How many of you use this as a scouting tool for bowhunting and where it is legal? In the coming weeks I am going to start doing this as I believe if used correctly it can be a great tool for early season success.
I used it more of a tool to get excited for the season. There aren't many areas that are spotlightable where I have permisson/own.
Dawg... it is actually illegal to use vehicle lights to 'shine wildlife' in IL. So while you can drive down the road and see them on/around the road... if you back up and swing the front of your truck to shine a deer in a field. That is technically illegal. So is feeding deer at any time.
It goes to intent. If your intent to light up the deer in the field so you can look at them... then it doesn't matter if it's swinging your headlights off the road or using a maglite or a million candlepower spotlight.
It is legal here as long as there is no weapon of any kind in the vehicle. However, spotlighting is the main tool used by poachers here so I have never done it. I know a couple of guys that do on occasion but they call law enforcement and the game warden to tell them when and where. It just seems to me like a good way to give people the wrong ideas about what I am up to. Many would not understand it as a scouting tool.
It's how you see ghost bucks,seen it on taps tv show... hehehe anyway how are you going to get a agent out of the house after dark??
Personally I could care less what people think I'm "up to". It's legal and all I'm up to is scouting deer. I know I'm doing nothing wrong and the law says I'm not so I'm not really going to worry about what other people think. If someone wants to call the DEC so be it. Come check me out. Actually I'd love to talk to them. I don't do it a lot, but it is fun. Gets me even more excited for the season and it is a good scouting tool.
Illegal in Georgia, but that does not stop it from going on all the time. We have several hundred yards of gas line right through the middle of our property. Nothing like the feeling of a q-beam hitting you in the face after dark knowing the cross hairs are on you at the same time.
Legal here and I do use it from time to time, but mostly it just gives me a general idea of is around the areas I hunt. Honestly though I wish they'd out law it here in PA. HUGE poaching tool and the roads turn into an absolute circus leading up to the hunting seasons.
I wish it was illegal in WI as well. Fletch....maybe I'm one of them. The only thing I see it helping with is know whats around your hunting area. I see it only as an entertainment tool. Could you explain how its a scouting tool?
we use to at one of the conservations here just to see the monsters out in the fields after dark, police wouldn't say much as long as we didn't have weapons and weren't messing anything up. There was never anyone down there that time of night anyways. Now there are subdivisions on both sides of the access road.
Just like you said. Using it to locate a target buck to hunt for the season. You could learn what food source he is using and where he is likely hanging out. I feel like I accomplish the same thing with cameras. Only difference is, you can cover a ton of ground in a single evening of spotlighting.
I can appreciate your thoughts on this. However, I sit on several boards in my community, coach little league, own a business, and raise two boys in a small town. The fact is, it does matter what people think about me. For me, scouting with a spotlight is just not worth it.
Dan when I have some time later I will explain it but I can tell you this it is beneficial in the early season. T
