Deer spotlights?

[ratter]

I've only lived out here for a few months, and this is a new one on me. Every night now as deer season approaches, a good number of the vehicles that pass by the house are waving spotlights around looking for deer. What is the point of this? I first thought it was a safety measure until I noticed a lot of them spotting *behind* their vehicles. It bugs the crap out of me. I spend an hour getting my teething baby daughter to sleep only to have some rube drive by waving a spotlight through my yard and over my house. Anybody else experiencing this?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The idea behind spot lighting is to locate the deer. A lot of times you won't see the big bucks during the day as they come out after dark.

As for around your house, check with your game warden and see what the regs are for spotlighting around houses. Here in NY I don't remember the distance but when we spot light we shut the light off long before we get near a house.

I have known of a few people that let spot lights bug them but I do not understand it. If they are not using the lights to shine your house or snoop around your yard and only to see deer in the fields then why does it bother some people so much?

I do enjoy looking for deer at night, I hardly ever hunt any of the fields I spot but it is fun to see a big buck standing out there that you have never seen before.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Biggest problem in this day and age is you never know what the intent of the "spot-lighter" is. They may just be looking for deer. Or they may be looking for my fuel tank or my truck, or........

 

[Junkman]

I have only had the problem once this summer and I resolved it quicky when I headed down the driveway with the red lights and siren blasting chasing them. They ran so fast, that all I could see was dust behind them. I turned everything off before I hit the main road, but I am certain that they won't be back. My wife wonders what I am going to do if I ever catch them. I never try that hard.. always give them a head start and let them think that they can out run me, which they can. One of the joys of living in the woods..

 

[ratter]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The idea behind spot lighting is to locate the deer. A lot of times you won't see the big bucks during the day as they come out after dark.

As for around your house, check with your game warden and see what the regs are for spotlighting around houses. Here in NY I don't remember the distance but when we spot light we shut the light off long before we get near a house.

I have known of a few people that let spot lights bug them but I do not understand it. If they are not using the lights to shine your house or snoop around your yard and only to see deer in the fields then why does it bother some people so much?

I do enjoy looking for deer at night, I hardly ever hunt any of the fields I spot but it is fun to see a big buck standing out there that you have never seen before. )</font>

I suppose what bugs me about it is, at best, it is plain old discourteous to be shining a bright light near or at my house at night. Not unlike driving by honking the horn, IMO.

At worst, if guys are spotting deer with the idea that they'll come back when the season opens, what does that say about their respect (or lack thereof) for the fact that my land is all clearly posted?

If they're just looking for the sake of looking, and can manage to not light up my house, then I've got no problem with it.

Oh well. I'm just a bit apprehensive about our first hunting season living here and whether or not we'll have any "issues" to deal with....

 

[Henry]

People do the same thing up in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Quite a few people put "No Spotlighting" signs in their front yard, but I'm not sure how successful they are.

 

[ratter]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So people are out after dark shooting high powered rifles in the dark ?????????

Ben
)</font>

No no, just driving by slowly, waving a spotlight.

 

[ratter]

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I was thinking about six of these duct-taped together. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I was thinking about six of duct taped together. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

ratter,

I would just call the DNR and tell them about it. If you start harrassing them they may come after you. Just let the DNR handle it and they may not even know it was you that called in.


murph

 

[ByronBob]

As Bob said, in NY this is legal but shining it in your home isn't. You can even have a weapon in the vehicle as long as it isn't loaded.

Most states I think have a hotline for poaching which is taken seriously by the game wardens. If your cought you loose your license for a long time.

I got a lift one day by a warden after getting an 8pt buck. Got lost a bit and he came by. (Thank god) He opened the back seat of his blazer and scared the bejesus out of me. In there was a life like buck, radio controlled decoy for catching people hunting from the road.

Their out there trying to keep hunters honest. If it really bothers you call the DNR and talk to them.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I was told one time (tongue-in-cheek) by a law enforcement officer that should a "black box" similar to airplanes, be installed in pick-up trucks, the #1 thing you'd hear before most pickup crashes would be, "Hold my beer and watch this"!

I don't doubt it for one second.