That seems much like the construction worker who tells his supervisor that he prefers to wear his hard hat only when he feels he needs it.

Guess I missed the story

IMO, the safety issue cannot be overlooked when it comes to walking without a light. Some people are much more afraid of the dark than others, even to the extent of firing into the dark to scare away whatever they think it is that's after them.

A remember a specific incident that occurred in Mississippi many years ago when a guy shot and killed a MDWFP officer who was trying to catch him hunting at night. The shooter was the son-in-law of the landowner and was walking back to his wife's house after hunting a food plot reportedly at night. According to local news accounts made soon after the incident, he heard the officer making noise in the brush and fired multiple times in an attempt to scare away what he thought was some wild animal.

While this case is unusual, I think it does bring to focus the danger that goes with walking in the woods at night during hunting season without a light.

The shooter received a 20-year sentence and died in prison in 2001.

Depends on the situation.

Exactly...

And you always get to pick them, right?

Do I always pick where I hunt??? Yes, I believe I do

No arguement from me.

Just a personal choice and not judging others, but I value safety at the expense of spooking deer.

And control every decision made by everyone who hunts with or around you.


Needless to say, we've taken this discussion far beyond the point of diminishing returns for us both.

If you recognize the use of an orange vest as increasing hunter safety during daylight hours, you probably need no further reference in recognizing why a light serves the same purpose at night.

Perhaps a point not to be missed in all of this is how the availability of expensive scopes with good light-gathering capability has extended the shooting hours of some hunters well beyond the "30 minutes after sundown" rule that was once common. A good light helps ensure that guy who is eager for a trophy and likes to stay well past that, doesn't make a mistake.

Your agrueing public vs private

You are worried about walking around in the pasture at night and most of you live in the city where it is a hell of a lot more dangerous.

I don't carry a light or wear orange unless on public land. Dan you post the story about a guy waving at his buddy and his buddy shot him thinking he was a bobcat-really? You think orange, a flashlight, or heck sirens would have stopped that- I don't. Some people are not bright and sometimes things happen with or without you doing everything to stop it. I get it your a H.E. instructor.

I work in a dangerous field of work, more safety involved than I care to talk about and guess what sometimes people wearing full ppe, following all the guidelines, and doing exactly what they are suppose to -get hurt. Something's are out of your control. Do I follow all the gun safety rules to a t -sure that mean I won't someday get hurt- no. Like already stated I'm more worried about going down to the store to get a gallon of milk than I am walking to my stand.

Who walks to and from ur stand in the dark? Are their any real dangers?

Heck, I don't know why they even make flashlights.