I use a red headlamp on my way into the field when I'm deer hunting because the deer can't see it. Can turkeys? It would be nice to be as stealthy as possible in the morning when walking out and setting up decoys.
I'm pretty sure they can, just no depth perception. I think deer see it as well, they just don't see it as red. But I may be wrong.
BlakeJ IMO, if you want a light to use for both deer and turkey that may not spook them, go with green! It's not suppose to alarm them and it doesn't mess with your vision either. I have never had an issue with it and I've used it for years!
I have used a red light for years and have never had a problem with deer or turkey. Walked under and right up on both. I don't think either red or green matter
I have wild turkeys that i have raised that stay in the yard and roost about 8' up mostly on a paly set. at night i go listen to them and the subtle noises they make. Red or Green doesnt really bother them. but they do get more jumpy with a red light than a green light. with my green light i can walk right up to them and touch em and they arent spooky, with the red light i can still get close but they are a whole lot more jumpy. if I use my white light they freak out and dont want anything to do with it. so in my opinion id use green.
I use a green Streamlight Clipmate when I have to. Prefer to just go in by moonlight but gotta do what you gotta do on moonless nights. You will prefer the green also, not as harsh on the eyes as red. But with that said, I think birds see color just fine. Green may not spook them as bad but I certainly think the see it as well as any color.
Turkey hunters wear camouflage to prevent turkeys from detecting us. Camo guns, headnets, pants, gloves, leafy wear, and other apparel are all regularly employed by all of us across the US.
Seriously, why would you ever contemplate using a light?
Go in early, take your time, learn to feel fragile material under your feet before putting your weight on them and kill em at flydown.
I dont use a light ever when turkey hunting. but the question was asked if they see red light? I just stated my observations. If I had to use a light for what ever reason, it would be a green one.
The red light should help get the gobblers fired up, thinking that a hooker hen is in the woods . . . :OGturkeyhead:
:TrainWreck1:
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 24, 2013, 01:01:55 PM
Turkey hunters wear camouflage to prevent turkeys from detecting us. Camo guns, headnets, pants, gloves, leafy wear, and other apparel are all regularly employed by all of us across the US.
Seriously, why would you ever contemplate using a light?
Go in early, take your time, learn to feel fragile material under your feet before putting your weight on them and kill em at flydown.
x2
I think birds in general have excellent color vision, and, since red is one of the colors natural to the head and neck of gobblers, it stands to reason they can easily detect red.
I tend to go with those who use no light at all. I will sometimes use a light coming out of the woods at night, but never when moving in on roosted birds in the morning. However, I'm sure there are those that have poor night vision, and have no option.
Quote from: Neill_Prater on February 24, 2013, 02:14:05 PM
I think birds in general have excellent color vision, and, since red is one of the colors natural to the head and neck of gobblers, it stands to reason they can easily detect red.
I tend to go with those who use no light at all. I will sometimes use a light coming out of the woods at night, but never when moving in on roosted birds in the morning. However, I'm sure there are those that have poor night vision, and have no option.
X2 or X3 or X4, I think this is right on the money.
Red=stop.
Green=go
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 24, 2013, 01:01:55 PM
Turkey hunters wear camouflage to prevent turkeys from detecting us. Camo guns, headnets, pants, gloves, leafy wear, and other apparel are all regularly employed by all of us across the US.
Seriously, why would you ever contemplate using a light?
Go in early, take your time, learn to feel fragile material under your feet before putting your weight on them and kill em at flydown.
Kyle nailed it, why would anyone use a light?
Red light, green light, whatever light, who knows what a turkey can or cannot see. Not that they wont or don't sometimes but not many turkeys pitch and fly in the dark, that don't mean that they didn't become frightened.
It's not a bad idea to keep some sort of light for an emergency but I wouldn't dare use one unless I absolutely had to or if I were scared of the dark. :o
We all make noise in the woods in the dark, some more than others but accompany that noise with a light of any color and even a dumb Ol tuRkeY knows somethings not quite right.
HC
I have used a regular flashlight for years and have walked directly under turkeys many times with no problems. If you go in while it is pitch dark, the turkeys are asleep. Noise is what wakes them up.
As long as they remain asleep you have nothing to worry about. Being able to see will keep you from making too much noise.
Bottom line, go in an hour before daylight, keep quiet and you should have no problems either way.
Three or four years back, I bumped a roosted tom using a dim green light. I know that part of the woods like the back of my hand and I crept in like a ninja, so it had to be the light that spooked him. I did move in a little close on him, but I have moved in much closer on birds since - in complete darkness. I no longer use any light.
No REAL turkey hunters use lights.... :popcorn:
Quote from: Hardcore on February 25, 2013, 12:02:35 AM
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 24, 2013, 01:01:55 PM
Turkey hunters wear camouflage to prevent turkeys from detecting us. Camo guns, headnets, pants, gloves, leafy wear, and other apparel are all regularly employed by all of us across the US.
Seriously, why would you ever contemplate using a light?
Go in early, take your time, learn to feel fragile material under your feet before putting your weight on them and kill em at flydown.
Kyle nailed it, why would anyone use a light?
Red light, green light, whatever light, who knows what a turkey can or cannot see. Not that they wont or don't sometimes but not many turkeys pitch and fly in the dark, that don't mean that they didn't become frightened.
It's not a bad idea to keep some sort of light for an emergency but I wouldn't dare use one unless I absolutely had to or if I were scared of the dark. :o
We all make noise in the woods in the dark, some more than others but accompany that noise with a light of any color and even a dumb Ol tuRkeY knows somethings not quite right.
HC
+1
If you get there early enough, you can take your time and be stealthy. The jack-wagons I see toting lights are usually walking in the woods 10 minutes before they gobble. When I know where one is, I try to be setup 100 or so from his tree at least 30 minutes before the earliest bird gobbles. Also, think like a deer walks. Walk 10 or so steps and stop. They have animals walking under them all night.
If they can see a Red Gobblers Heads .. then I think they can see a Red Light.. God made their Head to change colors Red/Blue/White for a reason.. and I think they can see all of those colors.. I know they can see Blaze Orange where a deer can't.. or at least they sure act like it..
Turkeys have eyes that produces images very similar to humans. Poor in low light, and of course very keen in good light. A red light will show up to them like it does to us, unlike nocturnal animals that refract images in the manner that affects there ability to see red.
i use a small green light that goes on your hat. i use it to get close and then use no light or cup it in my hand to put out a verrrryyy litle light just enought to see right at my feet. i did this last year a bunch on a bird was able to get within 30 yards of his roost when he was in the same tree. the morning i killed him he was roosted about 80 yards away from the normal tree and i eased right past him, no problem. that being said it did take me about 20 minutes to go about 75 yards up the old road from a decent road.
also if you see a deer with the green light it will scare the crap out of you cause the eyes reflect a dull greenish gray color .
scott
Quote from: redleg06 on February 25, 2013, 03:51:00 PM
No REAL turkey hunters use lights.... :popcorn:
Sir, that there bout sums it up. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
:dancingturkey: :dancingturkey: :dancingturkey:
HC
You can belive what you want. I have been killing turkeys for forty years.
I use green Streamlight pen light and keep it pointed down in front of my feet, and I also have walked right under them without spooking them.
No lights for me. I use landmarks I can see even on moonless nights like big logs or rocks or forked trees. Sometimes count the steps from a landmark to tell where to make a turn. I've listened to running water in creeks to get my bearings. A bugger may get me sometime but I sure do enjoy life. Never think about snakes eather,probably get nailed one day but I love it out there...LOVE IT. Now if I hunted in the swamps where you could walk a quarter mile and see 10 ugly, nasty moccasins it would be a different story.
Guys, just like the brand of gun we prefer, boots, decoys no decoys, etc, etc, it all comes down to personal preference and what has proven to work for each one of us and ultimately, what we're most confident in.
As for the light thing, I prefer to go without. Not because I'm any more of a "real" turkey hunter, not at all. I just feel uncomfortable using one, even with the smallest light of any color I would feel like a spot light was illuminating my every step.
That's just me and I probably worry about it way too much but like I said, to each his own.
Goodluck to all of my OG brothers, may this be your best season ever.
HC
I don't use a light because I'm usually late getting into the woods and the sun is already coming up . . . :blob10: