late season

[WayneGretzky99]

Boy, that escalated quickly. ..

You've got to have your head on a swivel when you find yourself in a vicious cockfight.

[LondonDave]

Rodger that my bad....I wasn't hating buddy just asking..

No worries Luke.

[Hardcoreducks]

And sorry Hardcore that you go to work to pay for hunting addiction that must be awful everyday you have to go there sounds like you hate it I guess???[/QUOTE]

Well it's not as fun as hunting but iam pretty lucky to have a pretty good job with a real good company. I was again trying to be funny but my humour seems to be lost on the people on this forum. LOL. Luke you seem very defensive over some of these comments work got you stressed out ? Again trying to be funny

[Luke Scherders]

Work is not stressful at all, if it was it would be called a job lol

[Hardcoreducks]

Work is not stressful at all, if it was it would be called a job lol

haha glad to hear. I guess this is kind of your slow season

[Luke Scherders]

Ya heading to Harrisburg PA tomorrow to the Great American Outdoors Show, everyone needs to go to this show at some point in there life.... Makes our TO show look like a little Flea Market

[Hardcoreducks]

I've heard that bet it would cool to see

[jobbershunting]

I am on the fence on this topic. I understand that there is a market for a waterfowl guiding service because there are those who may only get out for one or two hunts a year and if I was that person I would look for a guided hunt too.

On the other hand, I can completely understand why the recreational hunter has such a dislike for guiding operations. The amount of pressure that a guiding service can put on birds in your area is remarkable, especially if they are highly successful and are taking clients out on a daily basis.

I my area (SE Ont.) we have several guiding services and more seem to pop up each year, imagine having 4 or 5 guiding operations running within your WMU, assume each one is taking out 4 clients four times a week (4x4x4 multiplied by the expected bag limit = 384 geese/week or just shy of 1,600 geese/month for your MWU and that is using conservative math.

Couple that with "opportunity", the recreational hunter more than likely only gets out on the weekend, which also happens to be the busiest time of the week for guiding operations. One is being motivated by money and the obligation to 'perform' to secure a field and produce a good hunt, while the other is motivated by their passion for the sport. Is there no better recipe for conflict?

Lastly, there was an excellent article in the Delta Waterfowl magazine a year or two ago talking about the observed shifts in migration routes either along the upper Mississippi Flyway or Lake Michigan area and the correlation to hunting pressure, more specifically guiding operations. The author was suggesting that traditional waterfowling hotspots are more susceptible than we think to 'burnout' from hunting pressure that can be applied by a high density of guiding operations. I'll continue to look for the article and will post it if I find it.

[bardern]

One is being motivated by money and the obligation to 'perform' to secure a field and produce a good hunt, while the other is motivated by their passion for the sport. Is there no better recipe for conflict?

I think I speak for Luke in saying that this is way off base for most of us Drew. Personally I take offence to that statement.

lets talk about Outfitters being motivated soley by money. As you know our local Delta Chapter has been very fortunate to have Dave Roy of St.Lawrence Outfitters as a major chapter supporter since the chapters first banquet. Every year Dave has been gracious enough to donate at least one and usually two hunts which are to be used as fund raising items. What it costs Dave is two days of guiding fees prolly in the neignbourhood of $1000 (I dont know Daves rates). One of his guides steps in if Dave can't make the hunt and does it for nothing, he loses a days pay. There we have men donating their time and money because of the respect and I assume passion they have for the sport.

We just saw a thread about garbage left on the shores of Ontario. One would think that given the nonprofessional appearance of the blind and area that these are "passionate" waterfowlers and not outfitters. so are we safe to say that ALL waterfowlers show as little respect for the sport?

Sorry for the rant Drew but I have to say expect better and am disappointed with your statement.

[buckhunter83]

........................