Legal time app for android - anyone have a good one?

tod osier

tod osier

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I'm looking for a legal time alarm for my android phone that does a couple things. Lets you have multiple alarms with offsets and that tracks your location to give you the right sunrise/sunset for your lat/long.

I have one that I use called "sun alarm" it works well, but has one problem. It will let me save multiple alarms that I need. I'd like to have four: 1) Sunrise minus 30 minutes, 1) sunrise, 3) sunset, 4)sunset plus 30 minutes (these are needed for different seasons). The app I have does this, but the DOWNSIDE is that you have to manually reset the location to your actual location if you hunt different areas. It would be really nice if it set the time based on where you were (like a GPS does), not have to manually choose your location.

Anyone have a suggestion of one that allows you to have multiple alarms, with offsets from sunrise and sunset AND automatically sets your location?

I hate doing the math minus or plus sunrise or sunset, I'd just like it to beep at the right time for the right place.
 
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No idea on the app. And, for the record, I'd find having multiple alarms go off as I am setting up for hunting or sitting in the blind really annoying.

I'm wondering whether you need "set to each location" specificity you cite. Here in Maine, our hunting hours are defined in law relative to sunrise and sunset and 30 minutes before and after, depending on species. But for enforcement, the state publishes a table of legal hunting hours that is based on some some central point, and is used as the guideline statewide.

I use this one for everything except migratory birds. https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/2022-2023-LegalHuntingHours.pdf

And this one for migratory birds. https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/2022-2023-MigratoryTimeTable.pdf

I just keep copies on my phone for handy reference.

Do other states use actual local sunrise and sunset times as their legal standard for enforcement purposes?
 
Most states use actual sunrise for the exact location OR have offsets in addition to the table, which is a total PITA to have to look up what zone you are in and add 4 or 12 minutes to the table. I nearly never shoot within 10 minutes of legal, but I like to know when it is.

Phone can beep or vibrate, doesn't bother me.



Jeff Reardon said:
No idea on the app. And, for the record, I'd find having multiple alarms go off as I am setting up for hunting or sitting in the blind really annoying.

I'm wondering whether you need "set to each location" specificity you cite. Here in Maine, our hunting hours are defined in law relative to sunrise and sunset and 30 minutes before and after, depending on species. But for enforcement, the state publishes a table of legal hunting hours that is based on some some central point, and is used as the guideline statewide.

I use this one for everything except migratory birds. https://www.maine.gov/...egalHuntingHours.pdf

And this one for migratory birds. https://www.maine.gov/...gratoryTimeTable.pdf

I just keep copies on my phone for handy reference.

Do other states use actual local sunrise and sunset times as their legal standard for enforcement purposes?
Click to expand...
 
Sounds like you need it. Just did a quick calculation on how much leeway Maine's single standard statewide provides for. It looks like the maximum difference between spots within the state is about 15 minutes, so using a relatively central location for as the basis for the table gives a spread of +/- 7 minutes around my state.

Western states that are larger both E/W and/or N/S would have more spread--about 40 minutes in California, for example.
 
The difference between common places I hunt here in CT is 2 minutes. I've never loved that app, but had a couple times out west when I was several minutes off due to change in location. I can obviously do the math, but I find that I forget and have to re-do it multiple times if I'm set up early or if I'm running late then it woudl be nice to be alerted when it is legal. I'm just being picky, but I'd love a better option.
 
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I once had a discussion with a Hunter Ed instructor over "legal shooting hours" and how they are determined. He claimed that one MUST use the table in the back of the hunting regs. I took issue with that, because the regulation "booklet" never mentions the table at all, instead just referencing actual sunrise/sunset.

This instructor was also an enforcement officer. I often wondered if anyone ever challenged him in a court case if it came down to a difference in actual time, versus the time listed in the table . Now I am curious to look up the state statute.
 
Huntindave McCann said:
I once had a discussion with a Hunter Ed instructor over "legal shooting hours" and how they are determined. He claimed that one MUST use the table in the back of the hunting regs. I took issue with that, because the regulation "booklet" never mentions the table at all, instead just referencing actual sunrise/sunset.

This instructor was also an enforcement officer. I often wondered if anyone ever challenged him in a court case if it came down to a difference in actual time, versus the time listed in the table . Now I am curious to look up the state statute.
Click to expand...

Agree that there can be issues, by statute, CT is sunrise and sunset, not the table. Lots of variation between states.
 
Huntindave McCann said:
I once had a discussion with a Hunter Ed instructor over "legal shooting hours" and how they are determined. He claimed that one MUST use the table in the back of the hunting regs. I took issue with that, because the regulation "booklet" never mentions the table at all, instead just referencing actual sunrise/sunset.
This instructor was also an enforcement officer. I often wondered if anyone ever challenged him in a court case if it came down to a difference in actual time, versus the time listed in the table . Now I am curious to look up the state statute.
Click to expand...

I've had this same discussion with Maine game wardens. The answer is the same as you heard--use the table in the hunting rules, and make sure you use the right one. It's consistent enough that I suspect that's what they are told to say.

But there may a few minutes of gray zone that could be exploited by a lawyer in a court case. My strong suspicion is that not many tickets are written for violations of a few minutes.

For me, even on clear-sky days, it's generally at least 5 minutes past the 30-minutes-before-sunrise time listed in the table before I feel I have enough visibility to shoot safely. Even longer if I need to tell hens from drakes.
 
Did some checking while sitting in the deer stand.
Iowa no longer includes a sunrise/sunset table within their regulation booklet.
What they do provide is an app which has all your hunting/fishing liscs, tags, special stamps etc. All your pertinate information is right there on the app.
Also available is a sunrise/sunset readout, based on your actual GPS location. One can change both date and location for trip planning, but the default is current date and location.
No alarm or alert function, just the information.
 
I dont know how you do this in android but know you can. On my iphone, I push in one of the side buttons that brings up siri. I than ask "what time is sunrise" and siri uses my location and gives me that data right away. As mentioned. not an android suer but they have to have something like this
 
I just use the Ducks Unlimited app sunrise sunset part when I get to whatever ramp I?m launching at and set the appropriate alarm. The app will give you a countdown to either end of shooting light depending on which is closer
 
Kenmorris said:
I just use the Ducks Unlimited app sunrise sunset part when I get to whatever ramp I?m launching at and set the appropriate alarm. The app will give you a countdown to either end of shooting light depending on which is closer
Click to expand...


I used to use the DU app, and loved it, but it stopped working for me. I used to set it, then put my phone away in my bag. I'd always hear the alarm. Now the alarm doesn't go off unless my screen is on the app and open, that's not happening. I wish it still worked
 
Growing up in PA, there was always a table and map in the small hunting rules guide they handed out when you bought your license. PA being very wide east to west, sunrise was significantly difference from where i grew up in NE PA over to Lake Erie.

I always used my GPS for sunrise & sunset times. Its spot on, literally. I just set my alarm on my clock once i get the decoys out and the blind up.

Like others noted, I don't recall anyone ever getting a ticket for shooting a few minutes before. Its they guys who start 15-20 minutes early that get the attention of the wardens. And the guys shooting wood duck roosts well after sunset.
 
Thanks All. I'm still in the search if anyone has a suggestion.

Mark, I tried as you suggest and it worked perfectly. You can easily set an alarm for 30 minutes before sunrise as a countdown timer or alarm with one easy voice command. Thanks! Problem is that it needs internet to use the voice feature. This fall I hunted over 30 days without cell service, so that isn't a complete solution there. My app worked under those conditions, but the location map wouldn't load without cellular, so that is one reason why I'm looking for something else.

Yes, I'm being totally picky.
 
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Thirty days without cell service,,, oh my.
Seems like I've probably got 30 YEARS of hunting logged without cell service or GPS.
Spoiled kids now days,SMH. [whistle]
 
I am not sure how it works where you are at but in Oregon there is a table in the regs for shooting times. At the beginning of the season I copy it out of the PDF into Word and shrink down to the size of a credit card and laminate it.(cover it in packing tape) I make as many will fit on a sheet of paper and give them to my buddies. I one in my wallet and one in my truck. I also wear a watch so I don't have use my phone to check the time. Always have it with me and don't need service. I don't like relying on my phone when hunting, to many other things to deal with. May not be a good solution for you, but it works well for me.
 
Another suggestion that works for me when out of cell coverage. I look up the regs for the State I am going to hunt. I scroll to the part where it lists sunrise/sunset times and do a screenshot. Then I have a picture on my phone with the info I need. Easier for me rather than carrying a paper rule book around. Plus, with the pic, I can zoom in rather than squinting to read it and I can read it in darkness verses having to shine a light on the paper rule book.

And I believe any electronic app will require cell coverage to work.
 
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