Lighting up the Blood Trail

Phoenix92 · Post by **Phoenix92** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:19 pm

Not that I really need any more accessories for hunting (but its always nice to have lots of gizmos)

Has anybody used a light that specially "illuminates" spots of blood while on the pursuit of a harvested deer, Is it a gimmick or truth to what the light says . I am tempted to stick with the basic bulky hand held spot light but carrying it in the hunting pack adds noise while walking to the stand. and these smaller blood trail lights are just interesting to find out if they really work

xbowking · Post by **xbowking** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:22 pm

Yes they do really show up the blood , my friend has a hunting and outdoors store and he got a minnow out off the tank and squeezed out some blood on a paper towel and i seen it nearly 24 hrs later and shined the blood trialer light on it and BANG it really showed up good, its a combo of the green and red light together that makes the blood show up, and that was just some thin minnow blood , if it was thick deer blood it would realy show amazingly good. This light was from Primos .

rickyp · Post by **rickyp** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:35 pm

they not only show the blood but everything else that is red.
I have one and it does show the blood along with the red leaves and all.

I just went out and bought a large handheld spotlight from walmart for $9.00 and it should work better I just need to see how long the light last.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:57 pm

The handheld spotlight is good, but battery life tends to be very short! The best I've found will only go about 15 minutes on a charge.
I use a high power (I think 3 watt luxeon) LED light that takes 3 aaa batteries. It will go for several hours on one set of rechargable batteries.
I use a 4 LED headlight for added light, but the 3w flashlight really shows the blood well for my eyes.
I do believe different eyes see differently, though. A couple years ago I had to wear glasses for a year and I had a terrible time blood trailing at night. No light seemed bright enough, and it was a matter of either trying to look 20 feet ahead or crawling on my hands & knees trying to look through the bifocal lenses. At the distance I needed to see (4-6 feet) I couldn't focus! With contacts my vision at that distance is perfect. That season I actually ended up keeping a pair of contacts in my truck and would switch to them if I shot a deer in the late evening. Than goodness we got the problem with my eyes corrected (blood vessels were trying to extend into the lens of my eye because the old style contacts cut off oxygen to the surface) and I was able to go back to contacts!

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:31 pm

I have the Carnivore headlamp
I hope to put it to use SOON

DrDan · Post by **DrDan** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:33 pm

Use Rage two or three blade broadheads and you won't need to hunt for a blood trail. I never seen such a trail in my life. Couldn't miss it - it was all over the place. I've shot bear with my 375 H&H and it was nothing comparedd to them Rage's!

Sandman · Post by **Sandman** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:18 am

Good old fashion Coleman Light works for me.

Cheers,
Robin

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:21 am

DrDan . . .I was thinking along the same line, except with the 2" Hammerheads and/or Stricknines . . .forget the blood trail, your deer is within sight. However, as long as folks are using those small broadheads, they'll be looking for blood.

Sopchoppy · Post by **Sopchoppy** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:09 pm

Midway USA has a good deal on Browning Black Ice LED; comes with red and blue filters; Mossy Oak B/U; $31.35 on clearance. Their # 238757. I've got one ordered, should be here tomorrow. Also have a Surefire L4 Lumamax. Never can have too many flashlights.

korey99 · Post by **korey99** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:50 pm

I received a nice headlamp LED for Xmas two years ago that takes two small AA batteries. Lights up the blood trail great, and I love the fact that everywhere I look, it's lit. I used it one cold December night gutting a roadkill deer along the highway, and it was awesome. Would have hated to have to hold a flashlight in one hand and knife in the other that night. It was great having two hands free to work with....quickly when it's -20 Celcius!

Korey

aerostarp · Post by **aerostarp** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:59 am

they not only show the blood but everything else that is red.
I have one and it does show the blood along with the red leaves and all.

Absolutely my experience when trailing with 2 hunting buddies who had them. I would say they are worthless - I used my old white flashlight and saw more then they did.

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:33 am

i agree with aerostrap on this one i don't personally own one but have been with people that do last fall and from seeing them in action they don't impress me at all i don't find they work any better than a decent quality flashlight. so from seeing them first hand is the reason i don't own one or have any intrest in getting one. just my opinion

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:02 pm

Forgot to add that every year I keep reminding myself daylight is by far the best light for trailing. Then a good deer comes along right at sunset, and I get to do the flashlight thing again.