# Deer Shining



## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

I was wondering how ethical people think this is, when it is done legally and not for hunting purposes. I think it would be fun to drive around and try to take pictures and video of deer, especially if you found some bucks. I have only done it a couple times, nights when I have been unable to sleep because of the moon. Some people say it stresses the deer. What are your thoughts?


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## Blake Hermel (Sep 10, 2002)

who "hasnt" done it... 8)


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## Kansas Kid (Nov 20, 2003)

Spotlighting is legal in some states and illegal in others. I don't buy the stress thing as long as you just look at them and move on. If we do it down here, you have to have your vehicle clean of any guns, shells, arrows, knives, or anything that could be used while poaching a deer. It is also a good way to have a confrontation with a tired warden. Due to problems in the past with poachers, the chances of getting called in are very high. I don't do it anymore for that reason. Our warden told me that they approach the situtation ready to draw even if you are "just looking". You can get a real good look at the quality deer in your area though.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I know two guys who were on their way to a party after the bars closed and stopped to take a leak, they saw deer standing in the field but didn't pay any attention to them. There was a warden near their on a hill and he wrote them up for harrassing wildlife. It stuck in court.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

If you want to get yourself into trouble go out and shine deer. It's probably a judgement call by the warden especially if it's in an area where they have trouble with illegal shiners.

Save yourself the trouble....go ice fishing!


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## muzzy (Mar 21, 2002)

Shining any wildlife in ND is illegal, even a jackrabbit. It doesn't matter if you have a weapon in the vehicle or not. If you have a weapon in the vehicle, you are more than likely going to get a ticket, no questions asked. If you don't have a weapon, it is still a violation but up to the individual warden if you will be prosecuted, depending on the circumstances.

You here a lot of stories about different things happening, but only two people know the real story and that is the defendant and the law enforcement officer present.


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## Kansas Kid (Nov 20, 2003)

Wyoming law is the same.


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

MN has numerous laws about shining. To keep it simple, you can't shine from September 1 - December 31. This is during the deer hunting season. On other dates, you can shine all you want, even with a weapon in your vehicle, although it must be unloaded and cased. I was just asking how ethical people think it is if it is done legally.


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## muzzy (Mar 21, 2002)

unethical, if you want to know.


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Honestly, thank-you for sharing your point of view. I am just trying to get points of views from other ethical hunters, such as you and I.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I think you can use flashlight on ***** and coyotes in ND can't you?

My friends who were cited for harrassing wildlife when they stopped to pee were right beside a G/O home base. This particular outfit is guarded year round. I grew up as a kid in that area and those outfitters must think everyboby loves selling deer as much as they do. Who would steal one of their deer anyway?

Here's an ethics pickle for ya chew on. Drinking and driving is legal up to .08% alchohol in your bloodstream, is that ethical most would say yes the law was not broken. Now go over that .08% BAL and it is illegal, is it now unethical because it has been determined, for most people, that is the level we are intoxicated? I never did like laws regulating what could happen instead of what did happen.


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## muzzy (Mar 21, 2002)

You can use a flashlight only on racoons and only once they have been treed. You can't use them on coyotes.


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## RWHONKER (Dec 22, 2003)

You can shine in Minnesota after deer hunting season, but you CAN NOT have a weapon in the vehicle.


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## Kansas Kid (Nov 20, 2003)

I do not feel that it is unethical if you spotlight where it is legal as long as you are just looking and don't have other motives. I don't do it because of the past problems with poachers. If I am driving down a road after dark and see someone spotlighting, the first thing that I think of is they are shooting deer. I don't want my farmers thinking the same thing. If it were not for the poaching in the past, I would still go looking after dark just like I do now during the day. Just my thoughts.


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