I was wondering about......

[First-light]

While we have some time to let another snow storm pass, I was wondering about shooting % and deer taken.

so you sitting in the woods on any given day of season and hear 20 shots. I wonder how many deer were taken with those 20 shots.

I have often thought about this particularly on opening day. Last year I shot 3 times at a doe and got her. Took 3 more shot with the smoke pole and missed each time.

I had gun issues at the time. So for the season  I'm batting 166% yikes-not good! (of course this assumes 1 shot kills the deer)

[G-Man]

Well i hear a lot less shots than i heard 10 years ago, now wether there are less deer being taken,less huters, or the change from shotgun to rifle increased accuracy i can't say..

[Dave]

often had that same thought especially on opening day. There are only so many bucks in a given area and you hear many shots. Does that mean all the bucks have been killed? Are my chances for success diminished because of the shots I have heard? Or are they shooting at does to fill dmp? No one really knows for sure but it does put some negative thoughts in ones head. Something to contemplate!!

Dave

[nyantler]

If there were as many bucks killed as shots i here on opening day.. there wouldn't be many deer left in the woods..lol I'm thinking kill ratio is LOW

[SplitG2]

well since most deer are killed during the opening weekend, I would say 40%?  Every opening day I play to games:  what time the first shot rings(unfortunately before legal shooting time) and how many shots I can count(I usually stop at 100).

[arrowflinger]

well since most deer are killed during the opening weekend, I would say 40%?  Every opening day I play to games: what time the first shot rings(unfortunately before legal shooting time) and how many shots I can count(I usually stop at 100).

We have a pool for first shot....and yes, it is always illegal. >

[Dave]

Question you see a buck clear as day 50 yards from your stand. You put him in your sights and he is a nice 8pt. But wait it's not legal shooting time, what do you do?

Dave

[arrowflinger]

Question you see a buck clear as day 50 yards from your stand. You put him in your sights and he is a nice 8pt. But wait it's not legal shooting time, what do you do?

Dave

Illegal is illegal, friend. 

I would take no joy in killing a nice 8pt illegally.....or any deer, for that matter.

[Dave]

Question you see a buck clear as day 50 yards from your stand. You put him in your sights and he is a nice 8pt. But wait it's not legal shooting time, what do you do?

Dave

Illegal is illegal, friend. 

I would take no joy in killing a nice 8pt illegally.....or any deer, for that matter.

I know it is illegal. It was a question what would you do in this situation.

Dave

[First-light]

50 yards too far, I wouldn't shoot. I think it should be put as "It's the gray zone on opening day" the time where you can see fine with your scope but it's not just yet legal hunting time (6:20ish.) Wow out walks the buck of a life time within 20 yards, what do you do. I would shoot.

[arrowflinger]

Question you see a buck clear as day 50 yards from your stand. You put him in your sights and he is a nice 8pt. But wait it's not legal shooting time, what do you do?

Dave

Illegal is illegal, friend. 

I would take no joy in killing a nice 8pt illegally.....or any deer, for that matter.

I know it is illegal. It was a question what would you do in this situation.

Dave

Had to pass nice deer at both ends of the day before due to the time, and not the light.  I'm sure it'll happen again, too.

Rules are rules.

[First-light]

Question you see a buck clear as day 50 yards from your stand. You put him in your sights and he is a nice 8pt. But wait it's not legal shooting time, what do you do?

Dave

Illegal is illegal, friend. 

I would take no joy in killing a nice 8pt illegally.....or any deer, for that matter.

I know it is illegal. It was a question what would you do in this situation.

Dave

Had to pass nice deer at both ends of the day before due to the time, and not the light.  I'm sure it'll happen again, too.

Rules are rules.

I give you a lot of credit!

[Dave]

50 yards too far, I wouldn't shoot. I think it should be put as "It's the gray zone on opening day" the time where you can see fine with your scope but it's not just yet legal hunting time (6:20ish.) Wow out walks the buck of a life time within 20 yards, what do you do. I would shoot.

A truthful man. Who wouldn't shoot, really.

Dave

[nuynai]

That's why I always pray for snow.  Banned a guy from my property, as he shot 10 X, got out of the stand once.  OK, so now we have, say 8 does wounded, each carrying 2 fawns.  That' s a total of 24 less deer for next year, and so on, and so on, not only having the ones wounded, suffering a slow, painful death.

[nyantler]

Question you see a buck clear as day 50 yards from your stand. You put him in your sights and he is a nice 8pt. But wait it's not legal shooting time, what do you do?

Dave

Simple.. you don't shoot... that's a no brainer

[ELMER J. FUDD]

Question you see a buck clear as day 50 yards from your stand. You put him in your sights and he is a nice 8pt. But wait it's not legal shooting time, what do you do?

Dave

This happenned to me. I let him go. He walked right to my truck!

[SteveB]

50 yards too far, I wouldn't shoot. I think it should be put as "It's the gray zone on opening day" the time where you can see fine with your scope but it's not just yet legal hunting time (6:20ish.) Wow out walks the buck of a life time within 20 yards, what do you do. I would shoot.

A truthful man. Who wouldn't shoot, really.

Dave

Me - and at least a couple others here.

If I would settle for a great buck illegally, I would just take one of the several I have seen in the summer hunting woodchucks.

[nyantler]

Having spoken to 1000's of hunters over the year and attended many forums...I think that more hunters than not would take that shot.. most hunters don't even wear a watch when hunting... let alone know when legal shooting time is...  they would kill the buck and tell the story for years... conveniently leaving the part out about what time the buck was shot.

[fasteddie]

I wouldn't shoot . That would be just about the time that I would have a DEC official tap me on the shoulder . That's my kind of luck !

[bubba]

I have passed deer on opening muzzleloading morning before legal light. A nice doe maybe 15 yards away working her way back into the swamp from the field. After legal light the 6 point following her was not as lucky. I guess you either play by the rules or not.  If you do not play by the rules in hunting, how much does that follow you in your other life say your taxes or playing golf or any other sport.  If a dec officer nabbed you for shooting early, I bet you would whine about that too.  he was out go get you etc  or go catch the real criminals.  News flash shooting before or after legal light makes you a criminal.  Another case of hunter selfishness and disregard for the rules.  I could not post pics and brag about a deer I took ILLEGALLY.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I would pass. I do have to admit that once I did put on a finishing shot to a wounded doe we were tracking that tried to get up 10 yards in front of me. It was past the legal time. Plenty of light but not legal. It was many years ago but I would probably do that agian rather than see her suffer or be eaten by yotes.

[Dave]

Having spoken to 1000's of hunters over the year and attended many forums...I think that more hunters than not would take that shot.. most hunters don't even wear a watch when hunting... let alone know when legal shooting time is...  they would kill the buck and tell the story for years... conveniently leaving the part out about what time the buck was shot.

I think you are right , I know a few hunters who never wear a watch. I personally never look at my watch before I take the shot and I don't think most hunters do either. If I can see 50 yards from my stand and a big buck comes by I will take the shot. I figure if I can see 50 yards and beyond it must be legal shooting time. I am in my stand in the dark and I leave it when it's dark.

Dave

[First-light]

Sunrise to sunset are the legal hunting hours. So on Nov 21st of this year those law abiding hunters will not shoot a deer before 6:49 am and after 4:33 pm.

Usually on opening day you hear many shots around the 6:30 am. I think it is a very very small percentage of guys that abide by this rule. I'm talking within 15 minutes or so from these times.

[Fantail]

I'm kind of wondering about the shots I hear durring the opening day of Archery.

Waterfoul my @ss.

[Dave]

Sunrise to sunset are the legal hunting hours. So on Nov 21st of this year those law abiding hunters will not shoot a deer before 6:49 am and after 4:33 pm.

Usually on opening day you hear many shots around the 6:30 am. I think it is a very very small percentage of guys that abide by this rule. I'm talking within 15 minutes or so from these times.

For all the guys who hunt on state land it's 6:45 am and there it is the biggest buck you have ever seen but it's not 6:49 am the legal hunting time by just 4 minutes do you shoot or not? Be honest.

Dave