tracking at night

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: Squirrelhawker

ORIGINAL: EatDeer

That's great you can have that kind of relationship with your conservation officer. However, that dosen't change the fact that it is unlawful to hunt deer with lights at night, and its against the law to have a loaded weapon after normal hunting hours. In my state you could lose your hunting rights, or more, if you get caught breaking the laws. It's just not worth the hassle, in my opinion.    

To be sure my gun would be unloaded after dark for more than just regulatory reasons.

So, what would be the scenario in Il if you dumped one at sundown and by the time you dressed it out it was dark?

You would have until 10:00 pm that night to call-check it in with the DNR.         Field dressing the deer, and retrieveing the deer is not un-lawful after normal hours. They can write somebody up, for having a nocked arrow, or loaded weapon after legal hunting hours. Around here the CPO is a real stickler, and has been known to spy on hunters from abroad. All I'm saying is I dont take any chances with my hunting rights. Trusting a CPO to turn the other cheek, is like turning your back on a freindly rattle snake.

[PrairieShadow]

ORIGINAL: hunter480

ORIGINAL: schlupis

cutting its throat sounds good but you could get hurt also your saftey should come first... I dont think killing the deer you already wounded is poaching just finishing the job....

Quite the contrary... when the law states you may not have a loaded weapon in the field outside of legal shooting hours, and you use that weapon to dispatch that animal, you`ve become a poacher, regardless of "what you think".

 
Yes you do become a poacher. A poacher is someone who breaks the law to harvest game.  Is it ethical to let an animal suffer for hours? apparently law makers think so.
 
I have asked my local warden about this topic awhille back and he told me to get ahold of him if the instance ever arose and he would come out and help dispatch the animal. Then they know what you are really doing and they know you are just trying to do the correct thing.

[DoeEyed]

Vipermann7, I realize this thread is a year old but it's the first time I've read it. I was wondering if you ever got a definitive answer to your question? Did you ask the DNR? Being that we can't have a loaded weapon in our possesion after shooting hours I would think loading your weapon to finish a wounded deer would be an absolute no-no. We always leave our gun or bow behind when we are tracking. If we come upon a wounded deer it's either finish it with the hunting knife if possible or back out and give it more time to expire.

[Bob Olsen]

We tracked a Deer at night last November and started to track it with the shooter taking his gun along. But we weren't sure so we did not take a chance. Besides, Steve Drone (our C.P.O.) could be anywhere. It was the right thing to do.