Spotlighting

Those that can legally spotlight, how do you feel that spotlighting compares to glassing before dark? If you dont have access(permission) to fields for glassing, does spotlighting replace it? Has spotlighting ever helped you kill any deer? I just returned from spotlighting a little over 20 miles roundtrip and i saw a whopping 11 deer with one being a confirmed spike, they must all be in the corn.

 

I have never used spotlighting as a scouting tool. Just don't have that man fields to light. It's a nice way to get pumped for the season though.

 

I have done it in PA before and i think its probably not a very good way of scouting, we saw mostly does and they all seemed to be scared on the light.

 

It's not legal here, I've done it in Texas and it was pretty neat... I can't say that it helped us kill any deer.

 

I see more mature bucks spotting after dark, than I do glassing before dark.

 

I used to do it when I was younger in WI. Now, I wish it was illegal.

 

If you had the fields on your hunting grounds and can do a drive by, it is a great way to "inventory" your deer/bucks. That's about it. It's a recreation that many enjoy here in PA but mostly it's on others grounds. Some love it, some loath it.

 

I personally don't do it now on the areas that I hunt. I have nothing against it, but I feel that with the evolution of trail camera's that we have the ability to scout more than I did 20 years ago with a light.

I do see alot more good bucks before dark than I do after.

 

before the invention of the trail camera it was a great way to see what you had around. Now I thinks spotting scares deer more. I still do it sometimes just not around my place.

 

Im not a fan of it, its illegal here anyways

 

Have you ever gone?

 

Yes, when i was younger my grandpa had a cabin in PA, and we would go spotlighting at night...we would see deer, but it want as exciting as it was too see them during the day,

Also when we go trout fishing like my brothers mentioned, we did a little last year, but not much

 

Thanks, just wondering. Like I said, it's a questionable past time. Here in PA, non hunters do it just as much as hunters. Unfortunately it's also viewed as a poachers tool but they will do what they do regardless of the laws. Some landowners don't necessarily like it on their properties as they want to keep "their" deer a secret but there is nothing they can do about spotlighting. I've been harassed by landowners as well as pulled over by the PGC with my vehicle searched. Of course it was unfounded.

 

I got ya Rob, if it was legal here in Ohio, i wouldnt be too happy about guys spotlighting my lands either...but if its legal, its legal