To and from the stand

[twostrings]

I hunted Monday evening with great success. The weather had them up and moving. I did not get a shot off, but saw lots of game and most of it up close. Fun stuff. I walked to within 15 yards of two does in the dark without even knowing they were there until I practically ran into them after leaving my stand. I attribute this to not using a flashlight.

My question to you is how do you go about getting to and from your stand in the dark? Do you use a flashlight? If so, is white? or is it colored? What color? have you noticed game not noticing your flashlight or is it something they pay special attention to? Or, are you like me, walking every possible step without a light?

The reason I ask is I got a new property to hunt and the vegetation is severely overgrown. I do not think I can get through it by moonlight like I normally do without taking thorns to the legs. Is using a flashlight going to mess with my odds? I would love to learn from you on what you have had success with.

(Ps I do not have many choices when it comes to routes and access points. I hunt small parcels that are usually only accessible from one direction. The other landowners will not let me come in any other way.)

Thanks,
Twostrings

[ChuckC]

I personally don't believe that the deer understand what that represents.  Pretty abstract thing,  light = flashlight = person = hunter.    They can probably see it and it may represent something different for sure.

I have often waited till bare minimum light so i could walk in without a flash though.
ChuckC

[John3]

You do more damage in the dark.. Wait until you can see to walk to your stand... Have your bow ready,,,.


JDS III

[adeeden]

I do not use a light unless I am on public land and then I cup my hand over the bulb and just let a small amount of light out through my fingers so i am not mistaken for a critter!

[sbschindler]

I use a lite (headlamp) I really don't think it spooks deer. it sure beats making loud noises stepping on large sticks etc,But if you could get to your stand safely with out a lite that might be best.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Last year I walked to 10 feet from a deer feeding as I was walking to my stand in the dark. I saw the deers eyes as I just stood there and the deer was just eating as if I wasn't around till I said Hello There.... The deer just looked at me and walked off.

[jcar315]

I use a red lens on my flashlight and seems to work fine and helping me see but deer aren't supposed to be able to see it.

Roger Rothaar suggests waiting until just getting light enough to see and stalking to stand as was mentioned above.

[ishiwannabe]

I use a small, quarter-sized green led light to walk in and out. Its just bright enough to illuminate the area directly in front of me. I would rather have a deer see a light in a distance than hear every footstep...but thats just my opinion. I have also walked in without lights, and have been busted either way. It ends up being a compromise with each method.

[longbowben]

I dont think a headlamp hurts.And they have red lenze .Im in my stands about 45 min before daylight.I have killed most of my big bucks the first 5 min of daylight.

[twostrings]

Interesting.

For those of you who wait until they can see in the morning: Do you leave your stand in daylight? Or do you wait until dark to leave?

[John3]

When getting dark the first thing I notice is that the colors start to fade with the light.  Leaves, trees, all fades to grey. When it is too dark for me to pick a spot on deer(usually so dark I cant see the color of my yellow fletches) there still is enough light that I can walk out without a light.  I never get busted coming out it was always sneaking in early in the black dark...  I wait until I can see just enough to "stalk" my stands.

[Whip]

I go without a light most of the time.  But then, I mostly hunt my own property on which I have trails cleared through the woods and I know my way around it very well.  Limited use of a light, especially with a colored lens, probably doesn't spook deer too much from a distance.  I do like to be in my stand at daybreak, so I do go in the dark.  Occasionally I do spook deer on the way in though.  If I were to wait for good enough daylight to see well and then do a good job of stalking my stand it could easily be an hour after daylight before I got in my tree.

[Ssamac]

Well that's why you should walk the woods before you hunt, weeks before if you can. I just have to think that the light will spook them but you never know. If I get out there and can't see enough to walk safely, I just wait a bit until there's just a little light and then go for it. If you don't set your foot all the way down until you have it placed on the ground you can stop any noises before they start. I don't know about walking in the dark with the arrow nocked however. I'd rather miss one than fall on my broadhead. Be safe first. Be sure you can hunt again tomorrow.
Good luck
sam

[30coupe]

I don't know what deer think or if they even do. Last weekend I put up a stand on some public land. It always seems like I make so much noise every deer in the county will be gone. This time was no exception. Anyway, I got the stand hung, had a sip of water, called my son to make sure he had his stand up okay, hung up and heard a noise at my feet. I looked down and there was a big old doe right under my stand. My bow was hanging on a limb with the arrows neatly tucked into my bow quiver. She kept walking on through. I stood up and nocked an arrow, but by the time I had a clear shot, she was too far away.

I've also had them stand and stare at me as I walked to within a few feet of them in the dark while using a green cap light. The wind was in my face. I've also busted some while walking in when it was just light enough to see without a light but too dark to shoot.

Bottom line...it doesn't make much difference. If you can be quiet and not get winded, I don't think the light hurts a thing. If you are loud and stinky, you are gonna get busted, light or no light.

[gregg dudley]

After many years of playing this game, I have come to believe that light has negligible if any measurable impact on deer.  I do not think that deer can reason a relationship between light and people/danger.  On the other hand, light will sometimes keep you from busting deer in the dark.  Light will also keep you from stumbling around in the brush.  Light will keep you from knocking the contact out of your left eye on a branch and having to go crawling around trying to find it for 20 minutes before you realize you have a spare pair in your backpack.

Two weekends ago I was walking to my stand along a mowed trail.  I popped the sure-fire light on for a second to confirm that the way was clear and spotted a deer right where I turned off to head to my stand.  Rather than walk on up there and blow the deer out (stomping, snorting, etc.) I sat down and waited five minutes to see if the deer would leave on its own.  Five minutes later I flipped on the flashlight and saw that the deer was gone, but that a coyote was standing in the trail about 40 yards from me.  The coyote started trotting to me and I reached for an arrow.  Unfortunately, I couldn't manage the arrow, the bow, and a push-button flashlight.  The coyote kept getting closer and I decided that I would rather keep my eye on him than try to shoot him.  The coyote trotted straight towards me (and the light) and only stopped when he hit my scent stream 2 yards away!  Then he turned inside out and ran back the way he had come.

Last weekend I was walking my son, Reed to his stand and spotted two deer right by the blind.  We were already committed to the route and I watched them as he got in the stand and zipped it shut.  I made a huge production about tleaving and those two deer were still hangng around his stand at daylight.  The light obviously had minimal meaning to them.

A sure-fire flashlight will flat out light up the surroundings.  I have never noticed anything run from the light unless they heard or smelled me as well.

[joevan125]

I put cat eyes at the bottom of trees so that when i walk in my red light is pointing down instead of shining through the woods. Even when i bump deer going in  or out they only run off a few yards and then stop. I have walked right up on deer in the dark as long as i was being quite and moving slow. I think its a mistake waiting till it gets light before you go to your stand. Last year i killed the biggest buck ever with a bow just as it was getting light enough to see and some of the biggest deer i have killed has been at first light.

[Hooked]

IMO the light will not spook them.  In fact, I think your scent and how you react to them makes a big difference.  If they get a big ol'whiff of your scent...see ya later.  My experience has been, whether in daylight or moonlight, your reaction to them makes a huge difference.  

If you stop and stare, they get nervous and leave.  If you walk on by like you could care-a-less about them or like you don't know they are there, they will usually just stand there and watch you walk by.

I don't think a flashlight makes any difference, especially if you are real careful to keep it pointed at the ground.

[straitera]

Floundering through thick vegetation is just as likely to scare deer as a flashlight. My Brinkmann penlight is bright enough to illuminate even the narrowest trail. I use it sporadically walking to my hunting area.

[twitchstick]

I use a light as needed,red and green preferd.Many of my stands I may have to hike miles to get to in the dark.Alot of the trails I can use moon light and good eyes when possible.I use to only uses a light in the timber but after a few bear incounters I use a light more.One young bear I walked with in five yards in the dark as it was feeding on a kill, it didn't see me until I backed up to about 20 yards.Another friend"who didn't belive in lights"was hike out a trail we use alot and new well.Had notice that the trail seemed quit dark in front of him and when his eyes came into focus a bear was standing up and poping its gaw.The bear wasn't aggessive but wanted to still go up the trail and physicaly bushed him as It went by!I like to use a light mainly so I don't stumble as much,which I think the noise dose more damage than the light will do.

[twostrings]

Hearing your opinions  has been helpful. Do any of you only use colored flashlights? The only color I can find is green...which is strange considering red used to be a semi common color in years past.