Idaho lighted nock comment period

[Sadler]

Done. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[barkdevi]

F&G commission meeting via teleconference at 9 a.m. MDT on May 14

Commission is taking public comments through May 6 on petitions to allow lighted nocks for archery and requiring signs to be posted near traps. Individual emails have been set up to take comments related to each petition.

idfg.idaho.gov

Posted this over in the archery section as well but figured there'll be more eye balls in General Discussion. They are taking comments until May 6th on several different issues, lighted nocks being one of them. Let them know if you agree or disagree, this affects R and NR archers in Idaho so let your voice be heard.

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I would love to use lighted nocks, I really hope they decide to let us use them in the field!

 

[fwafwow]

I originally posted to ask or an update on the topic - but then I found it: no dice.

F&G Commission denies petitions for lighted nocks for archery and signage for trapping and wolf hunts

On May 14, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission denied petitions from certain organizations that requested the Commission initiate negotiated rulemaking for allowing lighted nocks for archery hunting, and to require signage near traps and during some wolf hunting seasons.

idfg.idaho.gov

 

[RetiredMarine]

I just noticed the IDFG lighted nock restriction is still in effect after the 2020 request for comments. I'm wondering if anyone on Rokslide knows of or has heard what the Commission's rationale is for it? I've asked a few folks at IDFG if they knew and kind of got the shoulder shrug...

 

[87TT]

Personally, I could go either way, but it is a slippery slope. Electronic addons are a no go for all types of hunting here. Sights, nocks, scopes etc. I shoot lighted nocks for practice at home and find they don't show up that well during "legal" shooting hours and maybe that is why. When they show up good is when I can't see my sights any more.

 

[RetiredMarine]

Personally, I could go either way, but it is a slippery slope. Electronic addons are a no go for all types of hunting here. Sights, nocks, scopes etc. I shoot lighted nocks for practice at home and find they don't show up that well during "legal" shooting hours and maybe that is why. When they show up good is when I can't see my sights any more.

Yeah, I can see it being a slippery slope (to a point). Personally, I've used several brands of lighted nocks off-and-on throughout the past several seasons and the only issue I've ever had is, depending on the brand, sometimes the nock doesn't light at the release. Otherwise, I'm for them for the numerous reasons offered by others who have previously posted. Overall, I see lighted nocks as basically being in the same lane as the road previously traveled over the inclusion of compounds and crossbows for use during archery season.

 

[CorbLand]

I just noticed the IDFG lighted nock restriction is still in effect after the 2020 request for comments. I'm wondering if anyone on Rokslide knows of or has heard what the Commission's rationale is for it? I've asked a few folks at IDFG if they knew and kind of got the shoulder shrug...

Idaho has always had the stance of no electronics on bows. I think its mostly just blanket rule and when you start cutting holes in the blanket it lets things through. Its easier to say no electronics then it is to say no this, yes that, no this, yes that.

If there is one thing that people are good at its pushing things to the limit. Mopeds are 49CC because at 50CC you have to have your motorcycle endorsement. So if Idaho started to allow lighted nocks, a company can start to push that. There is a company producing bluetooth nocks, so instead of Idaho having to specify you cant use those, they just say no electronics. Period.

There is a reason that Idaho can still facilitate the level of opportunity of hunting and a big part of that is that they limit hunter advantage. Not saying that lighted nocks give a hunter a major advantage but don't go cutting holes in the blanket.

 

[87TT]

I would go trad bow if I was younger and they passed a law on compounds. I don't hold with crossbows unless truly disabled.

 

[sneaky]

Personally, I could go either way, but it is a slippery slope. Electronic addons are a no go for all types of hunting here. Sights, nocks, scopes etc. I shoot lighted nocks for practice at home and find they don't show up that well during "legal" shooting hours and maybe that is why. When they show up good is when I can't see my sights any more.

Lighted reticles in rifle scopes aren't illegal in Idaho. It's just on the archery side they have the most restrictions.

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[87TT]

Check out the muzzleloader rules. Also the blue tooth rifle scopes. I have no problem with where they draw the lines but we need lines.

• With any electronic device attached to, or incorporated in, the firearm or scope; except scopes containing battery powered or tritium lighted reticles are allowed.

 

[CorbLand]

Lighted reticles in rifle scopes aren't illegal in Idaho. It's just on the archery side they have the most restrictions.

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What year did they pass that in? 2017? I wish Idaho would have never allowed illuminated reticles. It will just progress from there.

In my opinion, Utah allows way to much and I would hate to see Idaho become that.

 

[HuntHarder]

I can see this issue from both sides. I like that some states are trying to limit technological advances. It seems that every year we continue to produce new products to further our advantage over game. Where everyone draws that line is their own personal decision until it isn't.

I am all for trying to limit technology going forward and maybe even rolling back a few things that exist today. Having said that, I am not sure that lighted nocks are a huge advantage. They might contribute to more wounding of animals, they might not. Do guys shoot later because they know they have the lighted nocks? Do guys pick their head up quicker to try and see the nock travel in the air and cause bad shots? I am not sure. Do they aide in recovery of a properly and legally shot animal close to dark? I would say yes.

I know I have personally shot an elk near dark and thought it was a solid double lung. After waiting a half hour before looking for my arrow, it was pitch black out but I was able to locate my arrow because of the luminock. Upon finding the arrow, it was covered in frothy lung blood and I knew at that moment that I could pursue the blood trail. If I had found that arrow with dark blood on it, I would have likely backed out until the morning so I did not bump a poorly shot elk.

Technology is such a slippery slope and is only going to get better and better, each year. I think responsible regulation is needed in order to maintain the herds. Whether it be trailcams, range finding sights, Ml's that shoot 700 yards, Bows that use air to propel arrows at 400 fps+ or any other advancement, they all need to be scrutinized heavily to ensure future hunting opportunities.

 

[RetiredMarine]

Idaho has always had the stance of no electronics on bows. I think its mostly just blanket rule and when you start cutting holes in the blanket it lets things through. Its easier to say no electronics then it is to say no this, yes that, no this, yes that.

If there is one thing that people are good at its pushing things to the limit. Mopeds are 49CC because at 50CC you have to have your motorcycle endorsement. So if Idaho started to allow lighted nocks, a company can start to push that. There is a company producing bluetooth nocks, so instead of Idaho having to specify you cant use those, they just say no electronics. Period.

There is a reason that Idaho can still facilitate the level of opportunity of hunting and a big part of that is that they limit hunter advantage. Not saying that lighted nocks give a hunter a major advantage but don't go cutting holes in the blanket.

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. I hadn't considered some of those points looking at it from that perspective.

Nonetheless, I still would would like to see this restriction lifted. It seems pretty apparent the Commission has simply taken the easy way out. Instead of holding individual hunters accountable for adhering to a specific "technological" allowance (in this case, lighted nocks), the Commission instead places a universal restriction on electronic devices, presumably (as you point out) to eliminate any confusion and prevent the creation of any "holes in the blanket" which could possibly lead to going down a "slippery slope" of who knows what.

If that same mindset and logic were used in establishing let's say, speed limits, then we could be dealing with a universal restriction of 35 MPH simply because it leaves no question of what it is regardless of where you're at or what you're doing. Maybe that's a stretch in providing an example, but I think you get my point.

The use of lighted nocks, as pointed out by others on this post, has nothing to do with creating an advantage or increasing a hunter's chances of harvesting an animal. It does, however, have everything to do in validating whether a shot taken was good, marginal or poor, and what course of action needs to be taken after the shot, hopefully leading to a successful recovery. I can't find any fault to that end and hope someday soon, the Commission sees likewise.

 

[awbowhunter]

Electronics have always been withheld and looked at as something that "Aids in the taking of" big game.

Lighted nocks in no way "aid in the taking of" they do however aid in the recovery of a wounded animal. More ethical....even with a well placed shot.

Shoot an animal and find no blood, no arrow. As soon as its dark there's a good chance that lighted knock will give you a starting point to recovery if it was a pass through or animal breaks it off running. They can been seen a long ways off at night. This is a better argument than seeing shot placement.....it helps with arrow recovery after the shot, which may very well lead to an animal not going to waste because it could not be found. JMO

 

[CorbLand]

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. I hadn't considered some of those points looking at it from that perspective.

Nonetheless, I still would would like to see this restriction lifted. It seems pretty apparent the Commission has simply taken the easy way out. Instead of holding individual hunters accountable for adhering to a specific "technological" allowance (in this case, lighted nocks), the Commission instead places a universal restriction on electronic devices, presumably (as you point out) to eliminate any confusion and prevent the creation of any "holes in the blanket" which could possibly lead to going down a "slippery slope" of who knows what.

If that same mindset and logic were used in establishing let's say, speed limits, then we could be dealing with a universal restriction of 35 MPH simply because it leaves no question of what it is regardless of where you're at or what you're doing. Maybe that's a stretch in providing an example, but I think you get my point.

The use of lighted nocks, as pointed out by others on this post, has nothing to do with creating an advantage or increasing a hunter's chances of harvesting an animal. It does, however, have everything to do in validating whether a shot taken was good, marginal or poor, and what course of action needs to be taken after the shot, hopefully leading to a successful recovery. I can't find any fault to that end and hope someday soon, the Commission sees likewise.

I don't see lighted nocks as the end all to hunting in Idaho. I also don't think they give a hunter that much of an advantage to the point that they shouldn't be allowed. I am going to say that Idaho has always had a stance of limiting hunter advantage and I do not want to see that change.

I understand that if you start to blanket limit stuff, it can cause problems but I don't think speed limits and hunting are even remotely in the same category to compare them.

What ends up happening is that the next generation is always more liberal than the previous. So if a generation grows up using lighted nocks, what's the difference between that and a bluetooth nock? How many of your parents or grand parents told you that you shouldn't be allowed to use variable scopes? Semi automatic rifles? The list can go on. Look at the things that we have now and what we deem acceptable versus 30 years ago.

From an enforcement stand point...can you tell the difference between a lighted nock and a bluetooth one? I cant. I attached a photo, tell me what kind of nock that is?

You can "what if" yourself into any situation. If hunting was all about ethics and killing animals in the most humane way possible with high recover rates...there would be no reason to hunt with a bow period. I can promise that the most humane way to kill an animal with high level of recovery is not a bow. We limit a lot of stuff that would increase the effectiveness of recovering game. Be careful with this argument. It can be used both ways.

This is not a hill I am going to die on. I am no longer a resident of Idaho and don't hunt there anymore. (Buy your damn lifetime license) What I can say is that Idaho has some of the best hunting opportunities there are. There is a reason that they can do that. I moved to a state that has more limited opportunity but has very liberal rules regarding what you can and cant do. I would give up a lot of what I can use to have the opportunity Idaho has.

 

[grossklw]

I'm color-blind and I think they're a god send. I get a much better idea of the hit once I inspect the arrow and finding a lighted nock is a lot easier for me than getting on all 4's and finding a blood-stained arrow. I use neon yellow nocks and wraps to help as much as possible, but in low light I really have a hard time tracking my arrow which means if I shoot a bull at last light I'm kind of screwed as tracking for me isn't what it is for you. Watching that laser beam disappear behind the shoulder gives me a lot more confidence I can find it without having to inreach buddies that may be 5 miles away.

As others have said, it literally just aids in finding game, and for someone like me who basically can not blood trail I need every little help I can get.

 

[Trial153]

Personally I think a no electronics rule is a good thing and would love to see it across the board in all states during the bow season.

 

[CorbLand]

I'm color-blind and I think they're a god send. I get a much better idea of the hit once I inspect the arrow and finding a lighted nock is a lot easier for me than getting on all 4's and finding a blood-stained arrow. I use neon yellow nocks and wraps to help as much as possible, but in low light I really have a hard time tracking my arrow which means if I shoot a bull at last light I'm kind of screwed as tracking for me isn't what it is for you. Watching that laser beam disappear behind the shoulder gives me a lot more confidence I can find it without having to inreach buddies that may be 5 miles away.

As others have said, it literally just aids in finding game, and for someone like me who basically can not blood trail I need every little help I can get.

I am color blind too but once again there are a lot of things that would aid in my ability to find an animal that would never be deemed acceptable.

 

[Vandy321]

I sent my email in support of keeping it the way it is. Technology is a slippery slope and personally I love that Idaho doesn't want to let things progress too far.

Flame away.

You still driving around in crank start Model T?

 

[Mtnboy]

You still driving around in crank start Model T?

That's relevant how?