solo night hunt set up and tips??

Kevin2

Kevin2

New member
I want to do a couple hunts this weekend & both my partners are tied up with committments. So, I'm going to give it a go by myself again.

I am looking to hear how some of you accomplish scanning & then shooting too. There has to be a more affective way then what I was doing last time out by myself.

I used my rifle mounted kill light as both, but that got awfully heavy after a few sets. I also tried using the scanning light in hand & then switching to my mounted light on the gun, but that had issues as well. Just figure some of you have some trick up your sleeves that might simplify the process for me this weekend!
 
Thanks to guys on this sight for scanning I use these lights I bought on eBay : zoomable 5 w Cree Q5 LED headlamp flashlight about $20.00 includes batteries and chargers. I bought 3 so if they screw up I have spares. Cut a piece of DJ jell paper to color light slipped into lens. Search ebay for DJ jell about 4 bucks. Scan just by turning your head. Go to top of page and type in scanning lights you will find what others suggest. Also cut about 3" piece of plastic, taped it black and taped onto bottom of light for shroud keeps light off gun. Good luck. Mick
 
Not sure how practical this is but seems like a tall shooting stick w/pivot head for your rifle while standing could be a big help if your going to scan with it. Next would be a super light tripod with scanning light mounted to it you could just rotate the scanning light with one hand then leave it pointed where you see eyes then up with your gun to shoot, one more option would be to mount scanning light to side of a monopod/shooting stick rotate & tilt wherever you want to scan then you still have the top of it for your rifle rest.
 
I hunt solo 98% of the time. It can be a real challenge sometimes. I have my scan light tied around my neck (long piece of string) long enough so I can scan above my head and out to the side and when I need to switch to the rifle I just drop the scan light. I also have a pressure switch on my rifle mounted light, and my rifle is always on a bipod and on my shoulder so there's not alot of movement when I need to hurry to make a quick shot hope this helps.
 
Nothing I'm going to tell you will help for this weekend, but, you really need a scan light mounted to your head, and a shooting light mounted to your gun.

I use Stoney Point Hardware to allow me to set my gun down on the ground to where all I have to do is kneel down and lift the buttstock to my shoulder and it's ready to shoot. It'll require a bipod taller than the 20 some inchers to be able to do that unless you are really short or sitting down.

This will give you an idea:

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Whether it's a Ebay headlight or Boondocks predator pack (which I use), your hands are free to work your mouth calls, remote, whatever, and all you have to do is concentrate on watching for eyes.

Once you see something coming in you can kneel down and shoulder your gun, turn on your shooting light and get the eyes in the halo. Shut off your scanning light and let the fun begin.

I also started off like you the first time and yes, the gun does get heavy. Not to mention it's not real safe to scan with a rifle. If you can incorporate some of these things you will make it alot more enjoyable for yourself when you go it alone.
 
i'm using this custom built headlamp for hand's free scanning, runs on two 18650 lithium ion batteries, has a red LED, no filter to kill light output, puts 7500 lux, has three modes high-med-low(no blinky's)with quality sanyo batteries runs about 2 hrs on high, 8hrs on medium, 40+ hrs on low.

Picture507_zps94a855cf.jpg
 
I think what do you as far as scanning goes and using headlamp vs. rifle mount depends on your set ups.

If I'm hunting a open field I try to set up where I have a 45 to 90 degree field of view. I only use my gun mounted kill light on my .223. I scan somewhere between every 30 seconds and 3 minuits. If I'm in a smaller filed ill scan more often then if I'm in a large field where I can shoot 200+ yards.

If I'm in the woods and using the shotgun I only use a headlamp, just because I need to be on a pivot for picking up eyes and being ready for a quick shot. I use the $20 eBay light mentioned above, or I use a surefire 6p with a red cree led upgrade. Sometimes it is too bright.

Alot of guys on here use a 501 B light you can buy on ebay. There's a handful of options you can find to attact it to your head.

My personal favorite is a $5 plastic clip that clips on the the bill of a baseball hat. It pivots 365 degrees and allows me to see down the barrel of my shotgun. I bought it at Dicks sporting goods for $4.99 regular price.

Hope this helps, I don't think there's a wrong way to scan. Everyone's situation is a little different as well as they're style.
 
well, I'm going to give my "fishing" headlamp a go. It is this light...it appears to have 200 lumens on hight, is that enough to scan & how far out would that likely reach? Anyone using this??

Zebra Headlamp H51

 
I just bought one of these. It appears to more powerful than my old broken CREE 5W & the version I got used AA, which is better for me.

I can use it for Mt Biking come summer nights too!

CREE XM L T6 HEADlamp uses AA batterier

This youtube review is using the same CREE XML T6 light, seems pretty good for kill light & scanning. HOPE SO! The very end of this review shows the throw of the T6

 
if scanning with white light works for you, there are lots of options. if you want to scan with red or green your options are limited but available.
 
We cant use gun mounted light here, I hunt by myself probably 98% of the time. So heres how i pull it off, I take my shotgun and rifle to all my sets, I set my rifle up on the sticks but dont sit down. I prefer to stand because im usually hunting sage brush so seeing is tough anyways but never fails they always come up from behind me. If they get close I use the shotgun if they hang up out a ways I keep my light in my left hand and keep it on the critter and slowly move to my rifle as long as you dont cast light on yourself you can pull this off without spooking critters. I then hold one side of my sticks with the kill light in the same hand and take aim, it sounds like alot but it get easy after you do it alot.
 
Well, I went out tonight. My Zebra Headlamp H51 isn't worth a darn. Good for fishing at night, that is about it!

My Brinyte BR 01 red led light did a pretty good job though. Was good on the smaller sets.

My new CREE Q5 kill light did awesome. Really nice. TO bad I didn't get to kill anything using it! Never the less, it performed great for the cash I spent.

I used a white light tonight half the time, as I was reading in predator magazine in an article how this fella has drifted away from using red lights. Claiming it makes no difference in the color OR intensity. Of course, I didn't see anything with either light set up, so no evidence to go towards the claims here!
 
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From what I have experienced a red light makes all the difference. I use a 21 volt night rider head light with a red lens and I haven't had a night that hasn't produced yet.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveB22250 We cant use gun mounted light here, I hunt by myself probably 98% of the time. So heres how i pull it off, I take my shotgun and rifle to all my sets, I set my rifle up on the sticks but dont sit down. I prefer to stand because im usually hunting sage brush so seeing is tough anyways but never fails they always come up from behind me. If they get close I use the shotgun if they hang up out a ways I keep my light in my left hand and keep it on the critter and slowly move to my rifle as long as you dont cast light on yourself you can pull this off without spooking critters. I then hold one side of my sticks with the kill light in the same hand and take aim, it sounds like alot but it get easy after you do it alot. This is EXACTLY what I do. Simple, economical. Holding the light in your hand along the side of a rifle/shotgun is easy after a little practice, and it allows you to use one light to scan and shoot. I use my XLR-100 almost exclusively now, and only switch to my XLR-250 if I need it for a long rifle shot.
 
Originally Posted By: kevind43i'm using this custom built headlamp for hand's free scanning, runs on two 18650 lithium ion batteries, has a red LED, no filter to kill light output, puts 7500 lux, has three modes high-med-low(no blinky's)with quality sanyo batteries runs about 2 hrs on high, 8hrs on medium, 40+ hrs on low.

Picture507_zps94a855cf.jpg




where did you get the parts and how much did it run.. nice looking light

Brent
 


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