using illumanock in Wa

[buckfvr]

I've pondered this thought/argument for sometime.  The one where its too dark to find my arrow to know if I made a good hit.   The conclusion that I have come to is that if its too dark to see where my arrow went, or too dark to find it with a know trajectory etc, THEN IT MIGHT BE TOO DARK TO BE SHOOTING AT AN ANIMAL.   Just my thoughts of course.

 

[bobcat]

Why not let bow hunters kill more humanely- let's allow them to use rifles during bow season!  But to keep it somewhat primitive, no scopes, or any electronic devices attached to the rifle. How's that sound?

[Machias]

I've pondered this thought/argument for sometime.  The one where its too dark to find my arrow to know if I made a good hit.   The conclusion that I have come to is that if its too dark to see where my arrow went, or too dark to find it with a know trajectory etc, THEN IT MIGHT BE TOO DARK TO BE SHOOTING AT AN ANIMAL.   Just my thoughts of course. 

      

[MDGrand]

So just to be clear, you're are saying you'd be good with shorter season if you could use equipment that increased the overall success rates.  Right?  Because that is the net effect.  That is the main reason they used for shortening the season this last time. Success rates.

IMHO, higher success rates are only PART of the reason the seasons have been shorter. And I think a small part.. I know that is what perhaps the WDFW have stated.. but in my experience with other states, it is really the OTC tags here in WA that are the culprit I think for everyone's issues.

But that is a whole other thread..

[MDGrand]

I've pondered this thought/argument for sometime.  The one where its too dark to find my arrow to know if I made a good hit.   The conclusion that I have come to is that if its too dark to see where my arrow went, or too dark to find it with a know trajectory etc, THEN IT MIGHT BE TOO DARK TO BE SHOOTING AT AN ANIMAL.   Just my thoughts of course.

Well, I do not know about you.. but a few years ago, I had a buck step out in front of my stand with about 15 minutes of light left.. he came into range and I wacked him! Perfect shot, double lunger, I saw him clear, perfectly legal and ethical.. HOWEVER, when shooting him, the arrow went through him and into a thick berry bush that was directly behind him. I could not see my arrow. Also, upon shooting, he ran off into the trees about 50-60 yards and ultimately out of sight.

NOW.. usually most hunters wait a while to go after the animal. At least that is what I do and most others do as well.. that way you dont push the animal. So I waited about 20-30 minutes. Well, in 20 minutes, it was pitch dark.. I could not find my arrow no matter how hard I looked in the bushes with my flashlight and headlamp..  So I decided to follow the blood trail and I found him. Even though the blood trail was very difficult through some of the thick brush he ran through.

MY question was when looking for the arrow... and a lot of the time the arrow can tell you this.. is "how was the animal hit? I wanted to find the arrow first to see if I had bright pink blood or dark thick blood.. this would tell me if I needed to back out for the night or go after him right away.

I am POSITIVE with a Luminock I could have found my arrow and made a more educated decision instead of guessing.

Now, I found the deer and "that is hunting" but as I have said before, my concern is doing the right thing by the animal first. If Technology helps me do that withought a strong chance of being used for non ethical reasons, then we should use it.

 

[buckfvr]

WHos ethics??? yours or Joe Dirtbags.....Enough of the I, I, me, me stuff.....look hard at the whole picture AND the consequences to bowhunters as a group......yes, we are individuals, but we are lumped into a group for the season setting process.....for better or for worse. 

[sirmissalot]

This seems like its getting out of hand with everyones thoughts and arguments but I will state my opinion anyways.

I think lighted nocks are cool, I've shot them a lot in 3D and its pretty neat to be able to clearly see your arrow and shot placement. I don't like the fact that they are heavy and screw up my FOC, so unless I had a newer faster shooting bow and could afford to shoot a heavier arrow I would not hunt with them anyways. I can't imagine they would have an effect whatsoever on hunter success rates, they will not aid you in killing an animal, just in seeing where you hit... or didn't hit. Now if we were able to use other electronics on our bows such as a bow mounted laser range finder... that would increase hunter success, I can think of several animals that would be dead if we were able to use those, but we can't, and I'm glad.

[GermanShorthair]

just my    with traditional archery the arrow speed allows the person to watch the arrow flight and where it would hit.  With technology today with 300+ fps bows the brightly colored fletchings and nocks were enough, but technology will increase and someday bows may shoot 500+ fps. I like the archery restrictions we have in this state, we have drawn the line. We are making ourselves more efficient and next thing you know hunting will become just killing. 

[Lowedog]

The only reason I want to see them allowed is because of the guys who say they shouldn't be because it doesn't meet their criteria of what they consider archery hunting.  I have never used them and don't plan to.

I still have not read one legitimate excuse why a lighted nock should be illegal.  The slippery slope argument is just lame. 

[BULLBLASTER]

i just found these http://www.sternerduttera.com/store/firefly_glowing_nocks_stay_lit.asp
i may order a few to play with this late season

only bad thing i see is always having a light on your bow for deer to see.

[UptheCreek]

"We are making ourselves more efficient and next thing you know hunting will become just killing.  "    ---  Isn't that the point.  I don't just hunt to hunt. I hunt to kill.  I prefer bowhunting because of the challenge of getting close to your game and still make a kill shot.  After bowhunting the last 5 years, rifle hunting seems too easy.  Maybe if I hunt only with a pocket knife I will do more hunting and less killing.  Unless of course, the pocket knife is equiped with a lighted handle and expandable blade......

[boneaddict]

hunting will become just killing.  "    ---  Isn't that the point.

ahhhhhhh NO, not even close

You summed it up a little better in your next sentence.   

[Machias]

The only reason I want to see them allowed is because of the guys who say they shouldn't be because it doesn't meet their criteria of what they consider archery hunting.  I have never used them and don't plan to.

I still have not read one legitimate excuse why a lighted nock should be illegal.  The slippery slope argument is just lame. 

The only reason I want them to continue being outlawed is because of guys always chasing the next gadget to make up for their lack of hunting skills.  Always looking for the easy way instead of becoming better hunters, better trackers, better sign readers, better shots.  They think these will solve all their problems, it just isn't so.  And I still have not read one legitimate reason for allowing them, since you can achieve the exact same results without them.
  

[Lowedog]

Not everyone has the luxury of being perfect like you Machias so we shouldn't mind if they use a little light on the end of their arrow to help find it after the shot. 

[Machias]