The Guide to Buying the Best Predator Hunting Lights
Predator hunting lights are unique from most night hunting lights because predators have a keen sense of awareness on their surroundings. They’re able to pick up on subtle changes around them, which makes it difficult for predator hunters to effectively spot and harvest them. Hitting a coyote with the wrong color light or even so much as spooking him by the squeak of your chair can send pressured coyotes running.
Predator Hunting Light Discussion Topics
- What Makes the Best Predator Hunting Light?
- Light Color Optimized for Predator Hunting
- Adjustable Intensity for Predator Lights
- Durability for Long Predator Hunting Trips
- Versatile Mounting for any Predator Hunting Vehicle
- Recommendation for the Best Predator Hunting Light
Varmints such as hogs are typically not as light or sound sensitive in comparison to predators, so a hunting light setup made for predator hunting will likely work for varmints and hogs, but a light setup made for varmints and hogs may not always work for predators. Let's take a look at what features are important in predator hunting lights.
What Makes the Best Predator Hunting Light?
Light Color Optimized for Predator Hunting
Predators are color blind by nature, and the color of a predator hunting light should be optimized to take advantage of this. However, let’s not mistake color blindness for absolute blindness.
- Predators are considered dichromate vision animals, which means they are able to process a wavelength of up to 540 nm.
- A true green light is on the edge of this wavelength, at almost 540 nm exactly, depending on the manufacturer and attention to detail of the LED chips.
- A true red light for predator hunting is going to be well over 640 nm wavelength, which leaves a full 100 nm wavelength gap for error.
This is scientifically why the best color light for predator hunting is red, even when compared to green light, but both can work on younger predators that are less experienced. Green is easier on the eyes for humans for these same reasons - the lower wavelength spectrum tends to be easier for us to see than the higher wavelength spectrum.
It is better to have a more intense red predator hunting light than to have green hunting lights due to the change in wavelength spectrum.
Adjustable Intensity for Predator Lights
Regardless of the wavelength, predators have the ability to see shadows and they can feel an intense beam hitting their eyes similar to how a color blind person can still be blinded by a spot light. The predator light intensity can, in some cases, be even more important than the color of the predator hunting lights themselves. This is a key reason for the importance of learning how to scan while predator hunting.
A couple key tips to scanning while predator hunting:
- Dim down your predator hunting light and utilize the outer ring of the light for picking up eyes.
- Once the target is in shooting range, prepare for a shot and increase intensity immediately prior to taking the shot.
- Minimize movement when your target is spotted, if you need to move the light make sure you move it slowly.
Some predator hunting lights have dimmable controls that are capable of adjusting brightness. An example of this is the Predator Cannon Hunting Light.
The Predator Cannon Hunting Light Bar:
- utilizes a wide flood beam that will illuminate a large area of pasture land as well as adjust brightness on a long range spot beam for checking predators down range.
- Iilluminates a large area nearby while also reaching out over 1,000 yards in distance.
- Provides full target identification at over 500 yards through a standard optic scope.
These are a couple key reasons why the Predator Cannon Hunting Light Bar has become a must-have item on many high racks, you'll see them at most night time calling contests as well.
Durability for Long Predator Hunting Trips
Quality construction of your predator hunting light is essential. Plastic or thin low quality aluminum housings can be a predator hunter's worst nightmare in the event the light is thrown in the back of the truck after a couple sets of calling and lands wrong - or is dropped from a high rack while trying to cover as much land as possible to win the next predator hunting tournament.
These are two examples that have actually happened to us, and in both cases the lights we were using were no longer functional. We had to switch to a white spot light and we spooked almost every coyote we came across.
We quickly realized why a red light for predator hunting was so important. Spend the money on a quality light that lasts, such as the Predator Cannon Hunting Light. It's been tossed around the bed of the truck on many occasions and still holds up well. In comparison to high end lights, it's cheap but boasts similar performance. In comparison to amazon special lights, it's expensive but incomparable in terms of performance, light spectrum, and intensity. The Predator Cannon is well-balanced and in our opinion the best predator hunting light for the money.
Versatile Mounting for any Predator Hunting Vehicle
Having a quality predator hunting light is one thing - but the ability to mount it effectively so it will be easy to use is a completely different task.
The first question to consider is what is the best method of scanning the area nearby as well as lighting up your target species?
While a gun mounted light seems like the easiest solution, it can be difficult to scan and locate predators in the surrounding area. The gun mounted light also adds extra weight while shooting. The easiest option we've found is to operate the light independently of the gun for ease of scanning, and then when a predator is located, set the light for a shot or at that time switch to a gun light. If you are hunting with a partner, it is often easier if your partner controls the light while you shoot or vice versa.
Some hunting lights have the flexibility to be mounted in a variety of ways. The Predator Cannon Hunting Light comes standard with side mounts for users to mount the light in a typical light bar orientation on your car / truck / ATV / high rack or you are able to purchase bottom-mounts to mount in other orientations such as on a tri-pod or tight-fitting spaces. The bottom-mount brackets can easily turn the night hunting light bar into a hand light by bolting it to your own grip, a stable tripod mount by bolting it to your tripod stand, or even a 360-degree scan light by bolting it to a rotational pole. While the grip, tripod, and rotational pole are not included, those are just examples of flexible options we have used for this extremely bright predator hunting light.
The first question to consider is what is the best method of scanning the area nearby as well as lighting up your target species?
While a gun mounted light seems like the easiest solution, it can be difficult to scan and locate predators in the surrounding area. The gun mounted light also adds extra weight while shooting. The easiest option we've found is to operate the light independently of the gun for ease of scanning, and then when a predator is located, set the light for a shot or at that time switch to a gun light. If you are hunting with a partner, it is often easier if your partner controls the light while you shoot or vice versa.
Some hunting lights have the flexibility to be mounted in a variety of ways. The Predator Cannon Hunting Light comes standard with side mounts for users to mount the light in a typical light bar orientation on your car / truck / ATV / high rack or you are able to purchase bottom-mounts to mount in other orientations such as on a tri-pod or tight-fitting spaces. The bottom-mount brackets can easily turn the night hunting light bar into a hand light by bolting it to your own grip, a stable tripod mount by bolting it to your tripod stand, or even a 360-degree scan light by bolting it to a rotational pole. While the grip, tripod, and rotational pole are not included, those are just examples of flexible options we have used for this extremely bright predator hunting light.
All-In-One Spot and Flood Predator Hunting Light
The less equipment you have, the more versatile you can be in where you choose to predator hunt. A well-rounded predator hunting light that is fully capable of scanning large areas and spotting predators down range simultaneously is essential for predator hunters regardless of experience level. An example of a versatile that is fully capable of these requirements is the Predator Cannon Hunting Light. Whether predators are in close proximity or at long range, the Predator Cannon will light them up while leaving you unseen in the shadows.
Recommendation for the Best Predator Hunting Light
The best predator hunting light on the market is the Predator Cannon Hunting Light. This predator light was engineered with predator behavior in mind and designed to put every advantage while night hunting in the hand of the light holder.
Outrigger Outdoors is your trusted source for predator hunting lights. To talk about setting up your predator hunting vehicle with lights, contact us today!
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