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Author
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Topic: Dimmer
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R.Shaw
Peanut Butter Man, da da da da DAH!
Member # 73
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posted August 18, 2008 04:07 PM
We use a white light with a dimmer. We have both stood away from the truck and looked at the light on full throttle and dimmed. Turned all the way up, it does hide the truck, however dimmed down, we can plainly see an outline of the truck and shooter.
After seeing eyes,we almost always dim the light down to the point that you can't even see it with the naked eye, but looking thru the scope, you can follow eyes all the way to the truck. When the animal is where we want him, we roast and shoot.
My question is. If the light is supposed to hide everything behind it, then what is the explanation when dimmed? If you are never to take the light off the animal, how can we spin 360 and come back to eyes,especially on a cat. We actually prefer to use the dimmer and can see no adverse affects.
Randy
Posts: 567 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted August 18, 2008 07:31 PM
That's a kind of complicated question, Randy.
First of all, I agree, dim is better, for coyotes. Cats will tolerate a lot more brightness, especially if you hold the light above his eyes, as it should be.
If you see the vehicle, when the light is dimmed and aimed in your direction, then you are hunting with some amount of moonlight. The key to this situation is not to move, and to keep the light on a cat at all times. Bad things start to happen when you move the light off of him. It would take a REALLY GOOD REASON to take the light off a cat, at any time.
Another thing you say is after seeing eyes, we almost always dim the light down. Well, either you are hunting with too much intensity, in the first place, or you might have an especially spooky cat, he's coming in and he is real close, but you don't have a shot. Other than that, I wouldn't mess with it too much. If you are talking coyotes, you should already be using the dimmest setting appropriate to the terrain.
Of course, all this changes when you use red Dykem on your light. The animals are much more forgiving with a red tint, even with the max brightness. Again, if an animal is approaching the vehicle, without additional encouragement, then, were I you, I'd just pop him under the red without burning. Is roast new updated terminology for "burn"?
So, quote:
If the light is supposed to hide everything behind it, then what is the explanation when dimmed?
I assume that you have a cowling on the light? Okay, you have it dimmed and pointing right at the animal, (or yourself) are you telling me that with the light aimed at you, you can clearly see the truck and anyone that is on top? Actually, when you are looking at the light, you really have to squint and sheild your eyes to make out the vehile. And, if it's that dim that you can see, without blinding, then I think it's in your best interest to use a tiny bit more light and aim it just above his eyes.
Now, the next sentence really blows me away.
quote:
If you are never to take the light off the animal, how can we spin 360 and come back to eyes,especially on a cat.
This is bad. When you have a cat coming in, there is nothing more important behind you. Keep the light on him until he is down. Before that, this is not the time for 360º, regardless of any coyote charging in, or whatever else that you think justifies taking the light off a cat. Gray's, yeah, go ahead, it doesn't matter, but why risk losing a cat coming in for a coyote that may or may not be on the other side. Dispatch the cat and continue the stand. If the coyote is downwind and you have mist in the air, he might still be there. If he is upwind, well, chances are, he will still circle to get your wind, so let him do that; again, assuming you have your mist in the air.
Maybe you have far less canyons and brush and you don't lose an animal when you take the light off of him, but I will tell you right now, it is a bad habit, and will cost you animals. In my experience, it's better to play one animal at a time.
Good hunting. LB
[ August 18, 2008, 07:38 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32368 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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R.Shaw
Peanut Butter Man, da da da da DAH!
Member # 73
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posted August 18, 2008 07:49 PM
Thanks Leonard...For a while I was beginning to think I was going to have to pony-up the tuition to Tebbes University.LOL
I guess I should have clarified the 360 deal on cats. I was referring to one hung-up a distance from the truck. No eyes. No movement. We take the light away and swing back a few seconds later. Sometimes it works. No way do I swing when an animal is working his way in.
Randy
Posts: 567 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP
Member # 33
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posted August 18, 2008 10:51 PM
I think it has happened to everyone at some point that night hunts. You are working on one animal and for whatever reason after several minutes of coaxing the animal wonders off. At this point you continue spinning or panning the light and to your surprise there is a bobcat or a coyote within 30 yards of the truck. You know good and well with out a light of any kind in their eyes they knew what they were walking up to. I think that in a lot of situations it really doesn’t matter if the light is in the animal’s eyes or not on there approach. At night they are accustomed to approaching things they wouldn’t during the day.
To help clarify how we scan, unless the ground is completely wide open we adjust the brightness to the surroundings. On the Light force 170 driving lights that we use it is typically on about half power or even less in the thick stuff. Our lights are rifle mounted so we use the dimmer rather than the hold over method. We don’t always burn the animal for the shot. Most I think are shot while dimmed to some degree. The only time I personally turn it all the way up is on long shots or to help identify an animal. It also helps sometimes to crank it up a bit if you are concerned about some light brush possibly being in front of the animal.
Randy is right in the fact that we tested the lights on our selves. We dimmed the light down to a low setting and looked into it. At 70 or 100 yards or so we could see the truck. If we could see it an animal could surly see it at least as well as we could. That being said, during the full moon I saw a distinct drop off in response. I think this is mostly do to the abundant natural light as well as a few other factors.
I guess my take on it is that I am not convinced that the light completely conceals the truck or it is even necessary that it should. Many animals have come up behind us within spitting distance of the truck. How many came in, saw it and left I don’t know? I do think it is bad practice to take the light off of an animal that you are working in.
Most instances that we find coyotes or cats or what ever that got in on us too closely were because we were preoccupied working another animal. While we are working the animal we are very still and I think that is a key reason why animals come so close from behind us. “Nothing is moving” If an animal is hung up in some brush and is looking at you as soon as you pan off the animal he will then be able to see movement and that is bad day or night. The animals that approach from behind us that see us panning prior to getting lit up would stand a better chance of getting spooked off.
In my opinion I think the light helps conceal the hunters movements, as it will wash out what is directly behind it. To a lesser degree it washes out the truck. In the end it is the hunters movements or unnatural sounds that will spook more animals. Inanimate objects like a truck I think are not as much of a concern to a predator at night. At least in our experience that has been the case.
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted August 18, 2008 11:09 PM
Yeah, that's sorta what I was trying to say. The animal might see the vehicle as a feature of the landscape, and that shouldn't be critical. It's the movement that queers everything and the main reason is because there is some phase of the moon up. Of course, that's why I like to hunt real close to both sides of a new moon, whenever possible.
As far as those animals that come in behind you when you are working a different animal, they approach (like) in your lap often enough that I would not consider taking my light off an incoming animal....except for those "sixth sense" moments when ya just gotta have a look back there. This is more safely accomplished when the primary animal is coming in real good and maybe is obscured by a wash or small hill, maybe at that point, you can risk a look behind you?
But, if I feel like I need to look behind me, with an animal in front of me, hung up or whatever? I like to turn the light offwhile pointing in that direction, turn around, and turn it back on. I do not like to have an animal see me swing a light in a different direction, I turn it off and turn, then back on. Works for me.
Good hunting. LB
[ August 18, 2008, 11:10 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32368 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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