Rodd-n-Bobb's Beacon

[Dphar]

Check to see if illuminated sights are legal for hunting.
Further if it projects light past the front of gun its surely illegal.
If this is a problem use one of the fiber optic types, they light up pretty well with ambient light.

Dan

 

[Semisane]

You write just fine Paul - just don't read so well. :haha:

I yield the point. You win. I'll think of you every I click my little sight light to the "on" position.

 

[BrownBear]

I've thought about covering the light completely with the tape and poking a small hole in the tape in front of the bulb for light to strike the sight. Haven't tried that yet because I really don't find it necessary. You may give it a try though to see if you like it better.

Now that's a right good idea! Sure simpler than trying to make a slit with two pieces of tape and my fumble fingers. :grin:

 

[henbrook]

With all due respect Paul for your commendable sense of safety,I really don't see how this is any more dangerous than mounting a fiber optic sight on a rifle to take advantage of those first and last "golden minutes" of the day?I struggled all season with not being able to see my sights during the last 10-15 minutes of LEGAL hunting hours when I could still clearly identify a deer but not be able to sight in on it,a dilemna I'm not used to having to deal with using a scoped rifle or even the FO pins on my bow.You might recall another post where I was asking for a solution and wasn't really keen on "junking up" my rifle with FO sights,merely to try to keep it more traditional.I think this bobber light idea might be just what I'm looking for,and can't imagine me hunting or shooting in an unsafe manner,any more so than if I went with FO sights?I hunt bucks only by law and by choice,and if I can clearly identify not just a deer,but an antlered deer,I don't think I'll be mistaking any other hunters for same.Like a previous poster said,legal hunting times here are 1/2hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset and I'm used to taking advantage of every minute,having shot several deer in the past at the 11th hour.....black,iron sights simply don't seem to abide by the same time tables as my hunting schedule.When that trophy buck of a lifetime that I worked hard for all year makes his appearance at 5 minutes to wrap-up time,I'd much rather be able to make with confidence a clean,ethical kill shot than send a "Hail Mary" at him and miss,or even worse,wound and not recover it.

Respectfully,Dave

 

[paulvallandigham]

You are right. And, the fiber optic sights are cheaper.

Many years ago, I mounted a tube sight on my shotgun barrel, that had a orange plastic insert in the tube, and a shallow cut in the top of the tube to let in any light. When there was light, and you looked square at that front sight, the orange "dot" would GLOW.

I used the sight to teach myself how to mount my shotgun to my shoulder consistently so that I could hit flying targets- not for shooting slugs, or RBs. But, it was wonderful to use in those gray hours , or under dark overcast skies as storms blew in, and clay targets became almost invisible, as did normal front sights. Once I began being consistent in how I mounted the gun, I took the sight off, and a few years later sold it to another shooter who was trying to help his teenage son learn to shoot.


It was at least 15 years later that I first saw fiber optic sights appear in the catalogs.

I still want people using fiber optics to realize that while they can see that front sight in near dark, they still can't see game clearly, nor check the background for safety in that kind of light. Just because "legal" shooting hours extend before dawn and after sundown doesn't mean that its safe to shoot during those times, in All possible lighting conditions. With clear skies, there is plenty of light to see backgrounds for a half hour after sundown. The same for pre-dawn viewing. But, if its cloudy, or you have fog, mist, or low, dark clouds, your visibility to safely shoot may wait until take long AFTER DAWN, and end Before official Sundown. Fiber optics, flash lights, laser sights, Red dot sights, and florescent sights are not going to change that. :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

Amen Henbrook. It's pretty easy for folks to take their local conditions as gospel and preach universal truth to folks far and wide. Kind of like the one-size-fits-all political parties these days.

Over and above legal shooting hours (we don't have em except for waterfowl), there's also the question of latitude- how far north or south you are. The further south, the shorter the periods of dawns and dusk. And of course the reverse applies the further north you go.

Today our official sunrise is at 9:19 and the sunset is at 4:34. But I've got shooting light in terms of seeing animals clearly by around 8 and in the evening till almost 6. I can distinguish between brown bears and bushes even early and later.

FO sights don't show up worth a hoot most of those periods unless you're right out in the open, and even then they're iffy. And of course conventional sights are completely invisible.

Different strokes for different folks, and "rules" from one latitude don't apply well to another.

 

[mykeal]

A philosophical question: If I'm going to hunt during the 'primitive' season using 'traditional' hardware, how do I justify using lighted sights of any kind?

Not saying it's 'wrong', because I've done it myself. Just kind of thinking about it while trying to decide if I want to get up and heat up the coffee mug.

 

[Semisane]

A philosophical answer: Why would you have to justify it? And to who?

I didn't expect it would be for everyone. Few things are. I went through the trouble of taking pictures and posting because it works for me and I figured there may be others who may want to give it a try. No justification needed.

 

[mykeal]

Just to myself, which I understand is a silly answer because I've already said that I've done it in the past.

Every once in a while I get into one of these "If it's truly primitive, why are we wearing clothes?" discussions with myself. Usually when coming across what are called primitive campgrounds sponsored by the USFS in the national forests. They're usually populated by people wearing purple, yellow and green spandex body suits and carrying graphite hiking poles, but they are very good about leaving the forest as they found it.

Ah, well, never mind. I was just recovering from an overdose of trytophan and had to move my fingers for a while. Apologies for hijacking the thread.

 

[necchi]

just recovering from an overdose of trytophan

:rotf: :haha:
Ya gotta take it easy on that stuff ya know!! It's WAY too easy ta OD :haha:

 

[hockeyref]

Ditto on illegal for PA. he folks here get really anal about somethings. Glow sights are fine, but none with any electrical ilumination.
Technically here, a half soled frizzen is illegal. Somebody at the commission knows nothing about firearms. No Breech loading flint or percussion guns (Sharps, Ferguson, Hall, Smith, etc) are legal for hunting deer or small game. Yet the 2mm Kolibri with all of it's 7ft lbs of muzzle energy is legal. (Any center fire is legal for deer)

Can't speak to the breach loader (gonna need to research that), but the regs say CF GREATER than .224" so you gotta have a .25 cal CF....

 

[Semisane]

:haha: I hear you mykeal. I hate trying to justify something to myself. I keep asking myself "can you really trust this guy"?

 

[BrownBear]

:haha: I hear you mykeal. I hate trying to justify something to myself. I keep asking myself "can you really trust this guy"?

It's a bunch easier for me when I lock the door on my modern truck, tighten the laces in my modern boots and turn off my modern cell phone. On top of all that, 30 minutes a day with that little thingy taped to my barrel is small change. Differnt folks make differnt strokes, so they don't need to be strokin mine.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Interesting! I have enjoyed reading this debate.
We, too, have the 1/2 hour rule, but that would have to be a GIANT animal of a lifetime for me to shoot just before dark. I've packed out quite a few animals after dark, and even with good lighting, it's nerve racking for good footing. So I'll leave the darkness to those with good balance and live to hunt another day.

 

[BrownBear]

I've packed out quite a few animals after dark, and even with good lighting, it's nerve racking for good footing.

Now we're onto something tangible. I almost never hunt deer or other large game in the evening due to the difficulty of follow-up in the dark if necessary. At least in the morning it's getting lighter all the time rather than darker.

Around here there's another problem- dragging or backpacking out all that bloody red meat in no-BS serious brown bear country. I can tell you from personal experience they get all excited-like when they think they can get a free venison meal. And in dusk or dark, every single mossy rock and stump turns into a "bear" in your mind's eye. It's not at all good for aging hearts! :rotf:

 

[henbrook]

I usually hunt until the last legal minute allowed or until my sights give way to darkness,whichever comes first?Bowhunting black bears I like to leave the recovery until morning if it's a late shot....nothing will bother the carcass,and tracking a "hit" bear into a spruce thicket with just a flashlight and a pointy stick is too nervewracking,even for a relatively young heart,lol.Deer or moose on the other hand,I'll make every reasonable offort to get them out unless it's waaaay back and no help.Coyotes will often clean'em up by morning if you leave'em lay.It's amazing how much them scoundrels can eat,stripping a 150lb deer to the bone in 12 hours. :cursing:

 

[Semisane]

Coyotes will often clean'em up by morning if you leave'em lay.It's amazing how much them scoundrels can eat,stripping a 150lb deer to the bone in 12 hours.

If you've located the deer but can't drag it out immediately, drape some of your clothing over the carcass (shirt, T-shirt, etc.) and they will usually leave it along.

 

[Bill Hall]

Coyotes will often clean'em up by morning if you leave'em lay.It's amazing how much them scoundrels can eat,stripping a 150lb deer to the bone in 12 hours.

If you've located the deer but can't drag it out immediately, drape some of your clothing over the carcass (shirt, T-shirt, etc.) and they will usually leave it along.

Yep, and "mark" your territory around the carcass if you have a little in you. Bill

 

[henbrook]

I've left deer overnight on a few occassions and they were fine,then had the yotes clean one up on me this one time 8-10 years ago?Worst thing is,I knew about the t-shirt thing,just didn't bother since I'd never had any problem in the past.NEVER AGAIN!Haven't had to leave one since then,but you can bet the next one will be wearing my shirt,socks and underwear before I leave it,lol.

 

[Walks with fire]

I just got a nose full of coffee. :hatsoff: