Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

[GWSmith]

A post in the bowhunting room has me wondering what other people think about "Shooting Hours".

I know alot of people are under the perception that if they can see they can shoot...and in some places that could get you in trouble!!!

Also In alot of states as well this is the case...with regulations on the books of "1/2 hour before Sunrise to 1/2 hour after Sunset".

So I pose these simple questions to you all:

1. "What is your idea of when Sunrise and Sunset occur"?

2. "What is your states regulations regarding "Legal Shooting Hours"?

[Bownarow]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

There is a set scientific time when the sunset/sunrise occurs each day in any particular area. Weather.com has it posted for everday for any particular area, plus Illinois provides this information in their free hunting/fishing guide every year. Legal shooting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. This is enforced too. I've heard of guys getting tickets during shotgun deer season for having their guns loaded before leagal hunting time.

[OUTSIDER]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

The WV DNR publishes a calender each year with the official sunrise and sunset. So i figure its a no brainer in that case here.

[VTbowman]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

1/2 before and 1/2 after in VT too.

Also we have it listed in our free reg. book.

However our free chart is of when sunset and sun rise are not the legal hours. Plus with the time change occuring during bow season it can get confusing as to when its legal or not.

I go ahead and make a excell chart with all times pre-figured out and listed for each day during open season for each of the deer seasons and give each hunter on my property a laminated copy so there is no mistake when legal shooting hours start and finishes.

Good thing to do when the game warden lives on the next door property and has to drive past my gate to get off the road. LOL

I will also say that there have been many an evening when I could no longer see well enough to ID the deer (antler restrictions now) so I had gotten down and still had time left to hunt.

[Tominator]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

My idea of sunrise, sunset is what Ohio's DNR says it is. They publish the times for all counties every year.

[wtnhunt]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

One half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. I have had a few times I have passed up deer because of the time even though I could very clearly see them through my scope.

TWRA has a listing for the legal sunrise and set times specific to regions. anyone can look at the weather channel.com and punch in their zip and see the times.

All that said, I have heard a lot of shots over the years both well before and well after legal shooting times have times.

[Chrud]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

I go by what the regulations say for shooting hours. The chances of getting caught on private land isn't great, but the possibility of getting caught isn't worth a few extra minutes.

[Doc]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

Sunset and sunrise are not negotiable. I have found them not always a good standard as to when one can see to shoot, but it is the law.

The interesting thing is that weather can actually influence the available light and that can vary all over the place. For example, on a snow covered landscape with a clear sky, in fields or on the edge of large openings, you are often wondering why the quitting time in the evening was set so early. Conversly, on a rainy, foggy evening in thick brush with leaves still on, can have you actually leaving before the legal quitting time. So, I guess the sunrise and sunset rules are simply a standard of convenience and may or may not actually reflect the actual lighting conditions or your ability to safely and successfully pull off a shot. However, it is the law and probably serves as a reasonable standard. The main thing to remember is that it is the law and is not an opinion.

Doc

[Guest HaDeRonDa]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

[ QUOTE ]

The chances of getting caught on private land isn't great, but the possibility of getting caught isn't worth a few extra minutes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure if any state has a law that states when you have to be out of the woods by. Just because you are in the woods does not mean you area hunting.

If an arrow is not knocked by most standards, there is not intent. If that was the case, you had better not get to your stand before legal hunting hours.

I am puzzled by the legal definition. In a spruce forest at tha legal sundown you can't see nutt'in! Yet the adjacent field you still have 20 minutes of good light with no accessory pin light.

I not condoning shooting before or after the legal times but a garbage law it is. When you can't see without the aid of a light, you shouldn't be hunting.

The deer are not at any disadvantage to avoid us at dawn or dusk.

If it has to do with safety. That logic can be squashed as well. IMO

Gary, I'm not commenting about what I personally do on a public forum. That is suicide!!!

[TKLambert]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

I have often wondered this many times over and over. Yes its the law to be followed, but I think that it can be taken either way also. Whats the point in buying good equipment that gives you an advantage (such as a scope) if you can see the same thing at the end of legal hours with a cheap one?????? I AM NOT SAYING I BREAK TO RULES, BECAUSE THATS AGAINST THE LAW/ETHICS. But that is one point to be taken into consideration. I agree with HaDeRonDa that if you can CLEARLY distingush what it is without aid from any type of light, then you should be able to go for it. But, its the rules and without rules then it would be complete craziness.

[Strut10]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

PA is 1/2 hr before sunrise to sunset. Last night quitting time for me was 5:04. I packed up then sat in the stand just to see when safe shooting light was gone. It was at 5:22 or 5:24. This really bites because the mature bucks don't usually come a' creeping until those last few minutes.

Leave it to PA to screw up yet another facet of hunting.

[slaw]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

I agree with strut, we have the same in Illinois for firearm season, and at sunset ther is 30 minutes of the best hunting afterwards, but you best have your gun unloaded at sunset which sucks, ive seen alot of deer on my way out that were killable. yet i hear alot of shooting going on around the area after sunset...I'm thinking , "am I the only one obeying this law?"

[horst]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

Not to ruffle any feathers but I did a survey a while back in here, been 4 or 5 yrs back. and on a couple other forums.I asked a simple question, if it was getting late and a deer came into range how many people actually took the time to check thier watches before shooting.The answers were interesting.

Bowhunters were less likely to see if it was still legal shooting hours then gun hunters were.Not saying bowhunters are unethical, Ill get to that.

Bowhunters were also more likely to be in thier stands longer, right up till dark then gunhunters, a lot of that had to do with different regulations from state to state and season to season.For instance here in Iowa up till a couple years ago gun hunters had to quit at sunset where bowhunters had till 1/2 hr after, things like that.If you have to quit a 1/2 before your much more likely to keep track of the tie then if you can hunt till its almost dark.

Bowhunting sights also made a difference, a sight on a bow viewed through a peepsight limits the amount of light and your ability to see much more then a scoped gun does.ost bowhunters viewed it in the sense that if it was still light enough for a ethical shot then it was still legal time.

A few took honesty a step further and said straight out they didnt check the time because a bow wasnt as detectable going off as a gun so they didnt worry about it as much.If they were a minute or two past it was unlikely anyone would know, including themselves since they didnt look.I dont view this so much as being dishonest as a simple fact, if theres a deer coming in and your getting ready to shoot you generally dont have spare time to check your watch anyway.

And suprisingly enough, many people didnt even wear a watch while hunting, they let the weather and light conditions dictate if they would take a shot.

Might not have been a scientific survey but I found most people answered it honestly without a lot of preaching about game regulations and it showed a pretty obvious trend in the view of legal shooting hours vs light conditions.

[whitetailkiller]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

i usualy check the local news if they say sunset is at 5:59...then last legal shooting is at 6:29.... if it is overcast and too dark at 6:15 i'll pack up and wait till it's dark to leave!!! i would probably get more deer if i would take those low light shots , but i don't want to hit something i can barely see!!!!!! that's just me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WIDeer4Life]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

not gonna lie, if i can see through my peep clearly im going to take the shot.

Kyle

[buckee]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

1. "What is your idea of when Sunrise and Sunset occur"?

I go by the internet time for my city when sunset or sunrise will occur.

2. "What is your states regulations regarding "Legal Shooting Hours"?

It's legal to hunt big game 1 hr before sunrise, until 1 hour after sunset.

You really have to watch your time on those clear fullmoon lit nights, because if your going by sight, you could hunt all night, but you would be poaching.

Heavily overcast nights, your always out a bit earlier, because you can't see anyway.

I think it's a must to watch your watch, and stay legal.

[MrWiggely]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

I never really thought about it Gary. I am darn sure that many times I was hunting in the evening after sunrise as I like to sit until dark, and when that deer shows up I don't check the time. I just get ready for the shot.

I guess I will have to pay closer attention to sunrise and sunset times.

Shame on me, I should know better!

Thanks for bringing this up!

Wigs

[VTbowman]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

[ QUOTE ]

1. "What is your idea of when Sunrise and Sunset occur"?

I go by the internet time for my city when sunset or sunrise will occur.

2. "What is your states regulations regarding "Legal Shooting Hours"?

It's legal to hunt big game 1 hr before sunrise, until 1 hour after sunset.

You really have to watch your time on those clear fullmoon lit nights, because if your going by sight, you could hunt all night, but you would be poaching.

Heavily overcast nights, your always out a bit earlier, because you can't see anyway.

I think it's a must to watch your watch, and stay legal.

[/ QUOTE ]

1 hour before and 1 hour after?!?

Is that in Canadian time or regular time? LOL

Man it is long dark by 1 hour after sun set in VT.

I am amost in bed by then. LOL

[Doc]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

Here in NYS you will not be arrested for shooting outside legal hunting hours unless you do it in a state parking lot, along the highway or while talking to a warden in your hunting camp. Why?....because with the slashed numbers of enforcement personnel, the only realistic and efficient use of a wardens time takes place within a few feet of his car. Further, a shot ringing out in the middle of a forested hill is impossible to locate and close in on in the times outside of legal shooting hours. So restraint comes only through your conscience and your attitudes toward the law. On the other hand, understand that in the failing light, you are shooting without full benefit of full light required to scan the background or near proximity for an approaching hunter and therefore breaking one of the main tenets of firearms safety.

Sunrise and sunset are merely a standard that is easily used. What other standard would we use? Or perhaps some feel there shouldn't be any time set at all. At least there is a clear standard set that can be understood by everyone. Not so when we, here in NY, try to find out what constitutes the illegal transportation of guns or bows outside of legal hunting hours. I know that some states require guns or bows to be cased. I do recall a NBEF instructor recommending that a padlock be installed around cables and bowstring, but he was hardly an absolute authority on NYS conservation law. If you started asking conservation officers, you would probably get as many different answers as the number of wardens you asked. I have never seen this situation defined. Perhaps some of you have and can set me straight. Also, when is a gun properly disabled for transport through the woods outside of shooting hours. If I have a single shot, break-open shotgun and a pocket full of slugs, I would be nearly as capable of taking a shot as someone hunting after hours with a fully loaded gun. So, is there something hidden in the laws that allows that situation? I really don't know. It is possible that if I were to purchase a complete set of conservation laws, I may or may not not even see it defined there either.

It could be that I have been breaking laws without even knowing it for decades.

Doc

[buckee]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

1. "What is your idea of when Sunrise and Sunset occur"?

I go by the internet time for my city when sunset or sunrise will occur.

2. "What is your states regulations regarding "Legal Shooting Hours"?

It's legal to hunt big game 1 hr before sunrise, until 1 hour after sunset.

You really have to watch your time on those clear fullmoon lit nights, because if your going by sight, you could hunt all night, but you would be poaching.

Heavily overcast nights, your always out a bit earlier, because you can't see anyway.

I think it's a must to watch your watch, and stay legal.

[/ QUOTE ]

1 hour before and 1 hour after?!?

Is that in Canadian time or regular time? LOL

Man it is long dark by 1 hour after sun set in VT.

I am amost in bed by then. LOL

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what the regs say, and on a clear evening, you have good light right up until that last 5 minutes, where the deer had better be at 10 yards or forget it. On a cloudy night, I'm ussually heading out 15 to 20 minutes before legal shooting time ends, simply because, it would be unethical to make a shot in the dark, even though the watch still says I'm OK.

There's still good light here 1/2 hour before and after sunrise and sunset. Just no deer ..LOL

[VTbowman]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

I hear ya. I have gotten down and walked out of the woods and still had several minute left according to the watch.

Just no way to ID deer when its that dim. Especially with antler restrictions now in VT.

I coulda shot a "deer" during the last few minute of legal but I could not see if it was buck or doe..

[Guest Cajunhunter67]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

I rifle hunt only!...My scope will allow me to see much later into sunset than my naked eye!!..I really dont look at my watch..Its pretty much an ethical decision on my part not to shoot...My conscionse would drive me nuts to make a poor shot and wound an animal!

[horst]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

[ QUOTE ]

If you started asking conservation officers, you would probably get as many different answers as the number of wardens you asked. I have never seen this situation defined. Perhaps some of you have and can set me straight. Also, when is a gun properly disabled for transport through the woods outside of shooting hours. If I have a single shot, break-open shotgun and a pocket full of slugs, I would be nearly as capable of taking a shot as someone hunting after hours with a fully loaded gun. So, is there something hidden in the laws that allows that situation? I really don't know. It is possible that if I were to purchase a complete set of conservation laws, I may or may not not even see it defined there either.

It could be that I have been breaking laws without even knowing it for decades

[/ QUOTE ]

Lots of times its up to the discretion of the Warden that stops you..In my case we get to hunt till 1/2 hr after sunset, if Im clear back in the section it can be well past dark when I come out.If my guns loaded when I hit the parking lot I could be arrested.If I stop and unload it 100 yrds before I get there odds are nothing will be said.Expecting someone to carry a gun or bow case throughout the woods every time they go seems a little extreme to me.I think most wardens are at least a little understanding that you have to get your weapon back out of the woods with you, thats why youd get so many definitions, some might arrest you if the gun is still loaded while others may let you unload and case it in the car without saying a thing about it.Like most game laws I believe they leave them a lot of leeway to make that decision.

[Doc]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

[ QUOTE ]

I think most wardens are at least a little understanding that you have to get your weapon back out of the woods with you, thats why youd get so many definitions, some might arrest you if the gun is still loaded while others may let you unload and case it in the car without saying a thing about it.Like most game laws I believe they leave them a lot of leeway to make that decision.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really don't like game laws or any laws that are so vague that you have no idea whether you are abiding by the law or not. Also, I don't like to have my license, wallet and equipment riding on the whim or attitude or personality of a warden. Set the rules precisely, make them clear to everyone and then enforce them.......period!

Doc

[Guest MIKEYnSHERRY]

Re: Shooting Hours or Seeing Hours???

dunno about most places but here in Oklahoma there isn't much you can see before or after that 30 minute time frame.

the prettier half of MIKEnSherry