Question About The Extended Hours Law

[Lawdwaz]

I’ve been wondering about something; has anyone really made good use of the extended hours?  
 

The lack of snow and cold temperatures sure doesn’t help (at least for my spots) to get the deer up and moving.  I don’t have any food plots to hunt, just mowed fields.

When the law was changed I had HIGH hopes for some of the places I hunt, I even went so far as to upgrade my rifle scope to a better (subjective I know) light gathering model and I haven’t had the chance to “cash in” with it.   Lol

So just curious if anybody has seen great results with the extended hours.

[mowin]

Absolutely.  I hunt a lot of field edges.  Tonight the fog rolled in and I left 11 minutes before legal.  

The other day, I shot a doe at 4:35.  Sunset was 4:26. 

[Lawdwaz]

32 minutes ago, mowin said:

Absolutely.  I hunt a lot of field edges.  Tonight the fog rolled in and I left 11 minutes before legal.  

The other day, I shot a doe at 4:35.  Sunset was 4:26. 

That’s good to hear.  Yes, I’ve also killed a couple like that; 10 minutes or so after but all doe.   As it gets darker you sure have to be careful and not shoot a spike or similar small rack buck for a doe, it can be very difficult sort them out.   Same with doe & fawns…….they start milling around in the fading light and that gets tough too.   Can’t be having an itchy booger flicker.   😎

 

Anyone kill any really good bucks in the fading light?

[Wolc123]

I passed a deer last night, with 9 minutes of legal light left.  I could still see my crosshairs clearly but couldn’t  clearly identify the rack of lack of one.  If it was the last day or my freezer was empty, I likely would have shot.  
 

The first one I killed during the early antlerless gun season this year was about 5 minutes past sunset and the second was about 15 minutes past. The last large antlered buck that I killed, the first year it was legal, was 7 minutes after sunset.  
 

I could see one clearly 35 minutes before sunrise a couple weeks ago.   I was tempted to shoot, but I held off, because it was (5) minutes early.  I’ve yet to take advantage of that early time, but have taken plenty of advantage of the late time.  A good scope is definitely your best friend for that, and my old Redfields are particularly good in low light conditions.  The old Weaver 1.5 on my 16 gauge Ithaca smoothbore or my fiber optic sights in a couple guns, not so much.  Those things become invisible right at sunset.  

Yes to your last question (in my book anyhow), surely one of my top (5):The snow also helped a lot with that one.  Where the hell is that this season ?

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by Wolc123

[Wolc123]

I got lucky on that last big one, that it was only 7 minutes past sunset and that there was snow.  I had my old Weaver 1.5 scope that evening.  Another minute or two or no snow and it have been no-go for sure.

[dbHunterNY]

No opportunity on shooter bucks these past seasons at that last or first half hour when it was in effect but passed younger 2.5 to 3.5 yr olds then. All bigger deer this year died from shots by family that didn't even leave their rural yards. Kills me but is what it is.

I don't typically shoot doe at last or first half hour of legal light now because I don't want to mistaken any button bucks or small yearlings for doe. Especially now, we've seen a couple yearlings with only one side still holding on.

[Swamp_bucks]

Yes,  not much but my biggest buck so far was because of that time change.  

[Spysar]

Got my 10 pointer this year 10 mins before sunrise. 

[518BowSlayer]

First year they extended it I shot a doe 5 minutes before sunrise on opening day of archery 

[Moho81]

All it’s done for me is make me wake up an extra 30 min earlier. Inside the woods you’re lucky to get an extra 15 min on each side. In the fields you get the full 30 generally. 

[Lawdwaz]

25 minutes ago, Moho81 said:

All it’s done for me is make me wake up an extra 30 min earlier. Inside the woods you’re lucky to get an extra 15 min on each side. In the fields you get the full 30 generally. 

And get home 30 minutes later……

[Otto]

My MZ Buck was shot at 4:45pm, 15 minutes after sunset that day.  

[Spaceman Spiff]

My opening day rifle buck was 10 minutes before legal. 

[Bucksnbows]

I’m assuming NY went from sunrise to sunset and now to half hour before to half hour after?  If so, when did this change?  I’ve never hunted a state that wasn’t 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Every single year for the last decade deer hunting NY, I’ve heard lots of shots in those early and late half hours.  I’m wondering if they were legal or not. Heck, given a snowy opening morning, I hear shots a full 40 minutes before sunrise. 

[2BuckBizCT]

About 15min on both sides for me in hardwoods. 30min either way is nearly pitch black in hardwoods. Most of my spots are AM spots and I do see deer before sunrise during now legal though, so I’m happy with the change.
 

edit- Hunting at @Chef  spot I saw a 6pt really late. Nearly pitch black. It may just been legal 

Edited December 30, 2023 by 2BuckBizCT