Didn't want to start a tangent post... I'll start a new one.

[Grizz1219]

What is the states reasoning for Sunrise to Sunset hunting hours??? The 1 good thing my state does is a half hour before to a half hour after... If it was a safety thing, go with hunter orange.... It's the best hour of the day and we can't hunt then... Thoughts... comments... reasons the state does it....

[JimmyDaSavage]

Can't answer your question but I love when I hunt big game in Vermont that it is also half hour before and half hour after. Coyote Hunting is all year round at anytime of the day as well.

[growalot]

Don't know ..but NYS hasn't always had the best gun season safety record from what I understand.....

[ants]

Dont know either...Water fowl and turkey is a half hour before but not deer??? Im sure its a safety thing.

[BaldguyLee]

Oh Man, those hours cost me what would have been my first Buck ( and bow kill period ) yesterday !! I got to my spot and settled in by 7:05 AM, sunrise was to be 7:35. At 7:10-7:15 I heard a twig snap almost behind me and I turned on my chair to see a deer at 15yds and closing. He stopped at about 10 yds and we watched each other for about 10 minutes. He was perfectly broadside for half that time. He had at least four points, and never spooked while I SLOWLY got my release out of my pocket and reached for my bow at my feet. As I bent for my bow, another deer crashed in the woods farther away and 'my' deer walked off to investigate.

That was my first time out with a bow. I guess had I been ready and legal time, it may have spoiled me to have success in my first five minutes. Sure was exciting though.

Anyway, at 1/2 hr before legal time, I could see fine.

[BaldguyLee]

Oh, and by the way, my bow on the ground at my feet did not have an arrow nocked yet.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Oh Man, those hours cost me what would have been my first Buck ( and bow kill period ) yesterday !! I got to my spot and settled in by 7:05 AM, sunrise was to be 7:35. At 7:10-7:15 I heard a twig snap almost behind me and I turned on my chair to see a deer at 15yds and closing. He stopped at about 10 yds and we watched each other for about 10 minutes. He was perfectly broadside for half that time. He had at least four points, and never spooked while I SLOWLY got my release out of my pocket and reached for my bow at my feet. As I bent for my bow, another deer crashed in the woods farther away and 'my' deer walked off to investigate.

That was my first time out with a bow. I guess had I been ready and legal time, it may have spoiled me to have success in my first five minutes. Sure was exciting though.

Anyway, at 1/2 hr before legal time, I could see fine.

Better luck next time. But at the least, You know you have a nice deer running around.

[G-Man]

Simple, tradition, and politics. The thing most people want, and hate. Monday opener, no sunday hunting, don't kill does. Separate seasons, traditional seasons,primitive seasons. When your hunting is controlled by politics, and lawmakers influenced by lobbiests and not a separate game commission what do you expect?

[Doc]

I understand that the closer to dark we can hunt, the more active the deer are likely to be. But there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Weather conditions can heavily impact visibilty and actual safe and practical hunting light available. I've seen some cloudy, drizzlly days when the sunset or sunrise rule was even a bit questionable. I think I am pretty happy with the way things are.

[fasteddie]

I will stick with the given times in the area I hunt . About the time I shot early , i'd have a DEC guy tapping me on the shoulder . I would imagine the rules are there for our safety . A lot of folks don't use common sense and would probably shoot in the dark if a line wasn't drawn .

[verminater71]

the law is insane...just like most of the dec laws

they must not care or dont patrole the southern zone....last year i heard 100shots before sunrise

i mark the first shot every year last year was 6:20am 40 min before sunrise

why is it illegale to keep a shed antler on state land?? DEC just can't get it right

[Doc]

the law is insane...just like most of the dec laws

they must not care or dont patrole the southern zone....last year i heard 100shots before sunrise

i mark the first shot every year last year was 6:20am 40 min before sunrise

why is it illegale to keep a shed antler on state land?? DEC just can't get it right

I do the same thing regarding noting the times when the first shot is fired. I have to say that most of the time, I have absolutely no idea of what they are shooting at or how they can even determine that what they are shooting at is actually a deer. That just gives you an idea of what things might be like if there was not some kind of reasonable limit regarding start and stop times.

[mike rossi]

And who speaks to the DEC for us, the stakeholders? Did I hear the NYSCC and the CFAB and the FWMB? And how does one get on the CFAB & FWMB - they are appointed by politicians and do not need to have any formal education in conservation.

Before the trained DEC staff is blamed for outrageous policies, consider the recommendations and outright demands of these advisory boards...

[WNYBuckHunter]

A large objective scope with quality glass does wonders for seeing animals and detail in very low light. Youd be surprised at how often I dont even need my light after getting a bead on a predator at night.