed over his rump to protect him from embers that may fall. Now, you ride slowly until you see the deer. Stop, don't move and steady your horse. The fire will attract the deer's eye and hold it steady while your friend quiety and slowly circles around the deer to get in a shot. Oh, modern days? What I was describing was done in Virginia and the Carolinas before the Revolution. Opps. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 28, 2005, 10:57 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I use an old Q-Beam; I dunno, maybe 250,000 cp. I put a red lens over it to cut it down some. I also use a Streamlight SL-20. All you need is enough light to tell the difference between a deer and a coyote, really. And if you're coyote hunting, you don't want all that bright a light. They shy away from it. I try to just barely catch the eye-gleam in the edge of the light and then turn it off and keep calling. Up close, a two-cell flashlight works well to not spook them... , Art

April 29, 2005, 01:37 PM	#3
MassHunter2190 Member Join Date: March 16, 2005 Posts: 82	I have a 3 million candlepower spotlight and a 10 million. The 3 million one is great for scouting deer or hunting coyote at night because it is much lighter than the 10 mil. But with the 10, I can see eyes at 5? maybe 6 or 7 hundred yards away. I can see the whole body at 300 yards. That thing is BRIGHT! No problems with either of them, ordered both from Cabelas. I guess it really depends on what your gonna be using it for.

April 29, 2005, 06:36 PM	#4
MeekAndMild Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2001 Posts: 4,988	What states allow night spotlight hunting without a depredation permit?

May 2, 2005, 12:12 PM	#9
20cows Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2005 Location: West Texas Posts: 376	We don't need one of those in Texas. Any critter causing damage to personal property or depredating livestock can be dealt with. Even deer out of season, if they are destroying your pecan seedlings. But you're not supposed to harvest them in the same manner as during the hunting season (don't take the carcus to a packer, can't sell the hide of fur bearing animals and such).

May 2, 2005, 12:49 PM	#10
arthurrh Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2004 Posts: 189	California allows predator hunting at night, except for certain areas. So basically you can do fox, bobcat, and coyote.

May 2, 2005, 11:12 PM	#12
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,975	Hunting at night in TX is only legal with certain species. It's recommended that you contact the game warden before a night hunting expedition to prevent misunderstandings.

May 5, 2005, 12:27 PM	#13
20cows Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2005 Location: West Texas Posts: 376	Hunting at night in Texas is legal for "non-game" animals only. That is animals that are not protected nor subject to hunting in the proper season. There's lotsa critters that fall into the non-game group (rabbits, coyotes, bobcats, coons, hogs, possums, cats, dogs, rats, mice, foxes, snakes, nutria, beaver, frogs, turtles, grasshoppers,.... like I said, lotsa critters).

May 8, 2005, 06:06 PM	#14
impact Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: the great state of Texas Posts: 854	Yep and any legal means possible. 22lr, FMJ bullets are ok. I even know some class three guys that hunt hogs with full auto MP-5s, M-16s. I wish I had that kinda money