My experiance is 1 hour after sunset is soo dark you cant see anything...if you could still identify your animal without lights you would have been good to go...
My experiance is 1 hour after sunset is soo dark you cant see anything...if you could still identify your animal without lights you would have been good to go...
-Lightweight gunaholic
-Half of a Human Pinata
-Bear Kung-Fu Master
-Gatherer of the Elk meat
^^^yup that's what I go by, and in the regs it even says hunters will have to make that judgement in the field... lol I give it about a 1% chance you'll see him again...sorry Caddis..I've let go a crankier buck before too, because of a different situation but yes it hurts, but when in doubt don't shoot so overall you did the right thing..
Taking a shot at the last legal light from a stand or an area you've been watching for a couple hours is one thing. Jumping an animal in poor light on the road is another you don't know what your back stop is likely for one thing. I can relate I shut myself down in similar situations early. Guess you better go back caddis
its gonna take a life time to hunt and fish all this
I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with keyboards and forums. - F L Wright
Try and be kind to everyone but fear no one. - Ourea
Point being is that last and first light is THE critical window for deer hunting. If u r just driving around I suspect it's a different game if every turn and cut block the light is different. Always error on the ethics side, not comfortable, dont shoot.
I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with keyboards and forums. - F L Wright
Try and be kind to everyone but fear no one. - Ourea
Pretty sure it mentions the terrain factor in the regs.
Anyway I had lots of time to marinade on it. I'm still good with my decision.
My consolation prize was a bunch of birds which is what we came for... we call it the "annual natures drive through". Who knew deer would come to the party though.
You are an experienced hunter and made the right call. I have many, many stories of “the one that got away” variety, these are some of my favourite memories.
Here, I’ll make you feel a little better about deciding not to shoot in questionable light ^^ haha,
Yesterday afternoon around 3, Hugh Mann and myself were hiking into a spot we know to hold white tails, with the intention of harvesting another WT, well on the way in we walk passed a big boulder, step by it and movement catches my attention... not even 15 yards away from us is a nice fat neck 4x4 mulie, bedded and frozen with fear, and we both had a mulie tag in hand...He sat there staring at us for what had to be five minutes, as we had a conversation, put our rifles up and debated a shot and just generally watched him.. the icing on the cake !? After letting him go about his business to make some more 4pts, we get to our spot and set up just in time to hear two guns shots and watch the white tail we were planning to hunt jump up from their beds and take off into another dimension! Good karma my ass hahaha hopefully it wasn’t another hunter shooting the buck we let live or we just burnt up two bridges!