Question on spotlighting deer?

[woodwalker]

I have my ltch can I spotlight deer and still carry handgun in the truck and still be legal?

 

[42769vette]

you can never spotlight with a gun ltch or not

 

[Westside]

you can never spotlight with a gun ltch or not

This...... It is highly illegal. I know of a guy who lost his work truck and all it's contents along with his LTCH and other things. He has a HVAC repair guy. Needless to say his boss was not happy.

 

[woodwalker]

thanks for the info vette

 

[Kirk Freeman]

IC 14-22-6-7
Jacklighting prohibited

Sec. 7. (a) This section does not apply to an employee of the department or an employee of a federal wildlife management agency who:
(1) is acting in the performance of the employee's duties; and
(2) has received the express written consent of the director for the employee's action.
(b) A person may not knowingly throw or cast the rays of any spotlight or other artificial light:
(1) not required by law on a motor vehicle; and
(2) in search of or upon any wild bird or wild animal;
from a vehicle while the person possesses a firearm, bow, or crossbow, if by throwing or casting the rays a wild bird or wild animal could be killed. This subsection applies even though the animal is not killed, injured, shot at, or otherwise pursued.
(c) A person may not take any wildlife, except furbearing mammals, with the aid of illumination of any spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light.
(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.

 

[philagothon]

Wow! I hate to admit it, but I'd never thought about this issue. I just started carrying a handgun in the last year or so, so it was never an issue before. I've always enjoyed country drives at night and watching deer out in the fields. I could never imagine trying something so inhumane as trying to take one with my XDm. Rep inbound to all of you for educating me.

ETA: Rep to everyone except 42760vette, I gotta spread it around before I can give you any more.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Use your headlights or get out of the car, leave the pistol in your holster and don't try to "take" any deer.

 

[DarkRose]

I don't know if they changed the code or we're just being overly cautious, but I thought it used to read "weapon", not just "firearm, bow, or crossbow", so when me and dad went out looking around with a light, we wouldn't have so much as a pocketknife with us, just in case...

 

[Bert]

Use your headlights or get out of the car, leave the pistol in your holster and don't try to "take" any deer.

you can't even use your headlights . it says no artifical light

 

[ATM]

you can't even use your headlights . it says no artifical light

Sure you can. Keep reading:

...artificial light not required by law on a motor vehicle.

 

[42769vette]

Wow! I hate to admit it, but I'd never thought about this issue. I just started carrying a handgun in the last year or so, so it was never an issue before. I've always enjoyed country drives at night and watching deer out in the fields. I could never imagine trying something so inhumane as trying to take one with my XDm. Rep inbound to all of you for educating me.

ETA: Rep to everyone except 42760vette, I gotta spread it around before I can give you any more.

ill take a rain check

 

[Kirk Freeman]

you can't even use your headlights . it says no artifical light you can't even use your headlights

Alright, who told you this? Are you listening to gun shoppe advice again?

IC 14-22-6-7
Jacklighting prohibited

Sec. 7. (a) This section does not apply to an employee of the department or an employee of a federal wildlife management agency who:
(1) is acting in the performance of the employee's duties; and
(2) has received the express written consent of the director for the employee's action.
(b) A person may not knowingly throw or cast the rays of any spotlight or other artificial light:
(1) not required by law on a motor vehicle; and
(2) in search of or upon any wild bird or wild animal;
from a vehicle while the person possesses a firearm, bow, or crossbow, if by throwing or casting the rays a wild bird or wild animal could be killed. This subsection applies even though the animal is not killed, injured, shot at, or otherwise pursued.
(c) A person may not take any wildlife, except furbearing mammals, with the aid of illumination of any spotlight, searchlight, or other artificial light.
(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.

Your headlights are required by law. (Now if only we could get people in Lafayette to use them. Seriously, it's dark, what's so inconvenient about turning on your headlights . . . and using your turn signals . . . and coming to complete stops at the sign near Kirk's house, come on, Lafayette!).

O.K., where was I? Oh, yeah, spotlighting deer and other goofy Bambi laws, if you stay in the car, use your headlights. If you want to use a spotlight, get out of the car (you and the spotlight and I wouldn't plug it into the cigarette lighter either).

 

[woodwalker]

Thanks for all the info. I knew I could find out here

 

[Willie]

This is one that needs to be changed too. Up until a few yeras ago we could not carry, even with a permit, a handgun while bowhunting. While bowhunting or spotlighting I should not have to surrender my rights to protect myself..

 

[45fan]

Or just not spot light for deer. What is there to gain by the practice? Deers nocturnal movement patterns, if different from daylight patterns, have no relevance to legally taking deer. If you just want to see deer, take a drive down just about any country road just before sunset after the crops are in, and the chances are pretty high you will see more than one.
I have had more than a few early morning deer hunts ruined by people spotlighting deer. If there were a legitimate reason, someone please enlighten me, it may change my opinion on the practice.

 

[spainy79]

This is one that needs to be changed too. Up until a few yeras ago we could not carry, even with a permit, a handgun while bowhunting. While bowhunting or spotlighting I should not have to surrender my rights to protect myself..

Well said.

As far as the artificial light goes I can't shine with my 110w KC's on the front of my truck while in possession of a weapon. Heck by law I don't even think I can drive with them on going down the road.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

What is there to gain by the practice?

The nephews liked it, especially when young.

Now it is old hat, or just not cool enough.

 

[45fan]

The nephews liked it, especially when young.

Now it is old hat, or just not cool enough.

I suppose I can see that. One of my earliest memories of deer hunting with my dad we were coming out of the woods rather late, and we came across 20+ deer in the field, battling over territory. We spent nearly an hour hiding in the tree line waiting for the gathering to clear so that we could get by to the road. If it were not for the full moon, I would have missed a spectacular nature show. I dont know that a spotlight would have been any good in that situation, but I am sure that there would be other situations that would capture a youngsters imagination enough to pull them into the woods for deer season.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Sure you can. Keep reading:

...artificial light not required by law on a motor vehicle.

I had to go back and read your signature line... I thought it said "Say no to bacon" and I was gonna negative-rep ya!

 

[ATM]

I had to go back and read your signature line... I thought it said "Say no to bacon" and I was gonna negative-rep ya!

It would seem, without much reflection, to be the rare question indeed that bacon could ask of me to which I would respond in the negative.

Although, "Have you had enough?" does come to mind.