Tracking Wounded Deer at Night

[Greenhorn]

Any hunters that hunt my property,I tell them to focus after the shot for 30 minutes and listen. Then come and get me.

[Vulpes_vulpes]

You have an ethical obligation to track the deer as long as you have a trail. I would suggest unloading and encasing your firearm.

The law prevents you from using light to hunt, or hunting (to be on the trail of, or chase) an animal after dark.

I am sure an officer would be understanding of the situation.

[blasted_saber]

You have an ethical obligation to track the deer as long as you have a trail. I would suggest unloading and encasing your firearm.

The law prevents you from using light to hunt, or hunting (to be on the trail of, or chase) an animal after dark.

I am sure an officer would be understanding of the situation.

I would hope that common sense in conjunction with laws which disagree with each other would mean that a CO wouldnt even THINK about charging someone for using a flashlight to track an animal after dark.

The fact ive never heard of anyone being charged in this instance seems to indicate as such.

[werner.reiche]

You have an ethical obligation to track the deer as long as you have a trail. I would suggest unloading and encasing your firearm.

The law prevents you from using light to hunt, or hunting (to be on the trail of, or chase) an animal after dark.

I am sure an officer would be understanding of the situation.

Although the wording in the summary would indicate it is hunting (Includes lying in wait for, searching for, being on the trail of, pursuing, chasing or shooting at wildlife, whether or not the wildlife is killed, injured, captured or harassed.), the law's interpretation of "hunting" does not include tracking a wounded, potentially dead animal. That falls under recovery and is permitted at night, after the season closes and now by people without a hunting license (tracking dog owners).

The law does not prohibit the use of lights. It prohibits hunting before sunrise -30 and after sunset + 30.

[DGM999]

Response to the original post, I've been told the pure white LED's work well, better than Coleman lanterns, haven't had the chance to try it out myself.