When heading out into the woods at dawn or dusk, plenty of people would say, “The brighter the headlamp, the better.” But if there’s one group who would most definitely disagree — it’s hunters. From trekking out to your local deer stand on opening weekend to backcountry expeditions, it’s no secret that a headlamp has the potential to make or break your hunt.
To get the most out of the day’s most productive hours, you need a headlamp that’s equal parts versatile and reliable. But with so many options on the market, what should you look for? Is it important to have a full red, green, and blue light spectrum? Which setting are animals most sensitive to? We’re breaking it all down in this article.
Most target animals can’t detect red light due to a specific color blindness known as protanopia dichromacy. This makes red the most effective setting for both detecting animals’ eyes through thick grass or brush and remaining unnoticed. If you’re often scanning an area for animals that are easily spooked, you’ll want to make sure your headlamp features a red light setting.
When you’re walking to your treestand or duck blind, red light lets you navigate familiar areas without disturbing surrounding animals. And if you’re in a backcountry camp for a weekend hunt, this setting allows you to perform your most common tasks while preserving not only your night vision but everybody else’s, too.
Falling near the center of the visibility spectrum, green light gives you an advantage when the setting calls for increased contrast and clarity. Green light’s ability to illuminate a broad area makes it superior for spotting animals in the distance. On a practical level, this increased contrast between animals and their surroundings becomes especially useful when hunting hogs or other dark-bodied animals.
By making it easier to pick up finite details on maps or navigational instruments, this setting proves its worth when you’re navigating unfamiliar terrain during backcountry hunts. And since green light is easily detected by humans, it can help you stay safe in dense areas while remaining unnoticed by nearby animals.
As any hunter knows, animals don’t always drop right where they’re hit. It’s when they take off into the woods that your night — or early morning — of tracking begins. Here’s where your headlamp’s blue light comes in clutch. Because fluids have fluorescent properties that will glow under blue light, it’s the most efficient light for tracking blood trails and recovering a wounded animal as quickly as possible.
And since most arrows also have fluorescent properties, you can also use your blue light to help retrieve the arrows you thought were gone for good. But don’t think tracking is the only use for your blue light.
If you’re making a pre-dawn walk through deep valleys or across fields, a blue light will provide some added clarity as you make your way to your hunting spot. But be aware, blue light is easily detectable by animals and most likely to spook them.
For over 45 years, Princeton Tec has pushed the limits of possibility with rugged, reliable lights that shine bright in every situation. For the full RGB spectrum, we have two headlamps in our lineup that are built to perform in any environment.
Using the highest quality LED available, Remix boasts red, green, and blue light clusters for maximum versatility. Lightweight, simple to use, and featuring a large push button switch, this headlamp’s streamlined design will help you make the most of every hunt.
Ideal for trekking through the woods while keeping a low profile, the Vizz 550 has the perfect balance of durability and versatility. From spotting small and large game to tracking wounded animals, the RGB light clusters, remarkable 550 lumens, and estimated 75-hour burn time allow you to take advantage of the day’s best hunting hours.
Princeton Tec
1777 Hylton Road
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
1.800.257.9080
