Some thoughts on the Coyote Light

C

CZ527

New member
Well I went down south and spent the night using a few coyote lights- 3 of them to be exact. This was the first time I had gotten a good unbiased sample.

First thing I'll say is that they are tough. I watched one roll off a truck and hit a driveway lens down and its was fine.

Second, I like the controls. They're smooth and do not bind.

Third, the battery life is amazing. Ran them about continuously for 12 hours and didn't have a problem.

There are some negatives, of course. Most importantly, I have read many claims and heard many stories about how far you can Positively identify an animal using the coyote light. They are stretched to say the least. I looked through scopes from a mark 4 to the mark 6 as well as a diavari. I would day positive identification stops around 150 yards. a kill could probably be made on an animal out to 250 yards had it been previously identified.

The other negative I noticed was that when fully concentrated, the beam kinda looks like a set of window blinds, leaving some areas dark and some illuminated. Not a huge deal, because full focus isn't required much.

All in all I would say that this is likely the best gun-mounted light money can buy.

On the other hand, as a do all, it falls behind old school style spotlights by a wide margin.

That being said, at a price of $429, I won't be buying one any time soon.
 
Thx for the review CZ527. Been wondering about this light compared to my wicked, think I'm sticking to mine for that price.
 
Originally Posted By: CZ527Well I went down south and spent the night using a few coyote lights- 3 of them to be exact. This was the first time I had gotten a good unbiased sample.

First thing I'll say is that they are tough. I watched one roll off a truck and hit a driveway lens down and its was fine.

Second, I like the controls. They're smooth and do not bind.

Third, the battery life is amazing. Ran them about continuously for 12 hours and didn't have a problem.

There are some negatives, of course. Most importantly, I have read many claims and heard many stories about how far you can Positively identify an animal using the coyote light. They are stretched to say the least. I looked through scopes from a mark 4 to the mark 6 as well as a diavari. I would day positive identification stops around 150 yards. a kill could probably be made on an animal out to 250 yards had it been previously identified.

The other negative I noticed was that when fully concentrated, the beam kinda looks like a set of window blinds, leaving some areas dark and some illuminated. Not a huge deal, because full focus isn't required much.

All in all I would say that this is likely the best gun-mounted light money can buy.

On the other hand, as a do all, it falls behind old school style spotlights by a wide margin.


That being said, at a price of $429, I won't be buying one any time soon.

I agree the coyote light is a great light. What I have to disagree with is your yardage for identification using the coyote light.

I just made a clean kill on a coyote two nights ago with our gun light at 210 yards. I had no problem identifying that it was a coyote and placing the shot. I use a cheap Simmons Atec scope and never had a problem identifying an animal while in an open field at 200 yards using our non-magnified gun light. The coyote light uses aspherical lense which magnifies the light as it passes through the lense. I know everyone has different eyesight but even with my aging eyes I can see and identify with a non magnified light at more than 150 yards. The Coyote light when focused to a tighter beam will definitely out shine a non magnified gun light. The Coyote light is a great light produced by good people. Just my opinion.
 
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Originally Posted By: CZ527
There are some negatives, of course. Most importantly, I have read many claims and heard many stories about how far you can Positively identify an animal using the coyote light. They are stretched to say the least. I looked through scopes from a mark 4 to the mark 6 as well as a diavari. I would day positive identification stops around 150 yards. a kill could probably be made on an animal out to 250 yards had it been previously identified.

The other negative I noticed was that when fully concentrated, the beam kinda looks like a set of window blinds, leaving some areas dark and some illuminated. Not a huge deal, because full focus isn't required much.


Another review and well like most it's useless. It's your eyes and your optics and your opinion.

The only way to compare these lights is to actually measure them all side by side.

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...726#Post2293726

At one point Boondock Outdoors did this and had a list, he still may have it for all I know. The only problem is he's in the business of selling lights. So listing lights in the order of brightness declares a true winner and creates a problem for a guy selling lights from numerous manufacturers. You can't keep everyone happy. Years ago EWT was his pride and joy and now he doesn't even sell their products, the business world is forever changing.

The zoom lights from what I've been told and the few I've seen come in between 35k and 45K. The difference in how far they see is 32 yards. It's really splitting hairs. It comes down to $$ and features.

If the Coyote light is the brightest (I'm not saying it is) and you can't ID a critter at 200 yards with with it but another guy can, it's not the light it's your eyes and your optics. The brightest light out there is going to see the farthest, not everyone is going to see the same distances.

I been running a light at 18K for the past several years. Never thought the light was inadequate and still don't. I just bought a zoomie and had it modified and it puts out 48K. I can definitely see farther, it puts out the same amount of light at 219 yards that my other light puts out at 134 yards.

Our pupils control the amount of light that reaches the retina, as we age the diameter of the pupil decreases allowing less light to reach the retina. The more light that reaches the retina the farter you are going to see, pretty simple.

Now when you put your eye behind the scope your limited by how much light comes through the scope. This explains it, scroll down to "exit pupil"

http://www.theriflescopestore.com/howtochsc.html

Based on that I was most comfortable at 4X with my 18K light. I was able to identify and shoot at the yardages I felt comfortable with. If I increased the zoom less light was transmitted and I couldn't see as well. Yet my 21 year old son runs it at 9X with no problem. With the new light I can run it at 10x and get the same results, this stretches my range to ID quite a bit. Doesn't change the distance I feel comfortable shooting, just gives me the opportunity to take a farther shot if need be.

The down falls are a narrow FOV at close range. I find it annoying that when I do dial my scope back the FOV becomes bigger than the area of my light leaving me looking at a red square through my scope. I then have to dial the light back to fill the FOV.











 
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I also want to say thanks for the good review. I would rather hear personal in the field experiences and unbiased opinions any day than hear people talk about lux, lumens, or any other measurement they can come up with for comparing night hunting lights. I also think there are way too many variables in a true hunting situation for someone to say with this light you should be able to identify targets to 200 300 or more yards (terrain, foliage, humidity, moon phase to name a few) or your eyes may be bad.
 
pmack,

I think the average person would consider your information to be useless. I do.

I'm a hunter, not an engineer, designer or the like. I know that the best way to review light is to go out and use it. I've also got 20/10 vision in both eyes, which doesn't guarantee that I can see in the dark, but it's a fair indication that there's nothing wrong with my eyes.

I guess what I'm saying is that you can review your lights te way you like, and I will do that same.

I do agree that exit pupil is worth considering. I have even thought about doing a 6x42 fixed power on my night hunting rifle. The only issue there is that it's difficult to shoot the longer distances allowed by traditional lights with a low magnification like 6X. Even with the Coyote Light I felt comfortable at 8X for most shots.
 
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I have used the Coyote Light for several years now and others prior such as the big Lightforce 170.
All have one thing in common no matter what light and that's is they perform different under varying conditions.
I also hunted last weekend during the Full moon and that effects how well your light performs. It will wash out your light.
It will also vary with the terrain the animal you are trying to identify is in. Twice I have identified and shot coyotes in plowed fields with a contrasting background farther than I thought possible.
 
Originally Posted By: venaticI have used the Coyote Light for several years now and others prior such as the big Lightforce 170.
All have one thing in common no matter what light and that's is they perform different under varying conditions.
I also hunted last weekend during the Full moon and that effects how well your light performs. It will wash out your light.
It will also vary with the terrain the animal you are trying to identify is in. Twice I have identified and shot coyotes in plowed fields with a contrasting background farther than I thought possible.

That's pretty much what I saw as well. One thing I'm pretty sure of though, there isn't anything in a self contained unit that is more powerful than a Coyote Light, so whatever distance one can see with it is probably less with any other self contained unit. Is it worth the money? For me it was, but I'm old and retired and don't have a family to raise, so maybe not for others.
 
I use a stalk tech light. Little place in texas that makes them. They have the same Cree led and is CRAZY bright but only cost a little over 100$! Trust me you won't be disappointed
 
Originally Posted By: T3XANI use a stalk tech light. Little place in texas that makes them. They have the same Cree led and is CRAZY bright but only cost a little over 100$! Trust me you won't be disappointed

I just looked at those. It might be worth a try! I'll just buy their fury 3 and slap a good ole Michelob koozie on it for a halo shield.
 
I was not impressed with the coyote light as far as brightness goes. I find it funny that a hand full of guy's here can't stand that other people don't like the coyote light.
 
Well I was just given a coyote light, so factoring out the insane price, I could not be more pumped!!! It should compliment the lightforce lights well and be more than handy for a lone hunting session.

As I spend more time with it, I'll let you all know.
 
Why pay 400 dollars for a coyote light when you can buy a wicked for 1/3 the price and its just as good or better of a light?
 
Originally Posted By: TJT3Why pay 400 dollars for a coyote light when you can buy a wicked for 1/3 the price and its just as good or better of a light?

I was able to compare the 402 side by side, and I don't believe they are even in the same class. It makes a nice scanner though, and it seemed to be very well made.
 
Originally Posted By: CZ527Originally Posted By: TJT3Why pay 400 dollars for a coyote light when you can buy a wicked for 1/3 the price and its just as good or better of a light?

I was able to compare the 402 side by side, and I don't believe they are even in the same class. It makes a nice scanner though, and it seemed to be very well made.

402 is very capable of killing something at 300 yards with good optics on your rifle. Just a matter of opinion I guess. 402 is much more than a scan light. Tighten the beam down and it will shine along ways.
 
The Coyote Light has never let me down. It performs flawlessly night after night. You get what you pay for. Plus it's American made. For a great review....look at the latest edition of Predator Xtreme. Andrew sums it up pretty well
 


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