Tony you refuse to see some thing I've tried to explain several ways, I don't give a fat rats azz what time some unelected over payed twit in Harrisburg says I can shoot a deer. Like lemmings off a cliff others do, we call them sheeple. As a hunter,and a damn good one, I will make that choice, If I can kill that buck I will gladly and happily do so. The "man" can make me pay taxes before midnight on March 15 but thats when it ends with me. I inhaled once, back in school too, its just the rebel in me I guess.
Big Big difference i dont stare at my clock in the woods and I dont hunt in the dark. I feel it is one of the deers time they deserve the night. But with that said I dont stare at my watch and like a whistle goes off.
Well played sir...i see your point . Although I would still take the shot but you make a valid point here.
unless there is a hard set time... then if I can see good, and make an ethical shot, then I am going to take it.
I can clearly see my pins and deer about 10 minutes before legal sun rise. If I hunt a field edge maybe 15. I have never taken a shot before legal shooting time but if a big buck gives me the opportunity I'll let if fly. Last week I had a buck come in a little late. I drew back and although I could see my pins the buck was not 100% clear. I didn't take the shot. I don't care what anyone says until there in the stand and in that situation they will not know. If you said NO......Ok let's say legal sun rise is 6:40. You look at the time and it says 6:35. At this point you can 100% see and confidently shoot. A few minutes pass and a monster comes in. Are you really going to check the time? Ok so you watch says 6:39. Your going to pass lol. Come on....really?
15 minutes before legal light. I don't see the need to reference legal light by states, because it's still 15 minutes before light. In my situation we get a half hour before sunrise and after sunset...the stand I was hunting has a two-track running through timber...creates a great light break and we had clear skies...I could see, could have made the shot. Obviously the question is still the same though, 15 minutes before legal light, you can see the deer and could make the shot...do you?
*GIANT buck walks by 10 minutes before shooting light and I feel confident in the shot* Not taking the shot = lose a ton of sleep for the whole season and regretting it for the rest of my hunting career Taking the shot (and connecting) = lose a ton of sleep from celebrating and a lifetime of seeing him on the wall Im taking the shot.
Then I assume this is just a curiosity exercise and not a serious statistical/research analysis. My bad. Where I hunt, the deer would have to be point blank to even see it 15 minutes before/after legal light, so no I'm not going to shoot it. I cannot in good faith ensure an ethically placed shot. I also only hunt during the legal season. Ok, I'm a law abiding hunter on these accounts. Are there other circumstances where I might be tempted to violate a hunting law...perhaps, this just isn't one of those circumstances. Speeding, yes, I have sped and have been pulled over many times. I've been VERY fortunate to have been shown mercy all but once and let go with a verbal warning. No bribes, PBA or anything else factored in, just the direct response, recognition that I screwed up and merciful officers.
I feel that the laws were put in place so the hunter would have enough light to have an unmistaken target and be able to follow hunter safety etiquette. So for me I never look at my watch. If I can see my pins (pins that do not have Lights) and I can clearly see my target, AND THE AREA BEHIND MY TARGET, I will take the shot every time. It might not be "Legal Hunting hours" but if I can make an ethical, high percentage shot then I feel there is no wrong in that. I feel it is more about ethics than it is about being a law abiding citizen. Could it be illegal to take an ethical shot? Yes... Could it be legal to take an unethical shot? Absolutely
You make a great point, how many of you law lovers think nothing about shooting that very buck in a driving rain, or walking @ 30 yards ? In my mind my shooting a buck when there is plenty of shooting light though illegal is far more ethical than some of the shots many of you post on here of taking.
So it is OK because it is not as bad (or unethical if you want to use that word) some shots other people might take?
I'm blown away that you think everyone abides by every law to a T. You have to acknowledge the fact that people break laws. You're ridiculous to expect people not to break some laws and I'm not talking just hunting laws here. And to add to the above, you can't say speeding or jaywalking or driving around a speedbump instead of over it isnt a big deal and then say that shooting a deer a few minutes on either side of legal shooting hours is a big deal - without of course being a hypocrite. (Because like it or not all those examples are laws just the same as game laws)
