Illegal to shine flashlight in fields?

daimleramg · Oct 9, 2011

Was watching a TV show... park rangers were giving out tickets to people who were using their flashlights in a field. Now they were hunters(I'm not), now if I walked into the same field at night and my flashaholism was kicking in and I started playing with my flashlights I'd get a ticket too? The park rangers called it spot lighting but how is that illegal?

StarHalo · Oct 9, 2011

Spotlighting is hunting using a powerful spotlight to blind and stun your prey, which is indeed illegal. As long as you could successfully explain that you're not hunting and not trying to harass the wildlife, you'd be fine.

CamoNinja · Oct 9, 2011

Depends on where you are maybe. I've heard of people doing it and getting a ticket for disturbing the wildlife.

daimleramg · Oct 9, 2011

StarHalo said:
Spotlighting is hunting using a powerful spotlight to blind and stun your prey, which is indeed illegal. As long as you could successfully explain that you're not hunting and not trying to harass the wildlife, you'd be fine.

Does taking beamshot photos qualify for a good enough reason to avoid getting a ticket?...lol

LEDAdd1ct · Oct 9, 2011

In the absence of hunting equipment, you will probably be fine, especially if you are loaded to the gills with batteries and lights. It is easier to believe someone is addicted to flashlights and indulging their hobby if they have ten lights on them than one.

Morelite · Oct 9, 2011

Here in PA wildlife spotting is illegal during certain times and that may be what the Ranger thought was going on.

Acid87 · Oct 9, 2011

Never heard about this in the UK. Sounds pretty plain and simple got a gun get a ticket.

Norm · Oct 9, 2011

StarHalo said:
Spotlighting is hunting using a powerful spotlight to blind and stun your prey, which is indeed illegal. As long as you could successfully explain that you're not hunting and not trying to harass the wildlife, you'd be fine.

Spotlighting is very popular and legal way to hunt rabbits and kangaroos here in Australia,
Norm

JacobJones · Oct 10, 2011

Personally I would be more concerned about being done for trespassing in someones field. But if you are in your own field they can't do anything about you using a torch

Illum · Oct 10, 2011

I've frequently lit-up a field or an clearing while investigating a sound, rustling, or what appeared to be a reflection. I have not heard of this before. Guess I should count my blessings my shotgun is in my closet and not on my shoulder

EZO · Oct 10, 2011

The question of legality regarding shining lights in fields depends on the particular jurisdiction (state or country) in which you live. The best thing to do is contact your local Fish, Game or Wildlife agency to learn the rules that affect you. These laws are usually published on the web. In some places it's perfectly legal, in some places allowed under limited circumstances and in others not allowed at all.

The practice is known variously as jacklighting, spotlighting or lamping and even in places where it is not illegal it is generally frowned upon by wildlife specialists.

Here in Vermont where I live it is illegal to shine a light in a field for any reason regardless of whether you have a weapon with you or if you are aiming your light at an animal. Saying, I'm a "flashaholic" wouldn't cut it with the game warden. The law reads: "It is illegal to intentionally throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, jack, or other artificial light on any highway, or any field, woodland or forest, in order to spot, locate, take, or attempt to spot, locate or take any wild animal."

There has been an ongoing problem in certain states with jacking deer at night so I guess the idea behind such a strict law is so there is no question about what you are doing with your flashlight out there at night. Although I am a hunter I respect the game laws but I really didn't get what the law was all about until a couple of idiots decided to try to jack deer on my property at 2 o'clock in the morning. I happened to be awake and saw a very bright light sweep across my field and heard a firearm discharge from the road right near my house! These guys were even stupid enough to come back the next day to see if they hit anything, so I was able to report them.

WDR65 · Oct 17, 2011

Just saw this thread. In most of Eastern NC we are allowed to shine lights to look at deer up until 11 p.m., the main provision being that you don't have a firearm or bow in your vehicle.
The Wildlife Officers often fly around in small planes checking for people "firelighting" or shooting deer with a spotlight or flashlight. It doesn't seem to have any adverse effects on the deer that I can tell. They often go right on browsing.

savumaki · Oct 17, 2011

In Ontario it is illegal to hunt at night (except for raccoon with a licenced dog). It is also illegal to use a light at night (jack lighting) for the purpose of hunting.
Having no hunting tools I doubt you would be at risk; however that said I wouldn't be wondering around in the dark while yahoos with guns are about.

na1lb0hm · Oct 18, 2011

If the hunters were in fact using lights to spot animals, and had the equipment for hunting, the rangers would probably have grounds for mens rea, especially if the area was known for poaching.
Most likely, a ticket like that would be to get their names in the system, and to get them with something, rather than letting them walk free.

It's terrible that there are idiots like that out there giving both legal flashlight and firearm owners a bad name.

Mr Bigglow · Oct 20, 2011

As per the Ontario post, it's called 'jacking" deer where I live- the deer freeze in the familiar caught-in-the-headlights manner and are easy to shoot. The practice is not only illegal but also unsporting. I was going to throw in the word "immoral" as well, but what with the exploding deer populations maybe we should loosen up a mite. But on the third hand shooting a firearm in the dark is never going to be safe for your fellow humans so yes, it is immoral.

Anyway, it's also done to see where the deer are in the dark, without any immediate shooting- of course their eyes light up like beacons even if you can't otherwise see them- and then the hunter waits hoping they'll still be there when the legal shooting hour arrives. I don't know anyone who admits to either of these practices, but looking at store shelves, I DO know that the sale of big-*** flashlights booms right around deer jacking time.

EDIT: I don't know why I'm getting the 'word word' repeating word thing but when I go in to edit, it's not there. Word word to the mods perhaps.

Mr Bigglow · Oct 20, 2011

EZO said:
The question of legality regarding shining lights in fields depends on the particular jurisdiction (state or country) in which you live. The best thing to do is contact your local Fish, Game or Wildlife agency to learn the rules that affect you. These laws are usually published on the web. In some places it's perfectly legal, in some places allowed under limited circumstances and in others not allowed at all.

The practice is known variously as jacklighting, spotlighting or lamping and even in places where it is not illegal it is generally frowned upon by wildlife specialists.

Here in Vermont where I live it is illegal to shine a light in a field for any reason regardless of whether you have a weapon with you or if you are aiming your light at an animal. Saying, I'm a "flashaholic" wouldn't cut it with the game warden. The law reads: "It is illegal to intentionally throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, jack, or other artificial light on any highway, or any field, woodland or forest, in order to spot, locate, take, or attempt to spot, locate or take any wild animal."

There has been an ongoing problem in certain states with jacking deer at night so I guess the idea behind such a strict law is so there is no question about what you are doing with your flashlight out there at night. Although I am a hunter I respect the game laws but I really didn't get what the law was all about until a couple of idiots decided to try to jack deer on my property at 2 o'clock in the morning. I happened to be awake and saw a very bright light sweep across my field and heard a firearm discharge from the road right near my house! These guys were even stupid enough to come back the next day to see if they hit anything, so I was able to report them.

You got off lightly- I know of a family that had a decorative cement deer shot right in their garden, presumably someone shooting from the road using vehicle headlights. The round ricocheted of course, and hit their garden shed, taking out a lawn tractor. No gnomes were harmed, however. I presume it was this sort of thing that inspired the decoy deer game wardens have such good luck with.

Jay R · Oct 21, 2011

EZO said:
Here in Vermont where I live it is illegal to shine a light in a field for any reason regardless of whether you have a weapon with you or if you are aiming your light at an animal. Saying, I'm a "flashaholic" wouldn't cut it with the game warden. The law reads: "It is illegal to intentionally throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, jack, or other artificial light on any highway, or any field, woodland or forest, in order to spot, locate, take, or attempt to spot, locate or take any wild animal."
.

It's not illegal for you to shine a light in a field. Read your law closer. " in order to spot/ attempt to spot..." It's only illegal if you are doing it with the intent to find an animal. If you are doing it because you like torches and you are trying out your new one, you are not breaking this law even if you happen to see a wild animal while doing so.

OCD · Oct 21, 2011

Jay R said:
It's not illegal for you to shine a light in a field. Read your law closer. " in order to spot/ attempt to spot..." It's only illegal if you are doing it with the intent to find an animal. If you are doing it because you like torches and you are trying out your new one, you are not breaking this law even if you happen to see a wild animal while doing so.

Maybe in England, but not the case here in the states.

JacobJones · Oct 21, 2011

The law reads: "It is illegal to intentionally throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, jack, or other artificial light on any highway, or any field, woodland or forest, in order to spot, locate, take, or attempt to spot, locate or take any wild animal."

Court case.

PC: "I caught him jacking deer."
Flashaholic: "I didn't even have a gun your honour"
Judge: "Do you have evidence PC walker?"
PC: "Here's the spotlight. The gun... Errr... He must have swallowed it"
Judge: "Guilty as charged"

The law can say one thing but who's the judge gonna believe, naturally they will be biased toward the police officer.

Admin note: Thanks for correcting a situation -:thumbsup:

EZO · Oct 22, 2011

EZO said:
Here in Vermont where I live it is illegal to shine a light in a field for any reason regardless of whether you have a weapon with you or if you are aiming your light at an animal. Saying, I'm a "flashaholic" wouldn't cut it with the game warden. The law reads: "It is illegal to intentionally throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, jack, or other artificial light on any highway, or any field, woodland or forest, in order to spot, locate, take, or attempt to spot, locate or take any wild animal."

Jay R said:
It's not illegal for you to shine a light in a field. Read your law closer. " in order to spot/ attempt to spot..." It's only illegal if you are doing it with the intent to find an animal. If you are doing it because you like torches and you are trying out your new one, you are not breaking this law even if you happen to see a wild animal while doing so.

My friend, you are rationalizing and trying to split hairs regarding the letter and intent of this law and one would have a hard time trying to explain to a judge that you might have some "other" reason to be shining your lights at night around fields here in this rural area. You might as well tell the judge you weren't attempting to spot game, you were really looking for leprechauns. Try going into a court and telling a judge that, well, your Honor, I was just "trying out" my flashlight and even though I got caught by the game warden illuminating some deer out there in the field I wasn't really "attempting" to do that. I mean, come on! Here in Vermont the abundance of wildlife is such that chances are if you shine a bright light out into a field at night just about anywhere you will see eyes shining back at you. And OCD's remark is quite correct.

Edit: BTW, the question of whether or not you have a firearm with you while spotlighting is moot. Many guys are out there scouting for bucks with the intent of returning later for the hunt which is one of the reasons the law is written the way it is.

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