When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

Would anyone take a shot at a Buck when all you can see is its outline even if your pins are still visible?

Let me add a little to this also: You can't really make out the kill zone and it's a Sunday evening (you have to work the next day).

No, this did not happen to me but did to a friend.

If you have taken this shot, what was the outcome?

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

When legal shooting hours are over, it's too dark.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

KS...I've taken a close shot, 20 yards in closing light with only my top pin really viewable. It depends on the distance of the shot, how the animal is turned and how comfortable you feel. For me, the outcome was good. I got my buck, but if you think it's too risky..it probably is. Don't take a chance wounding him. Also, if you don't have time to do some tracking late that evening or even the following day, it's probably not a wise decision to take an iffy shot. Just my opinion. He'll be back if you pass more than likely.

kel

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

If all you can make out is the outline it is WAY too dark to shoot.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

If you practice in a variety of lighting conditions you'll know the answer. For me I usually quit with about 10 min to spare. Also if you're on a field edge it's usually brighter than in the dep woods.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

I have taken a shot when it was almost too dark. I could only see under my tree and the silouette of the buck. It was 5 yards and a perfect shot he dropped 40 yards away. However if you can't see your pins you have no buisness thinking about a shot.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

That is a good point MO, but that doesn't always mean it hasn't gotten a little darker before time is up.

Kcison- Just to make things clear, it was not me. You used "you" a lot in there and may not be refering to me exactly but just wanted to clear that up. I agree with you though, I just wanted other opinions. I was affraid he would wound the deer and then not be able to have another chance or itdie somewhereand not have the time to recover it. Thanks

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

Years ago when I was an impetuous thing[&:]I took shots later than anyone should. I learned after a few marginal hits and long tracking jobs, it just isn't worth it. I no longer check to see when sunset or sunrise are. I now go by the rule of, if I can't see my pins clearly it's time to call it quits. I used to stay in a tree until I couldn't see the ground. Now I get down with enough light to see to walk a ways in the daylight. I get down leisurely and amble out. There are other days and lots of deer. If I'm hunting dark cover, like a cedar swamp, it's often light enough when I get out to see deer in fields, yet it was dark thirty in the swamp. Cloudy overcast days it's too dark for me long before legal shooting hours have passed. If I can't see my pins well through the peep it's time to get down.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

I had a guy tell me I ran 2 deer by him one evening getting out of my stand ,He said it was still light enough to shoot and I said It wasn't light enough to see the deflections .If you do take a low percentage shot you will likly end up with a low percentage hit.I hate losing sleep at night b/c of doing something I souldn't have.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

derhhdhds

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

When you cannot ethically make a clean kill.

What's legal isn't necessarily ethical and what is illegal isn't necessarily unethical.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

True, but doesn't being ILLEGAL make it UNETHICAL? I know what you are saying though, and you're right.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

Really???? I thought illegal was illegal and we should therefore avoid it or work to change the laws, not use our own idea of what's right or wrong. From a hunters stand point and to do the right thing, I'd say illegal is never ethical.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

30 min past sunset is the final legal shooting hours here and you can see your pins really well as well as your target.
No, I wouldn't take that shot.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

KS..I didn't mean to seem accusatory, I was using "you" in general, meaning any of us. Ethically, if you feel it's too late and it's low light, then it's too late. Legally, if the state says 30 minute after sunset, then that's legal, although in my opinion and most parts of the countrythat's way too late to shoot.

How did I get on opposites side of this one...I'm usually Switzerland...neutral I tell you.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

So if a deer you legally shot runs onto your neighbors posted property and you can actually see it but are not allowed to enter it, you'd let it rot?

It'd be illegal for you to enter the property there for unethical?...I THINK NOT, The ETHICAL thing to do is recover the animal, not let it lay.

If you found a paralyzed deer, would you dispatch it, it'd be illegal but in my mind, very ethical....

Calm me unethical all you want, I'll do the right thing when it's not necessarily legal.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

ETHICS=deciding for YOURSELF what is right or wrong.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

Illegal and Unethical?

Shooting times end long before you cannot see your pins. Illegal and Unethical?

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

Depends on where you hunt. I'm a deep woods hunter. Legal shooting hours go way beyond what I call good light to see my pins. The questionwasn't about wounded animals etc. It was about how late to shoot. You want to throw in all sorts of off the cuff exceptions I can throw in the Bible says thou shalt not kill. Tell me you wouldn't go to war if called. Dispatching a wounded animal is one thing(not in the original question). Shooting after legal light is quite another. One is mercy killing. The other is macho killing. The law regards them as the same, illegal. IF I were to have a mercy killing you'd never know about it. Those who say they have one after hours make it a Macho killing. The simple fact you're still hunting after hours and in the stand is usually illegal and unethical or whatever you choose to call it. Sunset today in Baltimore was 4:48, in Boonville, NY where I hunt a lot it was 4:32. You may beable to see at 10 minutes after 5 in Booneville, but you're illegal. If you choose to have either a macho or mercy killing after hours you best be ready to pay the fine because you're breaking the law. Don't come in here looking for an Attaboy for shooting after hours because you felt it was your duty. I will dispatch a wounded animal in a heart beat and tag it, but not after dark.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

SOAP THATS THE WRONG ANSWER FOR A 17 YEAR OLD WANTING T HUNT GOOD LAND

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

For me, when it's too dark to see the flight of my arrow. This is usually well before I can't see my pins.

That's about the same time that all those little arrow deflecting twigs also become invisible.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

I think that's a greatdetermination of "Too dark to shoot" Christine.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

Soap, you really don't need to think about shooting at deer by moonlight. A hog or 'yote, maybe. NOT A DEER!

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

My only problem with Christine's way is that you don't know if it's too dark to see your arrow flight until you shoot an arrow. [&:]I don't use sights on a hunting bow, so I don't have to worry about whether or not I can see a pin. So I go by the rule,even during legal shooting hours,if it's too dark to see the deer's eye, it's too dark to shoot.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

I can tell you this.....

I hunted with Rob/PA this past weekend. We had numerous deer in my "ambush" site one morning.....(one being directly under Rob....and one being perfectly quartering away from me at 6 yds). We needed 2 more minutes to have sufficient SHOOTING light....."first" light, be damned. No arrows were released.

We had a similar evening situation when Rob had numerous bucks around him at dusk. I'd never worry about him taking such a shot (unethical). That's my experience.

I simply take my arrow off my rest and deposit it into the quiver when I think I can't see anymore. Hang up the bow....and wait to get down at an opportune time. It takes the temptation away. I also had a large bodied deer that was entering my set on a regular basis, last year.....JUST before daylight....at about the same time. I COULD make out the outline of this deer.....and I could see it in my sight pins. I caught a load of crap from a certain board member or two about whether it was ethical or not to take this shot (it was within legal shooting light). I didn't see the deer again....but I WOULD have made that shot had I been presented with it. I had a tag for buck or doe.....so that wan't the issue.

Only YOU (literally) can decide if a shot is ethical or not. I sleep well.

Jeff

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

That is enough for me.... too dark.... go home.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

On cloudy days it's too dark waaaaay before legal shooting is over!:(

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

If you are in the woods there is going to be under brush. You can still see the tree clearly but the under brush didapears. That is when I pack up. Usually about 10 minutes after sunset.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

when objects (trees, rocks, stumps)that arejust out ofbow rangestart looking like deer, it's time for me to put the arrow in the quiver. I'm usually on the ground by the end of legal shooting light (1/2 hr after sunset)

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

I faced this dilemma about a month ago. Had a deer come within 10 yards of my stand just at that point when I wasn’t sure if it was too dark to shoot. I drew back and tried to sight through my peep. I couldn’t see the kill zone clearly, so I let down my draw and, unfortunately, spooked the deer. It was a cloudy day and definitely within legal shooting hours, but too dark to shoot.

I don’t keep a stopwatch to see if it’s exactly within the legal shooting times. It’s either too dark to take a clean shot or it’s not. A lot of factors come into play: my natural night-time vision (which is about average), my skill with the bow, the distance to the deer, the angle of the shot and, of course, how much light there is, which is affected by cloud cover, moon phase, etc.

I’m with Rob on this. My ethics aren’t solely determined by what’s legal. Sometimes doing what’s legal isn’t what’s most ethical. Look at requirements to turn in Jews in Germany or Poland during the Holocaust. Was not doing the legal thing unethical then? I don’t think so. David, I am pretty sure you didn’t mean to make a blanket statement when you said “From a hunters stand point and to do the right thing, I'd say illegal is never ethical,” but I don’t think that statement applies to all situations, as you yourself seemed to indicate. If I saw a wounded deer suffering and it was after dark, I’d shoot it in a heartbeat, with qualms whatsoever.

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

KSBOHUNTR....there have been times when Ive sworn I saw outlines and movement...if you have toswear and try to make out outlines...its too damn dark!! Your hunting mind can play tricks on you in the dark....Its not safe!!

RE: When is it to dark to take a shot?
 

I totally agree! The only thing that gets under my skin is when people take shots they cant see or make! Ohiobuck25........perhaps you should answer this one????????? Have no fear fellas/ladies ohiobuck25 is 100% ethical and responsible!~