Defying the darkness – information and tips for a successful night hunt

You might think that the saying " under cover of night " also applies to night hunting. However, once you arrive at the hunting area, you soon realise that the whole undertaking is made much more difficult under these lighting conditions and that this type of camouflage is not an advantage during the hunt . If the rifle light is no longer sufficient, the animals are usually more difficult to hunt and it is also more complicated to approach them. The hunting success slowly dwindles and ultimately causes a lot of frustration. With the right approach and suitable night hunting equipment, it does not have to come to that. The high demands of night hunting can be met excellently by observing various points. WOLFGANGS provides useful information and tips.

Respond correctly even in the dark

While approaching a hunter is usually quick and easy in daylight , it can be a much greater challenge during a night hunt. The numerous distinguishing features of the game cannot be clearly identified, so you face a major hurdle in the dark. You are not always lucky enough to benefit from the bright light of the moon at night, and even when the moon is at its brightest, you can usually only make out the rough silhouettes. Estimating the weight of the game can also be complicated under these conditions. If you spot a pack in good light, you can compare the animals directly to get a better idea of ​​their weight. This luxury is usually completely nonexistent at night. Judging the distance can also be problematic.

Determining the distance and weight can be done easily even in the dark with the help of a trick. When hunting at a bait station, for example, it is a great idea to use a comparison object to compare the size of the game's body. Sufficiently large bait boxes can be just such an object. If they are 50 x 30 cm in size, for example, you have the perfect size to compare the box with the game's body from a distance. This way you can better judge the weight of the game.

If you now ram a wooden post into the ground near the feeding station at intervals of 10 m and mark each one with white paint, you can ensure an excellent estimate of the distance even in dark and poorly lit conditions.

Clearly identify structures during night hunting

A herd structure is not always clearly visible at night and in the worst case can result in the commission of a crime, as a wrong shot is by no means a trivial offense. The herd structure cannot be clearly identified at all times, so special caution must be exercised here. This is also the case when the piglets are lagging far behind the sow and cannot be spotted in time. Often the prevailing conditions or the vegetation mean that the piglets cannot be seen. Not every sow is necessarily a boar and this is precisely where the danger lies.

In order to be able to contain this potential danger as much as possible, it is imperative that we give the human eye some help. While binoculars and a rifle scope are great and successful aids in daylight, you should use a night vision device in dark conditions . When using them, you will quickly notice that not only can the surrounding silhouettes be clearly seen, but also much more detailed and finer features can be seen. The udder can now also be seen during night hunting, as well as brushes, blocks and many other details. This is worth its weight in gold for assessing the structure of a pack. If there is uncertainty in assessing the structure of the pack even with the help of the night vision device, the bullet must definitely remain in the barrel.

The shadow during night hunting

Cast shadows can be very tricky, as you often misjudge the overall appearance of the game completely. Even though the bright light of the moon can be an advantage during a night hunt, cast shadows can also create a confusing play of light. The light casts large and clear shadows under the body of the game , so that many hunters often make incorrect conclusions about the size of the animal.

At this point, you should also have the night vision device mentioned above to hand. The body and shadows can be differentiated much better and more precisely. Using a night vision device can be a great advantage when aiming.

Choosing the Weapon of Trust

It's actually quite logical. Since you can't see your own weapon as well in the dark, you should choose one before you start hunting that you can use " blind ". A familiar model should therefore always be preferred to a newer one until you have become perfectly accustomed to the new model over the weeks and months. The safety, charge level display, etc. must work within a few seconds. Correct use can also be practiced outside of the dark at regular intervals. Just close your eyes and practice - it sounds simple, but it has a high learning effect and can also be carried out anywhere as a " dry run ".

Regardless of how confidential the handling, a weapon should always meet the basic requirements to be able to survive during a night hunt. In particular, a noiseless safety and manual cocking should be a particular focus. Since the entire environment is much quieter at night than you are used to during the day, you should remember that it is not just your own hearing that is sharpened by these conditions. The game reacts mercilessly to even the smallest noise. If you want to achieve a successful result at the end of the hunt, you should make sure that your equipment is set up in a noise-free manner.