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General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Hunting Gate => : GoodOlRWS45 September 26, 2008, 04:23:13 AM

: Blood Trail flashlight...do these work?
: GoodOlRWS45 September 26, 2008, 04:23:13 AM

I was at my local Walley World yesterday and saw this for about $14.  Has anyone tried one of these...if so, do they work?  It seems to me that it would have to be almost dark for it to be any good.

Thanks

: RE: Blood Trail flashlight...do these work?
: shadow September 26, 2008, 04:43:31 AM

Never tried one but read some articles in hunting mag's that they do work. The varment' that I have dropped at night don't get to far which is good since I don't want to track a wounded raccoon or possum etc. in the dark woods, they get real testy. Ed

: RE: Blood Trail flashlight...do these work?
: longislandhunter September 26, 2008, 05:15:04 AM

The theory is that the colored light emitted makes the blood "glow" in the dark.  I don't know if they work or not, never tried one.  If it does work I guess it would be a handy thing to have at times.  A long time ago a hunter friend of mine gave me a good tip to use when blood trailing a deer,,, he told me to put my flashlights away and use a good old fashioned propane coleman lantern.  Darned if he wasn't right,,,,, makes it much easier to find and follow a blood trail.....

Jeff

: Re: Blood Trail flashlight...do these work?
: tjk September 26, 2008, 07:36:54 AM

Sounds like some new-age CSI stuff to me!  But if it works, and you feel you might need it, I say try it out and let us know your experience with it. tjk

: Re: Blood Trail flashlight...do these work?
: SDale September 26, 2008, 10:47:16 AM

I've got a couple. They work, but you need LOTS of blood to be able to track a trail.

The Blue light is for tracking. When you shine it on a blood spot it makes for an EXTREMELY high contrast scene. Blood shows up as a dark line in foliage, especially in the green stuff.  Very noticable.

: Re: Blood Trail flashlight...do these work?
: GoodOlRWS45 September 26, 2008, 04:19:31 PM

Thanks for the info.  Squirrels don't bleed much, so I don't think I need one for tracking them.  However, that jackrabbit I shot recently bled like crazy.  The only reason to use one I guess is in case of a missed head shot.  

Thanks again.

: Re: Blood Trail flashlight...do these work?
: daveshoot September 27, 2008, 11:02:16 AM

Never tried one of these lights but I would give it a whirl if one was around. I will second the Coleman tip. As an archery hunter I spent many a dark night tracking blood through a forest full of fallen leaves. Used to be when it was cold, you could leave 'em 'til morning, but with the return of the coyotes in Michigan, you will only find a pile of bones at sunrise. There is always the gnawing fear that you won't find the thing, that it either found a second wind and headed for Ohio, or that the "wolves" would get it.
The tracking strings for arrows were the worst waste of money I have seen for a hunting gadget.

: Re: Blood Trail flashlight...do these work?
: Jaymo September 28, 2008, 01:45:03 PM

Heck, spray peroxide around and see what fizzes.