Shooting hours ethics.

[bobcat]

I haven't hunted ducks in a while but for us it was always 10 or 15 minutes past legal time in the morning before we could see good enough to identify what kind of duck we were looking at. That's how I remember it anyway.

[scout/sniper]

The hours might have been changed to later over the years.
Legal hours are pretty light so I am careful to wait for the alarm to go off.

[vandeman17]

I think the legal light, bird id debate's biggest factor is the weather. I have had mornings where I could pick out and id birds well before shooting light and then the next morning couldn't id them even 10-15 minutes after LST.

[bulldurham]

so I'm a poacher becouse I shoot if I can identify the bird? hmmm... throw the cuffs on me

[h20hunter]

No, you are a troll AND a poacher if you shoot prior to legal shooting hours.

[D-Rock425]

23 votes to 163

[bulldurham]

isn't the whole purpose of shooting hours being regulated is so you can identify the bird you are shooting at? so I'm a poacher becouse I take a bird Mabey 4 or 5 min after legal light? seems a little harsh.

[pianoman9701]

isn't the whole purpose of shooting hours being regulated is so you can identify the bird you are shooting at? so I'm a poacher becouse I take a bird Mabey 4 or 5 min after legal light? seems a little harsh.

No, not harsh, it's actually the law. If you don't like the law, break it. But that makes you a poacher. Please hunt near me. Please!

[scout/sniper]

I think the legal light, bird id debate's biggest factor is the weather. I have had mornings where I could pick out and id birds well before shooting light and then the next morning couldn't id them even 10-15 minutes after LST.

  I was considering this after my comment. It was clear with no fog last weekend.

[scout/sniper]

It's difficult not to comment isn't pman?
These kind of people piss off all but the HW 10% poaching population.

"I take a bird Mabey 4 or 5 min after legal light"
"it was after shooting hours but I could count his tines"
"it was almost across the road, what's the big deal"
"an unloaded gun in a vehicle is for safety, I'm safe so I'm exempt"

[bulldurham]

I've waited for up to 20 min after shooting light on some stormy mornings before I could tell drakes from hens. on blue bird days you can sometimes identify birds almost 20 min after the end of shooting light. I have been confronted by a warden after dumping a loner goose 4 min after legal light on one of those blue bird days and he was not concerned with sticking a magnet to my shells and checking  plug then that "poached" goose. his exact words were "if it wasn't so clear out I would have more of a problem with it. just make sure your using common sense" no hand cuffs. no ticket.

[Curly]

There was a time, I believe, when shooting hours for waterfowl were different than big game.  It ended right at sunset instead of a half hour.  Back then I bet there were several people breaking the rules.  I can't remember if it also started at sunrise too......    Anybody remember that?

[scout/sniper]

You got a break from a LEO that was feeling generous.
You obviously have no regard for the law, you shot a goose after legal hours, ergo you are a poacher.

[h20hunter]

Sounds like you made a bad decision and got away with it. Sorry but hours are hours. We don't get to decide. Granted, it was a few minutes and I have no problem with the warden making the call he did. However, if you were to have gotten a ticket and whatever else he decided then I simply would have no sympathy.

[Curly]

Here is another question for you guys.  You know how the published shooting hours are for Eastern and Western WA and for a week period at a time.  Those times are not very accurate.

Well, you know the intent of the shooting hours law is from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.  Well, what if you look up the sunrise time on your smart phone or computer for the location you are hunting and do the easy math for 1/2 hour before sunrise to get when shooting time should be?  And guess what, that time could be several minutes off of the published shooting time.  (Especially due to the fact that the published times change usually by 10 minutes from Sunday to Monday).  So, it really might be as much as 15 minutes off depending on your location and how close to the beginning or end of the week it is.

So, a guy that shoots 4 minutes early (according to the published times) might actually be within the 1/2 before sunrise window that is supposed to be legal light.

I realize the published times are what we have to go with, but with the ease we can now determine sunrise/sunset with smart phones and gps's, it seems that the published times should just become a "guide" and there should be another method by gps or internet site to determine a more exact time. 

Personally, I will refrain from labeling someone with the word "poacher" when shooting 4 minutes off of published official times.  Not that I condone it, and I sure wouldn't shoot before published times myself..........I just think that is a little harsh to label them as a poacher.