Night Hunting Introduction Guide

Night hunting may be extremely fun and addictive but also the best time for certain games such as predators and any other night creature, however getting involved in this type of hunting requires some preparation, you can't just pick your gun and go out into the bushes in the middle of the night.

So, to succeed on night hunting and stay away from problems, it's important to know the basics before getting out there to have a lot of fun during a night hunting raid.

First thing is to be fully aware of regulations. Not all games may be hunt by night, so you need to know which animals may be hunt at night in the area you are scouting, otherwise, there's a real risk of law infringement and serious problems.

Usually, night hunting is allowed for species considered as pests like wild hogs and raccoons, as well predators such as coyotes and bobcats may be hunt at night in most states, but regulations may vary from county to county, so you must be sure to stay up to date with local regulations.

Once you are sure what can be hunt by night, the next thing to do is a daylight scout. Knowing the terrain properly remains paramount to keep you and your team members safe and to have success on your hunt.

Things change a lot between day and night, so before going out in the dark, it's mandatory to know the area as well as possible with daylight. Once you have scouted enough with good illumination, it's time to scout in the dark.

By doing this you will be 100% familiar with the terrain, being able to identify safe points, escape routes, stalking areas, and so on.

If it's the first time by night in a new area, it's a good idea to get accompanied by a local guide, this way you guarantee not only your safety but also increase your success rates.

Now you are aware of regulations and know the terrain properly (or have a guide who does), it's time to choose a night vision device.

The most obvious and effective choice is using night goggles but it's also the most expensive option. Instead, you may use red or green night lights. Even when their performance is not as good as night vision, they are cheaper and if used properly, still gives you an edge by night.

Everything is ready! You know regulations, terrain and have chosen a night vision device, but there's still a detail to cover. Which technique will you use?

Night hunting techniques don't differ too much from daylight ones. You may use bait, stalk feeding areas, or use calls. Whichever you use, be sure to know what you are doing, otherwise failing rates will be enormous.

In this regard, it's important to be aware of bait hunting regulations since it's not allowed in all states. So before proceeding, be sure about local regulations on this matter.

As a final point, remember that at the night is very difficult to differentiate one species from the other unless you are using night goggles, so it's very important to double-check and be sure what you are shooting at because it's not a good idea to kill domestic or farm animals in the surroundings, or even worse another hunter or person walking around in the middle of the night because of any reason.