It's my understanding that most mammals, except man, have traded color vsion for enhanced night vision. They see in shades of gray, white and black. So they should be able to see any moving bright light no matter what color it is.

The best hunting time is the first half hour after sunrise and the first half hour before sunset, which is worth all the rest combined. So if you want to be in the field at those times, you need to do most of your hiking in the dark.

It's rarely pitch black at night; starlight, moonight and light pollution from nearby cities all contribute to light in the night sky. When there is snow on the ground things seem pretty bright. But when it's over cast and there's no moon, it can be pretty dark.

When I hike in the dark, the first thing that I do is sit down and wait several minutes for my eyes to become acustomed to the dim light. It's fun to listen to the night sounds; so many that I don't hear in the daytime. I carry a headlamp and a hand flashlight, but I try not to use them except in an emergency. I try to hike a route in the daytime so that I know what to expect at night. I also try to use some kind of guide like a trail, old road, sand wash, or fence line, to help keep myself on the right track.


Wind in my hair, Sun on my face, I gazed at the wide open spaces, And I was at home.