Would you take a shot at dusk?

[der Teufel]

Just Hogs

For me, the answer is obvious. I don't hunt deer, just hogs. I shoot at them whenever I think I can make a good shot, even if it's by moonlight. Of course, here in Texas we can hunt hogs any time day or night.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

With a bow? No. I don't want to have to track it in the dark and if it rains over night the trail can wash away. With a gun? Yes!

This goes for me too. The farthest I've ever had one run when shot with the '06 is about 40 yds, so that SHOULDN"T be a problem.

IF its cool enough, you can always go back the following morning and recover the deer if you cant find him quickly in the evening.

That would be fine, temp wise, but where I hunt there's a better than average chance that yotes would get to it before you did the next morning. Those darn things are everywhere here.

As far as cleaning it, its not a problem for us. At camp we have a rack with a good winch to hang them on a a good light mounted above it.

 

[3212]

It depends on the situation.I much prefer mornings with all day to track just in case.I do have some spots with open woods and fields were I have taken deer in the last hour.If some of those deer had run into thick cover at night I doubt I would have found them before the coyotes.Also warm weather spoilage overnight is an issue.

 

[MCgunner]

I have and will. I shot the little spike I got so far this year at dusk, just enough light to make out that he was a legal deer. Does aren't legal in this county, so if I can't determine sex, I'll let it go. A good, bright scope helps. Those little compact 22 mm objective scopes hinder such decisions and forget it with iron sights and MY eyes. Now days, I really prefer using optics, though I shot a decent 9 point last year with 45 minutes of legal light left with an iron sighted SKS. Back here in the shadows of the trees, bright optics REALLY help.

Of all the deer I've shot. several dozens over the years, only two required any blood trailing. It happens, but with a good caliber and load, it's very rare for me. I put the round where it needs to go. One of those that ran is attributed to a bullet that didn't expand on lung tissue behind the shoulder. The other, it just ran. Shot was good, caliber was 7.62x39. I normally use a better round, but 7.62x39 is a decent round. Last year's 9 point was DRT. Like I say, it happens. I found both deer. One was shot on an evening hunt with light left, the other a morning hunt.

 

[wally247]

Almost all of my deer were taken late in the day. It's long after dark by the time I'm out of the woods after dressing and dragging.

 

[Captcurt]

Trail a Few.

Depends on the weather and how good the shot is. I have a light that will light up the world but if the ground is wet or rain is in the forcast I will pass. That is especially true when hunting grassy areas. Deer are diffacult enough to trail in grass in the daylight. It's twice as hard at night.

 

[TIMC]

Sure I would, Shot this one 2nd weekend of deer season just before dark. He managed to make it 100 yards into the brush but it wasn't hard to follow the blood trail. I worry more about finding a rattle bug than not finding the deer in the dark.

 

[Davek1977]

I will, and I have on many occasions. I wont shoot if I'm not confident of stopping the animal in its tracks, but that typically isn't a concern when shooting a 7mm Mag and 160 gr Nosler Accubonds or partitions. If I need to anchor an animal where it stands, it rarely fails me

 

[Dolph92]

I shoot deer all the time at dusk. Both with rifle and archery. If its legal hours go for it. If you doubt the shot or your ability to make a clean kill don't do it. As far as gutting them out in the dark. Get one of these http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en...wvar_BD620706__cfg_color=Process_Blue#start=5

They throw a ton of light it's a flashlight it's a lantern and it collapses down for packing.

 

[40-82]

No, I avoid shooting deer in low light. The exception might be if I am very close and I can make a spine, a neck, or a good shoulder shot. I avoid those shots when practicable because they damage more meat than a lung hit. The issue isn't a clean humane kill with a safe background--that can be accomplished in very low light. The issue is finding the deer. Twice this year I've killed does that showed neither blood or hair at the place where they where hit. One was hit with a 260 grain .377 diameter bullet from a 38-70 at about 1800 fps. The other was hit with a 270 Winchester with a 130 grain bullet. I knew I killed both deer because of their behavior when they took the bullet, and I spent about an hour searching for each of them. Had I pulled the trigger in the last light of day, I could have lost either of them.

A deer when mortally hit does not always run the expected path and once out of sight they often turn for reasons that make no apparent sense. In thick brush a deer that may run less than fifty yards before he dies is not always quickly found. It is common to find the deer before you find the blood trail, and sometimes no blood trail is found.

I've had my share of tracking deer after dark shot by other hunters in the last light of day, and it is an experience I recommend avoiding. I don't find field dressing an animal in the dark, but I do mind seeing him lost.

 

[kbheiner7]

Dusk shots are very common - just make sure it is a good shot - no different than any other time really.

 

[buck460XVR]

If still legal shooting time then yes.

This. If you cannot bloodtrail and field dress a deer by flashlight/lantern, odds are you ain't very good at it in the daylight. Since deer are most active at Dawn/Dusk, odds are you will be presented a opportunity at some point in your deer hunting career for a shot at dusk. If you are concerned about your shooting skills or the shot presented and the difficulty of trailing a poorly wounded animal at night, then refrain and wait till another day.

 

[AKElroy]

The big ones don't walk up until last light in my neck of the woods. Twice now I've had a monster 8 point walk up at 10 till 6, sun set at 5:30. First was week before season start, the second time was last night. I have been hunting for 35 years, and have never had a buck fever attack that severe. The deer straight up startled me, I was already packing up and about to climb down when it walked up out of the darkness. Straight up pulled the shot. He remains, at least I hope until next weekend, unharmed.

 

[1911 guy]

If I can be extremely confident in the shot, am close enough to an exit and am prepared to do it all in the pitch dark if the hunting gods frown on me, yes. Otherwise, forget it. I've passed up shots in broad daylight simply because I didn't like the shot, didn't like the distance to an exit point or in general had a gut feeling.

Add in the fact that dusk can be deceiving to your eyes regarding distance and dark always falls a little quicker than you expect, I'd consider your own capabilities as well as the mechanics of the shot.

 

[interlock]

nearly all of my deer are taken in very low light. I have a blood tracking dog and a flask. I carry a light in my bag. So long as you can sex the animal, see crosshairs and are safe then for sure. Take the shot. when you get over the muzzle flash and recoil if you can see the deer laying dead on the ground then make in. If not have a coffee and wait 10 minutes then make in. If it is not within about 10 yards then go for the dog (if she is not asleep at my side.) It only takes about 10 minutes to do a gralloch.

It is really important to know your limitations... range judging is not easy in the dark. Sexing the animal is not easy in the dark.

I know a lot of you American hunters dont use a dog routinely... you should give it a go. they are a real help and training is really easy.

 

[retrieverman]

I have and will again.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

No, there must be at least 1 hour of daylight for potential tracking, you never know what can happen.

Here we pay for our deer and if the guide says you hit it you pay for it, no questions, whether you find it or not you pay. So when shooting a nice trophy Kudu bull at 800-1200USD you want to make sure that you can recover the animal.

Frankly even I we did not pay I would observe the same rule as you would want to despatch a potentially wounded animal ASAP.

Some local guides will stop the hunt when getting to dark.

 

[AKElroy]

I would not want to track a wounded animal in the dark in your neck of the woods either, my friend. Too many scary tooth-laden monsters lurking.

 

[Nite Ryder]

I've hunted deer almost all of my adult life and I've killed more than I can remember. Any more I'm really picky, and at 75 years of age, somewhat lazy. The only time I would shoot a deer is if was in my back yard and my freezer was totally empty. The tall wood fence in my back yard is 20 yards away, well within bow range, but the deer that happen by to eat apples are safe and in no danger. I could have my pick of several...

 

[Andrew Leigh]

I would not want to track a wounded animal in the dark in your neck of the woods either, my friend. Too many scary tooth-laden monsters lurking.

You got that right .

 

[41 Mag]

To answer your question yes I would make the shot IF I get the shot I want. I am however very picky about what I shoot and where I shoot it. If I am after a good buck that I know is in the area, I want everything to be perfect so as to drop it in it's tracks. In this situation I want my shot to traverse the junction of the shoulders, neck and spine which drops them immediately. I don't usually go out just looking for any buck, I try to pick one that is very mature and better than I have gotten ever before.

If I don't get the shot I want I simply hold off, I have had plenty of time in the field to let anything walk till another day.

 

[jrdolall]

Where I hunt you either learn to shoot at dusk or learn not to hunt in the evening.

The only shooter I have seen this year came through the pines at 5:50 which is legal in Alabama. He gave me a broad side shot at 75 yards but I passed. Couldn't really see his rack well enough to determine if he was what I wanted to shoot. Yesterday an 11 year old boy shot a pretty nice 8 point out of that stand and that's what it's all about to me. If I want meat I just tell one of the "whackers" and they will have me a deer at the processor that day.
I have tracked a lot of deer after dark and it is much tougher than during daylight. A marginal shot can mean a deer that runs a ways and tracking through a hardwood swamp is hazardous to your health with "Jesus" briers and all that nature throws at you. If you need to back off for a couple of hours then you have to deal with coyotes finding the deer first.

My two largest mounts were both shot on evening hunts after 5:30 PM.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Few years back I shot a doe in the evening right at dusk. My daughter, she was about 9 then, held the flashlight for me while I dressed it out. Kept saying "Gross. But cool.."
That was with scoped 30-06 BTW.

Now, when bowhunting I do not hunt in the evening because I have heard too many "hit one but didn't find it.." stories from bowhunters.
YMMV

 

[Agsalaska]

As long as I have the right gun and the right shot I would. In fact I seem to do it every year.

 

[brainwake]

seems like I am tracking and dressing multiple deer every year at night. Sometimes it's mine, sometimes its another's in the hunting party. It is just part of the game. There is something very nostalgic about driving the 4 wheeler back to the house in the dark with a deer strapped to the front.