RE: Is this cheating?
 

I see nothing illegal or unethical about it..at least from my standpoint. The guy used his head, and his flashlight, to make sure the deer didn't spook. Sounds like a smart guy to me.

On the other hand, try that in my neck of the woods and the deer would laugh as you walked by and then tell all their friends exactly where you put your tree stand up that morning.

;)

RE: Is this cheating?
 

ditto

RE: Is this cheating?
 

i dont think it is sincehes hunting in legal hours.

RE: Is this cheating?
 

I don't know. A couple of years ago we went down to a spot we camp in my back yard that deer travel through with the kids to clean-up some of our stuff before some rain came in and there were deer there. My son and I were able to get really close, in fact I started to get worried that we were too close. My son was only like seven and I was worried that he could get hurt. But, the deer I'm talking about have nothing to fear in the area I'm talking about. Everyone has enough yard that the deer stick around, but not enough room to hunt. Everyone has between 3 and 5 acres, but no one hunts in there. We were walking in quiet cut grass, but did walk up to them with a light in their eyes.
Also, I've never hunted with the guy but I do hunt some of the same private property that he does. I've never seen him breaking the law. Bow season he's got a bow and so on, no bait, no spot lights, legal hours.
Who knows?

RE: Is this cheating?
 

The idea does not sound realistic to me, at least in NJ.

First off, IDO think it's unfair on the animals bahalf to use a flashlight to temporarily freeze the deer until you get into your tree.

Having said that, I've used a flashlight to get my tree in the morning hours since I've started hunting.......Knowing full well that any deer in Jersey that sees a flashlight, even tiny ones(flashlight), is long gone before the beam even hits the eyes. Our deer don't tolerate lights very well. That's why I cringe every time I have to walk to a spot in the dark using my light.(and believe me its tiny, it's actually a pen light, just bright enough to see where I'm stepping). Even using the pen light, you get the occational crashing of hooves in the distance. I just keep saying to myself they were a buch of fawns.

I can't imagine a mature buck being hitfrom 50-60 yds(or less)with a light, and not blow right out of the area.

Maybe it's just my state.

RE: Is this cheating?
 

THE reason I posted what I did......

A couple of years ago.....a car load of teens were stranded....in a broken down vehicle. While they were waiting for help......they were shining their flashlight into fields and woods.....spotlighting deer (again....with a flashlight).

They were ALL cited by a warden who witnessed this.

RE: Is this cheating?
 

if its not illiagel ok, i wound not do it, seems to take the fun out of it all.

RE: Is this cheating?
 

I guess that the game warden was bored, as there can be no other good excuse for being a dink. Stranded kids flashing a flashlight at some deer and they get cited? The warden's namemust have been RIchard.

RE: Is this cheating?
 

Red Lion:

It's AGAINST THE LAW to spotlight deer in my district of NC. Period. He was enforcing the law.

RE: Is this cheating?
 

But you've got to admit, "The warden's name must have been Richard" is funny!