UPDATE: The $1.99 headlamp at HF is NOT LED (just bought one today after posting this)

GKL · Aug 17, 2016

UPDATE: The $1.99 headlamp at HF is NOT LED

If you detect at night Harbor Freight has a headlamp discounted to $1.99 with a coupon (check their web site) coupon good thru 8/22/16

coupon looks like this but the copy below did not include the bar code so you need to get it from their web site -

(great way to have light without having to hold a flashlight)

rreahard · Aug 17, 2016

Thanks for sharing!

GKL · Aug 17, 2016

rreahard said:
Thanks for sharing!

no problem, I have a smaller headlamp I got from Walmart years ago, but this one looks larger judging from the coupon photo and while there is not a HF close by I have to travel past there today anyway for a dentist appointment so I plan on getting one on the way home, can't beat the price !

Mud-puppy · Aug 17, 2016

Theres two schools of thought to this night hunting gig...Some go out in blackout mode and some use lights...Its amazing how sharp your other senses become when you are deprived of your visuals...You can do this Sport completely lights out with no trouble...

It seems to be faster and safer overall...A persons brain can compute audio signals a hell of a lot faster than visual ones...At night, hunting blind, A guy can hunt heads up looking for approaching silhouettes....

Just saying, hunting at night a light source isnt really required...a small tight beam LED light is probably a good idea to carry if a guy gets noticed and approached....a guy can employ it to blind the oncomers...Using a headlamp, any and all know right where you are and what you are up to, and can sneak up on your 6...I hunt at night in blackout mode with no trouble...
Mud.

GKL · Aug 17, 2016

Mud-puppy said:
Theres two schools of thought to night hunting gig...Some go out in blackout mode and some use lights...Its amazing how sharp your other senses become when you are deprived of your visuals...You can do this Sport completely lights out with no trouble...

It seems to be faster and safer overall...A persons brain can compute audio signals a hell of a lot faster than visual ones...At night, hunting blind, A guy can hunt heads up looking for approaching silhouettes....

Just saying, hunting at night a light source isnt really required...a small tight beam LED light is probably a good idea to carry if a guy gets noticed and approached....a guy can employ it to blind the oncomers...Using a headlamp, any and all know right where you are and what you are up to, and can sneak up on your 6...I hunt at night in blackout mode with no trouble...
Mud.

Good points, I guess it depends on how safe and/or secluded you feel a particular location is.

Astronomers use a red flashlight as red protects your night vision, my old headlamp had a red lamp mode, not sure if the HF one does.

I also have a very powerful LED flashlight with strobe mode, as well as a focus ability.

rreahard · Aug 17, 2016

Mud-puppy said:
Theres two schools of thought to this night hunting gig...Some go out in blackout mode and some use lights...Its amazing how sharp your other senses become when you are deprived of your visuals...You can do this Sport completely lights out with no trouble...

It seems to be faster and safer overall...A persons brain can compute audio signals a hell of a lot faster than visual ones...At night, hunting blind, A guy can hunt heads up looking for approaching silhouettes....

Just saying, hunting at night a light source isnt really required...a small tight beam LED light is probably a good idea to carry if a guy gets noticed and approached....a guy can employ it to blind the oncomers...Using a headlamp, any and all know right where you are and what you are up to, and can sneak up on your 6...I hunt at night in blackout mode with no trouble...
Mud.

The few times I've night hunted I had a headlight, but I only turned it on a couple of times when I had difficulty locating the target in the plug/hole. This was in a park and there were street lights not far off, so most of the time I had a pretty good idea of what was going on around me.

Mud-puppy · Aug 17, 2016

GKL said:
Good points, I guess it depends on how safe and/or secluded you feel a particular location is.

Astronomers use a red flashlight as red protects your night vision, my old headlamp had a red lamp mode, not sure if the HF one does.

I also have a very powerful LED flashlight with strobe mode, as well as a focus ability.

Yep...that red light works well on hunting nightcrawlers too...You are right, it all depends on the area...anyplace public, I dont like to be advertising my whereabouts...I used to check traps in the blind... 40yrs of practice...a persons other senses take over when deprived of vision...even walking through the woods and all...I stumble around all stupid when my eyes are involved... :laughing:

Mud

GKL · Aug 17, 2016

rreahard said:
The few times I've night hunted I had a headlight, but I only turned it on a couple of times when I had difficulty locating the target in the plug/hole. This was in a park and there were street lights not far off, so most of the time I had a pretty good idea of what was going on around me.

Mud-puppy said:
Yep...that red light works well on hunting nightcrawlers too...You are right, it all depends on the area...anyplace public, I dont like to be advertising my whereabouts...I used to check traps in the blind... 40yrs of practice...a persons other senses take over when deprived of vision...even walking through the woods and all...I stumble around all stupid when my eyes are involved...
Mud

Amateur astronomers know that after a period of time in the dark your night vision improves and you can see a lot more stars than when you first go outside, so that should apply for MDing too, but a headlamp might be good to have handy just in case you feel the need to use it even if you do normally not use a light.

Ice Scratcher · Aug 17, 2016

I've always water hunted into the dark without any lights...

If nobody can see you, they cannot bother you...

<°)))>{

deeboSC · Aug 17, 2016

GKL said:
If you detect at night Harbor Freight has a headlamp discounted to $1.99 with a coupon (check their web site) coupon good thru 8/22/16

coupon looks like this but the copy below did not include the bar code so you need to get it from their web site -

View attachment 359001

(great way to have light without having to hold a flashlight)

I got one the other day thinking it was LED and based on the pic it looked great, it SUCKS! tossed in the back of my truck and its still there, horrible. Walmart sells them here for $.88, LED, and they are amazing for the price

Chipk · Aug 17, 2016

A few weeks ago I attended a seeded night hunt held in Daytona Beach Florida and held by the Central Florida club out of Orlando. To my surprise they don't allow any lights. There was a full moon and it was surprisingly easy to find and retrieve the fins and tokens dropped for us. Most of them had scoops but I had opted to leave mine at home. Still I could find and pinpoint my targets and then drop to a knee with my pinpointer and scoop the prize up with my fingers.

It was a blast.

GKL · Aug 17, 2016

deeboSC said:
I got one the other day thinking it was LED and based on the pic it looked great, it SUCKS! tossed in the back of my truck and its still there, horrible. Walmart sells them here for $.88, LED, and they are amazing for the price

Yep, I just got back from stopping at Harbor Freight on the way home and just found out the same thing, I had assumed it was LED because it seemed that was the norm now even for inexpensive flashlights.

It seems to use just a regular bulb, it does give usable light, but simply does not compare with an LED light, so I was disappointed also.

So as far as a headlamp I much prefer the old one I bought from Walmart as it uses LED lights and also has a red LED mode in addition to the white mode.

I did also get the HF "triangle light" for $2.99 with coupon and it IS LED and has 3 modes, red, white. and red flashing and it came with batteries and I am happy with that.

I also got a reflective vest so when I detect in public it might be less likely for people to think twice about it.

Here is a photo of the stuff I got today, I set them next to my digger so as to give an indication of size -

EDIT to add this: I just now thought that regarding the $1.99 HF headlamp I bought this afternoon, I could always figure a way to attach a small handheld LED flashlight I have to it if I wanted to so I could still benefit from the strap and have a brighter light. (but regardless, I can't feel too bad about a $1.99 item and I do already have an LED headlamp from Walmart)

MrNovice · Aug 17, 2016

GKL said:
Yep, I just got back from stopping at Harbor Freight on the way home and just found out the same thing, I had assumed it was LED because it seemed that was the norm now even for inexpensive flashlights.

It seems to use just a regular bulb, it does give usable light, but simply does not compare with an LED light, so I was disappointed also.

So as far as a headlamp I much prefer the old one I bought from Walmart as it uses LED lights and also has a red LED mode in addition to the white mode.

I did also get the HF "triangle light" for $2.99 with coupon and it IS LED and has 3 modes, red, white. and red flashing and it came with batteries and I am happy with that.

I also got a reflective vest so when I detect in public it might be less likely for people to think twice about it.

Here is a photo of the stuff I got today, I set them next to my digger so as to give an indication of size -

View attachment 359044

EDIT to add this: I just now thought that regarding the $1.99 HF headlamp I bought this afternoon, I could always figure a way to attach a small handheld LED flashlight I have to it if I wanted to so I could still benefit from the strap and have a brighter light. (but regardless, I can't feel too bad about a $1.99 item and I do already have an LED headlamp from Walmart)

Is that the Fiskars digger? If so, how do you like it? Looks like a pretty good coin popper, just a tad wider. I have a field in a park near me some of the locals use as a soccer field and the ground is so dry and hard. It looks like that might do the job to get dem quarters!

Just one more · Aug 17, 2016

where do you guys hunt at night? I've been hunting mostly parks this summer and they aren't totally safe to hunt in daytime.

MrNovice · Aug 17, 2016

Just one more said:
where do you guys hunt at night? I've been hunting mostly parks this summer and they aren't totally safe to hunt in daytime.

Curfew at city parks is 11pm here. It's not "safe", but a serrated digger in hand sure keeps people out of anywhere near arms reach.

Just one more · Aug 17, 2016

MrNovice said:
Curfew at city parks is 11pm here. It's not "safe", but a serrated digger in hand sure keeps people out of anywhere near arms reach.

Well you have more confidence than me. I can tell you from experience that even if you are carrying, a bad guy can get the drop on you before you know it. Be safe.

Oldsjunkie · Aug 17, 2016

Just one more said:
where do you guys hunt at night? I've been hunting mostly parks this summer and they aren't totally safe to hunt in daytime.

If your parks aren't safe to hunt in the daylight, I sure as hell wouldn't be going there at night. Right at daybreak with 31" Samson in hand is usually the safest bet at the murder parks on the east side of Indy... :boxing:

GKL · Aug 17, 2016

MrNovice said:
Is that the Fiskars digger? If so, how do you like it? Looks like a pretty good coin popper, just a tad wider. I have a field in a park near me some of the locals use as a soccer field and the ground is so dry and hard. It looks like that might do the job to get dem quarters!

Yep, a Fiskars digger, I got it after my last dig so will try it on my next dig, but I've heard some good reports on it from others on the forum so I'm expecting it to work well.

(I had to get something that worked better than a trowel I had that actually started to bend because the ground was so hard)

GKL · Aug 17, 2016

Just one more said:
where do you guys hunt at night? I've been hunting mostly parks this summer and they aren't totally safe to hunt in daytime.

I live in a relatively small town, not saying there is no crime here, but outdoor places seem to be no problem in the daytime, and at night you would probably have to convince the police you're not up to anything as being in a smaller town you would more likely get more easily noticed wandering around at night.

Just one more · Aug 17, 2016

Oldsjunkie said:
If your parks aren't safe to hunt in the daylight, I sure as hell wouldn't be going there at night. Right at daybreak with 31" Samson in hand is usually the safest bet at the murder parks on the east side of Indy...

I wouldn't go to some of these parks at night EVER! In fact, I try to hunt them early and always leave way before twilight. But they do have good stuff still there and I can't resist. And like I said, it don't matter what you are packing if the bad guy sneaks up on you. Safety first.

UPDATE: The $1.99 headlamp at HF is NOT LED (just bought one today after posting this)

GKL

rreahard

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GKL

Mud-puppy

GKL

rreahard

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Mud-puppy

GKL

Ice Scratcher

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deeboSC

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Chipk

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GKL

MrNovice

Just one more

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MrNovice

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GKL

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