shining and hunting

[Z7WIBoy]

How many of you shining the night before you hunt to validate the bucks are doing what they you want them to do? I am thinking just do a quick drive by and then formulate a game plan based off shining. Do you think this heights there awareness and should not be done? Just looking for thoughts and ideas
Thanks and appreciate any advice

[Stanley]

I don't shine so can't help you out.

[Brandon]

i dont and never have shinned. they call it "spotlight" or "jacklighting" where Im from and its very illegal.

however, if I could I would. For example, I think it makes perfect sense if you know of a buck bed and see a giant at the closest field not much after dark.

that would lead me to beleive he is bedding close (the know buck bed) since he came so soon after dark.

I would then hunt the bed or beds each evening after and hope he is still in the area and visiting that field soon after dark.

If I shinned a big buck at 2am, Im not sure what that would tell me.... but again, I honeslty dont have a clue about shinning.

[BigHunt]

i shine all the time.. its a hobby in its self

[rizzo999]

Can't legally do it here in IL. Have done it a few times in WI. It can help locating current food sources to a point. You can't tell if they are hitting the un-picked corn field 'cause you can't see in there. But, in those bean and alfalfa fields it works great.

[Dewey]

I have never had success shining a particular buck and killing him the next day. I'm sure some here have been able to do that but in my experience much of the public I hunt is really shined hard once the season starts and the bucks get really spooked.

I would rather use what I learned from shining earlier in the summer and figure out where the bucks are bedding based on post season and spring scouting. Foods sources will change this some but come opener the bucks are usually in pretty predictable spots unless they have been pressured.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[dan]

There is a ton of shining pressure here, especially after some Jack Wagon released a marsh hunting DVD
But, despite the pressure, there are certain spots where if I shine a buck at certain times I am quite confidant that I know what bed he came from. I have successfully used this tactic.
When you use a trail camera your doing the same thing but only covering one 10 yard spot, with the spot light you can cover miles...
It helps to know the bedding areas really well adjacent to the spots you shine.

[dreaming bucks]

The only thing that bothers me is........ how do you know that buck is going to bed in that same bed the next morning? You might know where he came from that night shining, but how do you know he will be at that same bed the next day when you go hunting?

[ Post made via Android ]

[dan]

The only thing that bothers me is........ how do you know that buck is going to bed in that same bed the next morning? You might know where he came from that night shining, but how do you know he will be at that same bed the next day when you go hunting?

[ Post made via Android ]

You don't know for sure... But bucks tend to bed in the same spot for periods of time. Sometimes it is only one day, but often its weeks...
It is very important to hunt a buck on a pattern as soon as possible because they can change beds at any time, but odds are good that if he bedded there yesterday, he will be there today.