Sundown

[Chef]

This is a very heated argument! I think that we can all agree that the law is pretty stupid, I understand both sides of the coin, but I don't see a big issue with shooting within a few min of legal time..... I mean my watch could be set different then yours, yes cell phones have exact time but my phone and my watch are often a few min apart. I think the important thing here is just make a safe decision in what ever you do.

[jjb4900]

there's a big difference between climbing into your stand with the intention of staying as late as possible and shooting a deer a minute after your watch says it's quitting time........unless there's a way for everyone to perfectly synchronize their watch with the big watch in DEC Headquarters it will never be an exact science.

[nyantler]

I leave my truck at legal shooting time and hunt into where I'm going then hunt my way out so that I'm back to the truck by legal sunset... yes even when bow hunting... that leaves no grey area.

[irish_redneck]

When I was younger I used to speed, a lot. I grew up and got smarter, same thing has happened with hunting over the years.

[growalot]

Irish...you are wrong in your trespassing post response...it is ILLEGAL to enter any property not belonging to you with out prior permission...posted or not...it is in the NYS penal code and CLEARLY written on the DEC web site

[irish_redneck]

Thanks for the education.

[deerpassion]

2 minutes past you would shoot, but what about 5minutes? what about 10 minutes? what about 30 minutes? what about 63 minutes, like in my case where I could have shot my biggest NY buck at 530am when legal light was 633am?

Of course, I could have shot it and posted daylight pics with the buck and nobody would have known. But I would have known and not felt right about it. Just like the many guys on this site who post proud pics of their deer that were shot over illegal bait. Could I get away with illegal baiting or shooting before/after legal light? of course I could, but I don't do it because its against the rules and I am proud of the "legal" animals I have killed.

Again, I'm not saying I agree with NY's rules. I prefer CT and PA with the longer hours. However, when hunting in NY I obey the proper rules.

Think your a little confused ! At 5:30 am its DARK , not 10 minutes past/before legal time , but DARK... Not saying I'm condoning anything but your talking apples n oranges when you say 63 minutes past/before legal... So how did u have a shot at an 8 pt at 30 yds when it's , well, DARK ... Not fading light , but DARK lol... I get a kick out of this internet interpretation bullshit ...

[stoneam2006]

Think your a little confused ! At 5:30 am its DARK , not 10 minutes past/before legal time , but DARK... Not saying I'm condoning anything but your talking apples n oranges when you say 63 minutes past/before legal... So how did u have a shot at an 8 pt at 30 yds when it's , well, DARK ... Not fading light , but DARK lol... I get a kick out of this internet interpretation bullshit ...

I was thinking same thing expecting a edit to 630 lol 630 it's starting to get light here

[irish_redneck]

Think your a little confused ! At 5:30 am its DARK , not 10 minutes past/before legal time , but DARK... Not saying I'm condoning anything but your talking apples n oranges when you say 63 minutes past/before legal... So how did u have a shot at an 8 pt at 30 yds when it's , well, DARK ... Not fading light , but DARK lol... I get a kick out of this internet interpretation bullshit ...

Full moon

[BizCT]

It was a full moon and the ladies house where we park has flood lights that go on when you pull into the driveway.

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[Chef]

I'd say with in 5 to 10 min before or after is just a acceptable margin of error and I bet dec would give you a break especially within 5 I'd say with a bow it's pretty safe up to 30 min but I don't condone blatently breaking the law

[Jason118]

I'm just wondering if anyone knows anyone that ever received a ticket for shooting before or after hours???

[grampy]

Years ago I had a conversation with a DEC officer, and asked him about how he responds to early and late shots during firearms season. He told me flat out that he, himself, will not respond,up to fifteen minutes ether side of legal shooting time. Of course this varies from officer to officer, I'm sure.

If I am to be totally honest, I don't repeatedly check my watch(no phone while hunting for me) to be sure I am within the minute of legal shooting time. My first and foremost priority is to make a safe shot. And if that safe shot should fall only a few minutes ether side of "legal" shooting time so be it. Just throwing in my two cents, and humble opinion.

[deerpassion]

It was a full moon and the ladies house where we park has flood lights that go on when you pull into the driveway.

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Ok but just to be clear this argument/thread is about the " day light" surrounding legal time most notibly sunset ... No one said flat out poaching black as night if I am correct ...

[irish_redneck]

Gotta say I've seen nights brighter than some cloudy days. Are we talking illumination or time?

[Four Season Whitetail's]

I checked tonight for the first time ever i believe as to when sunset was down here where im hunting and it was an easy 20 minutes after that before i could not take an ethical shot with my bow and then another 10-15 minutes before it was totally to dark even with lighted sights. Sunset is a very stupid Ny law. Goes right along with the rest i guess!

[Elmo]

You can't choose to follow or law or not based on how you feel about the law. That said, I'm sure DEC will allow a few minutes here and there simply because it's tough to pin somebody for an exact time.

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[Pygmy]

It makes me so uncomfortable when people talk about intentionally breaking the law.

 

I NEVER break any laws...Well ALMOST never.

 

There was the time when I ripped the " Do not remove under penalty of the law"  tag off my mattress...

 

I felt SO cheap and guilt ridden that I took the mattress out behind my neighbor's barn in the dead of night to burn the evidence.

 

Then there was the arson charge....How the heck did I know that the burning mattress would set his barn and woodlot on fire ?

 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the time I got charged for indecent exposure for waving at that troop of Girl Scouts in the Walmart parking lot...  I got the ticket as soon as I got out of the hospital... Who would have thought that den mother had a black belt in Karate..??..

 

Anyway, other those couple of little incidents, I NEVER break the law...

 

[Ford]

I go by the time on my phone, and pack it in. Before these phones (lol) I went by my watch, could be a couple minutes off.

 

If a trophy walked by a few minutes after? I don't need or want any hassles while I pursue this sport. So I go by the letter. I'll get him the next day. Or not, most likely. Does not matter. I want some meat, and some antlers. that is all. Some people get crazed during deer season!

[jrm]

Always could google it, Type in: Sunset (the name of your town) and N.Y and it will give you the correct sunset,sunrise everyday. Besides it gives you something to do while your sitting there waiting for a deer,

 

 

You guys like taking the long way around.

 

Just about everyone has a smart phone. The built in app on an iPhone (I am sure Android has an equivalent) shows sunrise/sunset right on the notification screen (also shows weather, moon phase and other info). Easier than looking it up on a website (especially when you don't have access to a net connection). What also helps is that the phone will show a very accurate time to compare to the sunrise/sunset time.

 

 

Also, it is legal to hunt yotes after sunset. The OP never did say what he was hunting.

Edited November 12, 2014 by jrm

[incognito]

I faced this dilemma tonight.

I have a sunrise/sunset app on my phone. An alarm goes off based on my gps location so I don't have any excuse for not knowing the exact time.

The sunset alarm goes off. I was ground hunting so I start walking out within minutes.

I come across a small doe, so we start to play hide and seek for the fun of it and to see what kinds of sounds and movements I can get away with before spooking her.

I play with her for 5 to 10 minutes. I am not moving. She comes within 10 yards. I shuffle my feet, I nock an arrow. I mock draw on the bow. I never shot.

So my delemma is that I am part of a deer mgmt program targeting does. Last year federal sharpshooters were taking over bait at night with silencers in this town. I had the safe opportunity to take a doe within minutes of sunset to help meet the objectives of the program.

If another hunter was not in the woods with me, I might have shot. Or I might not have. It was a tough call. I do not know if I will make the same decision next time to be honest about it. It seemed foolish to pass up on a chance to reduce the deer population by one more.

[nyantler]

This is a very heated argument! I think that we can all agree that the law is pretty stupid, I understand both sides of the coin, but I don't see a big issue with shooting within a few min of legal time..... I mean my watch could be set different then yours, yes cell phones have exact time but my phone and my watch are often a few min apart. I think the important thing here is just make a safe decision in what ever you do.

No.. we all do not agree... the important thing is that we all follow the law and there will be no ambiguity which insures safety... using sunrise and sunset times insures that there is ample light for everyone... no guessing... we can not rely on hunters to always do the right thing.. which has been proven by some of the posts in this thread.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Irish...you are wrong in your trespassing post response...it is ILLEGAL to enter any property not belonging to you with out prior permission...posted or not...it is in the NYS penal code and CLEARLY written on the DEC web site

But unless it is properly posted the result is a warning. A trespass conviction or ticket will not happen for a first offense.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I'm just wondering if anyone knows anyone that ever received a ticket for shooting before or after hours???

I know a guy that that got ticketed during duck season a few years ago.

[growalot]

 

But unless it is properly posted the result is a warning. A trespass conviction or ticket will not happen for a first offense.

 

 

 I have to say...that all depends on agancies called...ie...DEC. Sherriffs, State troopers.

 Then it depends on what justice or Judge you go up infront of...IE...We have a justice that had to sell his land in another township...because he could'nt handle the trespassing hassel any longer...That was straight from his mouth to me...when I asked him to talk to his business partner about trespassing on me and to stiffen up fines in the area...regardless when land owners push..... it is the law

Edited November 12, 2014 by growalot