[mindwip]

I want to buy a hiking flashlight and have heard somewhere that if your flashlight is "blank" bright enough that it will stop an animal in its tracks. How bright is that brightness in lumens.


Thanks

[Snarlingiron]

I can't really answer your question in terms of lumens, but I did have to use my Surefire G2 for this application recently. I was confronted by 2 German Shephard size dogs while walking. I take my walks with my G2 in my left hand pocket, my Glock 19 on my right hip. The dogs advanced on me, growling with hackles raised. I pulled the light and fired it into the front dog's eyes, and he froze. As long as I kept it in his eyes, he froze. I think the G2 is rated at 65 lumens, so while one less bright may work, I know this one definitley does (on dogs, anyway), and at $35.00 it is one of the least expensive of the tactical type lights. Not sure I would want to stake my life on it when confronting a grizzly though.

[JShirley]

I'm a flashlight geek...

And I would never depend on this.

John

[mindwip]

Thanks for answering, the one i an planning on getting says its 75, so if your 65 worked my 75 should. Its a 3wat with a high and low, and got 4 stars on flashlightreview

[mindwip]

I'm a flashlight geek...

And I would never depend on this.

John

I am not going to depend on it, i have just heard that it works and wanted to make sure mine was at least as bright as the ones that worked. Plus it does not hurt to shine a light at the dog, bear, human rushing you, when you have nothign better to do other then stand and fight or run. (assuming you have no gun or spray. And i know you should play dead with a grizzly, fight a black bear.)

[pete f]

well last summer 2005 we had a black bear in our camp in BWCA and three very bright "tactical" flash lights did little or nothing to distract him, the only thing that worked at all was pepper spray and cherry bombs, and those only lasted a little while. He must have been thinking pepper spray was bee stings as he ran straight to the lake when he got hosed.

I had a 45 colt loaded really heavy and one other dad had a 41 mag loaded with hard casts 220's and we were ready to pop him if he came past our temp line of defense which was the canoes....

I reported him to the park rangers as we left and two weeks later we were told they had destroyed him and he was sick bear...I D was easy as he only had 3 claws on one foot.

[Zero_DgZ]

Depends. How many lumens does it take to throw a round of .45 at about 900 FPS?

[Boom-stick]

How many lumens ???

I'd say about 3500:)


My LED lenser puts around 65 lumens and that makes my Lil' leopard shut his eyes but it doesn't stop him from jumping me:mad:

[loandr.]

My Black bear approx. 1000 Lumens is about as bright as I have and It dosent even turn the head of my pups....AWESOME light a Torch BUT just wrong tool for the job at hand:) IMO

LD

[black bear]

I am not expert but my take is that as they are encandilated by a powerful light, (like a car light of about 1.000 lumens) they don't move as they can't see where they are going.

You see this trait in deer that you find in the middle of the road, they stare at the car's lights aproaching them and they seem unable to move to avoid the collition.

I have shinned my BOREALIS 1050 lumens at my Rott and he will not move and stare at the light.
Of course I did this for only a few seconds to avoid damaging his eyes.

As the eyes of the animals can see better in the dark than ours, it is only logical that they should be affected more than ours by bright lights.

Years ago I used to go the the Adirondacks town dumps to see the bears at night (the local entertaiment too) the bears will stare at the lights for a long time if shinned directly at his eyes.

Can't be done anymore, all towns have the garbage carted out of the Park now.

black bear

[Gunpacker]

quote; "The dogs advanced on me, growling with hackles raised. I pulled the light and fired it into the front dog's eyes, and he froze. As long as I kept it in his eyes, he froze. I think the G2 is rated at 65 lumens, so while one less bright may work, I know this one definitley does (on dogs, anyway), and at $35.00 it is one of the least expensive of the tactical type lights. Not sure I would want to stake my life on it when confronting a grizzly though." unquote.

May I ask what the second dog did?

[loandr.]

Juan....you've seen my Furbabies:p (150 + lbs each) ....I'd have to recommend the OTHER end of the Flashlight on this one, and even those odds slim at best :eek: Didnt Ares make one in a .410?....NOW perhaps were talkin:cool:

[ZeSpectre]

Over in the "Candlepower forums" (devoted to things that light up) we've had this discussion endlessly. It's the flashaholic's version of the 9mm vs .45 debate.

The overall opinion usually boils down to ... you can't protect yourself with a flashlight. At best you can hope for a momentary distraction during which you will (hopefully) be able to use whatever other means are at hand to deal with the situation.

[Just_a_dude_with_a_gun]

I'd think all using a flashlight would do is make it easier for you to see it
coming to eat you.

[Bill Henry]

I would personally use the spot light from a 1200 ft barge if any animal was in an attack mode and all i had was the access of a light. Not being a smart ass, sorry.

The question that comes to mind, once the animal is "stopped in its track," and you have to do something, what plan do you have for escape and evasion of the "animal." I can blind anything for a few seconds, but you are left with the animal, still there, you holding the light (on or off) and no plan on what to do next. If that animal is in a foul mood, the light is going to do little to save you in the end.

The light might be a first step in slowing the animal (or it might not). Remember your flesh and blood will be standing there after the animal stops, hesitates or continues the charge. Be prepared. I think someone famous said that?

Bill

[loandr.]

OK sir HOLD that light high.....NOW how warm and fuzzy would one feel :-)

[loandr.]

Needles to say....Muzzle flash is only acceptable light i such conditions. AND one wil never meet a more PROactive animal sort than the mrs. and I. BUT it is what it is.
LD

[mindwip]

I am not saying that my only defense is the light, i was just wondering how much light it takes to blind an animal thats it. I am not planning on just using that. And even if it blinds the animal for 3 sec, great thats 3 secs i did not have to defend my self either with knife, club, mace, gun.

And if a dog attacked me and i all i had on me was my light i would just take it to the ground and pin it. Now if there was two:uhoh: