Light regulations by state:

demon,

I was just going by the law. To me it sounds like all the wardens have a motto of never giving permission. But, unless they've changed the law recently, technically you can hunt with lights if the warden gives you permission.
 
demon, it's best to look up the regulations for yourself and go through them with a fine-tooth comb. Randy has taken the time to do the legwork for us here in this thread, but you have to take ownership of the question in your own area. One of the things you should keep in mind is this: if the regulation does not say it is illegal, then it's legal. Here in Montana, we have to read between the lines - - - our regulations do not come out and say "it is legal to hunt coyotes at night with a spotlight". In fact, the regs don't list what is legal - they only list what is illegal. Keep this in mind when you're reading through them. Also, don't take anyone else's word for the law - find it out yourself and then be prepared to quote all of the applicable regulations when you are discussing them with an authority figure. I have made numerous posts in predatormasters regarding rules and regulations - some folks here in my hometown still believe it is illegal to hunt coyote at night with a spotlight. And these are people I trust and respect. Also, a Game Warden told my best friend it was illegal to shoot ground squirrels from a vehicle - not true. A ground squirrel is a non-regulated, non-game animal = you can kill it anyway you want as long as the landowner approves (of course, you cannot discharge a firearm while on a county road). My point, in a nutshell, is this = if hunting is important to you then you have to know the regulations forward and backward.
Randy, I hope I haven't hi-jacked your thread here or otherwise stepped on your toes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Quote:
quote: "Oklahoma: No, except with permission from warden and landowner"

ok I am sooo confused now,I was told NO, no matter what...
but I was also told it was ok ON PRIVATE LAND as long as you were not going to sell the hides.
and was also told not to bother talking to the local game warden,he says NO no exceptions.



I spoke with the Chief of Law Enforcement earlier this morning and he told me that the only thing you can "CALL with distress calls" is coyotes with a shotgun and nothing larger than number 6 shot. You can hunt cats at night if you are pursuing them with dogs. You cannot however, call Bobcats at night with a light and dog. There are a lot of things in the regulations that are not written. If you look at Oklahoma's regs on furbearers, it leaves a lot of things open to question. I told the law enforcement chief that it didn't say that I could not call cats at night and he agreed. He also said that it also doesn't say that you can hunt cats at night with a stick of dynamite either. Anyway, basically the only thing that you can use predator calls for at night with a light is coyotes or coons (during coon season).

I guess they think that if we were to be able to hunt cats at night with calls, we might wipe out the population. I don't understand it!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Randy,
Your right about New Mexico the only other thing is your limited to harvesting coyotes only.I called the offices and was informed of this just last year as it's not in the proclamation. Thanks for your efforts to gather this info.
 
just to make sure the guys from Pa know, not only is your light not allowed to be attached to your gun it also is illegal to have the light plugged in to your vehicle and also to use your vehicle to hunt, I know some states allow you to be in the bed of your truck.... also you are not allowed to drive around spotting field looking for anything, while in possesion of a firearm.
 
Cracker or Moosetrot? I was wondering if you guys could give me the current law in WI? Can we use them for coyotes yet? Is there any specifics on whether it can be gun mounted vs hand held for fox?
Thanks
 
New to the forum, live and hunt in PA. My hunting buddy got married and moved to Indiana (Fort Wayne area) and wants to hunt for fox and yote. Stated that there is something in the regulations about having a constant light that is visible from 360*. Anyone know about this?
 
there are NO regs that state that you must have a constant light... the main regs are that the light may not be connected to a motorized vehicle and that you can not use a light in an attempt to locate game animals while in possession of a firearm.... and that little crap about not having your light mounted to your gun.....
 
hey thanks guys for the answers and advice,I tend to get conflicting infomation sometimes, but thats how it goes,here is another thing I gleamed off the okla hunting guide,

coyotes
Open year round, except it shall be unlawful to hunt,take or attempt to take coyotes from dark to daylight with the aid of any artifical light or any sight dog.

Legal Means of Taking
Firearms or Archery
Daylight only: Any legal firearm or archery equipment.
Nighttime only: Hunters may possess a .22 caliber rimfire rifle or .22 caliber rimfire pistol and a light carried on the person while in pursuit of furbearers with hounds during the legal, open furbearer season, while possessing a valid hunting license and fishing and hunting legacy permit, unless exempt.


now if I can please have yalls great advice on this,
ok what does all this mean????
does this say its ok to take them at night?
but I can`t use a spotlight
but theres no mention of scopes with NV or lighted reticle?
and nighttime .22 really dosen`t make that much sence to me?
thanks guys /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Well, this is about as goofy as I can think.

For any Wisconsin hunters, here is what "point fo kill" actually means for the DNR. Now since I have yet to actually night hunt, but have done enough in the daylight, I can honestly say I never know where a coyote will pop out of. So I guess I dont understand how you are suppost to know where to shine the light at "point of Kill"

What is the definition of point of kill?
"Point of kill" means the location at which a flashlight is used to illuminate and kill a wild animal whose position or location is already known by the hunter for the purpose of accurately identifying the animal, safely aiming the weapon and killing the animal. It does not include shining a light on fields, forests or other areas in general for the purpose of searching for or attempting to locate wild animals for which the hunter does not already know the specific location, such as a tree a hound has treed the animal in.

PS, this is straight off the DNRs website.

Mike
 
Figure this one out.

After speaking to a local conservation officer: South Dakota

It is legal to use a high-power rifle at night... with no lights. It is NOT legal to use a high power with lights.

So basically it is legal for me to go out and sling rounds at shadows... but it is NOT legal to identify the target before you shoot it.

We can use lights with .22 rimfire and shotgun. They also state you can NOT use night vision equipment of any kind.

The sheer idiocy of laws these days makes me want to vomit.
 
Hey orkan,

If you go out on a full moon night with your high power and setup in stubble field with rockpile you will be amazed at how well you can see the animal. Your eyes will adjust to the "darkness" very well and you can hunt them about the same as you do during the daylight. Not defending the law, but suggesting you give that night hunting with a full moon a try.
 
Scott,
Snow helps on those full moonlit nights! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Randy,
In VA you can use a light at night without restriction as long as it's not "attached" in any way to a vehicle(truck, boat, quad, tractor, etc..)Said light may be attached to your firearm. Firearms, legal in the daytime in the county in which you're hunting, are also legal at night. Electronic calls are allowed at night for any species that they are allowed to used on in the daytime. These statutes do not apply to National Forest or Commission owned lands.
F1
 


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