Legal Light, Anyone?

[EkoGuitar]

I've got a few... wonderful gentlemen... shooting over Weed Lake, just across the highway from me and north of Langdon. These guys are consistently shooting 10-15 minutes before and after legal light, and have been several nights a week since duck and geese opened.

Any help with what can be done?

Thanks,
Sean


P.S. - I'd confront them about it, but I have no idea what part of the lake/slough they're on; I just hear the shots from it.


EDIT: Example - Sunset was 7:13. They're still shootin' away at 7:57.

[catnthehat]

report the times.
Cat

[EkoGuitar]

Sorry to sound dumb, but report it to who? :thinking-006:

[Roughneck71]

yep record the times and call er in, itll stop especially if its happening all the time:sign0176:
Darrell

[Remi3006]

Close your blinds and turn up your tv!

[catnthehat]

Sorry to sound dumb, but report it to who? :thinking-006:
report a poacher hot line, your local F&W officer ( if you know him) , etc.
Cat

[Roughneck71]

poacher hotline

[EkoGuitar]

Will do.
Thanks, guys.

[buckslayer1]

Sorry to sound dumb, but report it to who? :thinking-006:If you dont know that how do you know what time lrgal anything is? and according to your times it sounds real close to what legal would be.7:45 is legal according to a book but actual might be a bit more.

[alacringa]

poacher hotline

1-800-642-3800 -- save it to your cell, if you've got one -- I've not had to use it, but I keep it on there just in case, along with a few others. It's a good # to have handy.

[Mxyzptik]

Legal light is about safety not poaching . It's about being able to identify your target and beyond. It changes daily and using the tables in the regs or sunrise / sunset in the paper or from the radio only gets you close. A GPS at your location should get you an accurate look.

So are you so sure that they are 10 minutes early to call them poachers ? Are you?

They're geese for God's sake and there's way to many of them If every Canadian went out and choked 20 geese it would just be a good start.

Instead of being a $&#%€£ ask them for a goose, stuff it with some chopped up orange apple onion and herbs. Set it in a roaster on top of a bed of rough chopped celery carrots and onion , cover the veg with chicken stock and roast it for 4 to 5 hours at 350. Make yourself a little sauce with apricot jam, orange marmalade and brandy and enjoy.


You should be glad that guys are out enjoying Nature's abundance not worrying about 5 or 10 minutes. You frickin' watch might be wrong :snapoutofit:

[buckslayer1]

Legal light is about safety not poaching . It's about being able to identify your target and beyond. It changes daily and using the tables in the regs or sunrise / sunset in the paper or from the radio only gets you close. A GPS at your location should get you an accurate look.

So are you so sure that they are 10 minutes early to call them poachers ? Are you?

They're geese for God's sake and there's way to many of them If every Canadian went out and choked 20 geese it would just be a good start.

Instead of being a $&#%€£ ask them for a goose, stuff it with some chopped up orange apple onion and herbs. Set it in a roaster on top of a bed of rough chopped celery carrots and onion , cover the veg with chicken stock and roast it for 4 to 5 hours at 350. Make yourself a little sauce with apricot jam, orange marmalade and brandy and enjoy.


You should be glad that guys are out enjoying Nature's abundance not worrying about 5 or 10 minutes. You frickin' watch might be wrong :snapoutofit:

LOL best post tonight.

[fordtruckin]

LOL best post tonight.

x2! Your watch and my watch are probably different!

[bagwan]

According to the regs legal is 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 after setting. If you are not sure you may be wasting valuable officer time. If its too dark to see the birds I don't think they would be shooting so govern yourself accordingly. They may be within legal shooting times.

[pitw]

Sounds like an awful lot of iffy people on here. Call the CO's and let them check it out as that is their job.

[Grizzly Adams]

Sounds like an awful lot of iffy people on here. Call the CO's and let them check it out as that is their job.

Story I've heard is they are reluctant to prosecute, because Real time is difficult to determine. Relax, chill out, you could be living by the Olds range.:lol:

Grizz

[DairyMan7]

16 minutes.....thats close. That fella is right, real time is different then those tables.

Think about it first though, and I agree with that one fella. And you all no what I do for a living.

yes the law says 1/2 before sunrise, 1/2 after after sunset. The law also says don't speed, don't jay walk, don't spit, no urinating in public.

That is the law, but there is always common sense and reality.

If I have to pee and i'm in the city i'll find a bush. I have sped in the past and I always jay walk.
Lastly if your sitting there in your house going by the 2010 Farmers Almanac on sunrise/sunset tables. Complaining about how these guys are 16 minutes after your blackberry weather channel sunrise/sunset table. I'm gonna say your wrong
First off they aren't poaching and to use those words is a bit ridiculous.
secondly what they are doing isn't illegal.

I'd say just relax

[fordtruckin]

Sounds like an awful lot of iffy people on here. Call the CO's and let them check it out as that is their job.

Which is funny because I'll bet that if someone called the CO's on you because they thought you were doing something illegal, you'd be right P!$$ed off at someone for even considering you may bedoing something wrong.... AS WOULD most anyone who has the cops called on them. Then you just endin a he said she said contest:argue2:! .

[EkoGuitar]

Ah well, won't bother calling then.
But I do know that it's well past legal light, as I can't see any birds in the kind of light they're shooting unless it's 5 feet in front of me, and even then I'd be hard-pressed to tell it's species.
Whaaatever. If they get caught, they get caught.

[Cowtown guy]

Legal is legal. There is a timetable listed in the regs. It's pretty easy to figure out. Weed lake is just a few minutes from Calgary and the Calgary times will apply.

The law is there for safety reasons. Why do people always think they know better?

More-so, why would anyone risk their hunting privileges on a duck after legal light? It makes no sense why folks need to push the boundaries.

BTW 16 minutes isn't close. It's way over. One or two minutes is close.

[buckslayer1]

Legal is legal. There is a timetable listed in the regs. It's pretty easy to figure out. Weed lake is just a few minutes from Calgary and the Calgary times will apply.

The law is there for safety reasons. Why do people always think they know better?

More-so, why would anyone risk their hunting privileges on a duck after legal light? It makes no sense why folks need to push the boundaries.

BTW 16 minutes isn't close. It's way over. One or two minutes is close.
I understand what you are saying, but whos clock was read? who herd the shot? That book is NOT the legal time as stated in small print. I find it funny how our province is full of people that know EVERYTHING but really dont know to much.If you know for sure call F&W and report it. Not come on here and whine about an offence and then say I am not going to report it.Like I said if it was 10000000% after dark call.............................

[Okotokian]

First off they aren't poaching and to use those words is a bit ridiculous.
I don't think anyone here said they were "poaching". The "Report a Poacher" Hotline is for reporting any violation. It's how you get hold of SRD officers.


secondly what they are doing isn't illegal.


Yeah, it actually is. Shooting before legal light is illegal. How do you get that it isn't?

As for as reporting them though, I wouldn't bother. Unlikely anything would or could be done. It's like reporting someone who speeds as they go past you. Too petty to bother with.

[EkoGuitar]

Not too sure it's so petty anymore. Went in to the Strathmore F&W office with my dad (to get his licenses all turned in for this year's season, long story...) and the CO there said to call the hot-line a night that these guys are hunting, and they'll send an officer over there to find and bust em'. Laws are laws. We're all supposed to follow them, so those guys shouldn't get special treatment...

[Okotokian]

Not too sure it's so petty anymore. Went in to the Strathmore F&W office with my dad (to get his licenses all turned in for this year's season, long story...) and the CO there said to call the hot-line a night that these guys are hunting, and they'll send an officer over there to find and bust em'. Laws are laws. We're all supposed to follow them, so those guys shouldn't get special treatment...

Agreed about "laws are laws". I suppose you could phone, but they will get there 20 minutes later. Guys will say "What shots? Wasn't us".

[theduke]

Agreed about "laws are laws". I suppose you could phone, but they will get there 20 minutes later. Guys will say "What shots? Wasn't us".

Exactly. I've been hunting that lake for a few years now and always hear people blasting when I can't even see my dog that's sitting right beside me. It doesn't bother me unless they are beside me if not let them waste their shells all they want

[pitw]

Which is funny because I'll bet that if someone called the CO's on you because they thought you were doing something illegal, you'd be right P!$$ed off at someone for even considering you may bedoing something wrong.... AS WOULD most anyone who has the cops called on them. Then you just endin a he said she said contest:argue2:! .

There goes your thoughts in an off direction again. I haven't done anything illegal out hunting for years and ain't saying I was always an angel. I got busted when I was 19 and it was probably one of the better things to happen to me. I've been on the lake ice fishing with my boys[them fishing] when a CO showed up with his and he told me to fish as he couldn't see any CO,s. I declined the offer as it just wouldn't have been right with me not having a license. You may not see the sense in obeying laws but it doesn't mean the rest of us have to think that way. Why would I hunt or fish illegally when it's so easy to do legally[I really don't understand your thinking on this at all]. Is it a game to you or what?

[pickrel pat]

ummmm. ever see the difference between a beautiful night at legal light and a heavily overcast night at legal light??????? peaple just have to use common sense.. ive been hunting on heavy overcast evenings, and shut the hunt down early on my own discrection. a few minutes is no big deal on a nice evening... on an overcast night i might beg to differ...

[Private Ear]

There have been many nights with a light blanket of snow and a full moon where I could see elk as plain as day.

Rules have to be drawn somewhere and the sunrise/sunset table is what we have to go on. No one is going to dispute a minute or two, but the law is clear.

Just my thoughts on the subject. I don't know if I would report on these fellas or not because I wasn't there.

[sjemac]

Don't bother. Unless you set up a lawyer verified surveilance camera and get them on camera actually shooting after legal you aren't getting any satisfaction. The CO's have a lot more to deal with than shooting some ducks and geese a few minutes after legal. Deer might be different since they don't fly and a person could be mistaken (by a complete intarded moron) for one.

Find some evidence of wanton waste (guys shooting birds and not retrieveing them) and they'll be much more willing to investigate.

[winged1]

I wouldn't waste the officer's time, but if it's frequent, a visit by the law would help keep the slackards inline. If they disrespect the times, they may have a few more violations hanging around.

[slough shark]

yeah this is one of those things where there is a several minute grey zone as the sunrise sunset chart shows various towns not exactly where you are and is only every 5 days. Even online shows you a town which can often be an hours drive away which can affect the time by several minutes. Now what you are describing is for sure sounding a little excessive and I wish I could nab people for various infractions, this one is one that I personally may view as a little more minor as more than likely safety isn't as much an issue. I would rather have people arrested for pointing loaded guns at me when they use their scopes as binos or shooting from vehicles quickly without taking a ton of time to properly identify the animal, or trespassing on private land where they have no business being and so on but I digress. Yes this is sounding like it is wrong but I would rather trouble the co's for something a little more safety/hunter image related.

[xring_assassin]

I suffer from optic nerve trauma caused by MS - I can hardly see much past sunset/before sunrise - but my kids can spot stuff and identify like nobody's business in that light still. For me - if I can't see it I can't shoot it. Time charts are there, I have GPS with sunset/sunrise, half hour before and half hour after I can't see SH*T personally, but that's me :P Too dark to your eyes might be very sufficient light for someone with better eyes.

Still - legal is legal. If a CO was sitting there behind the hunters he'd FOR SURE know what time is legal and I'm pretty sure he'd inform them.

[Pikebreath]

I can't believe some of the posts here. You guys are cherry pickin' the laws you consider important and disregrading the ones you think are not that important. The law as stated earlier is clear, no hunting 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset. It's there for number of reasons,,,, safety,,,,, correct species identification,,,,, retrievel of downed game,,,, I don't care what anyone thinks, if you are shooting after legal light retrieval of game is definately an issue particularily if you are shooting ducks / geese in wetland environments. Leaving game behind becuz you haven't got enough light or time to properly look for it is "poaching" as much as jacklighting, or hunting out of season.

It's also damn poor optics when it comes to hunter / non hunter relations as well.

[Accubond]

I have met COs hunting that lake. I came up to the truck and they were waiting there at sunset. It was 10 min before the end of legal light and he waited for a few minutes after legal shooting closed and started keeping track of guys still booming away. Saw a group get busted when they came in (maybe 30 min past legal), but I think the open beer cans in the dingy got more attention than the time of night.:rolleye2:

[sjemac]

I can't believe some of the posts here. You guys are cherry pickin' the laws you consider important and disregrading the ones you think are not that important. The law as stated earlier is clear, no hunting 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset. It's there for number of reasons,,,, safety,,,,, correct species identification,,,,, retrievel of downed game,,,, I don't care what anyone thinks, if you are shooting after legal light retrieval of game is definately an issue particularily if you are shooting ducks / geese in wetland environments. Leaving game behind becuz you haven't got enough light or time to properly look for it is "poaching" as much as jacklighting, or hunting out of season.

It's also damn poor optics when it comes to hunter / non hunter relations as well.

The police and game wardens cherry pick all the time. How many people do you see getting hauled over for doing 120 on the QE2?

When was the last time you saw a kid under 18 get the Federal $100 ticket for smoking?

Or a game warden enforce the gun registry by demanding proof of registration?

All of the above may happen but extremely rarely as the LEO's pick and choose what is worth their effort.

[ishootbambi]

the timetables are a guideline. if you really want to know, a gps is the only sure way to tell the exact time for sunrise/sunset at the exact location you are at.

[Pikebreath]

So all you "whats the big deal about shooting past legal light" guys, can you tell me that you are certain you will be able retrieve what you shoot when the light is fading fast. Ducks in tall marsh grass don't leave much of a blood trail and I doubt Rover will be able to "mark" the fallen birds any better than you can in the dark!

Legality aside, is it ethical to continue shooting when retreival is iffy at best?

[sjemac]

So all you "whats the big deal about shooting past legal light" guys, can you tell me that you are certain you will be able retrieve what you shoot when the light is fading fast. Ducks in tall marsh grass don't leave much of a blood trail and I doubt Rover will be able to "mark" the fallen birds any better than you can in the dark!

Legality aside, is it ethical to continue shooting when retreival is iffy at best?

Absolutely not. Whether that be at 12 noon or 7:36 pm. But there are many times where I have stopped shooting at legal and sat and watched birds for another 10-15 minutes all of which were easily identified and would have been easily retrieved if they'd been shot. Personally, I hate picking up dekes and loading the truck in the dark so I usually quit well before legal light is up.

Just saying that a guy shooting for 5 minutes after legal at birds he can see and retrieve is not the most egregious game violation in the world and I personally wouldn't be on the phone to CO's about it. Now if the fella is shooting birds and not retrieving them or making the attempt to do so, I will call since I see the waste issue as a serious breach.

[whitetail Junkie]

Absolutely not. Whether that be at 12 noon or 7:36 pm. But there are many times where I have stopped shooting at legal and sat and watched birds for another 10-15 minutes all of which were easily identified and would have been easily retrieved if they'd been shot. Personally, I hate picking up dekes and loading the truck in the dark so I usually quit well before legal light is up.

Just saying that a guy shooting for 5 minutes after legal at birds he can see and retrieve is not the most egregious game violation in the world and I personally wouldn't be on the phone to CO's about it. Now if the fella is shooting birds and not retrieving them or making the attempt to do so, I will call since I see the waste issue as a serious breach.

x2 I always pack up the decoys an hour before dark,plus almost all the ducks always fly during the last minuits of legal light,so they decoys are'nt needed at that time.

[bruceba]

Oh legal light is determined by sunrise/ sunset and to think I thought it was 1,000,000 candle power.:sign0161:

[DairyMan7]

Forgot I posted something on this one.

As I stated before, the law is not what those sunrise/sunset tables.

Second like that other fella said, a clear night blah blah blah and you can shoot past those tables, but again I've been duck hunting and i knew what those tables said and called it 10 minutes after sunset because it was so dark.

Now here is the best thing to do in my legal opinion, if it is bothering you so much, get their licence plates and call it in, tell the CO the licence plate and he can do his investigation.

Now what I said before about the poaching thing, they aren't poaching!!!! if it is after dark yes it is illegal. But sixteen minutes afterwards on a nice clear day. I wouldn't say its illegal. I enforce these laws too.

Hey if you can PM me their licence plate, i'll call them myself