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Let's talk Flashlights for blood trailing

rakbowhunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2018
Messages
745
Location
Springfield Illinois
What Flashlight do you use for blood trailing?

This year I am using a Coast HP550.
It is 1075 lumens on high and has an adjustable beam. I have found it super helpful while blood trailing because you can widen the beam for when your are looking close on the ground, but tighten it up when scouting ahead. Did I mention this thing is super bright? The kind of bright that the other guys helping you track lose their light in yours when they get too close!. What light are you packing and why?
 
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Hands free!

 
Good to know! Is there one that you would recommend?
Mine is a few years old and no longer made. That is the problem with LED's, technology keeps changing and products have a short life. If you Google "high CRI LED", you should come up with quite a few options. Sorry I'm not more help.
 
Most LED's are above 6000K, so they are in the blue spectrum. Green, red and blue wavelengths are the worst for seeing the contrast that makes blood "glow". Yellow wavelengths are best. That's why halogen and lantern light (3000-4000K ballpark) make blood pop off the natural surroundings. LED's not so much. Most manufacturers do not list the Kelvin rating of their lights so you just have to eyeball it. More white than blue is what you want in an LED light for blood tracking.

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Most LED's are above 6000K, so they are in the blue spectrum. Green, red and blue wavelengths are the worst for seeing the contrast that makes blood "glow". Yellow wavelengths are best. That's why halogen and lantern light (3000-4000K ballpark) make blood pop off the natural surroundings. LED's not so much. Most manufacturers do not list the Kelvin rating of their lights so you just have to eyeball it. More white than blue is what you want in an LED light for blood tracking.

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Great information, appreciate it! Now I have an idea what to look for
 
Love my Streamlight for trailing too. Keep it on the charger in the truck at all times. That along with the Fenix headlamp is a good combo.

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Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
Primos bloodhunter hd works awesome

I never thought about these special blood tracking lights until I tracked a deer for 4 hours into the night and finally lost her trail in a big CRP field. Would this light have helped there? Does it make small blood spots that much more obvious that I may have picked up a trail in the tall grass? Mainly I’m trying to gauge if it’s worth $90!
 
Does it make small blood spots that much more obvious that I may have picked up a trail in the tall grass? Mainly I’m trying to gauge if it’s worth $90!

Seems like I got mine for $50-$60 last season after I lost the trail on a buck that I found gut shot in the lake 2 weeks later...

They really make the blood stand out, especially on dry ground.
 
Seems like I got mine for $50-$60 last season after I lost the trail on a buck that I found gut shot in the lake 2 weeks later...

They really make the blood stand out, especially on dry ground.

yeah I just double checked and there Are some cheaper out there. Amazon has it for $90 and they are always my first stop. So you say worth $50 or so?
 
Black diamond storm. Hasn't failed me yet. I dunno about those blood tracking lights. I've heard just as much bad as good.
 
Camera lights have worked best for me when tracking.

 
Lots of the backpacking guys suggest zebra headlights. I think I'm gonna get this one or the 4000k one. http://www.zebralight.com/H600Fd-Mk-IV-18650-XHP502-Floody-5000K-High-CRI-Headlamp_p_219.html
Here is the comparison and specs of them. Not many companies break it down with so much detail. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...dit?hl=en&authkey=CNqP6KIC&pref=2&pli=1#gid=0

I want a light that uses a 18650 rechargeable lithium battery that I can plug into my power pack to charge, which stays in my pack to charge my phone if need be. I wanted a light that I could change the brightness level. The ultra low lumen setting will work great once I get to my tree or while at spike camp fixing a mountain house meal. Medium to low level for hiking in, and high level if I need to look way ahead.

I'm currently using https://www.fenixlighting.com/product/fenix-hl60r-rechargeable-headlamp/ but the red is basically useless. Have to put my hand in front of my face to see if it's on. And it's kind of heavy and bulky for a small headlight. The zebra will be an upgrade and the fenix will be a backup.
 
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