I think what is being overlooked here, is that the 1/2 before & after sunrise & sunset rule, creates a situation where 99% of the time when those times are reached, you can't see(unles you area cat). Maybe if you are in a field on a clear night you will run into issues, but in the woods before the leaves fall....its a moot point. BUT just let me throw THIS out to you....up until just a few years ago, in PA our hunting time was until SUNSET! You still know how light it is at that time?
I've seen some things lately.... that I won't say sadden me.....but make me wonder how people can cast stones. I'm a pretty free-thinker. I'd MUCH rather take an ethical shot on an animal (legal or illegal)....than an unethical shot (legal or illegal). To hear a few of you.......you're more OK with the latter scenario. I mean....as long as it's legal! I don't care if you can see to shoot or not (or can make the shot). It's legal!
I have said this for a long time....legal does not make it right. to me, abortion is not right, but it's legal. me paying taxes instead of getting something back is not right, but it's legal. someone getting welfare from the gov't and never working while I go into the classroom and teach our future for next to nothing is not right, but it's legal..someone tries to break in my house and slips and falls and breaks their leg can sue me, it's not right, but legal......you get the point? I just don't see how anyone can claim they wouldn't shoot a shooter 1 min before or after legal shooting light...I question that, I really do. just being honest..
Pretty simple for me too. I know everyday when legal shooting hours are and I stick to them. Yeah it sucks. Yeah I could probably in some instances get a lot more minutes of "ethical shooting hours" lol. But that's just the way it is with me. I abide by what they tell me is legal to shoot a deer and I keep it as simple as that. And to your reference of big buck just after shooting light? Has happened on more than one occasion. I look at it like not being able to get it done during regulation. Another game tommorow. The thing that sucks is during the gun season I have to wait a LONG time to get out of my tree and head to my truck. There is still "enough" light left and that's about when you hear all the shots. Just after legal shooting light. I'd rather not get shot on the way back, but it's funny how many "illegal" deer you can hear being taken. However I'm not the ethics police here either. If someone takes a shot just after and was 100% sure they were going to kill the deer, I dont' really have a problem with it. Just something I don't do, but could see how people can and do.
A poacher is a poacher isz a poacher .... turning away from wrong does not justify anyones actions .... remember...."its just a deer"
you have the right to hold that opinion of me Tony. I still believe that in most cases, legal shooting here is at about the time I can see thru my peep to shoot...it most cases, I can't see to shoot and I assume that it's well before or well after legal light... but I go by what I can and can't see. again, I have seen it where legal shooting light was too dark for me to see....
Since PA has moved the legal shooting hours to 1/2 hour before/after sunrise/sunset the problem has been taken care of for me. I could not take an ethical shot outside of those legal times even if I wanted to. It's not even a matter of seeing my pins, usually at those times I can't make out the animal enough to take an ethical shot, let alone trying to make it out through my peep. With that said if others can and decide to do it, that is up to them. I'm not one to push my beliefs or choices onto anyone else. I'm not going to tell another hunter not to shoot a forkhorn if they want to so I'm not going to tell them when to shoot either.
Tony....Is it fair to bring up the thread where people (yourself included), justified retrieving a downed deer from property you were expressly told you COULD NOT enter? I mean....it's just a deer. Aren't you (and everyone else who feels the way you do) "poaching" (if you do that)? It doesn't bother me that you feel that way....IF you're also OK with the potential consequences (AND the monniker of "Poacher"). Right or wrong, I think we're BOTH smart enough to interpret the intent of the law. In the case of legal shooting hours, "I" feel the intent is to ensure hunters are taking ethical shots. I fell like I'm "good", there. I don't think the bodies who made this law were thinking...."Let's make sure no deer are killed a minute before/after (__:___) time." It's also (legally speaking) "Poaching" if a dog is used to track a wounded animal (in some states). Do you think the folks who wrote this law were thinking about this when they wrote it? I don't. I'm guessing they were thinking more along the lines of dogs running deer...and a hunter then shooting them. I would COMMEND someone who took a dog on a tracking job, IF that's their only intention (tracking a downed deer/animal). "Right" and "Legal" sometimes crash. Am I advocating every hunter be given the lee-way to decide for himself which game laws to obey or disobey? Tough question. I'd answer it by saying.....that each person needs to do what he thinks is "right".....AND be cognizant of the consequences (and be willing to accept them). Follow your heart!
Yeah it works both ways. If you are going to say when you break rules you are automatically a poacher then you can't select what rules you are going to follow and not be a poacher.. IMO. If poachers are poachers than rules are rules.
Has anyone actually set their watch to the EXACT minute of their State's DNR's clock? And does the GW have that same EXACT time set? we're splittin' hairs when we're start talking 1 minute...
No, but I do carry a GPS with me ( which has exact sunrise and sunset times ), along with the time And in all honesty, it is the hunters responsibility to adhere to the shooting times, NOT the DNR's. As for the OP's question. My bow/gun is in the case once Legal shooting time is done.
I generally pick asomething out on the ground (rock, pine cone)....when I can't see it well enough to shoot it, I get down. That generally is way early. SB
Since we are getting down to "rules are rules" & "poachers are poachers" Any of you ever kill a bird, chipmunk, squirrel with a bb gun when you were a kid? I'm sure in a lot of states by the letter of the law, you'd be a poacher.
Thats just making too much sense, Ryan. I'm sure some here have also cheated on their taxes, drove after a few drinks, etc. But this is deer hunting and its serious business. Bookem Dan-o.
At any given time in our respective journeys, Ryan (and if we were held to the letter of the law).....I'd bet we ALL could have/would have been considered "Poachers". I have no problem with that (designation.....given the context). I'm not preaching to anyone.
