I had to leave my buck overnight last year. It was around 50 and rain overnight. Once I got it I processed it quickly and the meat was fine. I discarded some meat that was around the entrance hole and where the broadhead stuck in the opposite shoulder. Unless the temps were super warm I' d rather let them sit, as I really don' t have to worry about yotes.

Heat is the main problem here as well. It' s the main reason I' ve gotten so picky about shot selection. If I shoot one in the evening, I' ve got until about 2 hrs after daylight the next morning before they will be covered with blow flies and or buzzards. Late November and December, I have a little more time, but not much. That' s the main reason I want a perfect double lung shot every time. Fifty yards and they go down and I can go get the 4 wheeler.

Bobco,

I have never seen or heard of such a law against tracking at night (without weapon).

But just to make sure I just got off the phone with a Suffolk County DEC officer - and he also gave it the green light.

I also hunt upstate every year and have not heard of it up there also. It is common practice for myself and others to do this.

Maybe in your area there is a lot of night jacking, and sometimes the local officer in small towns can be a real pain in the arse

Thanks for checking on that, because there is some confusion. I know of a fellow that back in 96 I believe was caught dragging a deer out of the woods at night. Authorities were waiting at the car for him and his dad. They gave him a summons and he had to apprear in court. They left their bows back at the car and the official told them that it didn' t matter and the law stated that they could not be in pursuit. I believe this was in Chautauqua county. I was surprised when I heard about it also. This year I' m going to check with in the three counties that I hunt to make sure about it. Because it is something that is important to know ahead of time instead of when it is too late. After I was told this by this individual (who is also a graduate of Forestry School), I just took it for granted that is was the same everywhere in NY.

P.S. I just e-mailed the NY DEC the question for NY Region 9. I' ll post the results.

My son and I lost the meat to his first Buck last season!
It was early November and we had a warm front come through the afternoon he shot him!
I just had surgery and My tracking skills were on the need of fine tuning! We got the buck the next afternoon but the meat had gone bad
AL

If the temperature is questionably warm, why take a chance on meat spoilage?

Assuming predators are not a problem, just leave the woods trying not to disturb anything - don' t bother to track at all if you are uncertain of the hit. Eat, drink, rest, get additional lights, seek some help, and get the four wheeler or tractor if you can. Go back a few hours later and find the deer.

I' m from NY also, and have never heard of such a law on pursuing your wounded anmal at night w/o a weapon capable of killing a deer. I' ve tracked deer at night, and the whole situation all depends on the elements. If its warm you' d better take your chances, and not wait until morning. A friend of mine did this last fall. Hit a doe, couldn' t find her. Went back next morning, found her easily, and it was spoiled. Was in 50' s over night! Wish he had called me too, the dope. Another time,evening hunt I hit a branch I didn' t see, and arrow went through the paunch. I left the deer, planning on coming back in the morning. I caught the weather forecast, and was calling for heavy rains in early morning hrs. I called my brother. He met me at midnight. We found the deer around 3am. Unfortunately so had the coyotes alreadly, and they' d gutted the deer plus partially eatten a hind quarter. Deer was still fairly warm. So coyotes become another concern, but thats a chance we all have to take. I did read an article once of a gut shot deer, a archer decided to leave until morning. But he later decided to just sit in the last blood marked spot later in the night. He listened for coyotes howling, and followed them to the area, and recovered his deer. Lucky, maybe. But might be worth a try!!!!!

BuckAlley, like I said, I am hoping that I got some mis-info. Authorities are not always correct, and since it didn' t happen directly to me, I am not willing to confirm anything. I mainly hunt in region 9 of NY, and I have an e-mail into the DEC. when it arrives, I will post it.

BTW, a friend of mine left a deer overnight a couple of years ago because of a possible gut shot, temp was in the 60' s. We went back the next day, and found the deer had been hit in the liver and one lung. It probably died within a few hours, but he thought it was a gut shot. All meat was fine. None was wasted.

OK, here is the DEC reply:

Robert,
Thanks for contacting our website with your question about tracking
wounded deer at night.

You may continue to track after the end of shooting hours (sunset), as
long as you do not carry a firearm or bow with you. If the deer is
mortally wounded you can recover it, however it is illegal to continue
to carry a hunting implement.

Good luck hunting this fall,



Dick Henry
Big Game Biologist/Wildlife Services
NYSDEC , Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4754
Phone: 518-402-8867
Fax: 518-402-8925

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