wtnhunt Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Before you hunt, do you check the legal sunrise and set times and know when the first and last legal light you are supposed to shoot is? Wednesday and Thursday afternoon both, I had does all over my field and the earliest shot opportunities I had still had plenty enough light to see the deer through my scope but were just after the legal shooting time had ended. Wednesday had my crosshairs on the biggest doe out of 9 of them at about 35 yards out and when I looked at my watch it was 5 minutes after legal shooting light had ended. If it is just 4 or 5 minutes past legal shooting light and you can still see well enough to shoot, what do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line I hate to say it....but bye bye deer. I know the law is the law...but hey if I can see my target clearly and saftely it's a done deal....I figure it this way I may loose 5 or 10 min. on anygiven day that bad weather may affect my shooting time by making it darker faster than it should have but it was still legal shooting time but wasn't safe enough for the shot. I know this is going to get ripped apart but hey tell me who hasn't thought about it or done it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line [ QUOTE ] WE BOW HUNTING OR GUN HUNTING? [/ QUOTE ] I was hunting with a muzzleloader, but it does not really matter does it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billygoat Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line Does it matter? I am sure I have been guilty of shooting after legal shooting hours... often I do not even have a watch with me (especially bow hunting). I guess the law is the law, and right is right and wrong is wrong, but I'd be lying if I said that if two minutes after "legal shooting hours", the buck of a lifetime walked under my stand, that I'd let him walk.... I have often questioned some of the shots on hunting video's... there are plenty that appear very dark. I guess at the end of the day it is still wrong, but if I didn't syncronize my clock to the "atomic time"????? I know it's not right, and I know if "everyone else does it" it does not justify the act of shooting a few minutes after the close of hours, but I think it's like speeding.... If it's posted 55, the speed limit is 55, chances are you aren't going to get pulled over at 56 or 57, but at 70 or 75 you'll get what's coming to you, still doesn't change the fact that you were breaking the law at 56, just chances are, there isn't a cop in the country gonna bust you for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popgun Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line What do you think the chances are that your watch is exactly set to the same time as the Game Warden's watch? If in doubt, I guess you could shoot first and then set your watch forward 5 minutes? I'm just joking, I don't think the subject has ever come up in conversation before. I hunt mornings and evenings and don't remember the exact shooting starting time. I guess if I could clearly see what I was shooting and what is behind it, I'd pull the trigger, or release the arrow. (which ever) .....popgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line We ussually check the legal sunset times here before hunting. I ussually look it up on my home site. I'll be the first one to admit, that there have been many times, when a deer has come out at last light and I didn't think much about checking my watch. If it's overcast here, I don't even have to check my watch now, because I know that I can hunt till dark without fear of running into over-time. I've checked it many times, just to see how dark it is at last legal light and it is too dark to see your sights here or properly identify the sex of a deer. The only time I've seen enough light after legal shooting time up here is if there is a full moon out. Then you have to really keep an eye on the time. Legal shooting time here for deer is 1 hour after sun-set for big game and 1/2 hour after sunset for migratory birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line [ QUOTE ] Legal shooting time here for deer is 1 hour after sun [/ QUOTE ] Law says 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise here Steve. The other night I had plenty of light at 35 yards to take the shot with my scoped ml. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billygoat Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line So does the sun set later if you are hunting a ridge and earlier if you are in a valley? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line [ QUOTE ] So does the sun set later if you are hunting a ridge and earlier if you are in a valley? [/ QUOTE ] There are tables in the handbook in this state for different regions. The weather channels site also gives specific sunrise and sunset times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach1 Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line [ QUOTE ] So does the sun set later if you are hunting a ridge and earlier if you are in a valley? [/ QUOTE ] The sun sets at the same time regardless of whether you're in a valley or on a ridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathews4life Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line Sorry to say but if i can still see thru my scope, that deer or any other deer will be riding home on a honda rancher.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTbowman Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line Our states Digest of Laws has a sun rise/sun set chart listed in it, and its legal to shoot 1/2 before and after set times. However, and this is from the local game wardens mouth, not everybodies watch is set to the exact same time. In other words, he said, they do not get worried about shots that they hear a few mintue before or after. 20 to 30, or more, before or atfer then its plain, cut and dry, that the shooting was done intentionally during illegal hunting hours. In the senerio you layed out, 4 or 5 mintues after what "my" watch had said, still real good light, and clear shot, I would of taken the shot. Now anything past 5 mintues and thats pushing it in my book. Most peoples watches will be within 3 to 5 minutes of each other and that excuse would not really fly at 10 past leagl light... But then again if you had this type of opportunity ever day, then perhaps I would not of taken it knowing I would get another crack at it tommorow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horst Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Re: where to draw the line I asked this in the bowhunting room probably 2 years ago.I think 99.9% o the responses said when bowhunting they didnt look at thier watch as long as it was light enough to shoot. Gun hunters you might get a little different response from but if your talking 2 or 3 minutes Id bet most wouldnt pay much attention to it either. Was coming back on the last day of the shotgun season with my nephew.It was by my watch about 3 minutes before quitting time when I seen a nice 10 pointer standing in the grass on public ground near the road.I turned arond, came back and pulled in.The buck jst stood there looking at us so I told my nephew to get out and if the deer didnt run to shoot him.The buck couldnt have been more than 15 yrds away in the switchgrass but my nephew loaded his gun, opened the door and stepped out, and he never moved.Instead of shooting he kept tellngme he couldnt see the buck The switchgrass is taller than I am and really thick and the buck blended in great, he knew he was hid and never moved.Finally my nephew turned around to tell me again he couldnt see the deer and the buck ran about 10 yrds and stopped again.I looked at the watch and shooting time was over by 3 minutes.My nephew still couldnt see the deer and I doubted even if he spotted him hed have a clear shot since the deer blended in so well.I checked the watch one more time, told him to get in and we left a real nice buck standing there right on the other side of the parking lot.it was hard to do, and honestly if Id had a license for that season I probably would have shot the deer.He was a real nice buck, it was the last day, and without a doubt the last deer we were gonna see. The big diference there woulda been that if Id been shooting Id have never even looked at my watch, Id have probably killed the deer and never even realized it had been after hours.The way it was someone else was shooting and I had time to check it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: where to draw the line Well, I did not shoot. Guess had it been a nice buck, I likely would never have even looked at my watch. Considering that it was dim, but light enough to see well enough through my scope for what was a really good shot, I probably should have taken it. I knew it was close to time, but I did in fact look down at my watch as I was waiting for the does to step all the way out onto the field and I know my watch is pretty accurate, I decided to hold out knowing that I was in fact beyond what the state defines as "legal" light. I just hope I am right in thinking my chances for more opportunities are still pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: where to draw the line You'll get him Willy And you'll feel good about it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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