Relax, I got a real nice look at 30 deer. It is legal here to go look and see what you can see. Saw 5 bucks and the rest were does. 1 forkhorn,1 basket 6, 2 pretty nice 8`s, and one monster. He was so far off the road that I couldn`t really count points but he was wide, pretty tall and looked to be pretty thick. Just thought I would share.

I believe that's illegal in some states, they call it "harrasment of wildlife".

But, I know that's how they count deer in the state parks here in VA to determine how many permits they can issue to deer hunters.
That's why they won't let you use those "bright eyes" to mark your stands.

Sounds like a good night of spotting.I still remember when my dad use to take me out before the saeson to spot deer.It got me all pumped up to go hunting.

We spot light all the time down in one of the creek bottom pastures where we hunt. You can really see some deer at night. Last year I saw a buck in one of my food plots before season that would easily have gone over 140P&Y. It's funny how deer don't normally even react to a spot light? You can just shine it on them and they don't spook at all. You can get an idea of how many deer are really on a place by spotlighting.

I don't see one thing wrong with it as long as you aren't hunting deer. We use spotlights all the time to hunt coyote and hog hunt.

--------------------------------------------
Hunting the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas.


Edited by - TxCowboy on 01/16/2002 14:28:56

Appears your luck ain't all bad. Sounds like fun seeing what's around.I'm waiting for the ethical policemen in this forum to somehow explain how your legal spotlighting "isn't the right thing to do."

I enjoy spoting deer...

I wish I could use a spotlight for spotting deer! Around these parts, farmers aren't even allowed to use a spotlight to check on their cattle! It's illegal to even have them in your vehicle. Geez....

Freedom Isn't Free....

Can`t even carry them in your car, that sucks. I have one with me all the time. Let me repeat, we are just looking. I take my two boys and wife out all the time, the boys get a real big kick out of it when those eyes light up green then he turns his head and all you can see is antler.

Your right on the money TxCowboy, it does let you get an idea of what kinda deer a certain piece of land holds. I think our best night was something around 62 deer. The 30 we saw last night were all in two fields on opposite sides of the same road. Pretty cool!

SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE BUSY LAST NIGHT, I SAW ONE TONIGHT ON MY WAY IN TO WORK

West Virginia is kinda crazy. You are allowed to spotlight, BUT only if you are on foot without a weapon. You can not spotlight from a motorized vehicle because then it is considered to be spotlight hunting with the weapon being the vehicle.