Deer spotlights?

[Wooddust]

My Game warden nailed three different spotlighters this fall on the road that runs by my place. In Missouri it is illegal anytime.

Roadhunters and poachers and spotlighters are a big issue. Add in the methheads and we have a problem Houston.

 

[MossRoad]

In my area most spotlighters are looking to shoot. I call them poacher-junky-scum. I moved my kids room to the other side of the house where they are less likely to be shot. I've jumped up at 2:30am while PJS shot 6 shots from a .40 out of their car into my front meadow - after they shot a neighbors horse. I've laid in a field until midnight clutching a .357 waiting for PJS to return after shooting a deer in my meadow. It's a gateway to poaching and should be illegal.

Just so you know, this is a reply to a 5 year old thread...

But, the subject is timeless, so please continue.

 

[Redbug]

I noticed the date too, Moss.

However...Here in SC, it's legal to spotlight till 11pm on private land.

 

[lakngulf]

However...Here in SC, it's legal to spotlight till 11pm on private land.

It is illegal to spotlight for deer at all times in Alabama. I grew up on a cattle farm and my dad controlled the breeding times so that the calves were all born late October thru end of year. With so many calves coming at one time we would have to go out before bed time to be sure no cow was having problems calving. Of course, we had to us a big spot light as we drove around the pasture. On three or four occasions we would be met at the road by a game warden to be sure we were ligit.

 

[dmccarty]

...

However...Here in SC, it's legal to spotlight till 11pm on private land.

Does that dog have a license to drive? Hmmmm? Or does he only drive on private land? :laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[Redbug]

Hi Dan...Pal has his learner's permit and likes to shine at the neighborhood cats.

I occasionally shine at night. It's surprising the amount of wildlife there is at night. But, looking at the amount of tracks seen during the day you can attest to that. You may not see anything around your place but tracks. But, at night all those critters are out and dancing all around while you sleep.

Quite a few people now are also using night vision, too. It's a whole different world. There are two main types. Some of the gear uses starlight which actually magnifies the light. And some other gear uses IR. The IR uses a scope that shoots an IR beam that the IR optics can see. But they are fairly limited in visual range. And there is also true IR equipment that picks up the body heat without the aid of an IR beam. Like the FLIR equipment the military and law enforcement uses...such as looking for the bad guys in the bushes from a helo.

I think the IR and starlight stuff is legal everywhere if you don't have any firearms in the vehicle. No different than having binoculars and just looking around. That equipment turns you into an owl at night. You are completely passive.

 

[dmccarty]

Hi Dan...Pal has his learner's permit and likes to shine at the neighborhood cats.
...

Great! Just as long has he is legal. Just make sure he can be trusted and not go hot dogging in the truck.....

I would love to have some night vision equipment. I go outside at night and I can here the critters within yards of me but I cannot see them. Sometimes I know they are deer. Other times I do not know what they are.

I managed to find some time to go deer hunting this season. Which meant I just walked out the front door. The first day was too danged cold and windy. The deer had enough sense to not get out of bed. The second day I heard two herds moving near me. One of the herds did a squad rush across our road. :laughing: How in the heck did they learn that little tactic! They moved to quick to get a shot.

Later that day my dad and I took the kids and dog down to the same place to do some plinking with a 22. We were sitting there for quite some time killing plastic and "tin" tree rats. The dog barked and I looked down our road and there was a deer just standing there looking at us. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

That little %^&*()! Dad had another rifle in a deer sized caliber but the deer moved off..... A little while later the same deer or another one stopped in the road to have a look at us again. Next time I will carry down my rifle but if I do we won't see the deer. :laughing:

But it was all good. The kids did well shooting tin squirrels. Our oldest said it was The Best Christmas Eve EVER. :thumbsup:

Later,
Dan

 

[lakngulf]

But it was all good. The kids did well shooting tin squirrels. Our oldest said it was The Best Christmas Eve EVER. :thumbsup:

Later,
Dan

Great story Dan. Those ARE the good times!! The joke here in Alabama is during deer season we see all the turkeys and during turkey season we see all the deer. Still great to be out there in the woods with family