HB1221 regulating spotlighting...

[Willie]

HB1221 regulating spotlighting...

See……

Introduced Version, House Bill 1221

I have some problems with this bill.

They are:

1) (g) A law enforcement officer who witnesses a person in a vehicle shining a spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light upon a wild bird or wild animal in a manner prohibited under this section may search the vehicle for a firearm, bow, or crossbow.

The LEOs have way to much “search power” now. This gives them another one.

2) d) A person may not shine a spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light for the purpose of taking, attempting to take, or assisting another person to take a deer." (e) A person who, after September 30 and before January 16, shines a spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light upon a wild bird or wild animal for the purpose of locating a wild bird or wild animal commits a Class C infraction.

The way this is worded a bowhunter will be in violation trailing a wounded deer after dark with a hand held flashlight.

Exceptions - 3) A person using a spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light on property owned or leased by that person or by a member of that person's immediate family.

In talking to COs this would be an enforcement nightmare as to who owns, lease or just has permission to hunt a piece of property that is being shined. Except for a few instances a CO does not know who owns what property in his county.

This is another one of those laws that punishes a huge majority of hunters and their families just because of a few who shine people’s homes, barns and stock. Make that illegal, not the shining for deer.

Many years ago when I hunted in Pennsylvania it was a family entertainment to go out and shine for deer. They had a great compromise for the families that wanted to view deer and the farmers – shut down shining at a certain hour. If memory serves me correctly, it was 11 PM.

I believe that is a compromise that most folks can live with.

This is a house bill , but I understand it has passed committee and will be voted on next week. Probably on it's way to be being voted in. Best way to get this stopped now or amended is in the Senate.

Please contact the Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee ….

Indiana General Assembly

You can contact the committee through their home pages, but you will find it easier to contact them by email through

Indiana General Assembly: FAQs

Chair: Senator Mishler - Senate Republicans: Sen. Ryan Mishler
Vice Chair:
Members:
Waterman R.M. - Senate Republicans: Sen. John Waterman
Banks - Senate Republicans: Sen. Jim Banks
Kruse - Senate Republicans: Sen. Dennis Kruse
Steele - Senate Republicans: Sen. Brent Steele
Tomes - Senate Republicans: Sen. Jim Tomes
Yoder - Senate Republicans: Sen. Carlin Yoder
R. Young - R.M.M., Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus: Senator Richard Young - Home
Hume - Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus: Senator Lindel Hume - Home
Skinner - Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus: Senator Tim Skinner - Home

Thanks and do it today….

 

[AGarbers]

I don't have a problem with it. I get tired of poachers weasling their way out of a citation. If the deer is still alive after dark, then you're still hunting, which is wrong. If the deer is still alive, let it die without pushing it and retrieve it in the daylight. If you're retrieveing downed game, unarmed, there isn't a problem.

 

[JStarr]

I don't have a problem with it. I get tired of poachers weasling their way out of a citation. If the deer is still alive after dark, then you're still hunting, which is wrong. If the deer is still alive, let it die without pushing it and retrieve it in the daylight. If you're retrieveing downed game, unarmed, there isn't a problem.

I agree completely.

 

[Willie]

I don't have a problem with it. I get tired of poachers weasling their way out of a citation. If the deer is still alive after dark, then you're still hunting, which is wrong. If the deer is still alive, let it die without pushing it and retrieve it in the daylight. If you're retrieveing downed game, unarmed, there isn't a problem.

I've trailed many a deer to it's death bed after dark. This will not let anyone trail after dark, gun or no gun.

 

[greg]

I've trailed many a deer to it's death bed after dark. This will not let anyone trail after dark, gun or no gun.

I agree completely....

 

[dbd870]

I've trailed many a deer to it's death bed after dark. This will not let anyone trail after dark, gun or no gun.

Yep, it's a problem.

 

[AGarbers]

I guess that would require the definition of "take". I consider the term "take" to kill a deer. If the deer is already dead, the act of "taking" it is already complete. I don't see where it states that you can't retrieve downed game.

 

[Willie]

I guess that would require the definition of "take". I consider the term "take" to kill a deer. If the deer is already dead, the act of "taking" it is already complete. I don't see where it states that you can't retrieve downed game.

You are reading what is in effect today.

(d) A person may not shine a spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light for the purpose of taking, attempting to take, or assisting another person to take a deer.

BOLD LETTERING IS NEW..

(e) A person who, after September 30 and before January 16, shines a spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light upon a wild bird or wild animal for the purpose of locating a wild bird or wild animal commits a Class C infraction. This subsection does not apply to the following:

That says "locate".. If I am trailing deer after dark I am surely trying to "locate" it.

This bill needs a LOT of changing..

 

[blackoak]

I don't have a problem with it. I get tired of poachers weasling their way out of a citation. If the deer is still alive after dark, then you're still hunting, which is wrong. If the deer is still alive, let it die without pushing it and retrieve it in the daylight. If you're retrieveing downed game, unarmed, there isn't a problem.

Hungry night time roaming coyotes agree with your next day daylight retrieval of wounded game. While your home in bed not pushing it, they will be chowing down.

 

[ruger44srh]

Does this still allow spotlighting coyotes ?

 

[Willie]

Does this still allow spotlighting coyotes ?

The bill contradicts itsefl..

(c) A person may not take any wildlife, except furbearing mammals,

Then says....

(e) A person who, after September 30 and before January 16, shines a spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light upon a wild bird or wild animal for the purpose of locating a wild bird or wild animal commits a Class C infraction.

Poorly written.....

 

[Aaronhome27]

written poorly is a gross understatement. i can imagine what they were trying to say but they also included about 400x more than what was meant.

 

[CountryBoy19]

As much as I hate people spotlighting property they don't own or have permission to hunt, who cares if people are spotlighting animals?

I know a lot of people that spotlight just to get an idea of what the deer are doing, how big they are, and what their movement patterns are. That doesn't mean they are poaching.

Heck, I know people that go spotlighting just to look at deer, they don't even hunt, they just like to watch deer.

IMHO, this bill is a frivolous over-reach of the government and needs to be put to a stop now...

 

[windingwinds]

We have technology that allows someone to see deer without disturbing anyone, night vision. And before you say that's too expensive, nope it's not, got a nice night vision monocular for my son for Christmas for just over a $100. MUCH cheaper than a playstation or other video game system.
Yes the bill needs rewritten, we need to be able to recover deer. However spotlighting should no longer be considered a sport or just for fun when we can use the modern technology available.

 

[Nightsniper]

Now you can Night Hunt Fox,Yotes and Coon with a Call and light. I wonder if they are trying to get into this?? But under section C it sounds ok.

 

[CountryBoy19]

We have technology that allows someone to see deer without disturbing anyone, night vision. And before you say that's too expensive, nope it's not, got a nice night vision monocular for my son for Christmas for just over a $100. MUCH cheaper than a playstation or other video game system.
Yes the bill needs rewritten, we need to be able to recover deer. However spotlighting should no longer be considered a sport or just for fun when we can use the modern technology available.

And you've actually used it right? There is a HUGE difference in Gen I, II, & III NV. And the price doesn't just double or triple to go up to Gen, II, or III... MINIMUM NV to even see much of anything is Gen II. For $100 you probably got Gen I or extremely low grade Gen II, and it's pretty much worthless as anything but a childs toy. Gen II & Gen III cost up into the tens of thousands of dollars... so no, I can't just use "modern technology" and there is no reason to use such a reason to write this law. What if I want to take my children to watch wildlife at night? What if I have 10 children? Does that mean I need 11 sets of Gen II or III NVG to go watch wildlife? That's not really cost effective for many people when a $20 spotlight will do the same thing and it will actually show color differential and realistic depth perception... have you even used NV before? I repair night vision, I know a LOT about its capabilities and limits, and you are talking apples & oranges. Night vision is intended for an entirely different purpose than you're talking.

Not to mention the fact that the night vision argument pretty much negates this law anyways. If this law is to make it easier to catch poachers then they are just going to get night-vision scopes and still poach... so your argument is dead IMHO...

 

[Dss21]

As much as I hate people spotlighting property they don't own or have permission to hunt, who cares if people are spotlighting animals?

I know a lot of people that spotlight just to get an idea of what the deer are doing, how big they are, and what their movement patterns are. That doesn't mean they are poaching.

Heck, I know people that go spotlighting just to look at deer, they don't even hunt, they just like to watch deer.

IMHO, this bill is a frivolous over-reach of the government and needs to be put to a stop now...

I couldnt agree more!

 

[Willie]

Now you can Night Hunt Fox,Yotes and Coon with a Call and light. I wonder if they are trying to get into this?? But under section C it sounds ok.

The bill contradicts itself. Says it is OK in one sentence and then says ..

A person who, after September 30 and before January 16, shines a spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light upon a wild bird or wild animal for the purpose of locating a wild bird or wild animal commits a Class C infraction.


Poor, poor, poorly written bill..

 

[yotewacker]

I can't see where this law changes and law that is already in effect. Looks like it's worthless.

 

[tenring]

Yeah, I've used NV before. Sits on top of my AR that I grab when I want to go 'yote hunting. Kinda neat setup, rated at Gen2+, seen more deer with that while out than what I was after. Watched a nice 8 point buck one night come out of a small woods and start getting his belly full in a hayfield. About 9 o'clock, watched him for 20 minutes. Not sure where you get your price structure of tens of thousands of dollars for Gen 11 or 111, but it's so far off reality to be laughable. What the average guy will look at for purchase, and what you repair for Uncle Sugar is apples and oranges. Here is what sitting downstairs at my humble abode. Sure ain't tens of thousands of dollars, now is it? Night Optics D-740-2HP Generation 2+ High Performance Advanced Night Vision Rifle Sight, Night Vision Sights by Night Optics USA | LG Outdoors