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 yesterday at 09:50 PM 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 >>>>>>>