Shooting times and ethics
 

Your game commision establishes shooting times; ie. half hour before sunrise to sunset. How close do you obey? Today, I heard shots after 5 pm, at least 23 minutes past legal time.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

nj has a table showing sunrise/sunset. i use this table to decide what time to wake, leave, and be in stand in the morning. i also like to be in the stand 2.5-3 hours before sunset, so i use it for that. i dont use it at all for shot choices. if i can clearly see the target through the sights, and i am confident, i will shoot. then i will look at my watch.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

Problem is that the deer come out after,not before sunset and usually just after sunset, and what of that deer that comes by your stand just before sunrise, where you have been sitting silently for an hour or so? This is the ultimate ethical test; does anyone have a perfect record? Anyone???

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

I will shoot anything as long as I can still see. I don't care about all this sunrise/sunset BS.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

i have a perfect record.....our time is 1/2 hr before sunrise(cant see jack) but the sunset rule i dont know...i just might slip on that one....if i can see i will shoot...but if i cant solidly identify my target im not shooting....

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

If i can identify my target as a deer, i will shoot. IF i have any doubts of what it is i will let it pass. For night hunts i am gone once i cant see my uncle who is about 60 yards from me.

Tim

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

In Maine starting this year we could shoot up until l/2 hour after sunset. I was surprised by how little shooting I heard after sunset. We had only 3 accidents the entire season. It was one of the safest ever even with the extended hours.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

If I can see him thru my 56mm scope I'll shoot.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

I do not wear nor carry a watch, I go by the amount of shooting light I have, as long as I can see my sights I am on stand and shooting.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

get in stand when its dark
leave stand when its dark

in between those times "if i can see it, i can shoot it"

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

When I was younger and my eyes were in better condition I could have taken advantage of only a few precious minutes that would have been outside the "recommended" shooting hours. I hunt almost exclusively in thick cedar swamps where light is at a premium all the time. I find now that if it is even a little overcast I pack up and leave even BEFORE the the alloted time to leave....same goes for the morning hunt...I ususally can't shoot ethically (because of my older eyes) until about 10 minutes after the prescribed time after legal morning shooting hours. For me it is not an issue. I think one time when I was 21 yrs old I shot a buck about 5 minutes after the prescribed evening stopping time. However I could see him clearly, knew what was beyond... and could make the shot with ease. I was illegal by the law. It was a good shot that I would take again.....if my eyes were 21 yrs old!

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

We've got from 1/2hr before sunrise to 1/2 after sunset then the gun has to be cased. Unless I'm on the hydro line its usually dark enough that its hard to see anything at that time so a chance for a shot would be low. Hard to say what I do as I haven't seen one of our CO's during the hunt in 15yrs.

Crawdaddy

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

I set the alarm on my watch for the last legal minute , then out of the woods . I had to back off from a shot once because of this , it was not legal anymore .

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

I havn't had the oppertunity to shoot before or after legal times. But id I had a good shot I probably would, Nothing questionable.

It probably depends where you are set up too. If you have a snow covered ground across a field, you'll probably be able to see in low light conditions a lot better than in a dark woods filled with weeds and brush.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

So outside of Kevin and one other, the rest of you would break the law. One could say the only difference between you and a poacher is an hour? Who is the law for?

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

I don't wear a watch in the stand; I stay in my stand until its too dark to see. If I can clearly see my target I will take the shot.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

About 10 years ago, I shot a coyote about 15 minutes after shooting time one evening and within 5 minutes had a darn helicopter hovering over my head with a very bright spotlight. I showed them the coyote and they went on their way. They could have got me for the coyote but I guess they figured it wasn't worth it. After that experience, I carry a watch and know the legal hunting times.
Now, it's not a problem, I can barely see to shoot in the legally alloted time, another reason for you guys to wear your orange.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

great point mike! what is the difference between 10 minutes after legal time and and 1am? THERE ISNT A DIFFERENCE! if you shoot after legal time or befoer legal time, its poaching. simple as that. all you preachers talking about "ethics" and is this "ethical" and im not "unethical" (im so tired of hearing that term) like a buch of little girls that learned a new word....... makes me sick!

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

I have a tritium pin on my bow which quite nicely follows shooting light almost to the minute (for my eyes anyway). When I can't see the pin, it's over.

I will admit, I killed a huge doe after legal shooting light (by about 10 minutes) many years ago but got a bad shot on her. I did find her the next day, but don't like the guilt associated with breaking the law. Won't do that again, gun or bow.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

very well put eastwood. i am soooooooooooo tired of this "ehtical" vs. "non-ethical" sh*t

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

Splitting hairs, again are we. Or just looking for another reason to throw rocks at each other.......

I'm done.
I'm outta here.

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

I tend to push the starting time to anytime I can get a good sight/shot, I'll take it. However, in my experience, that's not much before legal time anyway.

As for sunset. I tend to be very conservative. It can be a royal pain in the ass to find and take care of an animal in the dark. But, again, to me the question is can you get a good sight and shot, and have a good chance of tracking. If you dont' think you can track at night, don't take the shot!! -zeke

RE: Shooting times and ethics
 

I should clarify the last statement: If you don't think you can do an excellent job of tracking in the dark, don't take a shot anytime even close to the end of legal shooting. Never take a shot after the end of legal shooting. -zeke