Night hunting with lights techniques

[Wanttohuntmore]

Hi everyone,  I've called dozens of yotes in during the daylight.  I've called a few in at night.   I feel I'm doing it wrong with the lights.   What's your favorite technique with lights at night?  Do you keep the scan light on,  when you pick up eyes,  keep the light on them while you turn on the kill light?  That seems to be what I've read.

[fast1]

There's lots of different ways, this is like asking what fork to use for dinner. Bottom line is its the one that gets the job done. My method, and I hunt alone mostly at night. When I spot a dog coming in I keep my scan on him until he gets to within shooting range for night, for me that's  the 200yd mark. At that point I will turn on my gun light and illuminate the dog with it. If it's coming strong I may wait a little longer. Once I have my gun light on I will kick off the scan light. Again, this is how I do it. It's not right or wrong but it's what works for me and yes I do put down my share of dogs. Good luck and as long as yoir getting out & doing something you enjoy your doin it right!

[highcountry_hunter]

There's lots of different ways, this is like asking what fork to use for dinner. Bottom line is its the one that gets the job done. My method, and I hunt alone mostly at night. When I spot a dog coming in I keep my scan on him until he gets to within shooting range for night, for me that's  the 200yd mark. At that point I will turn on my gun light and illuminate the dog with it. If it's coming strong I may wait a little longer. Once I have my gun light on I will kick off the scan light. Again, this is how I do it. It's not right or wrong but it's what works for me and yes I do put down my share of dogs. Good luck and as long as yoir getting out & doing something you enjoy your doin it right!

I pretty much do it the same way. I keep my rifle on one of those BOG death grip tripods so it’s a pretty seamless transition from scan light to gun light. When I’ve got the scan light on a dog coming in I try to keep just the edge of the beam illuminating their eyes just because I’ve read that the full power center of the beam in their eyes can spook them. I don’t know if that’s true or not but it seems reasonable.

As far as scanning I light up a field a few very quick scans back and forth then shut the light off for a minute or so then repeat. I’ve read lots about guys who never shut their light off and are constantly scanning but I think a lot of those are written by guys in texas who stand in the back of their truck. I’m generally standing under a tree on the edge of a field. Good luck!!!

[Thermal Predator Control]

All I know is that it’s very frustrating and a waste of $

[MtnMuley]

All I know is that it’s very frustrating and a waste of $

I've killed dozens of dogs with a $30 spotlight night calling long before the several thousand dollar thermals came out. Not everybody is on a thermal budget.

[Thermal Predator Control]

All I know is that it’s very frustrating and a waste of $

I've killed dozens of dogs with a $30 spotlight night calling long before the several thousand dollar thermals came out. Not everybody is on a thermal budget.

Yep, I have too, personally I prefer not wasting my time away from home, if I can be more efficient at doin something, I’m gonna do it. I saved for 2 and a half years to buy my first thermal, which was a crappy monocular that couldn’t see past 100 yards.  All I’m saying is that it’s frustrating not knowing what I’m looking at with a spotlight most of the night and wasting alot of money on gas. 

[carpsniperg2]

It’s definitely not a waste of time or money to hunt under lights. I can’t tell you how many fawns and calves I have saved over the years. I didn’t just do it for fun I did it to help protective our livelihood. Before I had kids I hunted around 90/110 night a year. Way more then the avg joe. I now have thermal as a tool as well. Both have their place and both are effective. However with thermal you won’t have educated coyotes that you get with lights. So many people run lights, you shine a dog and he heads out.

People think lights bother them, if your not messing with a educated animals they could care less.

Look up on YouTube the night crew. Those guys have killed thousands of animals at night with literally a rig that looks like it should be should mounted to a football stadium.

You get a animal commuted coming to the call and is already coming in with the light on them, keep them lit and kill ‘em when you can.

[b23]

I really like the idea of a thermal but before I get one I can't decide on whether I want a designated thermal scope with LRF or if I'd be better off with a good thermal bino w/LRF and using a light in conjunction with it.

A good quality thermal is definitely an investment not to be taken lightly and I keep thinking I'd use thermal bino setup a lot more than just a straight thermal scope designated on a particular rifle.  Pulsar has a new model out I've been looking at but being a new model there isn't much feedback on them yet.

[Cougartail]

All I know is that it’s very frustrating and a waste of $

I've killed dozens of dogs with a $30 spotlight night calling long before the several thousand dollar thermals came out. Not everybody is on a thermal budget.

..and you missed and scared off dozens of dogs you didn't see.  I still use lights for some applications and they do work,  just not as well in all situations. For the casual coyote hunter I wouldn't  buy a thermal as night hunting is a lifestyle. It has to be to justify the cost for most.

With lights it definitely works better with 2 people. If you hunt solo a thermal is a big plus.

[MtnMuley]

All I know is that it’s very frustrating and a waste of $

I've killed dozens of dogs with a $30 spotlight night calling long before the several thousand dollar thermals came out. Not everybody is on a thermal budget.

..and you missed and scared off dozens of dogs you didn't see.  I still use lights for some applications and they do work,  just not as well in all situations. For the casual coyote hunter I wouldn't  buy a thermal as night hunting is a lifestyle. It has to be to justify the cost for most.

With lights it definitely works better with 2 people. If you hunt solo a thermal is a big plus.

I'm sure I've scared off hundreds, not dozens. My point was, for the average hunter that doesn't have the budget of the few, spotlights can work just fine. Do they compare with these modern day thermals? Not at all.  This topic was started about lights, not thermals.