High river water question

[delta hunter]

Is someone able to hunt anywhere as long as your not on land? Well I should say if your hunting the river, with the river so high, is there a certain point that you cant pass without trespassing?

[Finlander]

The way the regs read is you have to be in emergent vegetation. If you are on shore, either you're on private land and need permission to hunt, or public land such as wildlife management areas and waterfowl production areas, and state/federal forest lands where anybody can hunt. You have to be sure before you hunt so ask the local people.

[TruthWalleyes]

I did that this weekend on the des moines.

I also do not agree with the above post. You may shoot from a moving canoe as long as it is propelled by a paddle or wind... or river current. and do not need to be surrounded by vegitation.

You may hunt flooded waters on others private land, but you must only access that land from public waters, i.e. a river, and you may not in any way step foot onto the land. If you stay in your canoe, you will be within your legal rights.

Now, I would use some caution. You can float into the flooded land, but don't push the boundarys. We shot most of our ducks just on the edge of the river bed, even though river was flooded over the banks several hundred yards.

I found that when we were floating off the river bed into the slack waters, the ducks spooked really easy, and we didn't get many shots. But in the main current we would get close enough to get shots.

I also had two separate private lands that were in that stretch of river where i spent a lot of time in the back waters, though i know i floated and hunted over others private land in the process.

[TruthWalleyes]

In waterfowl handbook:

Read Page 9 - Taking in open water

Page 10 - Watercraft

Page 21 - Surface Water Restrictions

[kobear]

Emergent vegetation rules do not apply on rivers or streams "not more than 100 yards in width"

You are traditionally legal if you can float a canoe. However each circumstance is judged individually by the Conservation Officer. I would stay out of upland vegetation such as trees and crops but readily travel the backwaters and sloughs when flooded.

[delta hunter]

Thanks for all the info