Hunting hours

[biggamefish]

We are getting some differences on hunting hours, when it is getting dark, sunrise sunset etc. Now the only thing I can find in the dec website is sunrise to sunset for hunting hours. Which is fine, good enough but if you walk 45 min into the woods you are getting in/out way before light or after dark. I always thought you had a half hour before or after sunrise or sunset to get into the tree. If you can't hunt until sunrise or sunset we are all outlaws getting into our stands early in the morn before light.

Way to break the law guys!!!

[Dan92]

lol.. i think it just means you cant shoot at the deer/ game before or after sunset.. walking and climbing isnt hunting

[newbreed]

Ha! I was woundering how long it would take this thread to start after whats been going on in the deer harvest thread.

[biggamefish]

That is why I started it trying to get people off of the Harvest thread. lol

[bubba]

You can go in and out of a stand any time. But your gun can only be loaded during legal hours. You can sit in your stand until pitch black, but again you better be unloaded after legal ime, or your bow disabled. Otherwise, you risk a ticket for hunting before or after hours.

Edited October 19, 2012 by bubba

[WNYBuckHunter]

danc has it right. the sunrise to sunset regs dont mean you cant be in the field (or woods) or even your treestand. It just means you cant shoot deer before sunrise or after sunset. Mind you, those times are not consisent across the state, make sure you know your local sunrise and sunset times.

[Dan92]

also in this day and age almost everyone has a phone with internet on it.. you can always look up the time of sunrise/ sunset from your stand.. or even before you leave.. that way if it says it sets at 6pm and a 10pt comes at 5:55 you know for sure it is legal to take. or even take a picture or video on your phone of either the deer running or right after you lose sight or it drops.. that way you can look at the time as evidence just incase dec starts breaking your b@!!$

[newbreed]

i wounder how they deturmin legal hunting hours, i mean i know there is a set sun rise and sun set time. so i guess its like the speed limits, with that being said would the dec let it slid if you were something like 2 mins past the time. like if the speed limit was 55 and you pass a cop going 60 they more then likely will not pull you over, so where would the cut off so to speek be? 2 min, 5 min...10 min? what are your thoughts......and now i wait for someone to bash me.

[bubba]

why have a set of rules if they are just going to get bent every time? Sunrise and sunset are used as it is a pre determined time. Daylight to dark is subjective. What I may think is too dark, another will think it is fine. The other main reason for those hours is safety to properly determine your legal target and not some guy walking in the shadows at dusk. If you do not have enough light to determine by naked eye, you do not have enough light to hunt. If you rely on your scope, the light has passed by for the day.

[Doewhacker]

Thank goodness I don't push things to the limit so I don't have to worry about this stuff. I am in my hunting area after legal shooting hours and out well before they end, can't still hunt well in the dark.

[PREDATE]

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/

I've used this for a few years. Just enter your town/city. Shows for the whole month.

No excuses!! lol

[landtracdeerhunter]

By definition, a person is hunting even if they disturb or worry wildlife whether or not they result in taking. Was told by gun safety coarse instructor as well as ECO's that this is a "Gray Area" If they feel a need to issue a ticket, they will.

[Grizz1219]

That does suck though.... In Ma. we can hunt from 15 minutes before to 15 minutes after...

[Fletch]

I print the sunrise sunset chart every year out of the regs book and cut out the section with the dates for deer season and fold in half and cover with scotch tape. It slides right in with my tags and such and is there for quick reference.

If you hunt state land you better know the times. One place I hunt the DEC is usually waiting for me/us the first few times out and check licences, broadheads and ask us the time sunset is. Once they know it is us they do not bother the rest of the season. Since I hunt way back in I may not get out untill 30, 45 minutes or more after dark. By the time I pack up, climber down, pack climber and hike out or if I have deer near me I might wait for them to leave so I do not spook them so I may be even later. Or if I am tracking a hit deer, or field dressing or dragging a deer, heck I do not think I ever get out of the woods until well after last light! And there is nothing illegal about it even loaded unless the land is not specifically posted otherwise, I can be coyote hunting as well. The officer has never given me any crap just want to know if I know the time and why I am so late. They also told me once he has a ten minute cushion if someone was off a few minutes. Most of them are pretty reasonable.

On another note I hang my deer head up! The blood is not going up or down in a deer by the time it is hanging. And it gets too dark to shoot on overcast days in quite a few of my in the woods stands, especially with leaves on the trees. Just sayin!!

Edited October 19, 2012 by Fletch

[Pointer]

Hope not...I'm always sitting half an hour before I can see..lol...I love to watch the woods come alive

[skully]

I use to go in the woods at 430am. I am pretty sure you could go any time just can not shoot.

[biggamefish]

I think the guys that get tickets might get mouthy or give a crappy look. I have had a ton of run in on the water with dec and on land and never had a problem. Treat them like you want to be treated and all is good.

[crappyice]

Now is the rule you "just can't shoot" or "you can't have a loaded weapon". I only ask bc when shotgun hunting there are times when people I hunt with (not me of course!)would load their guns before entering woods (still dark) so not to have the loud metalic sound of loading the gun right a the prime time.

[PREDATE]

, heck I do not think I ever get out of the woods until well after last light! And there is nothing illegal about it even loaded unless the land is not specifically posted otherwise, I can be coyote hunting as well.

I was going to mention coyote hunting, but having a loaded gun after sunset is asking for trouble(unless dispatching a wounded animal).

If you're coyote hunting (in the dark) in a "no rifle for deer" zone then a shotgun may not be loaded with a slug, only shot.

Furbearer Hunting at Night

You may hunt furbearers at night, with or without a light, as follows:

• You may use a light, but you may not hunt from any motor vehicle, including an ATV. All laws pertaining to the use of a spotlight and firearm apply.
  
• If hunting without a light, the use of a light gathering ("starlight") scope is legal on any firearm listed below.
  
• You may use any handgun or bow.
  
• You may use a shotgun loaded with shot (any size).
  
• You may use a rifle chambered in any cartridge, except that you may not possess a centerfire rifle afield, during the day or night, during any open season for deer in areas where rifles are prohibited for deer hunting
  

[Jennifer]

By definition, a person is hunting even if they disturb or worry wildlife whether or not they result in taking. Was told by gun safety coarse instructor as well as ECO's that this is a "Gray Area" If they feel a need to issue a ticket, they will.

By the very strictest definitions, this is true, but you are very very unlikely to get a ticket based on simply walking in/out of the woods during non-hunting hours unless you are actively harassing or intentionally disturbing wildlife (and/or you are giving the ECO a hard time). Simply walking through the woods to/from your hunting area is not considered worrying wildlife. Things like throwing rocks at a hawk, actively stalking a deer or chasing a deer on an ATV, or messing with a turkey nest, banging on a den tree.. etc, are considered harassing/worrying wildlife.

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

Hunting hours change everyday!!!!!!!!!! You can google sunrise sunset new york and will tell you day by day ..Sunrise and Sunset

Edited October 19, 2012 by Bowshotmuzzleloader

[Lawdwaz]

You can go in and out of a stand any time. But your gun can only be loaded during legal hours. You can sit in your stand until pitch black, but again you better be unloaded after legal ime, or your bow disabled. Otherwise, you risk a ticket for hunting before or after hours.

How do I disable my bow?

[waterweasle]

How do I disable my bow?

cut the string

[Lawdwaz]

How does Pennsylvania do it. Legal hunting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour AFTER sunset.

You'd think guys would be dropping like flies.......................

(NYS makes bandits out of guys & gals)

Edited October 20, 2012 by Lawdwaz

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

How do I disable my bow?

I asked this question to a DEC officer ,, about being in your stand after dark.. I said what if I had deer around and did not want to get down and spook them,,, He said it was fine to stay in your stand ,he said if he were to come in the woods , he could determine if i was hunting or not?? Take that how you will.. I always put a arrow in my bow when I get in my stand in AM Cant shoot if you have bad eyes like me and cant see your pins anyway..Same as for dusk...