Best Spotlight for Deer Hunting at Night
Deer hunting is an exciting activity that is also very rewarding. Like many other game animals, deer are more active during the night when it’s dark because they have excellent night vision. But we humans don’t have that, so spotting the target becomes challenging. In order to make the challenging task easy, here we have sorted out a list of best spotlight for deer.
Spotting the deer is just as important as landing the shot while hunting them at night. Because if you can’t spot them, you won’t get to take your best shot. It’s a no-brainer that taking the best shots is crucial for a successful hunting session. The quality of the hunter’s gadgets is just as important as his skills.
Choosing the best quality gadgets is a challenge on its own from the overwhelming number of products available in the market. And that’s what we are here for. We present you with the best spotlights for deer so that you don’t have to spend the time sieving the market and instead spend it planning your next trip.
Psst, want a shortcut? Take the Streamlight 44910 and get done with it right now. It’s the best over the spotlight for deer hunting. You won’t need to search anymore.
Top 6 best spotlight for deer hunting
| Product | Runtime | Range | Brightness | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Streamlight | 4 – 87 hr | 2,230 feet | 1,000 lm | |
 Glandu | 10 - 24 hr | 2,600 feet | 6,000 lm | |
 AlpsWolf | 20 Hr | 3,280 feet | 4,000 lm | |
 Dewalt | 13.5 Hr | 1,525 feet | 1,500 lm | |
 Bigsun | 24 Hr | 2,600 feet | 6,000 lm | |
 J5 Tactical | - | 600 feet | 300 lm |
 Streamlight |  Glandu |  AlpsWolf |
| 4 – 87 hr | 10 - 24 hr | 20 Hr |
| 2,230 feet | 2,600 feet | 3,280 feet |
| 1,000 lm | 6,000 lm | 6,000 lm |
Deer are scaredy-cat and are spooked very easily. So the light you should bring for deer hunting needs to be subtle and gentle. A sudden super-bright light in the middle of the night is more likely to spook them and send them running. But a dim light won’t help you to spot them easily. So the spotlight for deer has to be in the middle ground.
Pro tip: Deers are more sensitive to higher frequency light, including blue, purple, and UV rays. That makes red and orange the best color to shine on deer. Thus, red lights or red filters on white light spooks the deer least.
Top 6 best spotlight for deer hunting
1. Streamlight 44910:
Photo: amazon
Waypoint Streamlight 44910 is our number one pick for spotlights for shinning deer. It has all the qualities that an ideal deer spotting spotlight needs.
The spotlight is small-ish, lightweight, and easy to carry. In addition, it has the right combination of lumen and runtime. The light will run for 3, 6, and a mind-blowing 80 hours at high, medium, and low light mode.
You will mostly use the light on low mode. That is because the range at low mode is over 200 yards, which is sufficient most of the time. And the brightness is subtle enough not to scare the prey, like ever. But if you need a little more light, you can switch to higher modes, and the brightness and range will only go higher.
The light is white, but the brightness is subtle enough as is. You can also purchase a red filter for the light. Use the red filter for hunting and the white filter for traversing.
The only downside is the brightest light mode is only 1000 lumens. So, if you need a bright light at your camp, this might may feel a little underwhelming compared to other camping spotlights.
Features:
| Battery: | 1x Alkaline C battery |
| Brightness: | Up to 1000 Lumens |
| Range: | Up to 2230 feet |
| Runtime(on high setting): | Up to 4 hours |
| Runtime(on low setting): | Up to 87 hours |
| IP rating: | IPX8 |
| Speciality: | Can be powered using an external power source |
Pros:
- Majestic runtime with respectable range on low light mode
- Purchasable red filter
- Excellent IP rating
- Built-in stand for hands-free operation
- Momentary and click switch
Cons:
- Red filter needs to be purchased separately
- The brightest light mode is only 1000 lumens
2. GLANDU Handheld Spotlight:
Photo: amazon
Looking for a deer hunting spotlight that won’t let you down? GLANDU Super Bright Spotlight is another great choice with a max output of 6000 lumens, this powerful little light can illuminate your target from over 2600 feet away – more than enough to help you bag that trophy deer.
This handheld spotlight contains a long-lasting, built-in 10000 mAh rechargeable battery pack. It can also be used as an emergency power supply for smartphones or mobile devices.
But what really sets it apart is its three extra attachments: a tripod and a strap for easy setup, and a sidelight for multi-purpose usage. And the sidelight has 3 modes to choose from: high, low, and red & blue flashing. Each mode has its own unique benefits that’ll come in handy during different situations.
This spotlight is made of solid, impact-resistant military-grade ABS material and aluminum alloy, with its IPX4 rating this handheld spotlight can withstand any bumps or falls during your deer hunting adventure.
Features:
| Battery: | 9600mAh |
| Brightness: | 6,000 Lumens |
| Range: | Up to 2,600 feet |
| Runtime(on high setting): | Up to 10 hours |
| Runtime(on low setting): | Up to 24 hours |
| IP rating: | IPX4 |
Pros:
- Bright light output
- Large battery capacity
- Sidelight/floodlight functionality
- Comes with Straps and a Tripod stand
- USB input/output
Cons:
- IP rating could be better
- Heats up slightly upon long time usage
3. AlpsWolf Rechargeable Spotlight:
Photo: amazon
AlpsWolf Rechargeable Spotlight offers more run-time than a standard lithium-ion battery, making it an excellent choice for hunting deer, outdoor camping, construction professionals, electricians, and alike.
With its giant 15,000 mAh battery on the LARGE variant, it can easily cover you up to 20 hours, which makes it a great competitor with all other spotlights on this list. And if you are hunger for more battery capacity hence you can have the X-LARGE variant with 20,000 mAh battery. All the variants support USB output as a powerbank.
It might not gives you the eye-burning brightness with its 4000 lumens but its 3280 feet enormous range definitely helps you to spot your prey from a long distance.
Its rugged shock-proof body with IP44 rating force makes it an all-rounder spotlight. And last but not least, it has in total 7 lighting modes including SOS, which is super helpful for outing.
Features:
| Battery: | 15,000 mAh |
| Brightness: | Up to 4,000 Lumens |
| Range: | Up to 3280 feet |
| Runtime: | Up to 20 hours |
| IP rating: | IP44 |
Pros:
- Huge battery with USB output
- High-quality materials and water-resistant design.
- Magnificent range
Cons:
- Possibly a nickel-cadmium battery
4. DEWALT 20V:
Photo: amazon
The DeWalt 20V max lithium ion work light is a powerful and versatile lighting option for any dark job site, especially for outdoor activities like hunting deer.
It offers 3 brights LED light outputs and a powerful 12000 mAh battery, which provides up to 20 hours of run time compared to standard incandescent bulbs. The DeWalt 20V is designed to be used with the DCBL20LX3 20V max lithium-ion battery only, which is sold separately.
It is also equipped with a 120° head rotation, allowing you to light your workspace in any direction.
Two brightness settings, High and low, provide flexibility in recharge light settings and are easy to access on the light when needed. Bright light provides a stronger, clearer hue, while low light provides a softer, less-defined hue.
Features:
| Battery: | 12,000 mAh |
| Brightness: | Up to 1,500 Lumens |
| Range: | Up to 1,525 feet |
| Runtime: | Up to 13.5 hours |
| Special Feature: | 120° head rotation |
Pros:
- The rechargeable battery is sold separately.
- 120° rotational head
- Long-lasting 12000 mAh battery
Cons:
- There is only a spot to focus on this light.
5. BIGSUN Q953PLUS:
Photo: amazon
BIGSUN is another renowned company producing rugged spotlights for harsh and challenging environments.
Bigsun Q953 handheld spotlight can be a fantastic choice for deer hunting. This is made possible by the 6,000-lumen lamp and its 2,600 feet long range, which is far more powerful than the majority of other options available.
It has a 10,800 mAh powerful lithium-ion battery, which is another wonderful feature. Three rechargeable batteries are built-in for 16–24 hours of nonstop lighting.
Up to 400 lumens are produced by the sidelight in high mode, providing excellent, bright visibility for a variety of jobs. It is ideal for use in low light. And its red light does not injure the eye, nor does it cause the animals scared off.
Besides that, its rugged body with an IP45 rating makes it popular for nighttime flight, military or hunting operations, and other nighttime observational needs.
All things considered, the Bigsun Q953 spotlight is one of the best spotlight for shinning deer.
Features:
| Battery: | 10,800 mAh |
| Brightness: | Up to 6,000 Lumens |
| Range: | Up to 2,600 feet |
| Runtime: | Up to 24 hours |
| IP Rating: | IPX45 |
Pros:
- Excellent power
- Comparatively lighter than a spotlight of the same sort.
- Includes a strap and a tripod. it is also quite dependable.
Cons:
- Not the smallest available choice
6. J5 Tactical V1-PRO:
Photo: amazon
J5 Tactical is known for its quality tactical lights, and the V1 Pro is one of their renowned products. And the J5 V1 light is super budget-friendly.
This spotlight is super tiny, super powerful, and super adorable. It’s a small pocket-carry light that you can also mount on your firearm. However, it can generate 300 lumens on high mode and reach 200 yards easily. The light is surprisingly bright for its size and battery.
Speaking of battery, it uses a single regular AA battery. You can use disposable batteries for a little over an hour of runtime or use rechargeable. Three hundred lumens and 200 yards are relatively uncommon and quite remarkable for this little power usage. The size and gun mount make it the perfect light for deer hunting.
It has another helpful feature. You can twist the head of the light to adjust the zoom and focus on your target as needed. Zooming in will give you more range, and spreading the light will provide you with lower brightness on the target. With the red filter and adjustable brightness, you can be almost invisible to your target.
The light is small in size and made with aluminum. Combined, it makes it very strong and virtually indestructible. It is highly impact-resistant, water-resistant, and you can even drive a truck over it, and it will work as nothing happened.
It doesn’t come with or offer a purchasable red filter. You will need to make one for it. But honestly, it’s not even worth mentioning. It’s way too easy to create one. For convenience, we added a short guide on making a red filter at the end of the page.
Nonetheless, the J5 tactical gun-mount light is an excellent spotlight for spotting deer and increase your accuracy.
Features:
| Battery: | 14500 mAh (not included) |
| Brightness: | Up to 300 Lumens |
| Range: | Up to 600 feet |
| Runtime: | Good |
| IP rating: | IPX7 and 9 feet drop |
Pros:
- You can mount it on most firearms
- It runs with a regular AA battery
- Focusable lens
- Impact-resistant, water-resistant, and virtually indestructible
Cons:
- It does not offer any red lens
- It doesn’t come with a battery
Those are the best spotlight for shinning deer, in our opinion. As mentioned above, our vision is superior on the red light at night compared to that of deer, and it is highly recommended to use low brightness and red-colored light for hunting. But most of the spotlights mentioned above don’t come with a red filter. And we recommend making one yourself. It will be an adventure and save some money at the same time.
If you are interested, here’s a short guide on making a red filter for your spotlight, any spotlight.
How to make a red filter for the spotlight?
You can use a handful of materials for this project b, but a transparent plastic bag is the simplest. Although it’s best to manage a red one, but if not, use a white transparent one.
If you already have a red and transparent medium, you pretty much have it. Just cut a convenient size of it. If you can remove the light head and take out the lens, then place the new piece on top of the lens and put it back on the light, leave the poly sheet on the outside.
But, if you cannot remove the lens, put it in front of the light head and tape it in place. We recommend not using permanent or strong tape because you might need to remove the red filter in the future, and it’s best if the tape doesn’t leave any residue behind.
But what if you don’t have a red medium? Easy, take a white and transparent medium, color it red with a red marker, and follow the abovementioned method.
Trust me, if the medium is transparent enough, this lens will allow more than enough red light through, and the setup will work no less than a professional lens.
Frequently Asked Questions
We answered a few common questions relevant to the topic. You can see them for ideas, tips and tricks, and knowledge on the topic. If you have further questions you’d like answered, feel free to contact us, we will be happy to answer.
Why deer hunting is good?
Although you are hunting individual deer, In the bigger picture, you are keeping deer population in check. This helps to keep the balance between the deer population and the capacity of their habitat. Without hunting, the population can get out of control and over-drain their food supply.
Additionally, it’s usually the weaker individuals that get picked up. The stronger, more agile, and more alert animals are less likely to get hunted. Thus, you are making room for the better individuals to breed and populate.
Every herbivore have predators in their natural habitat. And we are just assuming that role here.
Can deer see green hunting light
Yes, and No. Deer have excellent vision and even at night, they see much better than we do. However, their eyes are more sensitive to blue and purple light as well as UV rays. On the other hand, their eyes lack sensitivity to red, orange, and green lights. While they can see red and green hunting light, they don’t see them as clearly or sharply as we do.
And if the hunting light is not too bright, it usually doesn’t scare them as much even if they see the light. That’s why green and red light or filter is used for shining deer.
Does a spotlight spook deer?
If you use a spotlight of right color and brightness, it doesn’t spook the deer. When you flood the deer with light, their pupil can not respond to the the sudden brightness fast enough, so they get temporarily blinded and don’t know where to run.
However, if you use a spotlight that’s too bright, it will spook and scare the deer, and despite not seeing around them, they will start running blind.
Using the right color also helps keeping then calm.
How many lumens do I need for spotlight hunting?
The necessary power of the spotlight for shinning deer depends the range you are hunting the animal from. Usually, at night, deer are hunted in between 100 yards and 400 yards.
- If you hunt in short range, in 100-200 yards range, you should use a spotlight with 300 – 500 lumens.
- For the range of 200-300 yards, you should use a spotlight of 500 – 700 lumens to spot deer.
- When you plan on hunting in the 300+ yards range, you should bring a 800 – 1000 lumens spotlight.
It also depends on the color. You will need higher lumens for green light compared to red.
Is is legal to spotlight deer?
It depends on the state you are in and the time of the year. Different states have different laws regarding this and before proceeding, you should most definitely do some research and find out the rules and regulations of the area you are planning in.
but yes, it is legal to spotlight deer in many states as long as you don’t break any regulation.
Is deer hunting bad?
For the individual deer, yes, it is bad for it, because you know, it’s dead. But for the whole deer population, it’s not as bad as it seems. Almost every animals have predators in their natural habitat, and animals are getting hunted all the time even in the wild. We are just acting as the predator of the food chain.
Besides, hunting and game per person is regulated by the authority. So, you are not going to overhunt deer as long as you follow the state law and local hunting rules.
Conclusion:
Deer hunting at night is a popular game, and understandably so. And for any activity during the night, safety should always be the priority. And a quality spotlight is the first line of safety when you are far away from home in an almost remote surrounding.
Even with a quality spotlight, you should still follow some precautions, like bringing an extra light if possible, and if not, at least carrying an extra set of batteries, as well as first aid kits and other accessories.
Since the scope of this article was the spotlight, that’s what we covered. If you have any more questions regarding spotlight for deer, or hunting in general, or any other questions for that matter, we highly encourage you to leave them in the comment section or reach out to us via email. Take care out there!
