Wisconsin Night Hunting Regulations

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Bueller

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I stopped by my local DNR office and picked up a small game booklet and read it a few times but I'm still unclear as to whether or not night hunting is allowed before January 1st (the day bow deer hunting is done). Also, before Jan 1st is it necessary to wear orange or not during the day? Thanks a lot guys I appreciate it, I have lots of spare time until new years so I would like to get out as much as possible.
 
Go to the dnr website and do the live chat/works great and pretty fast.

I did that a few weeks ago and was told night hunting is allowed during this time.

Basically what they said was you cannot night hunt with a bow/crossbow during bow season. You have to call it quits when the timetables say so in the manual.

I didn't ask this question about orange during the day.
I just know once dusk comes and all other hunting hours expire then you are not required to wear orange. I know that does not answer your question really.
 
Only time you need to wear orange during the day is if there is a gun season open. You dont need orange at night. I believe you can hunt at night for coyotes all year long except for the Friday night before the regular gun season, but I could be wrong on that one.
 
LonecoyoteWI is right. You only have wear orange if there its during gun season hours, and since they end at dusk you don't have to wear orange after that. You can also hunt at night all year except for the friday before deer season when all shooting is closed.
 
Krauty09,
That's not entirely true. During the gun deer season, outside cwd zones, the times listed in the back tables of the regulations apply to hunting all species,including coyotes.
See page 10 under night hunting.
Rob
 
It's my understanding that in Wisconsin you can't use any kind of light to scan with, you can only use the light at the point of kill to identify your target.
 
Originally Posted By: Rob424Krauty09,
That's not entirely true. During the gun deer season, outside cwd zones, the times listed in the back tables of the regulations apply to hunting all species,including coyotes.
See page 10 under night hunting.
Rob

That is also true during the nine day gun season you cant night hunt


Originally Posted By: schlaggermanIt's my understanding that in Wisconsin you can't use any kind of light to scan with, you can only use the light at the point of kill to identify your target.

Also true..only can use light for point of kill
 
I take the whole "scanning" thing to mean you cannot drive around shining fields for them. I hunt mostly on nights when you don't need a light but I would not be the least bit afraid to sweep a light across a field while I am calling. The "No Scanning" thing is so deer poachers can't use our sport as an excuse when they get pulled over with a gun in the truck.
The field I am calling them to is the "Point of Kill".
 
The night hunting rules are hard to understand in the WI reg. book every time I read the rules I find something Iam not sure of. I asked a warden at there booth at the northern WI fair and he said you could use the light to walk in, and when you see a critter you can turn the light on to make the shot, he said if I catch you shining the light around to spot a animal that you havent already spotted he would give you a fine. I believe if 5 diferent wardens checked you, you could end up with 5 diferent fines, thats how screwed up the regs. are. Good Luck
 
Then let's get it changed! I'm the one who pushed the current light law a few years ago through the Conservation Congress process. Prior to that, a glitch in the law made it illegal to use ANY artificial light while hunting coyotes, etc. Given the changes in Madison, if we work together across the state, I'd bet we could do it.

I haven't been at this for a couple years....if I'm not mistaken doesn't Minnesota allow the use of lights for scanning if you are a certain distance from a road/vehicle or something like that? We probably could not do it while gun deer seasons are open, but that would still give us a lot of time through the year.

Let's get some momentum up and get it done!

Moosetrot
 
Try for something better then Mn.

The exceptions to this regulation are:
Without a firearm or a bow, a person who is on foot may use a handheld
artificial light to retrieve wounded or dead big game animals.
A person taking raccoons or tending traps in accordance with all other
regulations in this booklet.
A person hunting for coyote or fox from Jan. 1 to March 15 may use
an artificial handheld light under the following conditions:
• While on foot and not within a public right of way
• Using a shotgun
• Using a calling device
• Not within 200 feet of a vehicle
It is not a violation of this law to shine lights without a firearm while
doing any agricultural, safety, emergency response, normal vehicle operation
or occupational-related activities or recreational activity, including
snowmobiling, not related to spotting, locating or taking a wild animal.
 
Moosetrot,
I agree whole heartedly on your opinion and would like to get this law amended or eliminated.
Without the use of a light a lot of mistakes could be made, and HAVE been made on non target animals. I understand the "point of kill" use of the light but with the limited time a yote stays for identification around here using a light, some hunters get 'trigger jumpy'.
As mentioned above, I'm sure the law was made to stop deer poaching, but is somewhat outdated, IMO,considering how advanced predator hunting has become with use of calls,decoys,etc...
I think if we as predator hunters could convey to the DNR and Conservation Congress the benefits of using lights for proper ID of animals, safety issues, and the general 'not having to worry' about breaking the law between scanning/point of kill it would be beneficial.
Please feel free to PM me about any help I can give with this problem.
Maybe we could use some other states light laws as examples for this purpose, I'm sure some other members would share them with us.
 
Folks-It will take us coming up with a solid resolution that can be introduced in several counties at the Spring Hearings. I'll be talking with some folks in law enforcement on Monday night and I'll get some idea of their sentiment on this. If we can get them behind the concept it will go a lot easier. Add in some media folks and we can do it.

I agree that we do not have to go exactly with what Minnesota has but it'll be a good boilerplate to work from. I think we'll need to stay away from ANY gun deer season.

We worked with some members of the legislature when we got the first light law passed and they were behind it 100%. Not sure of what Madison will be like after the dust settles but I'd bet we can find some there to back us.

We have a few months to put this together. We have the success of the current light law as well as the influx of wolves to bolster what we propose.

Moosetrot

I'm really optimistic that we can get this done. It may take a couple years but it will be worth it.
 
I'm in, need any help pm me.
Still trying to figure out if a hand held light mounted to a weapon is legal? How they word these things they could go either way depending on the warden.
 
I personaly have introduced numerous resolutions to the conservation coucil in my county. If you guys want me to introduce something you have written up I would be more than happy, however keep in mind that it has to be perfect according to the guidelines they set or it will not be introduced. I myself will be issuing a resolution in regards to baiting for predators this year. By the way this would be in Marinette county.
 
i have two questions inregards to this
during the night is there any firearm regs?(rimfire/shotgun)
can you at anytime carry a shotgun and rifle for predator? day or night?(sorry been watching predator quest episodes on the websight)
and yes i agree wisconsins night hunting regs need to be redone i just hope pushing doesn't get them taken away. i'm lucky to hunt three miles from madison, hippies in priuses glare at me when i have my gun walking in the woods.
 
I'll be posting up a very rough list of what I figure ought to be the parameters of the resolution in the next couple days. I'm delegate to the Conservation Congress (but the resolution will be personal and not the stance of the Congress...yet) and I agree it needs to be written up in proper form. The proper format can come later.

While "shotgun resolutions"(introduced in several counties) are sometimes frowned upon by SOME folks, they are very effective in spreading the word across the state about what we want to do.

I'm very optimistic we can get this done, folks.

Moosetrot
 
The only reg that limits the number of guns you can have, is if you are hunting with someone as a mentor. Than it is only one gun between the two of you. There are also some townships that have an ordanance not allowing centerfire rifles being used for any hunting or shooting. For that you would have to call the town and find out. For me, the idea of carrying a rifle and a shotgun would be a pain. If you plan on doing some short and long range sets the same night/day, bring both in the truck and than use one or the other depending on the set situation. Good luck
 


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