How late do you hunt???

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headgear
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby headgear » Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:58 am

Zap wrote:Effective range definately decreases as the light fades.
But you never know what will show up close... 8-)


Yep I generally cut my range almost by half right at closing time. Last year I had what would have been my biggest archery buck at 35-40 yards, I was at full draw but just didn't feel right making the shot. You look at him and see his outline and rack pretty well, then put the pins on him and it was just too dark out, there also might have been some brush in the way so I didn't want to push it. Had he been at 20 yards I think I could have taken the shot but further than that is was just too dark.


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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby ttsbuck » Thu Oct 20, 2011 2:10 am

I will sit until dark and will stay put until I am sure no deer are nearby. Like someone else said once its dark its dark and there is no reason to rush. Sneaking out the same way you snuck in is the way to go. If you take it slow you will find your ability to see and navigate in the dark will improve greatly.
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby ttsbuck » Thu Oct 20, 2011 2:17 am

Monday nite I had just lowered my bow when a lone deer came from the bedding area I was hunting. Couldn't see it but I have my suspicions. We should have the same wind tonite so from what I saw on Monday I feel I can set up closer. Sitting till dark can give you good info for the next hunt.
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby jlh42581 » Thu Oct 20, 2011 3:36 am

Only time I ever leave early is if I forgot a light and theres no terrain differences. First thing I do getting out of the car is mark it with GPS. I wouldnt be lying if I said Ive shot 95% of all my evening deer when most people already left.
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:17 am

About half the deer I have shot were after sunset...
I can hunt 'til 1/2 after sunset and bet most were shot with 5-20 minutes of legal hunt time!

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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby Milk Weed Seed » Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:28 am

Yeah lots of guys are scarred of the dark I think. If a hunter leaves early, because he doesn't want to track a deer in the dark, or be in the woods after dark, maybe it's time to find something else to do??? I just don't get it! I'm always the first one in and the last one out.
One time a friend was picking on my older son and he fired back "my dad says your scared of the dark" Kids will put a foot in your mouth every time :lol: It was kind of a cringe moment for me, but when we got in the truck I gave him a high 5 for not taking anyone's BS. :lol:
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby cwoods » Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:51 am

There have been times when Ive sat in my stand and hour after dark in the pitch black b/c deer were under my stand.
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby adrenalin » Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:43 am

I'm always the last guy in the parking lot. I hunt till I can't see enough to make a 10 yard shot then get down and most of the time by the time my stuff is packed up it's pretty black out. I usually get to my truck a hour or 2 after closing.
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:20 am

Some areas have special rules. For instance some of the Federal marshland that I hunt requires you to be limited to access from 1 hour before daylight and 1 hour after dark. This kinda limits how far in you can go and still get out within 1 hour after dark. The Federal Warden strictly enforces this and told me in person that if he sees anybody out later than that he assumes they are poaching. The nice thing is that he gave me his phone number in case I shoot something so I can let him know why I am still out there.

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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby BCam » Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:53 am

i usually leave after i can't see my pins anymore and i am sure there is no deer around me. I do leave a little earlier when hunting on a couple properties if i forget my flashlight, in fear of some crazy dude shooting at movement. Sounds crazy but it happens. :o
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby GRFox » Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:36 pm

I always sit until I can't see my pins anymore. Its got to b officially dark before I climb down.

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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby GRFox » Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:41 pm

I never understood the whole fear of getting lost. I have never even come close to getting lost yet I hear about it all the time. I can enter a brand new property and walk around all over the place for hours and then just bee line it right bback to the car every time. Maybe I haave a good sense of direction? LOL I don't know but does anyone else feel like it would be pretty tough to get lost out there?

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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:23 am

I hunt untill, I feel I can't make a 10 yard shot. Then I slowly pack up. It's usually dark, before I leave the tree. If there are deer around, I wait until they are gone. I used to bark like a coyote, to get deer to leave when I was younger lol, I figured if they blew out of there it was better than getting busted. Now, like I said, I just wait em out.
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby bowhunter15 » Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:27 am

I know guys that are 50 years old and admit their fear of the dark.


I remember my first time in the big scary woods :lol:

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I never understood the whole fear of getting lost. I have never even come close to getting lost yet I hear about it all the time. I can enter a brand new property and walk around all over the place for hours and then just bee line it right back to the car every time. Maybe I have a good sense of direction? LOL I don't know but does anyone else feel like it would be pretty tough to get lost out there?


I have a great sense of direction when I can see. Drop me anyplace in the woods, walk in circles, and I can beeline it back. But take away light and it's a completely different story. You can only see what's a couple feet in front of you. Flashlights make things look completely different because they highlight all the little twigs you never pay attention to during the day and make the big landmark trees less noticeable.

I have had times where, in very thick, flat terrain, I go left of this brush, right of that brush, crawl a little bit, etc. Next thing I know I glance at the GPS and I'm headed right back where I started, 180 degrees in the wrong direction.
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Re: How late do you hunt???

Unread postby rochester coops » Fri Oct 21, 2011 11:55 pm

In Ny you can only hunt till sunset, not like other states where you can another 1/2 hr. So its still pretty bright out when we have to call it quits.


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