Waterfowling in a boat question.

[duckslayer]

Busy weekend on the big water this past weekend. Saturday had a boat come right to our setup, wondering what this guy was doing he opens his camo coat to flash his badge, checked us all out and on his way he went. I was upset I had forgot to ask his opinion on this matter although I already know his opinion. He carries on to check out the guys hunting a blind very close to our location, we down a hen can only to have it cripple and sail off inbetween us and them. Like every other cripple we had two guys jump in the boat and go to retrieve our bird. Took three shots all the while under power inbetween each shot and her diving and surfacing to put her in the boat. All this while he watched less than 200yds away.............funny he never came back and talked to us.............


Like I said it was a very busy weekend and I watched several crews retrieve thier birds in this same maner.............I think the three/four guys arguing against this are the ones in the minority............just sayin.........looking forward to the OOD mag that this issue will be in, please give us a heads up if you know it will be in the next issue.......... I'm thinkin there are going to be some guys who need to start hunting crows.....

[3Wheelerdude]

My good tender boat usually has a retriever, to chase cripples. It's the CRACK cocaine of retrieves. Sometimes I need to shoot them first though while still under motor power.
The law doesn't "Allow" people to do things, it forbids certain actions. Shooting cripples from a boat under power is not forbidden.

I know its a long thread, but in post #98, I asked the question to the Ministry responsible for Migratory Bird Hunting and they responded saying that IT IS forbidden.

I cant wait to see what OFAH will post on this. It will clear things up, because the law isn't always clear.

[Sinker]

Whether its forbidden or not is moot point to me. If I have a cripple down, I'm going after it and getting it no matter what. If that means we chase it under power and shoot it, then so be it. If anyone wants to give me a ticket, I will see them in court and fight it tooth and nail. I don't think there is a judge in the country that would charge me for anything.

S.

[duckslayer]

Whether its forbidden or not is moot point to me. If I have a cripple down, I'm going after it and getting it no matter what. If that means we chase it under power and shoot it, then so be it. If anyone wants to give me a ticket, I will see them in court and fight it tooth and nail. I don't think there is a judge in the country that would charge me for anything.

S.

Yup my point exactly, I knew damn well a C O was watching me but that wasn't going to stop me from going to dispatch and retrieve a bird I had crippled.

[rick_iles]

Yup my point exactly, I knew damn well a C O was watching me but that wasn't going to stop me from going to dispatch and retrieve a bird I had crippled.

You would have likely been charged had you not retrieved the duck!

[sabmgb]

Definitely reason for no loaded guns under power, few years back canoeing down a river hunting ducks a boat comes by with a guy sitting in the front with gun up to shoot every duck that jumped, screwed the next 3hr of paddling for us.

yes I have shot a cripple while moving, but with the CO around and watching I wouldn't take the chance, I would have made attempt to retrieve it with out the boat moving.

[Labber]

I know its a long thread, but in post #98, I asked the question to the Ministry responsible for Migratory Bird Hunting and they responded saying that IT IS forbidden.

I cant wait to see what OFAH will post on this. It will clear things up, because the law isn't always clear.

What makes you think the OFAH will be more clear on this than the MNR?
I think the only answer that you will be happy with, is the one that you want to hear.
Why not read the law yourself, and then act as you see fit.

[Sinker]

You would have likely been charged had you not retrieved the duck!

Yes, and so you should be!!! The regulation CLEARLY says you MUST IMMEDIATELY retrieve and KILL any wounded bird by any means, and that you can use a powered boat to do so.

Nowhere does it say it is prohibited to kill a crippled bird in a moving boat.

I was with Duckslayer on the weekend and we watched every crew of guys do the same as us, and the CO watched with no questions asked. We watched guys chase crippled birds inside the stake lines, and out past the 300m mark. I also watched a guide turn away from a crippled drake canvasback, but only because he is an and is known for that kind of thing down that way. The same guy ran out and shot crippled ducks from his moving boat several times, he just couldn't be bothered to go too far out of his way to get this one drake. He also came in late after we were set up, and set up 70yds down wind of us and totally cut us off. I was pissed!!

The bottom line is you have to get that bird no matter what!!!

S.

[Sinker]

Definitely reason for no loaded guns under power, few years back canoeing down a river hunting ducks a boat comes by with a guy sitting in the front with gun up to shoot every duck that jumped, screwed the next 3hr of paddling for us.

.

This is exactly why the regulation was written. Its to prohibit guys from running up to a flock of ducks and unloading on them.

Slowly chasing down a cripple and shooting it while at idle is a whole different thing.

Its not like we are running full out blasting at birds. We are slowly idling along just keeping up with the bird and shooting it when a safe opportunity arises.

To me that is immediately retrieving and killing my crippled duck by any reasonable means using a powered boat.

S.

[3Wheelerdude]

What makes you think the OFAH will be more clear on this than the MNR?
I think the only answer that you will be happy with, is the one that you want to hear.
Why not read the law yourself, and then act as you see fit.

I have read the law and have been following what I interpret it to be. To me it reads that it is illegal to shoot from a moving boat, no matter what.
So when it was brought up that this article might mean something different, I asked the makers of that law. And you know the answer I got by now.
I will be more than happy if OFAH can get a CO to write down that it is legal. You must know how much easier it will make my retrieves since you have been doing it that way the whole time....