# Hunting After "Quitting Time"



## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Just wondered what most of OGFers think of staying on stand during gun season after(legal) shooting time. I see lots of vehicles in my area(can actually see some on distant small farms parked along the roads or behind barns). Tonight for example, one guy abt a quarter mile away shows up, parks, gets his stuff on, and hurries across a field towards a small woodlot at 4:15-to walk maybe 5 mins back to the stand, and hunt til 5 o'clock. Or so I thought! I saw his headlights go on in pretty much total darkness, at 5:40, when he got back to the vehicle. Now I understand trying to get away from work a little early and shoot out to a hunting spot for a quick hunt, but personally just don't think it is right to use the fact that they had to work today as a reason to stay after legal hours. In hindsight, I guess they could have unloaded their gun and just stayed to see what might come out near dark? 
I have heard of people, in years past who thought nothing of staying out til they couldn't see anymore. Now I'm not a "goody-two-shoes", but rules are rules/made for a reason, and when I deer hunt, at sunset(usually 5 PM+- this time of year), I unload and head back in. I once watched the biggest-racked buck I ever saw walking thru the woods with a doe 5 mins. after "quitting time"(while walking back to my truck), and did not think once about reloading and shooting it. Gotta tell you, I had some second thoughts later but after that, I felt pretty good about it! Just wondering what others think about this situation-or do. Since most of us(except for me and a couple others), use a ficticious/sur-name, go ahead and say your piece.


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

in my situation, its usually 45 min AFTER last shot till i get to my truck...and thats if nothing to drag. maybe he wears a 5-point harness and those take time...had deer near his stand and didnt want to spook them while leaving??? too many scenarios to even worry about it!


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

Yeah I have been treed by deer before while bow hunting and had to wait a long time before getting down. During archery season I can't even see at quitting time. I unload the gun during gun season at sunset to avoid temptation.

Could be he left something and went back. or was on the phone at his vehicle. or fell asleep in the stand. But that doesn't mean he wasn't hunting until dark.


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## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

Staying later doesn't bother me so long as I don't hear a shot more than a min or 2 after cease fire. I don't usually hang out late unless I'm tracking something because by that time I'm good and hungry and probably starting to get a little cold.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

I have spent a lot of time in a tree after hours waiting on deer to leave. Dont shoot them all though i could i guess. But if im comeing back dont want them to know where my stand is either. Its a risk i have taken fully aware if id get caught is be in hot water. Some times o may be a mile or so in also. Which takes time to get back.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

I hunt a farm with a walk of over a mile to the stands. On opening day with 10 minutes left in hunting time in roll 2 pick ups. They drive through the fields to the base of my tree stand 8 guys get out and stand there for 15 minutes all in orange, I am thinking WTF. All of the hunters park at the barn and walk in, maybe it is the DNR or something, just let it go. I have to work today but get a call from a buddy that before daylight another truck drives to the stand and parks under it, gets out climbs up my stand and is sitting there now. Anyone with permission is allowed on my stands not a problem, but driving a truck within 20 feet of the stand, unbelieveable. If I can catch him coming out this morning we will have a nasty conversation. His only hope is that he is very old or injured, other than that it could get ugly. I will get a call once the guy starts to move.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

If I am in the back of my place it can take me 20 minutes or so to get back in and that is if I am moving at a good pace. Add any encounter with deer on the way or just the fact that I am trying to not get heated and sweaty and it can be longer. So I guess I would not question about someone pulling away from their hunting spot 40 minutes beyond quitting time. What gets me is when the shots start firing that late. My son had shot a doe before 4:00 but we waited until quitting time to track her and recover her. We were standing over her and dressing her out when a couple of shots rang out in what I viewed as near darkness. I looked at my phone and the time was 6:35, more than 30 minutes beyond quitting time. I suppose there is always a chance that someone was clearing their muzzleloader or something else totally innocent but I really have my doubts.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

i just hunt the ml season anymore. here in indiana you can hunt until 1/2 hour after sunset. if theres snow on the ground where i can see good enough to be sure its a deer i will hunt until the last minute then i remove my cap from my gun and then start coming down out of the tree. it takes me a few minutes to climb down. i usely rest a time or two coming down. then it takes me alittle time to make it out. i have a bad heart and bad legs so i dont move very fast. but i am done hunting when legal hunting is over and i remove my cap.

i have never done this myself but have been very close a couple of times. seeing deer about 5 or 10 minutes before the end of hunting, and be trying to get a shot and not watching the clock. i could see someone shoot a couple of minutes late.

i had a nice little 8 pointer come in and bed down about 70 yrds from me behind a tree. i watched him from 3:00, i waited untill i had 5 minutes left to hunt. then i could see his head from the eyes forward. i sighted in as close to the tree as possable and fired. he jumpes up and runs about another 30 yrds and stops. he stands there while i reload my gun. i sight in and take another shot. i look at my watch and i have 1 minute left. thats cutting it close,LOL. if it had been 2 minutes late i would have been a poacher. but i didnt have time to check my watch. by the time i got out of my stand and found the deer i was running at least 1/2 hour late. then by the time i dressed him out and dragged him to the road, i dont know for sure how late it was.
sherman


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I would guess that about 50% of the hunters hunt beyond legal shooting hours. A lot of people don&#8217;t even realize legal hours end at sunset during gun seasons, though it&#8217;s been that way for as long as I can remember. It is one of the dumbest laws we have. Ohio is one of the only states the America with such a law.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

If you have snow on the ground and a full moon...aren't hunting hours extended? It's like daytime out there.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

M.Magis said:


> I would guess that about 50% of the hunters hunt beyond legal shooting hours. A lot of people don&#8217;t even realize legal hours end at sunset during gun seasons, though it&#8217;s been that way for as long as I can remember. It is one of the dumbest laws we have. Ohio is one of the only states in America with such a law.


This may have said it best. The bad thing is this 50% of hunters are blatantly defying the hunting regulations, and even worse, will never stop doing it or ever get caught. Bottomline is, my opinion, this is not "fair chase", and really could end up with a lot of poor shots and critically wounded animals-not retrieved and gone to waste! Shooting in the dark at noises or shadows, could also be hazardous to YOU, and ME! 
Not to change the topic but, this patch of woods is only maybe three acres on the farm side of a much larger woods owned by someone else. I understand the time factor to get back to the vehicle, but I know exactly where the stands are on this particular property(and where the boundaries are) which means if it takes longer than 5-10 minutes to get back(unless they were on crutches!), they stayed too late-or were "trespassing" on the adjacent, posted property. All in all, I feel that people who would not care when the laws say to quit hunting, would not be overly concerned abt. trespassing either! JMHO.


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## buckeye dan (Jan 31, 2012)

I have been advocating for extending the hours of gun season to a half hour after sunset for many years. Just about all modern optics function in the twilight hour as well as they do prior to sunrise and at sunset.

As M.Magis said Ohio is one of the only states with this regulation and the hunters are doing it anyway. We should change our law to align with our neighboring states and add it to the hunter education curriculum. Then we could teach inexperienced hunters to do it safely and properly. It would also open the door to including a section in the regulations pamphlet to educate those who are doing it illegally now.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I have never had the oppurtunity to shoot a deer right before or right after "shooting time" is up, but I probably would if it was only 5 minutes past on a sunny evening and the deer was close. 

I like that they stop shooting time at sunset because I don't want guys shooting long distance shots in the fading light at movement in the bushes when they think my orange coat looks brown. Also, it gives you time to recover the deer before it is really dark. A deer laying in a briar patch or swamp bottom is already tough to see in the daylight. 

I had one time where I passed up a shot at a nice 8 pointer on public land, where 8 pointers are rare. It was early in the morning about 5 minutes after legal shooting time, but it was a cloudy drizzly day and I could barely make out the deer at 20yds even though it was an open field! I couldn't see far enough to see what was behind the deer and on public land, the other hunters could be anywhere. I waited for better shooting light, but the deer moved over the hill and into the woods. 15 minutes later, some other guy got him. Now, I usually sit in that other guy's spot when I hunt there. It's all about being able to make a safe shot.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

i hunt till i cant see thru my sight or thru the scope good enough to make a clean shot. ive came out of the woods with a headlamp on more nights than not, sometimes i have to use the compass too because its so dark. i dont think its a big deal at all.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

ezbite said:


> i hunt till i cant see thru my sight or thru the scope good enough to make a clean shot. ive came out of the woods with a headlamp on more nights than not, sometimes i have to use the compass too because its so dark. i dont think its a big deal at all.


So if you shoot a deer at that time, what time do you post on the deer tag?

I don't get real concerned that I follow the sunset table to the "T" but I am always within a couple of minutes or so of it. I just think going to 30 minutes beyond sunset is pushing it on many occasions and makes me nervous. I figure as long as the law is as sunset I will do my best to adhere to it.

I believe I read an explanation at one point as to why the pre-sunrise 30 minutes are allowed and not post-sunset 30 minutes. In the morning when people have been out in the darkness of the predawn conditions your eyes have fully adjusted to that light whereas at sunset they have not. When it begins to brighten up (i.e. 30 minutes before sunrise) then your eyes more effectively see things as opposed to 30 minutes after being in full sunlight. I know that there is always an adjustment period when going to dark conditions but I don't know enough about this to say one way or another as to the validity of it. I just know that I will try to stay with the regulated hours as much as possible. It is not in my nature to stretch the rules and then need to lie to cover it up on a deer tag.


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## WeekendWarrior (Jan 20, 2008)

ezbite said:


> i hunt till i cant see thru my sight or thru the scope good enough to make a clean shot. ive came out of the woods with a headlamp on more nights than not, sometimes i have to use the compass too because its so dark. i dont think its a big deal at all.


Wow!! Not sure the judge would agree.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

here in indiana where we get to hunt 30 min past sunset on some days when the ground is covered with snow and there is a big moon shining. a person with a good scope could take a shot much later than the law allows. i have a 3x9x50 scope on my ml and would have no problem seeing a deer under 50 yrds. but i wouldnt take a shot like that for no deer. now if im watching a deer just before the end of legal hunting i might shoot that deer a couple on minutes past legal hunting. but it would be because i didnt know for sure legal hunting was over. and i had seen the deer before the end of legal hunting and was 100% sure it was a deer. but as long as the end of legal hunting is sunset then i think you should quit at sunset.

when i first started hunting here in indiana legal hunting was at sunset. i really hated to quit hunting, but i did. and on days when the ground was snow covered and had a big moon shining it was really hard to stop hunting. i,ve seen some days i could have hunted untill midnight.

i do hope they change the laws in ohio for you guys. even on dark cloudy days i think its safe to hunt atleast 15 minutes past sunset. i have taken alot of deer after sunset. and felt safe taking the shot.
sherman
.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I hate those clear, blue sky days, when the woods are as bright at sunset as they could be, when I have to quit and walk in broad daylight back to my truck. Usually these kinds of days occur during a weather pattern of bright, moonlit nights when the deer feed heavily all night, so they can sleep/stay put in their bedding areas all day with practically no movement. This is when I hope the gangs are driving the adjacent properties and possibly moving some deer my direction. I used to still-hunt years ago(much younger!) on such days and actually got fairly good at it. One big drawback to this is you are moving deer for the guys who are standing!! Now I just stay on stand all day and doze off occasionally in the warm sunlight. Which reminds me, I once woke up and peered under the end of my cap right into the faces of six does and yearlings, all within 10 yds of me! I try to plan my hunts for cloudy, cold, overcast days when they are more likely to be moving a bit(especially just before sunset) staging to get to the feeding areas. Best time to be out since deer do not wear watches!


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

WeekendWarrior said:


> Wow!! Not sure the judge would agree.


Why would I even be talking to the judge?? It's not against the law to be in the woods after dark. Reread what I said. When I can't see well enough for a clean shot. I never said I was hunting after dark. Just because I choose NOT to rush out of the woods because it's dark doesn't mean I doing something I shouldn't be doing.


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## P-NUT (May 17, 2009)

"i hunt till i cant see thru my sight..." gives the impression you are hunting till you can't see through your sight! Hunting after legal hours no matter how well you can see is no longer hunting it is poaching!


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## Wannabitawerm (Apr 13, 2004)

Agreed pnut. Legal shooting time ends at sunset. If you shoot even 2 minutes after,(cell phone clocks are all the same and is what the odnr uses to judge shooting times) you are poaching. If you don't care, then why bother with a license or tag? Either we follow the law or we bend it an break it. 


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## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

There have been times when I unload and pull the bolt at legal quitting time. Then stay on stand to see if I can spot any deer moving out to feed. Then relocate the stand for the next day if possible. Feeding patterns often change after the first few days of gun season puts pressure on them. 

No different then getting to the stand early before legal shooting time, with an empty gun, to let things settle down from the walk in.

By the way, if you do get a deer late and have trouble tracking it, try using the old style liquid fuel Coleman lantern. Something about this type of light make the blood trail glow. Or use one of the blood trail lights that are available. I carry a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide to spray suspected blood when tracking. It makes the blood foam. Even the smallest spatter.


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## Wannabitawerm (Apr 13, 2004)

There's nothing wrong with being in the woods before and after legal shooting time at all. It the shooting part that's a problem. 


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

P-NUT said:


> "i hunt till i cant see thru my sight..." gives the impression you are hunting till you can't see through your sight! Hunting after legal hours no matter how well you can see is no longer hunting it is poaching!


ezbite this time i have to agree with p-nut. the way you make it sound is like you hunt untill it is to dark to take a shot. which with a good scope can be well past the end of legal hunting. on snow covered days with a big moon i could shoot past the 30 minute past sunset we have here in indiana. now im not saying you would do this. im just saying its how it reads. you have to be careful how you word things on here.

i know the end of legal hunting means the end. but i have come very close to shooting past the last minute. and if im ever in the same situation i may actualy shoot a couple of minutes late. but i wouldnt knowingly hunt after the end of hunting time.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

sherman51 said:


> you have to be careful how you word things on here.


aint that the truth, i knew as soon as i posted what i did the high and mighty perfect of this site would jump on me. nowhere in my post did i say i shoot at night or have ever shot past legal hours. but pnut calls me a poacher.. no wonder this site has lost so many good members. 


this is exactly what i said.....

i hunt till i cant see thru my sight or thru the scope good enough to make a clean shot. ive came out of the woods with a headlamp on more nights than not, sometimes i have to use the compass too because its so dark. i dont think its a big deal at all.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

ezbite said:


> aint that the truth, i knew as soon as i posted what i did the high and mighty perfect of this site would jump on me. nowhere in my post did i say i shoot at night or have ever shot past legal hours. but pnut calls me a poacher.. no wonder this site has lost so many good members.
> .


We aren't stupid. You can blow all the smoke up our rears you want, but you said what you said. You clearly told us that you'll shoot past legal time. Period. We all know how much light is left at the end of legal time, and it's not even close to being dark. If you hunt until you can no longer see through a scope good enough to make a good shot, not only are you hunting past legal hours, you're hunting WAY past legal hours. Now, I'm not going to call you a poacher, and as I've already said, I think it's a stupid law that needs changed. But don't back peddle now.


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## P-NUT (May 17, 2009)

Maybe you should read my post again slowly. I said your post GIVES THE IMPRESSION that you HUNT until you can't see through your sight. With today's optics and coated lenses that would very often put you hunting after legal shooting hours.

Not once did I call you a poacher. I simply stated that hunting after legal hours no matter how well you can see is no longer hunting it is poaching. So if you do not continue to hunt after legal shooting hours you are not a poacher. If in fact you do stay (with a loaded weapon) till you can not see to safely shoot and that is past legal shooting hours then by definition you are a poacher. 

page 12 of the hunting regs.

"a deer hunter CANNOT do any of the following"


3.Hunt or take a deer with a gun or possess
a loaded firearm while going to
and from deer hunting during the deer
gun, youth deer gun, the early muzzleloader
hunts (Salt Fork Wildlife Area,
Wildcat Hollow, and Shawnee State
Forest) and the statewide muzzleloader
seasons, at anytime other than 1/2
hour before sunrise to sunset. NOTE:
Muzzleloading firearms are considered
unloaded when the cap is removed or
priming powder is removed from the
pan or when the battery is removed on
electronic systems.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Of boy! Here comes the guy with the big key ring.........
Anyways, the guy I used as an example was back last night. Same scenario. I got his license number and if I hear a shot, and see him drive back to the woods(all after legal shooting time), I will call the TIP hotline. I can't abide by blatant defiance of the regs, they are in place for a reason. The deer do belong to the State but I believe they deserve a fair shake.
On a more positive note: 
--------GO FLASHES!!--------


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## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

Hang in there ezbite. The folks that know you know how ethical you are. You have done a lot to promote the Field and Stream sports. I always enjoy our email exchanges.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Me to EZ! But I will say this. My old Buddy got nailed for hunting too early. He was in the woods with his gun and shells but no loaded. And he was just walking in 5 minutes early. I know it sucks but I swear its true! So when I leave or enter a woods I don't like any one seeing it. I also got brought up with the fact that many people hate hunting and killing animals. So even with permission we stayed out of owners or neighbors eye sight. But I always enter early and a lot of times late. As not to spook the game. But like you hold to shooting times. And for that matter I have had some scopes that just are not good at dusk or dawn and would leave early.


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## Wannabitawerm (Apr 13, 2004)

On my crossbow I use this as my judge; if I can count the points, I know it's still light enough. Even in full moon or snow I can't see clearly through that sight to hunt after legal shootin time. Gun season does suck having to stop at sunset. I don't use a scope on my gun. But I will follow the regs until they change them. Ez, relax buddy. We all have post we wished we couldve reworded. Lol. It's like asking a fat lady if she's pregnant. As soon as you ask, you know it's a bad idea, but you just couldn't stop it. 


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## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

viper1 said:


> Me to EZ! But I will say this. *My old Buddy got nailed for hunting too early. He was in the woods with his gun and shells but no loaded. And he was just walking in 5 minutes early.* I know it sucks but I swear its true! So when I leave or enter a woods I don't like any one seeing it. I also got brought up with the fact that many people hate hunting and killing animals. So even with permission we stayed out of owners or neighbors eye sight. But I always enter early and a lot of times late. As not to spook the game. But like you hold to shooting times. And for that matter I have had some scopes that just are not good at dusk or dawn and would leave early.


If the gun isn't loaded he's done nothing wrong. You can walk in at 3am with an unloaded weapon and wait til 30 prior to sunrise to load and you're perfectly legal. Whoever "busted him" doesn't know the laws either apparently.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Sharp Charge said:


> If the gun isn't loaded he's done nothing wrong. You can walk in at 3am with an unloaded weapon and wait til 30 prior to sunrise to load and you're perfectly legal. Whoever "busted him" doesn't know the laws either apparently.


May not but i guess the judge must not of either because it cost him dear!


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## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

viper1 said:


> May not but i guess the judge must not of either because it cost him dear!


There's got to be more to the story.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Sharp Charge said:


> There's got to be more to the story.


definitely some other twist to that guy gettin a ticket.... the law on that is very cut and dry.... no loaded weapon till legal shootin times...maybe he had buck shot on him...or shot shells or something...is there any reason he didnt just show the regs book to the judge?..its printed plain as day there..if he did fight it..and those are the facts...id move outta that county for sure!


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## buckeye dan (Jan 31, 2012)

I've discussed the 1/2 after sunset topic on this board before. From that discussion:


> Indiana hunts with pistol caliber rifles.
> Hours= 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset
> 
> Michigan uses center fire rifles in the northern 2/3rds of the state.
> ...


The question remains. Are there enough people interested in changing this going to show up at the open house meetings in March to make it happen? The March 2012 open house meetings had 398 attendees statewide and only 22 people voted on this subject (3 opposed).


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

i dont think viper would just make up his story. but either the warden didnt know his a$$ from a hole in the ground or his friend left something out.

back before i got sick i was in my stand as much as 45 minutes before legal hunting. just to let the area settle down and to beat others to my hunting spot. now i just like to be in my stand about 10 or 15 minutes before legal hunting. i just dont put a cap on my gun untill its legal to hunt.

when im hunting the afternoon hunt i will sometimes hunt untill the last minute by my watch. then i uncap my rifle and climb down from my stand. so i am always in the woods before and after legal hunting.

i was standing by the road one night, it was well past the end of legal hunting. a truck pulls up and its a warden. he asks what im doing, i tell him im waiting for my son to come pick me up. i have my gun and he askes to check it, i hold the gun out to him and he says he just needs to see i dont have the gun capped. then he just drives off after seeing it wasnt capped.

now i did have a friend who said he just forgot to uncap his gun get a ticket. him and another guy was walking up a fire trail about 100 yrds from the parking lot. 2 guys started walking to them from the lot. when they met the 2 guys asked to look at there guns. my friend still had the cap on but wasnt even in the woods. but he got a ticket for hunting after legal hunting hours. was it just a mistake or was he hunting the fire trail??
sherman


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

sherman51 said:


> i dont think viper would just make up his story. but either the warden didnt know his a$$ from a hole in the ground or his friend left something out.
> 
> back before i got sick i was in my stand as much as 45 minutes before legal hunting. just to let the area settle down and to beat others to my hunting spot. now i just like to be in my stand about 10 or 15 minutes before legal hunting. i just dont put a cap on my gun untill its legal to hunt.
> 
> ...


 that sounds like it makes more sense... if the gun is capped AFTER or BEFORE legal times..then ,yes, that would warrant "hunting after/before legal time"...and a ticket(obviously youre talking about a Muzzle loader)..and i dont think at all that viper would make up the story..but that story definittely does not sound like an offense thats worthy of a fine..sounds like his friend got screwed over


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Thanks all. I really didnt know him then. But he told me later. Seems he was walking in with gun unloaded. But had slugs in hand. They said if he had slugs and a gun he was ready to hunt. And told him its illegal to enter the woods that way. Just passing it on. As I dont listen to that either. I have been know to set a stand 3-4 hours before time. Gun unloaded of coarse. Just to get there and not spook the deer browsing around. Figure Its a slap on the hand till i load and fire. And when I hunt I usually get back so far most people wont walk to look. LOL! I like to hunt with friends I know. Or as far from people as I can get. So never have many problems. But I have heard this discussed at district 3 meetings. It is not cut and dried as many think. Most call it a gray area from what Ive heard. And the unloaded black powder is for in the car. Not in the woods I believe. Just saying.


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## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

viper1 said:


> Thanks all. I really didnt know him then. But he told me later. Seems he was walking in with gun unloaded. But had slugs in hand. They said if he had slugs and a gun he was ready to hunt. And told him its illegal to enter the woods that way. Just passing it on. As I dont listen to that either. I have been know to set a stand 3-4 hours before time. Gun unloaded of coarse. Just to get there and not spook the deer browsing around. Figure Its a slap on the hand till i load and fire. And when I hunt I usually get back so far most people wont walk to look. LOL! I like to hunt with friends I know. Or as far from people as I can get. So never have many problems. But I have heard this discussed at district 3 meetings. It is not cut and dried as many think. Most call it a gray area from what Ive heard. And the unloaded black powder is for in the car. Not in the woods I believe. Just saying.


I hear ya. But if he went in the woods with his gun and no slugs, how would he get them after sun rise? lol, just doesn't make sense.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Sharp Charge said:


> I hear ya. But if he went in the woods with his gun and no slugs, how would he get them after sun rise? lol, just doesn't make sense.


just sayin if you had read alittle closer he said he had the slugs in his hand. all he had to do was drop one in the gun. i can see where this could be hunting. and i can understand this from ml hunting. i never use the same cap twice, so when i took my cap off my gun i kept it in my hand, then threw it in the trash when i got back to the truck. i didnt like throwing them on the ground or putting them in my pocket. but it would have been so easy to have just dropped the cap on the gun if i had seen a deer.

but its not likely i will see a deer when i come out. its always dark by the time i get out of my tree, and i always use my flashlight going to and from my stand. i dont want to get shot by some idiot taking a sound shot. now i put my cap in one of my coat pockets that i never carry my good caps in. then just throw it away back at the camper.
sherman

and viper you can have your ml loaded in the woods, you just cant have them capped. or maby not even have them in your hand. i really cant see many reasons to carry your slugs or caps in your hand unless you plan to drop one in your gun if a deer walks in front of you. but there are exceptions to this. kinda like me carring out my old caps after the end of hunting. but i dont even do this anymore. i was checked standing on the side of the road waiting on my son to pick me up. and the warden checked me out good. i guess somebody was watching over me that time. i had done something with my old cap, i didnt have it in my hand,LOL. after he made sure i wasnt hunting he drove off.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I sat in my stand yesterday morning and was thinking precisely of this thread. My stand is in the edge of a woods and the weather at start time was pretty dismal. There was a fog and extreme overcast. Start time was 6:59 and know that I could not have seen a deer 30 yards from me at that time without optics. Even with them I struggled to find anything beyond 50 yards.It was 7:30 before it got even remotely light out. I know other states use the half hour on both ends but I have to say that it makes me a bit nervous when hunting around that time in the morning. I guess I am saying that if the rules stay the same way they are right now I am fine with that. If they were to change I would still hunt but it will make me a bit more wary when leaving the field.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Yesterday was perfect from a quitting time stand point. I saw deer who thought it was 5:30! due to the low light, overcast, drizzly weather, come out to feed in a hay field at 4:15! I watched them just out of range til official sunset. Since most of the day had them bedded due to the light rain and wind noise, it was great to have at least that last hour for encouragement and see a few(which anymore seems to be what keeps me going out hunting!)


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Sharp Charge said:


> I hear ya. But if he went in the woods with his gun and no slugs, how would he get them after sun rise? lol, just doesn't make sense.





sherman51 said:


> just sayin if you had read alittle closer he said he had the slugs in his hand. all he had to do was drop one in the gun. i can see where this could be hunting. and i can understand this from ml hunting. i never use the same cap twice, so when i took my cap off my gun i kept it in my hand, then threw it in the trash when i got back to the truck. i didnt like throwing them on the ground or putting them in my pocket. but it would have been so easy to have just dropped the cap on the gun if i had seen a deer.
> 
> but its not likely i will see a deer when i come out. its always dark by the time i get out of my tree, and i always use my flashlight going to and from my stand. i dont want to get shot by some idiot taking a sound shot. now i put my cap in one of my coat pockets that i never carry my good caps in. then just throw it away back at the camper.
> sherman
> ...


HUH??!! He had the slugs in his hand, and you can see where this might be considered hunting? Are you kidding me? To paraphrase the old saying, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush", then "A shell in the gun is worth two in the hand!" I'm sorry, but a gun without shells or caps in it is "unloaded", period! Can you say "thin pinching"? Seeing as a complaint lodged by a county GP would likely be heard before a county judge, who's to say they don't have some sort of financial agreement worked out. As far as I'm concerned, it's total BS!

Like the time a bunch of us got checked hunting a friend's and relative's property. One guy is disabled and has the use of only one arm, so, he hunts with a pistol. His son hunts with him and usually unloads his pistol before walking out. Well, an ODNR crew showed up just before sunset, checked everybody, and basically told the son to "get out of here" before they checked his Dad. So, Dad shows up back at the parking area with a loaded gun. And the GP's, or GP trainees, were ready to run him through the wringer. It got pretty tense. I finally told one of them, "Hey, listen. This is private property, owned by his relative. It seems to me that if he has permission, he could wander around here with a loaded weapon 24/7, and unless you have evidence that he shot a game animal in violation of Ohio law, then *it's none of your damned business!*


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

[quote. I finally told one of them, "Hey, listen. This is private property, owned by his relative. It seems to me that if he has permission, he could wander around here with a loaded weapon 24/7, and unless you have evidence that he shot a game animal in violation of Ohio law, then *it's none of your damned business!*[/quote]

Dang your a bad dude! LOL! First of all it is against the law to be caught in a woods with a loaded gun or bow on your property or any where else. Get caught and you will be getting poaching charges filed. Yes and with out firing a shot. Walking across some ones property and with poles to fish can get you poaching too! Now I haven't said much more simply because that's all i knew. But figured with the ranting and raving of some who seem to know nothing at all I would. First of all a man who talks to any law enforcement officer like that lacks respect in his bringing up, and second I bet it didn't give one iota about how it seemed to you. I think you better investigate what people do get fined and put in jail for. Some make no sense at all to me but does to a cop and a judge. Sorry for the ranting. But this has gone from a good discussion to every buddy strutting their stuff.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

buckeye dan said:


> I've discussed the 1/2 after sunset topic on this board before. From that discussion:
> 
> 
> The question remains. Are there enough people interested in changing this going to show up at the open house meetings in March to make it happen? The March 2012 open house meetings had 398 attendees statewide and only 22 people voted on this subject (3 opposed).


I attended the open house meeting and voted in favor of this change.

I view the evening potential change much the same way I do the 1/2 hr prior to sunrise law today. Just because the clock in the morning says that it is legal to shoot it does not mean that there is adequate light to do so, it varies days to day based upon the weather and the hunting location. If the ODNR trusts me to make that decision in the morning I would hope they still trust me as much in the evening to make the same good decision.


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