Sitting in my tree stand the last few nights and giving serious consideration to the question of how long I should remain on stand with dwindling light. Given that I'm shooting a long bow and admittedly not that great a shot, I couldn't help but think of the results of a shot taken in less than ideal lighting. The possible results of such a shot are less than encouraging. Did I hit the vitals, was the arrow still in, did it drop in sight, how much of a tracking job is ahead? I know what everyone is saying right now. "It's up to the individual hunter as to whether or not to take the shot." And I agree but I would like to make a suggestion that might remove the need to even consider taking or not taking the shot and it's this. Why don't we leave our stand with enough light left so as not to put ourselves in that position. No more "I'll just give it a couple of more minutes" thinking. And then there he is, about 70 yds. out. He's coming but will he be here in time for me to get off a good shot? He's in range but all I can see is a deer form. Can't even pick out the vitals area. Not the kind of scenario I would like to be in. My thinking on this matter could be skewed somewhat due to the part of the country I hunt, northwest New Jersey. Even if I hit the animal, backing out and coming back in the morning isn't an option as the deer would probably be found and at least partially consumed by one or more bears by then. We have a huge population and I have personally seen 16 in the two weeks of early bow. So, what say ye? I have chosen to leave my stand with at least five minutes of good shooting light left.

We all need to consider this in our hunts, ethics must be in or minds at all times. Tracking in the dark because of a bad hit is we want to do. Dick

When I was a kid I stayed out until I couldn't see the base of the tree I was in.

Now I make sure I have a known 20 yd distance and check that for visibility. If I can't make out details I'm outta there. Long before that point I am watching all distances to make sure I'm not getting busted (if possible) by one at 50 yds as I climb down.

Quite often this means when I clear the woods and hit the hay field I have about ten minutes of light for hay field stalking opportunity.

State sets the legal hunting hours - possible to be too dark during them. Outside of them, it is definitely too dark legally.

Easy decision here in NY. Done at sundown. Lots of lite left at that time. It may reduce some opportunities, but keeps hunters from taking questionable shots (as far as light);-)

In WI. the reg's time it out for different zones. Hunt after that...you're illegal.

I have no great desire to ever shoot an animal with a bow even close to dark...too many variables...I seldom hunt in the evening...and if I do not kill something because of that so what...this is not subsistence hunting I do

DDave

I get out of the woods way before its too dark to shoot. Probably makes the shooters with lighted sights mad.

"Easy decision here in NY. Done at sundown."

What an idiotic rule. It doesn't even get good until after sunset.

Glad I posed the question. Good to hear that my fellow trad hu nters think the same. Have to agree with Will about the lighted sight shooters. Should be outlawed as far as I'm concerned. And NY hours. I too have hunted NY and feel their sundown time limit is a tad too harsh as I'm sure it's flaunted on a regular basis.

see 90percent of my deer last 10 minutes of light. I stay till dark. doesn't mean ill shoot one when its too dark, but I stay till I cant see.

The paper says the time of sunset. I leave when the clock says so.

Yes, it's too dark when legal shooting time is over. I known guys who sit out way past legal time because they shoot lighted pins. DNR should if never allowed lighted pins.

I practice almost every night in the dark. I do a lot if pig hunting and most often these guys don't even come out untill well after legal shooting time. I'm not going to shoot a deer past legal time but if he's 15 yards and its legal I am. I do not mind tracking in the dark.

In Minnesota shooting hours extend to 1/2 hour after sunset. Even on the edge of a food plot on a clear night I can't see well enough to shoot at that time. In the woods, especially if there are still leaves, I can't see well enough long before the end of legal light.

I really wish I could see better in low light conditions, I've missed a lot of legal opportunities over the years, mostly at bucks. It seems the bigger they are the later they show up...LOL.

Pa. changed theirs to 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset to accommodate bowhunters more logically. That said, a person should know when it's too dark to shoot. Just like any other ethical standard, it can't really be legislated.

By the way, lighted sight pins aren't legal in Pa.

When you can't see to pick a spot anylonger and remember in the woods its sooner than on a field edge too.

If you been hunting long enough you should know a lot of things especially when you have pushed the envolope.

Thats why they have times to stop hunting by. If you obey them you can save some greif on yourself.

I stayed under the moon one night and I thought a big one was off to the side of me. All I saw was rack and a mighty one at that because I saw the side profile of an 8 that looked like all he had was points everywhere. Its was dark and I saw the silloet of his back. I came down on him a little lighned up his leg on his chest and let him have it. I knew he was hit good he was on the edge of a housing developmenmt didn't want to find him in someones yard so I backed out and got back there at daybreak and there he was 75 yards form the tree on the edge of the development. It was only a basket 8 was I happy but also disappointed. Thats what I got for shooting in the dark.

Many times when its to dark seen deer come in and that makes it hard to get out of the tree as well. Then they see you and you just educated them.

Same things can happen in the morning as well also to dark and they are in front of you.

Its harder to get out of your perch in the dark and quiet as well to get backed out.

Plus there spooks and monsters in the woods another reason to leave eearly from pitch black dark.LOL

I don't know if ive ever tracked a deer in the daylight. flash lights, coon lights, toilet paper, and off we go.

When it's too dark to see the quarry well and pick a spot..and too dark to watch the arrow in flight..It's too dark.

Most states have restrictions on when one can be hunting big game in the country ...usually dawn to dusk..or thereabouts..

Yes you can travel in or out before first light or after dusk..and you can actively be looking to recover a game animal shot legally..but your bow should be unbraced and arrows quivered..Jim

I hunt until the end of legal shooting hours, 1/2-hour after sunset in Wisconsin. It's seldom too dark to see at that time, though on particularly overcast days, it can become a problem. If that's the case, I just leave a few minutes early or don't shoot. There's always tomorrow.

We're 30 minutes after sunset as well. I find that I can always see well right up until that time. JUST after that it drops off considerably.

I usually pack up quietly and stay put until dark.

Half hour after sunset here also. Ohio puts the sunset times on their laws. 30 minutes after sunset for that day you better be done hunting and heading out. Sunset's a different time every day pretty much so best to check.

Actually lighted sight pins are legal in PA along with lighted radicals in scopes as long as they don’t cast a beam to the target no disrespect just wanted to clear that up. I normally stay on stand until it is completely dark even after shooting light I don’t want to risk spooking game climbing down.

Sorry, forgot, at sunset or even a half hour after theres plenty of light, if its getting dark on you you're hunting illegally .

It varies for me in. In some areas sooner than others according to light. If I can't see vines, limbs, other possible obstructions or broadhead, etc., that's as long as I'll stay up. Sometimes I get down a little earlier according to how finicky my climb down is.

I like to get down from stand and time my arrival back to truck at dark. I know the TV 'experts' say don't come down until you can't see the ground but I prefer to have just a bit of light to walk out. It might sound funny since we all walk into the stand in the morning in pitch dark, but something about nightfall makes me want to get out while I can still see. Also, I hate to shoot a deer with zero time left to trail, especially in warm weather. I likely spook deer that are just beginning to move but I don't care. My thoughts.

The LAW here says 1/2 hr after sunset . Usually in the woods I can't see well enough to pick a spot before that!

30 min after sunset but I stay put and walk out in the dark. less chance of spooking deer but been hunting same farm for 40 years not to hard to figure out where I am going in the dark.

I pick out something small on the ground about 15 to 20 yards out when I first get in stand like a leaf, pine cone, rock or chunk of wood and when it's to dark for me to see that object, I get down.

Law here says 1/2hr after sunset. On clear days and when snow on ground I have found this just about right for my comfort level any way. Cloudy evenings its too dark before that. Sometimes before the sunset time listed by weather network. I remember one time a 4 point coming out with about 5-10 min of legal light left. He came to about 10 yards of me, but on the other side of the little stand of trees I was in. I could see the other guy who hunted the farm heading out across the field and the deer stopped right about my one shooting lane and watched the other hunter too. Problem was I could see the deer, I could see across the field, but I couldn't see the small branches between me and the deer, whether he truly was in the shooting lane or not. SoI let him walk. Funny thing is if he had walked the other way around the stand of trees he would have passed me while there was much more light still, and a wide open shot. He chose well I guess :0)

I tend to get out of the woods about 15 min. after the sun has set and hunt the edges as I walk out. Gets to dark in the woods for these eyes, then I can, some times catch them moving so I know where to move the next time I'm out.

30 minutes after sunset for me in PA or sooner on those dark cloudy days in the thick pines.

Was gonna say as well that most times I will pack up a little early and hunt my way out, be back to the truck about legal light. Been trailed out by coyotes and they make me nervous. Rather have my bow out. After legal light gotta have it totally encased

Morrel of the story no matter what I haven't been shooting in dark anymore for a while there is to many variables and hard lesons all learned.

I just get down before its to dark to see at all.

We hunt pigs the same time we are hunting deer in Texas , so you can hunt as long as you want. Want you guys to know , I don't shoot deer in the dark but pigs yes. That's why I practice in the dark.

When you can no longer see a spot.

When I cant see the ground below me, lets face it most game wardens aint gettin outta their truck, why get down at "prime time" ..... But than again, I know alot of people who are afraid of the "dark" .....

Like Dan in MI, I used to stay until "can't see anymore". Now I quit about 15 minutes after the sun sets as this feels right for me.

I always leave a little early and hunt my way out, especially in bear country.

As Woodshavins stated - it's prescribed for us in NY. Legal deer hunting time is sunrise to sunset - and that's about 15 to 20 minutes short of good shooting light on either end. I get into the woods an hour before sunrise and wait out at least 15 minutes after so as not to spook deer that may be moving at the prime times.

I keep seeing "the law" this and that. My understanding in MI was if you don't have an arrow nocked you can travel to and from your stand and not be considered hunting.

Any of you guys ever tried shooting lighted sight pins near dark? No. If you had you realize the light from the pins drown out the darker target in those situations. If someone is telling you that, don't believe it because they are stupid or are lying. My goodness just another example of a trad bowhunter mad because he thinks the compound is an advantage, when the reality says a very different thing.

To the Op, if you aren't comfortable don't do it. I for one practice in the twilight and happen to shoot my best at that time. I equate it to not being able to see anything else to distract me. Try it. Understand, I have to have enough light to pick something to shoot at but, I don't need much light at all. God Bless

Most states are sunset or half hour after sunset. I've never hunted a state that says dark. If its half hour after sunset or sunset n you're hunting till dark you're poaching. Or do we now only abide by the laws we decide to before its called poaching?

mainly morning hunt and want enough light to see what I am aiming at

, don't hunt late (don't like messing with one after dark anymore)

just takes longer to gut and get out in the dark (guess I'm geting old)

I always walk out with my head lamp on for this reason especially on public lands. I know of 2 different hunters who have been shot walking through the woods in low light here in Ohio. One was a father who shot and killed his own son with a crossbow.

If I cannot make details of a leaf out on the ground I figure I cannot make a spot out on an animal to shoot. I may not get down right then but I am done hunting.

Now Dave...your just worried about running into one of those large black bears that frequent our hunting area in Jersey....ROFF

First, how well can you shoot in the dark.? A while ago some one on LW proposed a little test for us to try night shots. Some of us found it quite hard to achieve reasonable accuracy. Besides it ,for most folk injured game is not the objective of ethical hunting. Years ago my friend and me had an inquisitive fox probing our camp site at night. It would come in and if spooked would run off. After the fox did this a number of times we decided to both take a pot shot at him. Our only referance was his eyes glowing from the camp fire. We took the shots and figured we would find our arrows in the morning. Could only find one arrow in the morning and no fox. 3 days later we found the fox dead, quite some ways from our camp site. He was gut shot and had chewed off my arrow before he expired. I would shoot pigs after dark but not other game. OSR

Osr144 , you can shoot in the dark if you can silhouette the pig/ predator . Like I said I practice in the dark that's how I can soot in the dark. 15 yards I'm pretty deadly, if there is a good moon 20. Obviously I don't gap.

As stated, in MN, we can hunt for 30 minutes after sunset. If I'm out in a field, on a bright day, I can see well enough to shoot until about 10 minutes of legal time left. Sometimes 5 minutes. I then leave. If I'm in a dark woods, 15 minutes after sunset is the longest I stay. I'll stay longer only if I'm waiting for a deer to leave the area, but my bow is unstrung just before the end of legal time. I once had a huge buck come out, right at the end of legal time, and I had no thought of taking a shot. Many guys who hunt my area are still grunting away after dark. I call them poachers.

Joe

You might ethically choose to not take a shot in dwindling but legal light, BUT leaving your ambush position early advertises that you are there. In preparation for the next day's hunt I waited until long after sunset into full dark before departing and even then snuck out slowly so as to not let my quarry know I had been there. Use that opportunity to scout what happens after sunset and you may be able to set-up the next day where the deer will be earlier.

out here in the sagebrush country i hunt, i start around 10:00 a.m.. most of the deer are bedded by then. makes life a little easier and works well for the way i hunt.

Till either legal time or I can't see my target which ever comes first.

I stay til I can't see to shoot right under my stand. I have seen deer come in and I couldn't tell which way they were facing. Lol

You can't pick a spot on a shadow

I don't pick a spot, I make a spot on the silhouette and shoot it.

There are pros and cons to shooting gap and instinctive . Shooting in the dark advantage goes to instinctive , shooting bullseyes at 40 + yards the advantage goes to gap. I assume guys that can hit birds in flight shoot instinctive . I also assume those that can drill bullseyes at 80 yards are gaping . I could be wrong, because I don't know anyone who is that good .

I like the woods in the dark. I find it rather peaceful and just plain awesome! I like to stay till 0 dark 30 and sneak out like a ninja :)

Not that I am hunting as I have hung my bow up on many an occasion and let deer feed on by deep into the night before slipping out of my stand and sneaking back to the house. Just seems right to be there for me.

I have taken some really nice deer right at the legal limit as well so that weighs in on the decision depending on the stand.

Depending on the weather and cover, it can get pretty dark in NY at sunset.

“Thats why they have times to stop hunting by.”

Actually, I think this is one of those laws that has more to do with apprehending and prosecuting the jack-lighters, but …. Really. If they allow you to shoot until it’s dark enough for jacklighting to be effective, then how can they prove whether you were using a light to take your shot?

CT is screwy on this point. You have to stop DEER hunting AT SUNSET…. but you’re allowed to keep at it another half hour if you’re hunting coyotes. So after sunset, I’m out there after the ‘yotes.

This time of year, with all of the leaves still up, it can get awfully dark a looooong time before the sun sets. Especially on a low-light day to begin with. Not that it matters a lot with our closing time here, but I used to shoot the 3D course at the local club and a lot of times I got there at or near sundown, with not much time to shoot, but that didn’t usually stop me. Anyway, I have a very good idea of what I can do if one of those coyotes cruises by. And we do have bigguns out here. Actually, the local Audubon center has a display up about them and they are positioning ours as coy-wolves – not quite a whole different species, since they can interbreed with C. latrans no problem, but evidently the eastern wolf ancestry is reasonably well documented.

I’m never sure, though, whether I should stay out until well after hours so that I don’t bump a deer during (or too close to) legal time, or if I should still-hunt my way out while I can still see what I’m doing well enough to be quiet about it. They seem not to perceive us as much of a threat once it’s well and truly dark, but it has to be better if you can just get out very quietly without being winded and bumping them at all.

So maybe the plus side for staying in a tree is that if you do get a shot, the exit should be low and that can certainly help with tracking….

Like many, my state is 1/2 hour after sunset. In the woods I usually can't see well enough to pick a spot that late. In an open field I can sometimes last through to the finish. I pracice allot in low light conditions.

Sounds to me like Babysaph and Flash hunt like me. Flash, save your breath, those that don't know the "spot" is where you happen to be looking, have to have that gap to aim. Those that don't gap just need a slight bit of reference to pick their spot of intent by just looking at it. It's the beauty of not needing the point or the gap to hit what you shoot at and what makes instinctive shooting deadly. I use dark shooting to work on form. It works great. God Bless.

"A man's got to know his limitations." Inspector Harry Callahan

.... you learn a lot more about game if you sit till way after dark. Distance, depth perception are basically the same --- shoot the silhouette (damn, Flash...I had to go back to your post to figger' out how to spell that word .... and I minored in English. I get a kick out of everyone talkin about "legal shooting time" .... hey-- news flash: IT'S LEGAL TO BUY AN ARCHERY STAMP AND GO HUNT--NO QUESTIONS ASKED, NO PREP NECESSARY

The rule book says 1/2 hour after sunset, but I like to make sure I'm back in the cabin with the door locked before all those scary night creatures come out! A guy could poke his eye out constantly looking over his shoulder in the dark. LOL!

I hunt til the end of legal shooting light

Where I live, there's no point in shooting deer you can't recover until morning. All the coyotes will leave you are the bones.

Wow, OSO. You must have fantastic night vision.

I might not leave the stand but I prefer not to shoot whitetails in low light situations. Just to many things can go wrong. Where I hunt, tracking in good light is tough, but in the dark its next to impossible. 20 to 30 minute after sunset is my limit and that depends on weather I'm hunting on the fringe or in deep cover. Its a personal thing for sure. Good luck and shoot straight.

Many have weighed in and a lot of us agree. Here the legal hours are 30 before sunrise to 30 after sunset. Honestly I sit until I can't see much beyond me. I have passed on several shot opportunities sitting that late, but I also like to know I am not getting busted on the way out. The second part of that is if a nice shooter walks out late more then once I may change my location and try catching them at a spot further up the trail. It all has to do with scouting and mind set. - Bones

Bones - Agreed. Several times I've moved stands farther "upstream" to intercept an After Dark deer in a spot they like when it's still light enough to shoot...

And you don't always find out about those deer unless you're on stand well after hours....

But FWIW, my night vision ain't what it used to be...

Ad one thing for "instinctive" shooters to keep in mind... Your vision is sharpest where you have no black&white vision, which is the only kind that WORKS in the dark, so you do have to learn how to shoot when you cannot see exactly what you're looking at.. Not AT ALL... Exactly the opposite of how "Instinctive" is supposed to work.

I learned how to hit a white bullseye on a dark target by loosing the arrow when the bullseye disappeared... Pretty Zen, really... You only know you're looking right at it when you can no longer see it....

But deer don't have white spots on 'em...

Stykman -- no "night vision" ...... pick a day when a 3/4 moon or better is at about 10 O'clock high right at beginning dark. Sit, watch, learn, enjoy. I understand "legal shooting light"...but remember, it's also "legal" for any un-educated newbie to buy an archery stamp and go slingin' arras' at anything........ so..... "legal" to me, is a relative thing --- and many times it's a stupid thing.

VERY good point DryBones and GF ---- my point perzackily.

I hate shooting anywhere near dark, although I have done it plenty of times in the past. It's the job after the shot that keeps my fingers off the string at that time of the day anymore. I hated doing that work in the dark when I was younger and now, I really hate it!. It would take something like a piebald to get me to loose an arrow at dusk anymore.

OSO. Must have missed that part in the NJ regs that says I can pick and choose which laws and regs I'm free to disregard. Glad you've put me on the right track to becoming an ethical hunter.

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