Shooting in low light

[jkm97]

Any tips for instinctive style shooting in low light? I'm having a tough time picking a spot at dusk..

[Bobby Urban]

When it is too dark for me to make out a spot I start to get my gear ready to get out of there.  unfortunately as I get older that time comes earlier and earlier every year.  I really need to look into Lasiks

[jkm97]

That's probably the only real answer I'm afraid.

[dbd870]

I agree with the post above

[jkm97]

That's what I figured, just hoping for some piece of wisdom I didn't know.

[Pine]

Used to teach looking at an imaginary spot years ago , it is done by shooting a blank piece of cardboard . One shot on each cardboard so you don't look at a hole . This method can train you to see the outline of a deer and pick the vital shot without seeing a hair or wrinkle . That will help in low light conditions but you cant see twigs or briers though .

[VictoryHunter]

Don't do it. If you can't pick a spot then don't shoot. I wounded one my first year shooting trad and it has stuck with me ever since knowing that I could have prevented it. I strive to be conscious of the light ever time I go out and make myself put my bow down.

[Hawkeye]

We can legally hunt until 30 minutes after sunset.

My personal rule, though, it to stop for the night when I would not be able to pick a spot or see where the arrow hit the deer.

On average that ends my night at about 15-20 minutes after sunset, but it has varied from 5-30 after depending on vegetation, cloud cover, snow/ yellow leaves on the ground, or full moon already up.  When my mind and eyes say "Stop," I'm done for the night.

[njloco]

If you know which way the deer is facing, just go behind the leg and go up 4" above the white belly, which you can see in low light conditions.

[reddogge]

The last two deer I shot at and missed were in low light conditions. I usually follow the rule if you can't pick a spot leave but in both cases the deer surprised me and lingered just long enough to make shooting conditions dingy and they were basically silouetted. I felt confident on both shots but they were clean misses at close range on the ground and I never saw the arrows fly to tell high or low. The last deer WAS at the very end of legal shooting time but in the dark pine woods. The first deer was in a snowstorm to compound the problem.

[centaur]

Originally posted by VictoryHunter:
Don't do it. If you can't pick a spot then don't shoot. I wounded one my first year shooting trad and it has stuck with me ever since knowing that I could have prevented it. I strive to be conscious of the light ever time I go out and make myself put my bow down.

Good advice there. This morning I had a deer that I have hunted all season finally come in to about 20 yards. There was just enough light to see his silhouette, but like a moron, I took a shot and luckily missed him. It could have been worse; I could have wounded him. I may not get another chance at this deer, but at least he is still healthy. Shots in that low light just aren't smart.

[Slickhead]

Cant see a spot, dont shoot
Been by mistake in the past.

Amber glasses help bring more light in.

[dnovo]

Many years ago I learned that I tend to shoot high in low light. I missed a buck 3 times at about 14 yards.  Since then I am aware of it and really don't shoot when I know I won't be able to see arrow flight good enough to know shot placement. I usually get down a good 10 minutes before legal shooting time ends. Just not worth it

[tracker12]

I cam remember staying in the tree till it was too dark to see the steps in the tree.  I have given that up.  Besides the obvious saftey reasons I just cant see shooting at somthing you can hardly see and most definitely not see if the arrow hits.

[Bjorn]

I don't shoot if I can't see to focus and with getting old, one of the things I have noticed is the bill on a baseball type hat robs my eyes of light near the end of the day, or at dawn. If I remove the hat I can see enough to focus on the kill zone-gives me that extra bit of time at the start or end of day.

[Blaino]

It looks like this might be a little edgy for some.....
 We have a very long deer season and "everything goes" i.e. rifle, bait, dog drives, you name it....from Aug. 15 to Jan. 1 our deer are spooky to say the least.  If you aren't willing to shoot a black silhouette then you probably won’t be killing many deer.  I think Miss. has a long season also.  I shoot at the bottom of the chest where the front leg meets (heart). You can see the contrast between the black deer and gray ground.  I’m going to be shooting low anyways and that is the aiming point for me if they were to come in at 12 noon.
p.s. I’m not talking about night hunting.

[Bowwild]

My arrow is in the quiver slightly before or exactly at the end of legal shooting time. It changes about a minute every day. Sometimes (cloudy or in the woods) I don't have enough light to pick a spot so I quiver up a few minutes earlier.  

I hate it when deer come in and move into windows when it is too late too shoot. That keeps me in the stand longer (arrows quivered) until the deer have gone.  

I remember a time in the early 80's I had to stay in the stand a good hour after dark because a large number (I won't report it here because it is nearly unbelievable) bedded within bow range of my stand. (Northern Elkhart County about .5 mile south from the MI state line.