DEER SHINING UNDERWAY
Monday, October 10th, 2011 -- 12:28 PM
With the fall hunting seasons underway and the deer rut in its opening stages, more and more people are heading out ?shining.?"There are several surrounding states where you're not allowed to that. We're lucky here to be able to do that," says Clark County DNR warden Adam Hanna. "It's really fun. Deer are pretty much nocturnal this time of year. I've seen coyotes and bears and a whole bunch of other fun stuff shining at night."
It?s perfectly legal?for the most part, he says.
Under Wisconsin law, from September 15 to December 31, you can?t shine during the hours of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. It?s also illegal to shine deer when you?re in possession of a firearm, bow and arrow or crossbow.
Clark County has a separate ordinance that bans shining of wild animals from midnight to 7 a.m. from January 1 to September 14th.
People could also get in trouble for shining into people?s homes.
And, while most people shine to get ready for the hunt, Hanna says some bad seeds take it to the next level.
"I've had three deer that have been shot and left to lay this year," Hanna reports. "It's frustrating for these landowners that allow people to hunt. It gives them a bad image of hunters."
Hanna encourages people who see illegal shining, or hear gunshots after seeing someone shining, to call 1-800-TIP-WDNR.
Hanna says he handles about a dozen poaching cases every year, but he knows there are many more that don?t get reported.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.