Walk in with a small flashlight or at first light when deer hunting with children?

[Liberty]

My hunting buddies this year will be less than chin high. There are deep gullies, and one 40 foot drop off here at my place, so going across my property in the pitch black isn’t feasible. Now that I’m old, I use a mini light and stay in the low spots walking in or wait for a little light. Here is my question, if we stay in the low spots, would you think a 9 year old with a little light following an old fat man would have less chance of being spotted than a 9 year old trying to sneak in at first light behind an old fat man?

 

[Hickory Nut]

I no longer worry about going in with a flashlight. Deer movement doesn't seem to be affected one way or the other. Good luck and hammer them!

 

[specialk]

Ive never used a light going in, but always coming out....

 

[Dupree]

I walk in when it’s barely cracking. I typically turn on a small red light even though it’s not needed to see, just so someone else might recognize us as a human and not a hog or Sasquatch.

I’ve learned kids gets restless sitting in the dark waiting on daylight.

 

[Mars]

I try not to use a light but I will on days like this morning when there is absolutely no ambient light.

It's is pitch black here in a creek bottom in Washington county.

 

[Railroader]

Slip in at first light, or give the kid his own light...

Deer don't care either way.

Be safe.

 

[WOODIE13]

Slip in 30 to 60 minutes with a light, especially with kids, they tend to sound like a herd of elephants. That way the woods have time to quiet down

 

[Hunter922]

With a child I was more about safety. Once we got to the stand i would worry about deer. At the end of the day it is my responsibility to keep my child safe. Lights going in for us..

 

[basshappy]

@Liberty your scent and sound will give your tribe away to any deer nearby, so if safety is a concern wear the headlamps or use the flashlights. Additionally, whether it might be safe for your young person to go afoot sans light depends on if they have spent time on that property and their experience in the woods in low light conditions. My boy is now 11, but he has been creeping through the woods with me since he could crawl, so we almost always go it with headlamps on our head but turned off.

 

[Darkwater]

Biggest deer we ever shot(152) when hunting with my son…we went in 8:30 shot the deer at 10:30. Kids have short attention spans…try to have them in the woods when the deer are moving and not necessarily at traditional hunting times.

 

[WOODIE13]

Biggest deer we ever shot(152) when hunting with my son…we went in 8:30 shot the deer at 10:30. Kids have short attention spans…try to have them in the woods when the deer are moving and not necessarily at traditional hunting times.

All depends on the kids

 

[Whit90]

I’ve walked right past many deer with my light blazing. They typically just stare at you and go back to what they were doing after you’ve east away. I think that I bump less deer when using a light vs going in dark.

 

[Gbr5pb]

I ain’t walking in or out on public land without a light kids or not

 

[WOODIE13]

I ain’t walking in or out on public land without a light kids or not

Recon by fire

 

[Jim Thompson]

I walk in with a light. Always with a light. Not worried about someone shooting me, but the deer dont care either way and I have horrible sense of direction.

 

[WOODIE13]

Don't forget the snakes

 

[MattLemmon]

I’ve hunted with my kids from 5yrs old on. Have done it both ways. A 9yr old that’s not completely foreign to the woods will do fine with a headlamp in the dark. To me it’s more about making it fun for the kids, so they want to do this long term. Which is why I’ll only hunt with them a few hours at a clip and I want to do that at peak deer movement at the stand/blind we’re hunting regardless of the time of day.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Y’all must not have any of these where you live. A deer ain’t worth getting hurt or dying over. Be safe use a light. Don’t wave it around like a Tokyo traffic cop and have fun.

 

[Big7]

Off topic somewhat but Harbor Freight has a 500+ something lumens compact flashlight that's bad to the bone for $9. And 24 pack of Heavy Duty AAA 24 for $3 and Alkaline 24 for $4.

Super wide flood and super long spot.

Best small flashlight I've ever seen. Might even go get another one.

 

[WOODIE13]

Y’all must not have any of these where you live. A deer ain’t worth getting hurt or dying over. Be safe use a light. Don’t wave it around like a Tokyo traffic cop and have fun.View attachment 1261559

A guy killed a big rattler up here in December...