Question
 

This evening I had my first hunt on our new farm. Saw some deer and turkeys both, great hunt! Very cold at 3 degrees and wind chill at -11. This is the coldest I have even been!

Well, I called a young group of 6 birds to within 20 yards of myself sitting in my climber, I only have 2 arrows in my quiver because I have already lost 2 arrows this year to kill shots on does. Anyway, I shoot one at the turkeys, and I missed low. I take my last arrow and barely miss to the left. The darn things didnt even run away, just starting feeding in the corn! This all happened at 12:30 this afternoon. I stayed in stand until 4:30, then left. My question: Since I didnt have any arrows left in my quiver, was I legally hunting? Lets say I had deer around me, and didnt want to spook them, so I stayed in my stand. Then returning to my truck, have a CPO waiting for me, saying I was hunting past shooting hours. What would I have said? (this didnt happen, I got out early to find my dang arrows ...and GET WARM!)

The things you think of when you cant feel your fingers and toes!

RE: Question
 

In IL you aren't considered hunting when you're walking out of the woods at night... as long as you don't have an arrow nocked.

I've stayed in my stand past legal shooting hours if deer are around. I just put the arrow in the quiver and lower my bow. Then I usually end up scaring them off anyhow because they just hang around and tease me. Stupid deer. [>:]

RE: Question
 

Thats a good question! I think here in Minnesota we have until 1/2 after sunset and the bows have to be cased then. I've stayed out longer many times just because I had deer with in seeing distance of my stand and didn't want them to know I was there so I just sat there and waited till they were gone. Legal or not its something I'll always do on private land anyways!

RE: Question
 

Yeah, I thought it was a good question too! I can def. see both sides.

I mean , I am hunting, but I cant harvest. Maybe the CPO would focus on my intent of having the bow?

Makes for a good discussion!

RE: Question
 

and who is to say yo did not go on a two hour hike on the way back :D:D:D:D:D

RE: Question
 

What if you shot a nice Doe right before dark and you had to wait 30 minutes for it to expire and it got dark on you,then it took another 30 minutes for you to find it and another 30 minutes to field dress it...now it is 1 1/2 hours after dark do you feel guilty?Heck no...you shot it at daylight and it took you a while to get your deer.Thats were honest ethics come into place!

I have walked back home from hunting many times after it got dark and I just put my arrow or arrows back in the quiver and carry it with my left hand and my flashlight is in my right hand.Now if I would walk back and a Conservation Agent is standing on my front porch and wants to see my tags after I got back from hunting I better have an Archery Tag on me! ;)

RE: Question
 

HNI CHRISTINE----I agree with you on the "no nocked arrow" --thats how I read the law. Think back a few years ,Didnt the law in Illinois at one timesay the bow had to be in a case or somehow made inopperable[padlock on string]. Just wondering because for some reason I think I remember that.

RE: Question
 

if it is shooting time i will drop one or even have my arrow nocked even if it might be after shooting time because here you can do not have to be out before that time just not be hunting.