01What the research found
RECEIPT
The study
Hunting hours and the clock change
WherePennsylvania and New YorkSampleNot a study. The federal time rules and two states' hunting hours.When2026
What they did
Lined up the end of daylight saving time with PA and NY deer hunting hours.
What they found
- In 2026, daylight saving time ended November 1 at 2 a.m. local time.
- In both states, deer hunting hours run from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.
- Sunrise and sunset shift only a minute or two a day, so quitting time on your watch comes about an hour earlier than the night before.
Limits
- PA and NY only. Other states set their own hours.
- "About an hour" is arithmetic from the clock change, not a published number.
Source. NIST, "Daylight Saving Time Rules." NY DEC deer and bear hunting hours. Pennsylvania Game Commission 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Digest, hunting hours. nist.gov → dec.ny.gov → read.nxtbook.com →
RECEIPT
The study
Deer crashes after the clocks fall back
Where23 U.S. statesSample1,012,465 deer-vehicle collisions and 96 million hourly traffic observationsWhen1994-2021
What they did
Compared deer-vehicle collisions with traffic by hour and around the clock changes.
What they found
- Deer crashes rose 16% in the week after the autumn clock change.
- Collisions were 14 times more frequent two hours after sunset than two hours before.
Limits
- The 16% is for the autumn clock change only.
Source. Cunningham et al. 2022. "Permanent daylight saving time would reduce deer-vehicle collisions." Current Biology. Also University of Washington news release, Nov 2, 2022. cell.com → washington.edu →
02My read
MY READMy tactic, not a study result
Check tonight's sunset table, and drive slow on the way home.
03Field notes
- After the clocks fall back, quitting time on your watch comes about an hour earlier. Go by the sunset table, not habit.
- Drive slow on the way home. Crashes were 14 times more frequent two hours after sunset than two hours before.
- Check your own state's season dates and legal hours with your state wildlife agency.