Night Time Bowhunting For Small Game

[Tony Sanders]

Have any of you here done this before? I asked this same question over on another site and wanted to hear your input here. I have never hunted small game at night and I think it could be fun doing so. Here in Maryland we are allowed by law to hunt and pursue,Possom, Fox, Coyote and Raccoon at night. We are allowed to do this with the aid of an artificial light and electronic game call. If some of you have done this before, let me hear what type of light,equipment etc that you used. I also realize some might question the ethics of doing this, because a light is involved, but I still think it would be fun and somewhat of a challenge. While I have taken both Fox and Raccoon with my bows during day light and late evening hours, but not at night. Thanks for your input.

  Tony

 


 


 


 

 

[Hot Hap]

Never done it. You look like a killing machine! Nice pictures. Hap

[Brian CS]

Only with a 22 but never a bow. I would think two people would be the way to go, one shoots one spots. Good luck if you do, nice pics.

[huntingarcher]

You seem to have those fox figured out for sure.Nice pics too,I have hunted hogs at night but thats about it.

[S Biles]

Never tried, but i bet its a blast!

[Skipmaster1]

Awesome! I would love to get a fox with the stickbow! I have taken a few raccoons at night with my longbow. I just held my sure-fire 104 lumen between my pointer and middle finger on my bow hand and shot them out of the trees they were in.

[Thumper Dunker]

I have ran thure an orchard with a flash light in my mouth chassing racoons . P.S. you can't shoot a bow with a flash light in your mouth.Hand held light no more than six volts and can not use a electric caller on game animals out here.Its not easy you can't see and they can real good. Nice animals      

[StanM]

Hi Tony,

I do a LOT of hunting for nutria, possum, and raccoons at night.  Have probably taken over 500 in the past 15 years.  Small game hunting is just about my favorite activity.  From Nov. 15th to March 15th is when our season is open.  It is an absolute blast.  You can get a good light for this at Wal-Mart, etc.  It's a Black and Decker light that takes 4 C cell batteries.  Works great and will allow for shots up to 30+ yards if you want to take them. The light has two settings, high beam will last 20 hours and low beam will last 72 or something like that.

The lights that charge up have a lot more power, but die out in less than an hour.

It was the need for a good small game head for shooting nutria at night that actually motivated me to design the Talon small game head that eventually spawned Red Feather Archery.

I've used that head to take dozens of nutria, and dozens of raccoons and opposums.  It's great for nutria out of my trad bows, but I would NOT use it for raccoons!  They are thick skinned and tough.  For traditional shooters broadheads are the way to go with raccoons.

Couldn't tell you on the foxes, haven't ever shot one.  If it's legal in your state definitely give it a shot!

[don_h]

Will be doing it this year with the bow, have used the 22 plenty, time to make it interesting. Trying to figure a non marking light mount for the bow with a pressure switch then I'll be dialed in. I use an electronic caller and will while bow hunting as well. Best thing about rabbit hunting in the snow during the day is finding yote tracks for the night. Most of your listed animals are nocturnal, so on the issue of ethics, is it unethical to try and catch fish in water?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I have a trip scheduled to go hunt hogs in Texas, and plan on doing some night hunting. They actually do make a lite just for this with either a clicker button or a pressure switch that come with white, red, or green light.  These mount on a stabilizer bushing installed below the grip on the back of the riser.  Check it out

 http://www.thebowlite.com/G3-Bow-Lite-3-Lite-Combo.html

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I have taken a few coons with a bow at night. Some fun hunting when the dark skys are out...

[don_h]

Nice link Kirkll, don't have the bushing on my bows but that little light looks great. Kinda steep, but good to know about.

[KentuckyTJ]

Hunted hogs in TX at night but that's it. Are the critters a little more relaxed at night I would assume. Looks like you have it down to a science.

Nice work Tony.

[TDHunter]

Not legal in BC, I wish it was, looks like good times

[Rob W.]

I have never with a bow but I could see how fox could work. Back when I fox hunted with a buddy we would setup the caller behind us and use red lights when the fox would come in.

Be ready as soon as you turn the tape on. If they are close it doesn't take long for them to get there.

The coyote hunting I have done was similar but they are way more skiddish.

All the raccoon hunting I have done was with dogs. A small game head and lighted nock on a flu flu might be effective in that case. Good luck!    


Rob

[Jim Boettcher]

I would be up for this kind of fun/hunt. In MI I think we can only hunt racoons and coyotes. Dang Tony, you are deadly with them bows. Nice job!

[Steve H.]

Tony, I don't see no pic of you with a skunk!  get with it man!  Get out there and figure it out and tell us how to do it!

[Steve H.]

BTW, we could combine a small game hunt with Stan in Oregon if the PBS Gathering was a measly two weeks earlier.

[StanM]

Steve, if we could swing it, I would definitely be up for that!  Unfortunately, I will be out of state during the PBS in Portland  :(   The good news is that I'll be hunting.  You could always come down early  

BTW, I looked into getting one of those high end lights, but the sticker shock almost killed me.  Instead I went to a local store and bought a Coleman LED handheld.  They've got a couple of models, but you want to get the one with the on/off button on the side, not the end.

All you have to do to make a great light (good for shooting up to 30 yards) is drill the end cap, insert a bolt that'll fit your adapter and screw it down.

Here's a couple of pics of mine

 

 

[TxAg]

A headlamp turned sideways will also work for DIY shots. I've shot some rabbits and coons at night but they wear near camp in the barn. I think it would be a lot of fun traipsing thru the woods looking for them.