Legal shooting light

The majority of your bowhunting year is spent practicing and/or training. This is the place to discuss it!
Message
Author
Carpdaddy
Site Admin
Posts: 9469
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:36 pm

Legal shooting light

#1 Post by Carpdaddy »

For hunting I think our hunting guide says thirty minutes before dusk, or after sunset?? But for shooting in your back yard I don't think those regulations apply, at least I hope not! I just finished shooting and it's after nine now. I have taken too many deer at lower light conditions not to practice, I go to extremes a little practicing! :lol: There is something about packing up your stuff to leave that brings deer charging in. Now I may not be shooting at a deer at 9:00 but I do like shooting targets by the moonlight sometimes. I went to a boys ball game, got home just in time to visit a Church nearby, and then decided to shoot a few after Church. My bag target is white so I can see it. Now if you are a gap shooter you may not want to try this because you can't see much of your arrow. Picking a spot is about as hard. I couldn't see the arrow in flight, nor could I see where they hit, but I could hear them when they hit. :mrgreen: I shot two rounds of six arrows from 20 & 25 yards, not my best group but I was glad to find them all in the target somewhere! Anyone else here goofy enough to shoot in low, low, light conditions? :ugeek:

Kamn
Posts: 129
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2017 4:17 am

Re: Legal shooting light

#2 Post by Kamn »

Yup, I have been shooting in low light conditions for the past few months as well as shooting towards the setting sun which makes it really hard with the sun in your eyes. Also, would move my location for every shot.......just to mix it up

Captainkirk
Site Admin
Posts: 12787
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:19 pm

Re: Legal shooting light

#3 Post by Captainkirk »

Well, when I was shooting in my back yard every night I would shoot until the light was gone. I agree, it's good practice and the deer do seem to appear as the light is going. As for the 1/2 hour thing...that is a hunting reg. You are not hunting.
Aim small, miss small!

User avatar
Shadowhntr
Posts: 4614
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:47 pm

Re: Legal shooting light

#4 Post by Shadowhntr »

Practice a lot in low light. I have to keep scooting up to see the mark as light fades.
The element of surprise can never be replaced by persistence.

Longtrad
Posts: 1413
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:26 pm

Re: Legal shooting light

#5 Post by Longtrad »

I like to shoot at all hours, to me flicking arrows is great fun and a good way to clear my mind for a bit, since I can shoot in my backyard no time is off limits, sometimes when the weather is bad I might even sneak a few shots through the back door while standing in the living room (shhhhhh this is frowned upon in my house for some odd reason)

I do loose a few arrows here and there shooting at dark though, most of the time they are found in the morning.

Carpdaddy
Site Admin
Posts: 9469
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: Legal shooting light

#6 Post by Carpdaddy »

I've heard the suggestion of lighting a candle and shooting at the flame in total darkness, never tried that though. :idea:

JBaker01
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 10:40 am

Re: Legal shooting light

#7 Post by JBaker01 »

Carpdaddy wrote:I've heard the suggestion of lighting a candle and shooting at the flame in total darkness, never tried that though. :idea:
sounds like a cool idea! So I shot the target with a lighted nock! Then tried to shoot the nock. think the trick it to use lighted hocks for each subsequent shot! lol easier to find them afterwards if it doesn't go well.

In the heat of September the deer seem to want to move at the very very edge of dark or after. Can't count the times I get ready to come down and pack up and heard them coming in.

Captainkirk
Site Admin
Posts: 12787
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:19 pm

Re: Legal shooting light

#8 Post by Captainkirk »

JBaker01 wrote:
Carpdaddy wrote:I've heard the suggestion of lighting a candle and shooting at the flame in total darkness, never tried that though. :idea:
sounds like a cool idea! So I shot the target with a lighted nock! Then tried to shoot the nock. think the trick it to use lighted hocks for each subsequent shot! lol easier to find them afterwards if it doesn't go well.

In the heat of September the deer seem to want to move at the very very edge of dark or after. Can't count the times I get ready to come down and pack up and heard them coming in.
They are smarter than we think sometimes. Besides, they can see in the dark and we can't.
Aim small, miss small!

User avatar
eidsvolling
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue May 30, 2017 6:19 pm

Re: Legal shooting light

#9 Post by eidsvolling »

I've attended shoots that include a nighttime event, with reflective thumb tacks used to locate the aiming point on a 3D target. The range is typically within 15-20 yards or so for that stuff. It is fun and useful, but "ya gotta have heart" to fling an arrow out into the darkness. :o

OTOH, the woods are so thick here in NH that I find the additional half hour we get for legal shooting time on either end to be of little use for me. There's a world of difference in that regard between shooting in the open and shooting in cover so thick you can hardly swing a bow around.

Or mebbe it has more to do with senescence in my case than luminance ... :)

Crazynate
Posts: 444
Joined: Tue May 23, 2017 9:54 am

Re: Legal shooting light

#10 Post by Crazynate »

I love to practice at low light especially closer to hunting season. I have tried the candle thing and that was different.
Goodnight Chesty Wherever You Are.

Post Reply

Return to “Practice/Training”