The New Hunting Hours

[Doc]

Okay, so now you all have had an opportunity to experience the new hunting hours of 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. What's your opinion on on the safety aspect of the level of daylight at the two extremes of the hunting day. Would you feel comfortable taking a shot at the very beginning or ending of the legal shooting hours?

[buffalojay83]

Yep

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[dlgerow01]

Okay, so now you all have had an opportunity to experience the new hunting hours of 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. What's your opinion on on the safety aspect of the level of daylight at the two extremes of the hunting day. Would you feel comfortable taking a shot at the very beginning or ending of the legal shooting hours?

I have 2 different stand locations. The first one about legal dark it is too dark to make out a legal deer so I wouldn't take the shot. In my second stand, higher up on a mountain, I can see clearly 1/2 hour after. Know your limits and your targets.

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[rjrdomer]

Yes, I like having the extra 30 minutes on each end, especially in the morning. I shot my buck opening day 15 minutes before legal sunrise and there was plenty of light. No question at all as to what I was seeing. Also the full moon helped I’m sure. Most states have similar dusk/dawn rules, not legal sunrise/sunset. That said, in the evenings, given the terrain and trees I hunt in, it seems a bit darker earlier than 30 min after legal sunset, so I quit a little early. 

[airedale]

If I have a good sight picture and believe I can make the shot the trigger will be pulled.

Al

Edited November 18 by airedale

[GreeneHunter]

In the morning I feel more comfortable taking the shot , in the evening not so much !

[fasteddie]

I don't care for the change . I was sitting in the woods at 6 am . it was legal to shoot at 6;30 but it was dark in the woods . NO doubt it would have been better to see if ai was sitting on an open field edge . I quit at sundown .

 

[Daveboone]

I have always tried to be in stand well before sun up, and often stay well after...just so as to not spook critters as bad. 

Even with the old times, I often stopped officially hunting...but may still be on stand....well before legal stopping. With snow on the ground...big game changer. Overall, I dont think it has changed how I hunt.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Discretion must be used with all weapons. Location  and weather conditions play a Hugh role in determining  when not to shoot.  If it safe to do so and still in legal light, by all means.

I still remember my hunting instructors saying; remember once you pull the trigger, you can't bring it back. Make dam sure of your back drop.

[luberhill]

4 hours ago, GreeneHunter said:

In the morning I feel more comfortable taking the shot , in the evening not so much !

Agree, I’m just not crazy about tracking in low light IF they don’t drop 

[First-light]

No problem with the hours

 

[Moho81]

All depends on the day, conditions and where you are sitting. Inside the woods with no snow on the ground your lucky to get and extra 10-15 min before/after due to darkness. Open field no snow that might stretch out to 20 min. Now you add snow in the mix and there is a good chance that you can utilize the full 30 min before and after. 

That's just my experience anyways. 

I don't mind the change at all and think it makes since and aligns with every other state in the country. 

[Doc]

I specifically took note of the shooting conditions in the evening. Sunset was at 4:47. Add the half hour makes quitting time at 5:17 PM. I was hunting in a section of woods with a heavy hemlock overstory, and I have to say that if I had been shooting at anything at that time, it would have been difficult to even see the crosshairs in the scope. Yes, I could walk through the woods without bumping into trees, but a deer at any distance would have looked like a fuzzy shadow. I am happy that they made blaze orange/fluorescent pink mandatory along with this change in hunting hours. Walking out of the woods would be pretty scary without my blaze orange coat and hat.

I also wonder about finding first blood with a marginal wound in that semi-dark time of night.

[fasteddie]

maybe the DEC will okay Night vision scopes >>>>>>> 

[Hock3y24]

To be fair, we basically didnt pay attention to that time before the change anyhow. If its too dark, don't shoot. Cloudy and raining we are cut off by about 10 minutes on both ends of the day. Fields are pretty much the only place its light enough for the end or beginning of legal ive found. 

[Doc]

I'm usually packed up and on my way out by sunset even now, but I worry about walking out of the woods during that extra 1/2 hour that is now legal. The same feeling applies to the extra 1/2 hour in the morning. It feels a little scary that others could legally shoot in that kind of low light.

But on the other hand, it is getting so that you are not likely to be walking by other hunters with so few people out there these days.