Anyone use a laser sight for hunting deer ?

In most states anything that projects a beam is not legal for hunting deer..

PsyopsE6 is right that's a big NO-NO here in NY State!!

I have used a lazer sight a few times at the range. One of the guys that shoots winter league has the Crimson Trace lazer grips on a GP100. It was dead on at 50 yards. I hit all 4 steel gongs at 50. The smallest one is 7" in diameter. We shoot at night so it showed up really well. I can say that it will show just how shakey you are when holding on the target.

Big NO NO here in Montana as well.

You can in Mississippi!

I carry a glock 23 as a concealed carry weapon and it wears the crimson trace laser grips! Looking for some for my 10mm too!

Even when dispatching a wounded deer? I learned about the general laser prohibition when taking my hunter education class in Quantico, VA, but I had already configured my custom smith with a laser/light combo as can be seen below:



It is of course detachable but it would be nice to have the ability to test it IRL. I guess hunting on commercial preserves and fenced ranches would be a way to do it since most forms of hunting gear seem to be allowed there.

Hey great looking Smith, how about a bit of a discription for us droolers. What caliber?? ElDee

Thanks! It's a .44 mag, of course, an old m/29-2 which a very good gunsmith here customized for me earlier this year. You've got the story on the gun at
http://www.handgunhunt.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/34793/page/3#Post34793

and for some range reporting at

http://www.handgunhunt.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/35684/page/2#Post35684

best,
Mike

Mikewin, what did the instructors say about the laser light combo. I knew that the light was ok but never asked about the laser. For varmint reasons of course!

Mikewin

If you were hunting on a paid ranch here in Montana you would still have to follow all rules such as hunter orange and no lasers, as it don't matter that it's on private property or not.

Jeremy, it was actually the "conservation police officer" (aka the game warden) who talked about this. I tried to argue that it (the laser) could be used for dispatching wounded animals etc but he merely answered that I would have a hard time explaining to him or his colleagues that I hadn't been hunting with the device in the first place. The light is, I guess, OK (but there might be restrictions; here in Sweden you're only allowed to hunt "nuisance animals" such as wild boar with lights) but since the light is integrated with the laser the combo could be a problem anyway.

In Texas lights are authorized but anything even like a laser that can aid in the aiming process is ilegal. Even for hogs. Hunting hogs at night, or any other problem critter is ok but the Game Warden likes a phone call and the heads up. You don’t HAVE to… but it saves both of you headaches! I called and told the Game warden that I was going to be shooting beaver at night and that I was just inside the city limits. I also told him I was using a 55gr V-Max so that I wouldn’t have to worry about stray bullets because they explode on contact, even when they hit the water. He said to have fun and thanks for the heads up!

Montanan, I have read some regulations for a number of PA fenced ranches and although none have mentioned the use of lasers, it seems to be "anything goes" concerning pretty much everything else. E.g., PA hunting laws require both hat and vest in blaze orange, but this is not required at all when hunting in these fenced preserves. I guess this varies by state as well.

I assume you mean "illegal"? And does this go for fenced ranches as well?

I asked this question thinking of a way to help eyes that are getting older ( brain fart ) I know the use of a light for deer hunting is illegal in TN.
I looked up my game laws to see
It reads ( a device utilizing an artificial light capable of locating wildlife is illegal )

Can you locate wildlife with a laser ?
Does it put out enough lite to do that ?
Never used a laser so i dont know
What do you think ?

Will talk to my local game warden to get it straight

NES,

you cannot locate wildlife with a laser. It is a sighting device which means that you need to locate the animal first. Then the beam of the laser - if used properly - projects a small red dot on the animal which, if adjusted properly, is the place where the bullet will hit it. So the function of a light and a laser, respectively, is vastly different.

YES!!! thanks for the help... another brain fart!!

If you can't locate game with a laser then it should be legal hear in TN., by the way i read the law

Me like hunlee me confuzzzzzzzzed !

Maybe our local game warden can clear it up for me

Will a laser help with eyes that are slowly going awall ?

NES, ýou should absolutely talk with your local game warden first. On the use of lasers: they will certainly help at dusk and dawn, but they will be near useless in daylight, at least for distances over 10 yards. In low-light conditions they can be effective up to 30 yards or so. Personally, I would only use a laser on game which is already anchored but needs a finishing shot. In circumstances like that a scope can be cumbersome and a laser could be convenient.

On legal issues: I got an e-mail yesterday from a PA fenced ranch operator, and he said that all regular hunting laws are waived at a fenced preserve; the rule is that there are no rules, essentially. Of course they have safety regulations but you could use any weapon of your choice and any sighting system as well, including lasers. I don't know if this is a particular PA arrangement but he argued that on a preserve, both the land and the animals are private property and the owner is at large in deciding on how to take the latter.

Thanks for the info mikewin, legal or not if it wont work in daylight i wont be useing one
I have a red dot on my 44 now it is hard to see the dot and point of aim out past 50 yards, guess i need to get a scope
Still going to talk to the game warden just i will know what the law is

I think you're right in getting a scope. Red dots are not that good past 50 yards in my experience. Lasers definitively are not.