are my sights legal

[bowhunter4life]

aso here is the question in the hunting regs it says that it is unlawful to hunt with the aid of a light . on my sight it has a fiber optic pin and a little light shines light though the pin and makes it a little brighter on the end of the pin. so is that illegal or can i use it while hunting. if anyone knows the awnser to this i would apreciate the awnser case i dont want to get into trouble over somthing so stupid as a light that i can shoot fine without but it helps sometimes

[brotherjack]

It is my understanding, that they mean to say by their statements that the practice known as "spotlighting" or "pit lighting" is illegal. So, I wouldn't see any problem with your sighting system - it's intended use is obviously very different. If there is a problem with your sight, then every red dot sight, battery powered lighted crosshair scope, etc is also illegal - none of which I've ever heard about or read about in the regs.

[huntwriter]

It is my understanding, that they mean to say by their statements that the practice known as "spotlighting" or "pit lighting" is illegal. So, I wouldn't see any problem with your sighting system - it's intended use is obviously very different. If there is a problem with your sight, then every red dot sight, battery powered lighted crosshair scope, etc is also illegal - none of which I've ever heard about or read about in the regs.

That's how I understand it too. If in doubt you can ask a CO for advice.

[nykoma]

thats the way i read it too. back light sights are ( hoping ) legal. i have these on my bow. it doesn't help you near dark conditions but in bright light to low light (ie on the chase into the dense trees) it reallly does help you.

[bowhunter4life]

ok next time im at the river ill ask the CO when he come to see if im fishing without a license he does every day im there. but now i looked at the regs again and it does look like they mean pit lamping but ill ask anyways. thanks for all your help.

BH4L

[Walksalot]

I phoned the CO and asked that very question as I had rigged up a mini mag to shine on the fiber threads. The CO's comment was that according to the letter of the law it was illeagal and would be up to the individual CO to make an interpretation.

[PGKris]

Hmmm this is interesting. I'm going to buy a Cobra Sidewinder 5 pin and was thinking about adding the backlight to it. I never thought it could be considered as pitlamping. To the letter, yes, illegal. But man, I think you could fight that one. You'd have to get a real mean CO to get fined over that. I'm going to ask as well.
Kris

[Sitkaspruce]

So does this mean that iluminated recticles on scopes are illegal as well??

To me this is moot point as the idea of the light rule is to prohibit pitlamping and dangerous shooting at night. The little light on your sight could hardly be used for reading never mind lamping.

My twe cents worth.

[Fred]

What I have found is that it is best to say nothing other than to talk to your friends.
Berkley made a real fine fish attractant for a couple of years until someone got a bug up their butt and decided that it wasn't legal. Now you can't get Berkley Strike and that is a darned shame as the second best product doesn't cut it.
This is what I mean about letting sleeping pitbulls(govt) lie! Fred

[brotherjack]

I phoned the CO and asked that very question as I had rigged up a mini mag to shine on the fiber threads. The CO's comment was that according to the letter of the law it was illeagal and would be up to the individual CO to make an interpretation.

But I think this still qualifies as a different situation than we started out talking about, as you are using a flashlight in this circumstance, which the CO is correct, does fit the letter of the law (using an illuminating device which is capable of more than simply making the pins on your sight brighter).