Protect our sport

As we get close to deer season and it combines with our use of night vision for hunting night time critters, it is important to understand your state’s regulations. It is important to know legal shooting hours in you state for animals that can only be harvested during daylight hours.

      South Carolina has for instance a one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset legal shooting times for deer. Times are posted in your regulation booklets as well as online. Dates and times need to be set on your units and a recording of any shot can be critical to determine if a hunter was legal or not in a court.

     When you pull that trigger at game, we must be responsible to know our game laws and follow them.

If we are walking out from deer hunting after hours and I see a coyote or hog on legally registered property, I will record if I shoot at that animal. I will make sure my time and date are correct so that if I arrive at my truck and DNR is waiting for me, I can prove through video what exactly I shot at after legal hours for deer.

     If I shot at a deer during legal hours, I will also record so that if I track and drag a deer after legal shooting hours, I can show the DNR in my scope the recorded shot. DNR will obviously go by the time they heard any shots so we must have evidence that we followed state laws. The recording capabilities will work in the lawful hunter’s favor.

    Lastly, if you are unsure, do not shoot. If you are not certain of your target or what is beyond, it is best not to take any shot. We are given something great right now in our ability to use equipment that hunters never dreamed about in the past and it is our job to protect it.