Are animal nightblinded by a light at night?

DocCoyote

New member
Hello everybody. I'm new to night hunting, but I was wondering, when you shine a light in the eyes of an animal at night, are they temporarily blinded by it? For example, if you've got your red lense on and see a bobcat, can you turn the light off and remove the lense, or will he see it? Thanks in advance for your help.
 
I would say NO.. I'm think they would be able to see you, the truck, whatever. Of course I'm sure there might be somebody a little more familiar with animal biology than me..

All I know is from experience, and I have been busted doing this very same thing.

Tim
 
They are not "blinded". They can still see just fine, hence why they can still run over brush, cactus, etc. when coming to the call. The light does conceal you and your setup. Look into a light at night and try and see whats behind it, you can't even though you can still see just fine without being blinded.
 
The red lens/Filter, makes it so they dont see you when your calling, compared to white light (spooks them,like car lights) they can still smell you if your down wind or make any noises, if you Hunting from your car/truck you need to make a shroud for your light (clorx bottle,coffee can, Tupper ware,Plastic jug) so the light does not reflect on your Hunting ride.........

If they dont respond to the red lens (come within shooting distance, 250 yards) due to over Hunting, then the Green lens/Filter will make the Differnce in the hunt.........
 
These guys are right about the critters not being able to see you, and if you turn the light off, they will see you. Also,I still believe that the red lens serves to soften the light, so that the surrounding area does not light up. I've seen coyotes stop and look around, like they were looking at the surrounding lighted area, and maybe they know that their "cover" of darkness is not what it was. This will sometimes spook them, especially with a white light, and they'll bug out. Walk around with a light using a red lens, then take the lens off, you'll see what I mean. Randy
 
In my opinion,if you burn them with the light yes it will cause temporary blindness that is why you see them run into objects from time to time such as a fence or a tree,but kept in the halo of the light they are not blinded!
I have on many occasions taken the red lense off while working an animal that was hung up so that it could be better Identified for a shot,it doesn't seem to bother cats at all ,but occasionally it will spook a coyote!
Personally I'd rather just hunt them in the day time,nothing I love more than watching one work!
 
just as a point of interest - hunting elephants at night is a rather exciting thing, but using night vision we had a dark dark night and used the infrared illuminator. The ele's turned right toward us as soon as the illuminator went on, and then walked right at us. Evidently elephants at least can see infrared. makes you wonder what other animals can
 
Elephants?

Anyway...I have spotlighted varmints for 40 years,I've had a lot of them go under the truck, never saw a critter run into(collide with) a tree or bush. You must really have a bright light.??
 
Randy, making a stand from the old varmint rig, I had a coyote run into my front tire once.
My partner and I was laughing so hard we couldn't shoot the darn thing. I've also had em run under the truck and out the other side.
 
Quote:

Anyway...I have spotlighted varmints for 40 years,I've had a lot of them go under the truck, never saw a critter run into(collide with) a tree or bush. You must really have a bright light.??



Ditto... Well except for the 40 years experience /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
DocCoyote,

First of all good question.

In response to your original question about removing a lens for identification, I would only do it as a last resort as they will most likely be gone or leaving when you get the light back on them. Start with one color and stay with it until the shot, only remove a filter as a last resort for identification.

There has been some good input for you in this thread so far. My views fall somewhere in between all of them. I have seen coyotes somewhat blinded by a light and run over small brush and such, however as Randy stated most of the time they are aware of there surroundings even with a bright light on them.

And of course there were the usual jabs about using a white light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif You being new to night hunting and seeking information about lights I will explain my views. Not to discredit anyone with a different outlook, but to help you understand the way a predator sees at night.

First of all Predators see in shades of gray, not color like me and you. A red light in a coyotes eyes is seen as a bright shade of gray, just the same as a dim white light. It is not invisible as many beginning callers think. I have heard many times growing up that the reason that you use a red light is because coyotes are color blind and they cant see red. The coyotes inability to see you behind the light of course proves that old theory wrong as anyone would agree.

I hear that coyotes run from white lights on vehicle, therefore they must spook from white lights in general. Coyote are conditioned to vehicles as being a bad thing. The presence of loud noises vehicle make with engines and tires, and the thought that there brother didn’t run and ended up a buzzards breakfast kind of explains that whole theory to be far from hard evidence in my book. If cars would have had red lights on them from the start I think coyotes would act much the same as coyotes do today with white lights on vehicle at highway speeds.

As far as different colors (pick one) being used for hunting, I think it is quite a non-issue since coyotes will see all colors in a shade of gray. Softer colors will be seen as a darker shade of gray while light colors will be a lighter shad of gray. Which brings me to my final point. Coyotes don’t see lights as color, they see them as different intensities of gray. No matter what color of light you use ( be it a color or a white light) it is the intensity of the light that matters and not the color used. If you take a picture in black and white of a red lens vs. a white light of the same intensity they will look much the same.

We began using white for better quality footage for our videos. Over the years we have been surprised at the results from using a white light. Predators act the same way under a white as they do a red one. At first we limited our use of a white light to highly populated areas that received very light hunting pressure. Since we have used the white light all over and found there to be no change in animal activity. The use of different lights and experience with each is what made us re-evaluate the way we thought about the way predators perceive different lights at night. I am glad we experimented with different lights as I feel that it has made me a better hunter with a better understanding of predators.

I hope the information I shared if anything will explain to you how predators see at night. The way you run your light and how you “work” a predator once you spot them is what will up your odds more than anything. Once you get him coming in to a certain sound try and keep him coming, be it with lip squeaks or light calling. Predators will often try and circle downwind more at night than during the day, so try and keep the excitement level of your calling up and make them forget about he wind. If they are stopping they are thinking, so keep them coming as best you can and when they get to a good place for a shot stop calling and wait for them to stop. If they don’t stop give them some smooches or kisses to get them to check up. This all may happen within just a few seconds or minutes so you can adapt your methods according to the situation.

Take care and good luck with your hunting.

Todd
 
Thanks everybody, I'm sure some you seasoned members have answered similar questions many times. I appreciate you patience with us newbies. That's why I like PM so much; everybody seems so eager to help and there's a wealth of information contained within it's members!

So if I understand correctly, the animals are not nightblinded, or at least not nearly as much as a human would be. Must be a difference in the ratio of rods and cones within the noturnal animals' eye. I know in humans, rods are the night vision component and only see in black and white; whereas the cones are daylight vision see in color. Nocturnal animals must have a majority of rods. My question arose from the fact that the rods in human eyes are extrememly sensitive to light and will stop working in the presence of even small amounts of light, resulting in night blindedness. Nocturnal animals must not be as sensitive to light. Sorry if you've read this and become bored by it, I just had to work it out in my mind.

Thanks again for everybody's input!
 
Quote:
Please tell more about hunting elephants at night and why you do this?



Yeah, I'd like to know this too! Feel free to hijack my post, I'm intrigued by it.
 
DocCoyote,

Yes PM does have a ton of experienced members on any given subject. When they see a sincere question everyone has always been more than happy to jump in and give any advice they see fit. Some of it you may not want, but rest assured if you word your question right you will get all the answers/suggestions you need. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It sounds like you have a really good handle on the rods and cones situation. Personaly I dont know much about difference between the two, but it sounds like you have that area covered. As you know it really doesnt matter about specifics, such as # of rods vs. cones and so on. Time under a light will tell you more than anything and personal experience will be alot more valuable than anything you read. I wish you well in your night hunting ventures, be warned though it is addictive. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So bring on the elephant stuff! I read a great joke about a thorn in a babys foot.........................It was the wrong elephant!

Take care,

Todd
 
Well to begin firstly it is illegal to hunt Elephant with any sort of light other than real daylight, and then its also illegal to hunt Elephants in many parts of South Africa due to canned hunts or straight forward hunting because of the ivory trade etc, so i amagine that he is talking about hunting elephants in a place other than here. True you can hunt them here in many places, this is why I would like to know more.

The light thing is a concern of mine, this is why, we have these animals on our game farm and one thing that is very commonly known, ( maybe unknown again to the writer) is that elephants are one of the game on the African plains with the WORST eyesight, if not the worst.

Elephants have bad eyesight, but a good sense of smell. You can stand still 20-30 yards in front of an elephant that smelt you, he will throw his head left and right, trying to make that SMELL move to get a better idea, he cannot see you very well at all, very bad eyesight.

If he sets back his ears, then lowers his head and curls his trunk up, he is serious. If he charges, mock or otherwise, get up a tree and be mighty fast!

Aside from a Buffalo this chap is by no means a walk over.

Now if you are hunting, game viewing or whatever you pleasure to use a light on elephant is extremely unprofessional, due to the fact you are placing the animals in a very unfair situation, this is one method I would never use on that particular species.

I suggest people or guides change attitudes towards hunting or viewing animals if you are not properly advised.

To hunt an elephant at night is very unprofessional, I would like to know why you did this at night? Also if your hunt took place in South Africa I would love to know who he is, I have to say I find you story very interesting.

Hunting elephant in SA is a touchy subject, the ivory trade is evident, poaching night and day is bad, and these animals are protected species, we have helicopters, foot soldiers with FAL rifles walking on foot patrols, covering miles everyday seeking out poachers, elephants are very similar to Rhino, very protected species, and depending on your location hunting is very far from accepted.
 
(I can Just See it)

Somewhere in the USA........

Pulling up at the Dark of Night, Climbing on your chair and turning on your Spot light (LightForce Peferably) Calling and Lip squiking for a Coyote to show himself, Listing and Waiting............You Hear Something Russling the Bushes.......

And out of dark comes a 6 ton Elephant, Charging your truck....

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 


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