Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Tracking lights

Diablo54

Senior Member
7,082
126
Outside
What do you use to track?? Last year I used a 20$ light from tractor supply. It is very bright for looking for blood. And has an excellent distance for sweeping in front of you along the track searching for the deer it's self. I tracked with a lot of guys and in my opinion always had the brightest light. They are great for the price.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/jobsmart-tac-1000-led-flashlight?cm_vc=-10005


However, this year I'm thinking about buying another kind just to try. The worst thing in the world is having a deer on the ground and your scrambling for decent flashlights and batteries!

I'm thinking maybe a coon hunting light. So what do you guys use?
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
Last edited:

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
I used my streamlight polytac 275 lumen last year and it worked great. I'll be using it again this year. It's small, and compact enough to fit in any pocket.
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
Let me say, LEDS suck for blood trails . Halogen bulbs or lanterns show blood better than anything else .
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
What do you use to track?? Last year I used a 20$ light from tractor supply. It is very bright for looking for blood. And has an excellent distance for sweeping in front of you along the track searching for the deer it's self. I tracked with a lot of guys and in my opinion always had the brightest light. They are great for the price.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/jobsmart-tac-1000-led-flashlight?cm_vc=-10005


However, this year I'm thinking about buying another kind just to try. The worst thing in the world is having a deer on the ground and your scrambling for decent flashlights and batteries!

I'm thinking maybe a coon hunting light. So what do you guys use?

My guys bought this light for the truck for mowing and plowing. Keep it under the seat. It is a nice light for $20.

I like the headlamps. $20-30 light with a spare in my pocket if the one on my head goes out. I also take the light off my coyote hunting rifle. I put it in my pocket when I want to scan an area for belly fur or eyeballs. Let's face it- Sometimes the blood trail runs out or starts weaving to the left or right but you don't see the deer.. This is when I look for fur or eyes in a 30-40yd radius. When they start weaving they are normally close. It is nice to light up a big area at this point.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I think everyone's eyes react different to light and color. The famous white dress proved that. With that said, its hard to suggest a good light for someone else.

I personally love LED, and hate halogen. Florescent portable shop lights can be amazing for some as well. Me being one of those guys. If I'm down on my hands and knees looking for blood, that's the light I want.

I know it's hard to do, but if the trail is that light you should probably wait for daylight to track any further anyways.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I usually have LED lights since they're convenient and have l ok ng battery life, but I think my eyes react better to halogen. Some of the LED lights are so bright they almost seem to "wash out" the contrast of the blood. I don't know... Kinda hard to describe.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
I've had great luck with a Coleman lantern, for whatever reason it just highlights blood that much better... More of a pain in the backside to deal with then normal flashlights but has better results on tough tracking jobs.... But like Dave stated, anymore if it gets that tough after sunset, I'm backing out till morning unless weather tells me otherwise....
 
I think everyone's eyes react different to light and color. The famous white dress proved that. With that said, its hard to suggest a good light for someone else.

I personally love LED, and hate halogen. Florescent portable shop lights can be amazing for some as well. Me being one of those guys. If I'm down on my hands and knees looking for blood, that's the light I want.

I know it's hard to do, but if the trail is that light you should probably wait for daylight to track any further anyways.

I am the opposite. If the trail is light, I would much rather track after dark. To me the blood shows up better in the artificial light. I think it also helps me concentrate on the blood and not as much looking around for a body. Now if grid-searching then daylight is preferred.

I have also found that my son and youngest daughter can see blood that sometimes I can't see. I think the combination of young eyes and the fact they can stay squatted close to the ground for longer periods allows them to pick up some tiny flecks of blood.
 

00buck

Junior Member
445
0
I have trouble seeing the blood at all even if the deer has been double lunged I usually call my dad or a friend that hunts with my family