Fishing near duck hunters?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mark Shugdinis on December 5, 2009 at 8:08am

As a bass angler and an avid duck hunter I have curtailed my fishing outings by starting a little later in the day to avoid the first few hours in the morning which can have alot of shooting. I also respect the hunters as they have the privilege to be there as well. Their season and window of opportinuity is much shorter than fishing, which you can do all year round. I also would try to stay clear all together for my own saftey. I have been peppered as far as 200 yards away. Yeah some say pepper spray isn't a big deal but it certainly can cause eye damage real quick. There are alot of hunters out there who are not very aware of their surroundings. Unless you are fishing a small body of water there should be plenty of other areas to fish. I am sure everyone has a different view on the matter, this is just my opinion based on past experiences and some common sense.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Grimes on December 5, 2009 at 9:25am

I have had run-ins with a few of them and it is kinda weird situation. The water is not "hunting only" or "fishing only"......so you both have rights to be there. I took out a few decoys a few years ago in a tournament in the Fall......I didn't realize they were decoys until I came off plane and they didn't fly away. I had words with the guy and apologized for messing up his spread.....but he played the " I was here first" card. He was right, but I came around a point on plane and had no idea he was there. I pissed him off....but I told him it is public water. In the "discussion" I asked how he had been doing and he said he hadn't shot anything yet. (it was already 9 or 10 am) I went about 500 yds away and fished and while I sat there......a couple groups of ducks and a handfull of geese came in and that guy actually hit a few of them. On my way back out....I stopped and turned my motor off, stood up, and said " Your Welcome " and left.

All I can add is that you have to be smart and more careful that time of year.

Permalink Reply by Mike Bess on December 7, 2009 at 9:59am

You would be met with a wall of steel... Then I would sic my dog on you.

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

I usually fish the decoy spread they are great cover for the fish!

Permalink Reply by Jim MacDonald on December 7, 2009 at 4:47pm

being a duckhunter as well as fishermen, I would say give plenty of space. they only have an average of ninety days a year to hunt and most enjoy fishing just as much.

Permalink Reply by Tim Bartle on December 7, 2009 at 9:17pm

Minnesota has an early "resident" Canada goose season which opens the Saturday of the Labor Day weekend. This season is scheduled before the migrating Canada geese fly through. I wasn't aware of the early season when I was fishing with my dad a few years ago. We were on a ~800 acre lake in southern Minnesota and our first stop was to be a point in a bay surrounded by reeds & cattails. As we approached the point I could see a number of geese which was a little odd as I hadn't seen any flocks during the previous week of fishing. As we got closer I noticed that the geese weren't moving and then I realized they were decoys. We stopped the boat and finally located the hunter in the emergent vegetation. We headed across the lake to an area with more reeds & cattails. Sure enough, more decoys but this time the hunters' boat was hidden in the vegetation. The hunters all called it a day not too much later after they saw the number of boaters that would be out on a nice warm cloudless Labor Day weekend.

Permalink Reply by Jim MacDonald on December 7, 2009 at 9:27pm

does trolling motor have the same amount of protien as goose breast?

Permalink Reply by Mike Matkowski on December 8, 2009 at 6:01am

I agree with Mark Shugdinis 100% on this. I have encountered many a duck spread in the late fall, but it was usually jumping huts and running through the dunes at Potholes where hunters and a new duck blind can pop up any day. I always moved on and offered apologies when necessary. What can be worse at Potholes is when you come around a dune and the water appears to be really flat with a sheen, and you realize it's a sheet of ice!!

Permalink Reply by Mike Bess on December 8, 2009 at 9:24am

I can't shoot straight, and my dog would just want something to eat so you would be safe!

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

I was joking and Bessy knows that. I would not try to bother them at all. I love duck hunting as well. They were most likely there first so dont ruin their hunt. I wouldn't set my dekes up next to somebody elses spread so I wouldn't fish next to somebodies spread either. Let them have their space and wait until they leave. If you have to go past them wait until the skies are clear and pass respectively, usually at an idle.

SPARKY said:

Toss out a throw net and buzz buy at a good clip, round up the fakeys and toss out your fake steaks for the doggy...a wall of steel...Should you not practice a bit more on the aim..Just playing man i never did the waterfowl just upland bird..Grouse/Blues..i use a full choke"they are some smart cookies the higher you get" the birds i think..yup i wasnt high so it was them..I was raised using springer spaniels for birds..Great bird dogs

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

I usually fish the decoy spread they are great cover for the fish!

Permalink Reply by Mike Bess on December 8, 2009 at 1:56pm

Better than a gut shot rooster..

Jon Sessler said:

Who cares? I wouldn't eat either one of the nasty buggers.

Jim MacDonald said:

does trolling motor have the same amount of protien as goose breast?

Permalink Reply by Eric DeLay on December 8, 2009 at 4:08pm

Maybe the Snake just needs some attention?

Jon Sessler said:

I can't believe this is even open for discussion, again, this country is lacking some common sense if this question needs to be asked.

Permalink Reply by Richard Shaff on December 8, 2009 at 4:51pm

I have a pretty firm policy about not pissing people off who have guns and lots of ammo, I stay clear of them.

Richard Shaff

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on December 8, 2009 at 5:04pm

You can't be serious....

This coming from the guy who has posted the same picture 3 times in the last 6 months. And to think I was actually beginning to appreciate your humor.

Sorry Sessler....didnt mean to post something that is so common sense. You do realize the stories several folks have provided indicate that the discussion is fairly reasonable.

Anyway....if you don't like it....you didnt have to click on it. Just sayin. I also didnt know Wafish represents the countries mean average of common sense.

The fact is....I duck hunt a ton...and I would get pretty fried if someone even got with 300 yards of my spread.....some people's opinions differ. Thats why its relevant.

Eric DeLay said:

Maybe the Snake just needs some attention?

Jon Sessler said:

I can't believe this is even open for discussion, again, this country is lacking some common sense if this question needs to be asked.

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