Illegal or unethical or neither?

[SleazyRider]

Hopefully, some New York State hunters will weigh in on this question:

A buddy of mine whose nearest neighbor is about 1/4 of a mile away says he hunts deer from the second floor window of his (detached) garage. The garage sits high on a knoll that overlooks a somewhat difficult-to-hunt brushy area adjacent to farmland, and there is no question that there are no occupied dwellings or roads in the area beyond.

Is this legal? Is it ethical? NYS law prohibits hunting "within 500 feet of a dwelling, farm building or structure in occupation or use unless (emphasis mine) you own it, lease it, are an immediate member of the family, an employee, or have the owner's consent," but I cannot find any specific reference that prohibits shooting out one's window.

 

[R.W.Dale]

How is that any diffrent than putting on a bunch of camo and ambushing your deer from a blind or tree?

Answer---------it's not

 

[sansone]

i got no problem with it

 

[BlackSky]

Under the circumstances you listed I don't think I'd have issue with it.

 

[TH3180]

I wish I could do it.

 

[oldbanjo]

I've seen 20-30 Turkey in the back yard, I don't like Turkey so I leave them alone. If I liked Turkey my blind would be my House. It's safe why not shoot from your House. I pattern my Shotguns while sitting on my front steps. I pick up the hulls so no one will trip.

 

[rocky branch]

Deer are so numerous in spite of legal hunting that thet are absolute nuisances and hazards.

Hunting has become an economic boon to the area, but few locals worry about harm to the population.

Your buddy might be breaking the law, but he's feeding his family and helping to control the population.
Hopefully he is concentrating on does.

 

[d2wing]

States that have that rule are to prevent hunters from shooting at or too close to a home, property or livestock. I don't see a problem with shooting from your own window.
Legal? probably, ethical? What kroshus said.

 

[stan rose]

It is not illegal, but I'm not sure I would call it hunting. I would not judge as acting unethical, it just would not be the way I would choose to harvest my deer. My brother got a nice eight pointer this morning the old fashioned way, still hunting, no blind, no tree stand, just stealthy walking, and pre season scouting.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

It is not illegal, but I'm not sure I would call it hunting.

Call it whatever you want. I call it deer in the freezer.
I was working one day and my dad calls. He asks me if I can come by and help him drag a deer up to the house. I say yes and he replies, "Ok. I'm gonna go put some clothes on." He'd been walking through the kitchen in his pjs and saw a deer out he sliding glass door. He gets his .308 which is right by the door (because that's how we do it in Arkansas), slides the door back and drops her. Bout made my mom have a heart attack.

Good stuff. (Other than the scaring my mother to death part)

 

[ssfeldjager]

I'd call it a pretty nice arrangement.

 

[kaferhaus]

I'd call it a pretty nice arrangement.

as would I, some guys have all the luck...

 

[stan rose]

I was not trying to imply that the set up would not come in handy, be beneficial, or make for fun memories. I was just saying that I would not get up early get the gear and then go and sit in a garage. It may be more practical even, just not as much fun as far as I am concerned. It is your tag, and your time, fill them both as you please.

 

[d2wing]

Well put Stan.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Deer are so numerous in spite of legal hunting that thet are absolute nuisances and hazards.

Same here. My Alabama hunting license allows for 73 deer to be taken during our 70 day gun season. A doe per day and up to 3 bucks per season and STILL we are being over run. A set-up like this would be a dream.

 

[walker944]

I agree that it definitely is not the kind of hunting I do...but, the thought of kicking back in a La-Z-Boy, then gently easing the window up, and then squeezing off a round sounds a bit humorous.

 

[bigfatdave]

That's not hunting ... that would be "harvesting"

But what's the problem? If one was shooting at deer from a second-story window, wouldn't the planet be your backstop?

Hey, I like a walk in the woods, and I like shooting. But I'm not excited enough to combine the two AND add in going out to a 360-degree range with a bunch of drunk bubbas. I'd blast deer all season if I had the setup the OP refers to, though ... turkey too. Who doesn't like turkey, anyway? Isn't that un-American?

 

[jimmyraythomason]

with a bunch of drunk bubbas.

Sounds like a PETA commercial.

 

[bigfatdave]

Sounds like a PETA commercial.

Except that I fully support the murder of delicious venison bambis, I suppose it does.
Maybe it sounds like someone who lived in North-Central PA for a while, where you ain't hunting if you ain't tanked

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Now Now Dave, we weren't ALWAYS...burp....Tanked!!! Sometimes we were just bucketed

Sounds like a dream setup to me. Granted I love the hunt as much, if not more so, than anyone. But man it does get old getting up a couple hours before daylight and drag my rear out to freeze for 8 or more hours for a mangy deer!

 

[bucktail]

It's legal if the law is as you describe it. I don't see any ethical issues either. Not as fun as sneaking up on one in their territory, but I'd probably use the set up from time to time, especially if I was tired or pressed for time.

 

[desidog]

Yeah, the folks who spend a lot of loot on camo and drive hours to a lease before dawn don't live in the north east.

Most deer i pop i see out the window, go up and get the gun, step out on the terrace, and adios. Deer in CT are pests. They account for the majority of car accidents in the state.

I'd shoot out the window, but that involves opening it and the screen; so its easier to walk out the other side of the house and around.

Call a spade a spade: it's deer killing...not purists' idea of "hunting." BUT, it is "spot-and-stalk." Just not a long stalk. and perfectly legal (with a tag!).

We have so many deer pass by that I get selective with the ones i shoot. Not the deer themselves, but if i have enough time to process it in the next few days. I say not the deer, cause I don't hunt for trophies, and none of the deer get that old around us with all the Lyme disease, so you won't see a 7 year old monster...just a whole lot of 2-3 year 6 or 8 pointers and about 5x as many does as bucks.

 

[Grumulkin]

I took a deer out of the window with my crossbow last year. A number of groundhogs have been taken as well from my home office "hide."

 

[M-Cameron]

illegal....i cant say.
unethical.....hrmm not really.

but something about taking a deer whilst being able to wear a bath robe and slippers kinda takes the sport out of it.......

 

[jimmyraythomason]

but something about taking a deer whilst being able to wear a bath robe and slippers kinda takes the sport.......

Not sport...grocery shopping.