I now I saw something about this here but cannot find it using the search function.

My understanding is that having colored light (red, green, blue, etc.) can aid in tracking. I asked about that on another Yahoo Group and it was explained that if you use a light which is close to the color of the surface you are trying to track on, then tracks and their shadows stand out better. [Use green on grass, red on dry pine needles, yellow on sand, etc.]

I also recall someone saying blue makes blood show up better.

I thought I remembered Hacksaw having something to say about this. So, what's up with using colored light for tracking?

Thanks.

You speak of the Carnivore:

I just got the Radio Shack Coast Recon 4 for under $20 with which I will experiment. White, green, blue, and red LED flashlight.

I noticed you can turn on more than one color at a time. Hmmm. Red and blue make purple?

Radio Shack Coast 4 Color RECON LED $15 3 aaa batteries
http://radioshack.com/pwr/product-review...Flashlight.html

I wonder If I could replace some of the white LEDs with yellow?

Yeah. That was my post. If I have time later I'll track it down and post a link to it.

Since I made that post I've had the opportunity to take quite a bit of tracking training and spoken to some real veteran trackers about the matter.

The consensus with the old pros is to use a flashlight with an old fashioned bulb and D cell batteries. The incandescant bulb gives a mellow yellow light with is the least stressful on the eyes and the D cells make sure the flashlight won't die in 10 minutes.

The last time I took some training I had the opportunity to play with lights as we did some tracking in twilight and at night...and we were tired. Started at 8am and kept going until dark which around here in the summer is about 11pm.

I found that for me the color didn't seem to make much of a difference. I had a light I picked up on the internet which has 10 different colors of LED light. The different colors can make certain things stand out, or blend in, but in the instances I was using them in, it didn't really help me to see anything I wouldn't have noticed with just a normal flashlight. I definately didn't notice anything special about 'green on green' type lighting like you mention dweste. Every time I tried the colored lights, I went back to my other flashlight, the 'white' setting on the multi color light, or the orange color as it's nice and mellow and easy on the eyes. If you get tired enough you'll see anything even if it's not there!

When it comes to normal flashlights though, you really want to be careful what you buy. LED lights which are pure white or even a little blue burn your eyes out FAST. Also a light which is too bright (like a K2 Luxeon light for example) will just wash out the sign, burn your eyes, and destroy your night vision. Also avoid lights with 'hot spots'. My Mini Mag light sucks for tracking for example even with the home made diffuser I have on it. Duracell is selling some LED lights I want to try which have a more natural color and a spherical lense to get rid of hot spots...could be a good light.

I found that it's how you use the light that is most important and far more important than color. The angle at which you put the light to the sign, the angle of your eye relative to the light, and the ambient light are all things that make night and day difference.

My favorite new trick which I picked up from training is to use the mirror of my compass to reflect light (natural or my own) on to the sign. You can really control the angle at which it hits and if you are lucky enough to be able to use the sun (like right when it's going down) you can reveal amazing amounts of detail by shooting a beam of sunlight across the track or the sign at a really low angle like 20 to 30 degrees. Unfortunately if the light hits at the wrong angle it can actually help to hide the sign from you by removing vital shadow instead of casting it.

The Carnivore light is great for blood tracking. That feature wouldn't come in handy for tracking a person unless they were wounded. The standard bulbed flashlight would be really good though.

When do you use the various light techniques?

I am an amateur, hobby tracker. I primarily do animal tracking as the opportunity presents itself.

I have read the Tom Brown Jr. books and do carry a hiking / wading staff that I equipped with sliding, elastic marker bands to record track length, track width, stride length, etc. of tracks.

Like all nature observation in my experience, I find that remaining in place and patiently looking often reveals other, smaller, more subtle tracks that have been right in front of me all the time.

If lighting techniques allow faster or better tracking, then that would be great.

I've only used flashlights when it's really dark and only briefly when I absolutely need to...I'll rely on night vision and moon light first. When it's twilight I don't even bother because that level of light puts incredible strain on your eyes. During the day the mirror trick can help to cast or remove shadows (it works with strong moon light too!). A flashlight will do squat in strong noon day sun...you'd have to stare straight into it to even know it's on.

The only thing that will make you a faster tracker is experience...there is no trick or gimmick that guarantees speed or success. I don't intend to consider myself anything but a novice until I have at least 100 hours under my belt of proper training or actual on the job tracking...which I'm working on but not there yet. Animal tracking is good practice. Animals are generally graceful and good at not disturbing things as they pass...people are clumsy and generally don't care.

I have a tip on the elastic bands for your stick though. I've found elastic bands break when you least expect them to. Castration rings work really well. Plus they're designed to break down and biodegrade so if you lose one in the bush, there is minimal environmental impact. The best tracking stick I've ever seen belongs to a friend of mine. It's a fiberglass cattle handling stick with 3 green Castration rings on it (she also uses it to deliver amazingly convincing threats ). Personally I use a cheap telescopic stick and I adjust the sections to mark foot and stride length because once it's tightened it won't move like elastics can as you crawl through the bush.

I think you are reading way too many end of society survival books and have an over active imagination as to what will likely be a survival situation a person will realistically encounter…

Well, I am going to have to find out about this technology now that you have so casually mentioned it, but I think I could have gone my whole life without even considering the idea.

So is there a link to these "items"?

I am just not ready to Google that phrase.

I use the tiny hair elastic loops on my staff; like mini bungee cord. So far they have proved very tough and have not moved on their own. I like that you can get them in colors - one pair for width, etc..