Night diggers
- Thread starter MSUwhat
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davidlhyde63366
Forum Supporter
Never tried it , not sure I would want to
diggin4clad
Elite Member
Never do it...…. too many creeps out at night. Also YOU may be the target of the police checking you out to see what you're doing.
Stiffwrists
Elite Member
I do it often. I work all day. If I want to get a nice long hunt in, I go at night. Nice and cool.
Any run ins with the the police? Also seems like most parks close at 10. Do you still go after hours?
Beachbuzz
Junior Member
What headlamps do you use? Been looking for a while.
Stiffwrists
Elite Member
No run-ins with the police. I do stay in the parks after hours. I also hit curbstrips along businesses and apartment complexes, totlots and volleyball courts etc. I stay away from curbstrips in front of houses at night. Dont want to alarm anyone. I don't use a headlamp. There is a small light on my pinpointer, but I hunt mostly by sound and feel. It takes some practice.
I like that, a ghost in the night. Once it gets warmer I am going to hit some places around me. Seems like every time I go I get people staring and asking questions. I live in a simple town.
AirmetTango
Forum Supporter
I did a lot of curb strip hunting at night last summer - with my kids and college professor wife done with school for the year, it’s the only way I could get a decent amount of hunt time. Anyway, I only had one “run in” with the police, but it was a pretty harmless, positive experience overall. Here’s a link to the whole story that I posted last August.. When I posted that story, I had been “confronted” while hunting at night a total of 3 times. Since that post, I’ve been “confronted” a fourth time. Each encounter, including the one with the police, ended on friendly terms and two even ended up offering permission to hunt their property (in the daylight, of course
) Like SW, I generally don’t actively use a headlamp anymore. When I hunt my field permissions at night, I wait for moonrise on relatively clear nights - you’ll be amazed how much you can see without a light once your eyes get adapted to the moonlight. For curbstrips, I soon learned that streetlights often provide more than enough light to see by, especially since my town went to LED streetlights. The LED on my pinpointer is usually all the light I need once my eyes get dark adapted.
But I do still carry a flashlight and wear a headlamp just in case. For a headlamp, I use a Cyclops hat clip with 3 red LED lights that I bought years (decades!) ago as a student pilot in aviation - perfect for extra light over a wider area, hands free, and always right where you’re looking, all while preserving your night vision so you aren’t blind when you turn it back off. Searching on Google and Amazon, I could only find a green LED version, and I’m honestly not sure it’s really the same manufacturer:
Cyclops Hat Clip LED light on Amazon
Green can have some advantages over red for visual acuity and detail perception in the dark, but intensity can be an issue - green will degrade your night vision more than red given the same intensity of the light.
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fullbattery
Forum Supporter
I hunted the beach a number of times last year. Good experience each time. I was more concerned about crossing paths with an alligator than anything else.
So I guess it's ok in a lot of these states here but I think in the UK it's called " Night Hawking" and is frowned upon if not illegal. Not sure though? We have to ask Doug. I heard that term for night hunting while watching Detectorists, a show from the UK.
By the way, I love that show, Detectorists, and watched every episode on Hulu.
By the way, I love that show, Detectorists, and watched every episode on Hulu.
Stiffwrists
Elite Member
I think that Night Hawking refers to trespassing and/or breaking in to areas you are not welcome.
AirmetTango
Forum Supporter
Yes, I’m pretty sure Night Hawking refers to intentionally sneaking in at night to avoid being seen and detecting at a location that requires permission without obtaining the right to be there from the proper owner. Could also be applied to hunting a public area at night outside of posted hours, if it has them - I know others here disagree, but I stay clear of public parks at night when they have posted hours (which seems to be almost all of them).
And yes, The Detectorists is a fantastic show! Got the complete DVD set for Xmas this past year!
when ever i have the time/strength left after a day I do. I am in the middle of no where, no human interactions night hunting. Problems with big ass yotes they call coywolves though.
One of the best shows I have ever seen. Not even for the detecting. Smart, funny and good acting.
Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 20,731
I hunt at night a lot. So peaceful . So serene . Especially if it comes to nicely manicured turf, where .... let's be honest ..... md'ing has "connotations".
On the rare occasion that a passing police may take notice, they don't care less. Unless you were breaking some sort of rule (snooping at an off-limits site ?), then trust me: The cops have bigger fish to fry these days. I recall a few times they'd come loop back around to "see what that crouching figure is in the shadows". But once they see it's an md'r, they probably figure "What a loser" and drive off. haha
As for parks "closing at sunset" or "10pm", I know this is going to be controversial, but: I'm of the opinion that obligatory signage like that is so that no numbskull thinks he's going to camp out there. Or have a late night keg-party, etc.... I live right across the street from a park with one of those obligatory signs. And the ONLY time it was ever enforced, is when some teens were down there having a midnight keg party. And even THEN-so, only after a neighbor got annoyed with the noise, and called it in. Otherwise, it's not unusual to see someone (gasp) walking their dog after sunset, or a person taking a short-cut across the park late at night, etc...
Just choose a full moon night, and let your eyes adjust. Otherwise, if you try to use headlamps, your pupils will become adjusted to *just* that beam. And you will become blind to everything else around you.
Not to mention that : By using a headlamp, you make yourself a lightening rod for attention.
That's only referring to places where it's not allowed (or if you're trespassing). Not talking about places where there's not disallowances (eg.: parks, forests, beaches, farms with permission, etc....)
On the rare occasion that a passing police may take notice, they don't care less. Unless you were breaking some sort of rule (snooping at an off-limits site ?), then trust me: The cops have bigger fish to fry these days. I recall a few times they'd come loop back around to "see what that crouching figure is in the shadows". But once they see it's an md'r, they probably figure "What a loser" and drive off. haha
As for parks "closing at sunset" or "10pm", I know this is going to be controversial, but: I'm of the opinion that obligatory signage like that is so that no numbskull thinks he's going to camp out there. Or have a late night keg-party, etc.... I live right across the street from a park with one of those obligatory signs. And the ONLY time it was ever enforced, is when some teens were down there having a midnight keg party. And even THEN-so, only after a neighbor got annoyed with the noise, and called it in. Otherwise, it's not unusual to see someone (gasp) walking their dog after sunset, or a person taking a short-cut across the park late at night, etc...
Just choose a full moon night, and let your eyes adjust. Otherwise, if you try to use headlamps, your pupils will become adjusted to *just* that beam. And you will become blind to everything else around you.
Not to mention that : By using a headlamp, you make yourself a lightening rod for attention.
That's only referring to places where it's not allowed (or if you're trespassing). Not talking about places where there's not disallowances (eg.: parks, forests, beaches, farms with permission, etc....)
zeemang
Forum Supporter
I enjoy night hunting, usually in the ocean. I have a ball cap with 3 leds built in to the brim, only turn it on when i already have the target in the scoop, and as soon as i grab the target i click the lights off again, usually less than 30 seconds. If you make a habit of always facing out to ocean when you do this the few people on the beach have no idea you are even out there. I've seen some interesting things happening on the beach at night...
AZWIP
Elite Member
Me too
Mostly a Night Hunter... parks for the most part.
I tend to stick with the "nicer" parks, in good areas... Cops have not really paid any attention.... I get lit up from time to time, and tend to guess once they see what I'm doing... so far they have not cared.
Tend to stay after hours from time to time... only once so far has an officer stopped by and stated park was closed... no problem. Usually they will light me up and keep going.
I don't use a flashlight... just pinpointer light... you get used to it for sure.
I do keep a collapsible police baton hanging from rear of my detecting belt. Just in case... fortunately never used. I have run into the occasional wildlife creature... coyote, or bobcat, etc.... usually, we look at each other and keep on keeping on, lol.
You do keep your senses in watch and listen mode regardless... but heck I do that even during a daytime hunt, to a point. Lol
The nightstick is mainly if a creature should come at me.... mainly I would probably use it to put in the critters mouth (think holding it with one end in left hand and other end in right hand, as a bite down object... not my intent to harm any animal... as I'm a animal person)... have had the occasional dog run at me, when folks aren't using a leash... I just typically stand and extend my hand and again, fortunately all have been friendly.
Anyways, again, I avoid dicey areas and parks... I like to hunt to relax and not have to constantly watch my back, or 'carry'.
I prefer night hunting over daytime.
Nothing like seeing the glimmer o gold in the light of your pinpointer, lol!
Have fun.
Mostly a Night Hunter... parks for the most part.
I tend to stick with the "nicer" parks, in good areas... Cops have not really paid any attention.... I get lit up from time to time, and tend to guess once they see what I'm doing... so far they have not cared.
Tend to stay after hours from time to time... only once so far has an officer stopped by and stated park was closed... no problem. Usually they will light me up and keep going.
I don't use a flashlight... just pinpointer light... you get used to it for sure.
I do keep a collapsible police baton hanging from rear of my detecting belt. Just in case... fortunately never used. I have run into the occasional wildlife creature... coyote, or bobcat, etc.... usually, we look at each other and keep on keeping on, lol.
You do keep your senses in watch and listen mode regardless... but heck I do that even during a daytime hunt, to a point. Lol
The nightstick is mainly if a creature should come at me.... mainly I would probably use it to put in the critters mouth (think holding it with one end in left hand and other end in right hand, as a bite down object... not my intent to harm any animal... as I'm a animal person)... have had the occasional dog run at me, when folks aren't using a leash... I just typically stand and extend my hand and again, fortunately all have been friendly.
Anyways, again, I avoid dicey areas and parks... I like to hunt to relax and not have to constantly watch my back, or 'carry'.
I prefer night hunting over daytime.
Nothing like seeing the glimmer o gold in the light of your pinpointer, lol!
Have fun.
BaldAssCat
Elite Member
I night hunt pretty regularly. I use a few different headlamps. I'm not picky as long as they have a red lens and good batteries. I keep a cheap clip-on in my pocket in case the batteries aren't as fresh as I thought when I left. Red is more than enough light to dig a target. I just wait until I'm home to get details. Red is also good for spotting fresh drops in the grass.
I get the police called often enough in some spots that they just wave from the car or sometimes come up to see what I found and say hi. No issues with park hours in my town.
I get the police called often enough in some spots that they just wave from the car or sometimes come up to see what I found and say hi. No issues with park hours in my town.
