Novice Question- Shooting ducks on the water

[Sprite]

Well sorry to take it on a hard left anyways.
Sinker said a livs bird in the decoys was good. I asked if he was talking about a live decoy. He made the comment "What's CO going to do?" Insinuating there was no rule against it.

So there is the fork in the road. Or off the cliff.

Try actually reading Sinker's post. Never does he mention anything about leaving cripples in the decoys, but live, unharmed birds that have landed.

-Nick

[bowj]

You are very much overthinking things...... There's no reasonable interpretation of this law to insinuate that a live bird landing in your decoys could get you a charge for using a live decoy.... Nowhere did anyone say anything about leaving a cripple.... Most cripples I encounter are either heading as fast as they can away from my decoys or diving into the water, or somehow unnaturally flipping around on the water with a broken wing or something.... Doesn't sound like good of a decoy to me

as to the op. I swat birds on the water if they land since to me you have already done the job of decoying the birds, and it's a higher percentage hit. I do like shooting them in the air when possible.
there is an advantage also with letting them land if more are coming in behind than once the second group is landing you start shooting and the original group takes off just in time for your second or third shot, and as they struggle to take off they are easier to hit.just my thoughts....

[Snowwalker]

Try actually reading Sinker's post. Never does he mention anything about leaving cripples in the decoys, but live, unharmed birds that have landed.

-Nick

I asked if he meant a live decoy and his responce was "What's a CO going to do?"

[Sinker]

A live duck in your decoys will not flare ducks, in fact, it will attract ducks.

S.

A live decoy? Don't let the CO see that. As for flaring birds...All depends on how it's acting, what it is ETC. Mallards and other Puddle ducks don't like some divers and vice vesa.

I asked if he meant a live decoy and his responce was "What's a CO going to do?"

Never once did I even hint the mention of live decoys. This topic was about shooting ducks on the water. You somehow spun it all around into using live decoys, and cripples not being retrieved.

I can't count the number of times I've had live ducks pitch right in the spread, and we left them be. The may have been mergies, buffies, or goldeneyes, and we just didn't want them, so leave them be, take some photos etc. Those are NOT live decoys......or cripples for that matter.

Anyways, water swat them if you want, its legal, so its a decision only the hunter can make. I do it now and then, but prefer to put them up first, or shoot before they are pitched.

S.

[Snowwalker]

I said that I have experance of people being charged for the use of live decoys because they made a practice of leaving cripples to swim around so that they would attact more birds. It was not the only charge but it was one of them. Then a couple posters started on how birds in your decoy is not illegal. It's not, but if you and everyone your hunting with has decided to leave cripples to swim and act as live decoys...well that is illegal in more then a few ways.


If a cop pulls you over for doing 50 in a 20 zone your going to get the speeding ticket, but if you happened to have done it a school zone with kids every where. Do you think he/she may tack on "reckless", "undo care", "unsafe operation of a vehicle".

They may not all stick, but just being charged will make things "fun".

[rick_iles]

I said that I have experance of people being charged for the use of live decoys because they made a practice of leaving cripples to swim around so that they would attact more birds. It was not the only charge but it was one of them. Then a couple posters started on how birds in your decoy is not illegal. It's not, but if you and everyone your hunting with has decided to leave cripples to swim and act as live decoys...well that is illegal in more then a few ways.


If a cop pulls you over for doing 50 in a 20 zone your going to get the speeding ticket, but if you happened to have done it a school zone with kids every where. Do you think he/she may tack on "reckless", "undo care", "unsafe operation of a vehicle".

They may not all stick, but just being charged will make things "fun".

No, they most certainly would not !!!!

[gooseman]

Wow I'll get the popcorn for this one as this has gone way south.

Anyways to the original poster, it boils down to what one feels is the most ethical shot and quickest kill.

[boogaloo]

Bottom line...................water swatted birds taste the same.

[brent]

You have it backwards......DNR asks guy to join hunting group to help convict them by providing eye witness accounts of their actions. Said informant has protection from charges. Saw it more then a few times. Deer hunters, bear hunters, waterfowl.

A LEO cannot ask someone to do something as an informant. Asking a person to do something makes that person an agent for the police and is a completely different ball game than being an informant.

Maybe you are referring to something many, many years ago. But the way you are interpreting the law now is incorrect.

[Snowwalker]

A LEO cannot ask someone to do something as an informant. Asking a person to do something makes that person an agent for the police and is a completely different ball game than being an informant.

Maybe you are referring to something many, many years ago. But the way you are interpreting the law now is incorrect.

Not here or there any more. But you are correct, people doing the hunting with the group where under cover DNR agents.
Reports of the groups actions and practices came from reliable sources and DNR setup stings. Not just for leaving cripples as decoys but a whole laundry list of things. Many of the people were charged for things they did well deer hunting, as well as duck hunting, fishing ETC.

If someone wants they can go look it up.. Early 90's NB. Convictions are all public record.


When I say they where leaving cripple to act as decoys....well they were the ONLY decoys these guy had on the pond.
Five to ten birds on the water not counting what was in the game bag. They even left birds over night so they could come back in the morning and they would have decoys. Any that died over night were just thrown in the bush.

Not a normal group of hunters.