# Best Blood-Tracking-Light for Hunting?



## Drakonchik (Apr 14, 2003)

Hey folks, what's the best blue light for following a blood trail at night, whether incandescant/halogen/xeneon etc with filter or LED? 

I checked out the "Best Light for Deer-Hunting" thread but didn't come away with a clear winner. 

How about three "best blood-track light" categories: 1) best performer (cost-oblivious), 2) performance/cost, 3) performance/versatility. 

I'm specifically wondering if the blue Arc AAA is bright enough for this purpose. Also whether the cyan/turquoise color is at all useful for tracking blood, Arc AAA or otherwise.


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## x-ray (Apr 14, 2003)

For a bit more power I would suggest either a Inova X5 with blue LED's or something using a Blue Luxeon.

If you have a spare flashlight that takes a PR type bulb, perhaps a blue EverLED would be worth looking at.


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## Drakonchik (Apr 14, 2003)

Thanks for the input, x-ray.

I like the blue Luxeon idea--hmm, how about an blue InReTech Mag mod with a McFlood reflector? Or a blue EverLED in a Turtlelite?

Visions of blue blood splatter dancing in my head. . . . Yikes! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif


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## BuddTX (Apr 14, 2003)

Does anyone know if this will actually work?


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## Drakonchik (Apr 14, 2003)

Uh, if what will work? Travelling back in time with oatmeal, or. . . . ? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Well, McFlood reflectors work well with InReTech AA adapters (marriage made in heaven), while judging from www.ledcorp.com the Turtlelite I + II both use a PR bulb, so the EverLED should work, and other CPFers talk about this combination.

Did I address your question?


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## Nerd (Apr 14, 2003)

How about Royal Blue instead of blue? They supposingly emit more UV which is suppose to flourcense blood right?


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## Drakonchik (Apr 14, 2003)

Yeah, I just picked that up from the "Blood Tracking - Blue Best?" thread. 

Someone there mentioned that cyan seemed to work well too, useful if you want a more multipurpose light, and not as irritating to the eyes I assume as Royal Blue.

In this case an InReTech with in RB or cyan color would be a good bet, cheaper and more powerful than the Inova X5T. And with McFlood you'd have a wide cast--useful when you don't know where the next splatter will lie.

I wonder if it's the UV that irritates the eye? Maybe not exclusively.


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## Citori (Apr 14, 2003)

I used a Royal Blue BB_400 to follow a deer last year, and it worked better than anything I've tried to date. I think blue light for blood trail tracking is overhyped a bit, because you need a pretty powerful light.

The first time I tried it I was using a Photon and I thought it was another urban legend.


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## Icebreak (Apr 15, 2003)

Electrolumens Blaster VI 5W RB.


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## Wits' End (Apr 15, 2003)

----I wonder if it's the UV that irritates the eye? Maybe not exclusively.----
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif No not exclusively /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## [email protected] (Apr 15, 2003)

[ QUOTE ]
*Wits' End said:*
----I wonder if it's the UV that irritates the eye? Maybe not exclusively.----
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif No not exclusively /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif 

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif


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## Quickbeam (Apr 15, 2003)

This has probably been covered, but in case it hasn't: the blue Luxeons don't emmit UV and UV doesn't make blood fluoresce. Police detectives spray Luminol around the crime scene which bonds to the blood and makes it fluoresce under UV. Otherwise it would absorb the UV like everything else and look like part of the background. Blood shows up better in blue light because it absorbs all of the light and appears black in contrast to the background.

Blue will make common fluorescent items fluoresce, though, but it has nothing to do with UV, just the high frequency of the blue wavelength.


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## tsg68 (Apr 15, 2003)

Arc makes a UV AAA that is available through Chris at Meridian Tactical. It is avertised as a blacklight LED that emits true UV though, not just a blue LED, and it claims it will fluoresce blood for tracking and is made specifically for UV purposes (IDing false notes, checking UV stamps, finding repairs in china and porcelain wear etc.)

Later,
TSG /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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## Drakonchik (Apr 15, 2003)

I re-read the threads "Best Light for Deer Hunting" and "Blood Tracking - Blue Best." Here's what I picked up.

Rothrandir says Royal Blue Luxeon will emit "some little UV." I think UV is not relevant to tracking unless you are going to sprinkle the woods with reactive agent. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Only useful if you want UV for other purposes. Also I suppose UV not healthy to eyes, yours and others. I gather it's the high frequency wavelengths that irritates.

EMPOWERTORCH found that the blood from a roast under a Cyan torch clearly darkened.

Hotfoot's source says that light at 415NM is best for detecting blood splatter, w/o agent.

Everyone agrees Royal Blue will make blood stand out the most.

Some thought a Surefire E2 w/blue filter was good, also multipurpose. It occurred to me that the filter blocks out all the light but blue--so you are wasting energy, plus, since that post, 1W Luxeons on lithium have become available emmitting 226 lumens I believe, possibly more light than a Surefire w/filter (can anyone (dis)prove this?)

Also occurred to me that a Blaster might blast out so much light that the animal, if alive and bleeding, might pick up and flee way ahead of you. Deer apparently can't see or won't spook at green or red, but what about Yamaguchi's Blue Blast--Terror of the Night?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif The Blaster is also one big hunk of metal and batts, yes?

Always hard to know if the deer has died yet--you're playing a game of wait and move. Might be better to have less output if indeed the deer is getting spooked.

The Inova X5 blue may be well made etc, but it's way less output than a Lux, pricier up front and to run, and in some ways less versatile given Mag accessories and swappability. 

Considering everything I think a Badboy 400 or InReTech, Royal Blue, on lithiums, is the way to go. I'd favor the InReTech for a longer runtime in case you are out all night, but I'd use the McFlood for a wide pan.

Of course it might be nice to have an Arc AAA for redundantcy, for your partner--ahem, I meant hunting buddy--or just for it's own sake! (Credit here to the aphorism: "What is your major malfunction, maggot, buy both lights!") /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif 

Oh, yeah, what about the Streamlight 3AA Luxeons _coming soon_? I'll email them, find out if we'll be seeing any Royal, Peasant, or Turcky Blues. . . .


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## Icebreak (Apr 15, 2003)

Good summary. I like thread summaries.

BB400 RB or Inretech RB/liths sound right.

[ QUOTE ]
*Drakonchik said:*
Also occurred to me that a Blaster might blast out so much light that the animal, if alive and bleeding, might pick up and flee way ahead of you. Deer apparently can't see or won't spook at green or red, but what about Yamaguchi's Blue Blast--Terror of the Night?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif The Blaster is also one big hunk of metal and batts, yes?


[/ QUOTE ]

At 9" long being fed 3 x 123 it is more handy than one might suspect. Good point though. I don't think anything with eyeballs likes the "Blue Blast--Terror of the Night". (great name)/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif Side note: It was Wayne J. that built this.

Pheasant Blue?


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## crackerjack (Apr 16, 2003)

I tried blue lens on E2E on two occasions tracking bleeding whitetails last year.One under wet conditions, the other under dry conditions.The wet conditions appeared to show blood better, however I was unimpressed with either and would perfer good white bright light. For what it's worth.


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## Drakonchik (Apr 18, 2003)

According to Streamlight their 3AA Luxeon will be white only--no blood tracking edition it seems. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif 

No problem--Yamaguchi, InReTech and EverLED got it covered.


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## Drakonchik (May 26, 2003)

[ QUOTE ]
No problem--Yamaguchi, InReTech and EverLED got it covered. 

[/ QUOTE ] 

Or maybe not. I couldn't find any royal blues at Wayne Yamagutchi's shop, and InReTech list royal blue "NA." EverLED makes a "blue," but, at the risk of getting snobby, not "royal" (ie ~415-440nm). And Inova X5 ain't royal either, right? (And not even as powerful as an InReTech on lithiums, if I'm not mistaken.) A (royal?) blue Arc AAA is another idea--nice--but not tons of light for this application.

Hey, everybody, where you can I still find royal blue in a flashlight or drop-in bulb/adapter? (Hoping to avoid a full-blown mod. . . .)


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## Citori (May 26, 2003)

I got mine from Wayne, built by him, but it looks like he isn't offering them any longer.

He does have Royal Blue (and non-Royal, and Cyan) Luxeons and bare boards. Installing the emitter on the bare board isn't really too difficult and that looks like the only way to get one at the moment.


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