Late Season Ethics ?

[Bryce]

So here I am running errands yesterday in the south metro when at the well known bass lake down the street, I notice at path busted out from the landing and see a boat out at one of the points. Nothing wrong here except maybe getting the ire of a few ice fisherman. Kinda made me jealous of the days when I could subject my body to that type of punishment and not have to worry so much about the old man's equipment.

Fast forward to the afternoon when I went past the same lake to get a wreath for the front of my red neck truck. Same point has some decoys and a spinner twirling. What gets me to thinking is that these guys (assuming more than one but don't know) hiked out there. My question is: how do they intend to retrieve any birds shot? I realize the birds in the decoys are a no brainer either wading out or send the hound. What about sailers or even one that flops onto the ice and takes off running. I have a hard time seeing how these guys were going to be able to make a reasonable effort to retrieve all birds shot.

In there defense, I could not see the backside of the point. Maybe they had drug a canoe out to push across the ice. Puts them in the same category as the morning group as far as body abuse then. Jealous here again. My guess though, is that they had absolutely no plan in place for birds shot other than those that fell directly into the decoys.

[Ray Esboldt]

Bryce, I am with you. I miss the days when I was gung-ho enough to be hunting around ice.

You would think a guy would think those things out - how do I get them once they are down. I know I ripped up a boat or two busting up an 1" of ice fetching birds. I found out fiberglassing the front end of an aluminum boat works pretty well.

On a side note, Diamond has turned into a pointer. We even have the "whoa" command down. I'll snap a couple photos one of these days. You sure there wasn't any GSP in her blood?

[BrdHunter01]

assumptions.... assumptions.... Its really not ur business if you ask me. I don't know any people that go out to shoot late season birds without a plan on retrieving there birds.

What proof do have of bad ethics here? Did you see them drop birds and not even attempt to retrieve them? Are just assuming they won't try to retrieve there birds or just jealous that you couldn't make it out and felt the need to complain about something?

[Bryce]

Both of which I claim(assumptions and jealousy). And your need for an attack on me being...?

[BrdHunter01]

Sorry not attacking you... Its just assumptions like these that gives hunters a bad rep. It looks like your a hunter yourself so I'm not sure why you would make assumptions like this. If you saw them drop birds with no attempt to retrieve them, then you have an agrument. JMO

[Superduty]

I see no reason to start a thread about late season hunting ethics without seeing questionable behavior...

[Bryce]

If I had seen something questionable, I would have stated that in my post and most surely would have reported it. I am not holding the noose but just wondering at what point "intent" becomes questionable. I really do hope they had a full blown plan and executed it with much success but common sense tells me otherwise.

[Stringerless!]

[PoorWordUsage] ticket. Called tip many times and the culprits talk there way out of it. Come hunt Carlos Avery sometime. We should all be deputized !

[BrdHunter01]

I've seen the CO right multiple tickets this year. At the beginning of the season they were everywhere! We were checked multiple times. A boat in our party got checked twice in the same day by 2 different CO's! Talked to some people at the landing and they said they have been checked almost everytime they have been there....

[Todd Caswell]

These guys were out shooting lawn darts on saterday ( North Long Weevers Side) between 371 bay and the Main lake. They shot 5 times on saterday morning, hell they don't get half the birds they shoot during open water let alone ICE, It has been said MANY times befor YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID

[shnelson]

Bryce brings up a very valid point - his simple observation doesn't need much explanation in my opinion as I would be wondering the same thing. Mostly, because like him, I would be jealous that I'm not out there since I'm not confident I'd be able to retrieve every downed bird. What do they have in place to insure against wanton waste, that I haven't thought of? It's very likely they're running a legit operation and have the right tools in place, but we all know there are still a few that just don't seem to think when they get out of bed.

I feel it is all too often that the 'hunters giving hunters a bad rep' card is being played these days. If something doesn't make sense to someone sharing the same passion for the same sport, how do you suppose the general public views those same actions? It is definitely not a good picture. It's up to us, as sportsmen/hunters/outdoorsmen, to hold each other to the same set of ethics and make sure we're putting out the right picture, collectively.

[Feathers Rainin]

Not sure why this is pinned on late season. There is yahoo's who do this all year. Walk out without a boat or dog and bang away retrieving a quarter of their birds at most. I've called TIP a few times and never even had a follow up call.

What I would be wondering is what do these guys expect to do when their dog is chasing a crip and breaks through the ice out in the middle. Without a boat their isn't a safe way to attempt a rescue so it is either risk your life or watch your dog drown/freeze.

I agree with you Bryce. I wish we had more CO's to deal with the violators who tarnish the great sport of waterfowling.

[fishkid]

more co's more taxes yippe!

[BrdHunter01]

more co's more taxes yippe!

Less co's = less fish and wildlife for you and me YIPPE!

Sad but many ppl out there don't follow the regs.... Especially when no one is around to enforce them!

[fishkid]

no matter how many co's there are people will still take more then their limit its not going to matter...maybe a little capital punishment should be involved for the people who are taking more then their limit....then people might get discouraged.

[Feathers Rainin]

no matter how many co's there are people will still take more then their limit its not going to matter...maybe a little capital punishment should be involved for the people who are taking more then their limit....then people might get discouraged.

First of all this thread didn't have anything to do with limits. Second of all isn't taking your truck, gun, boat, motor, and other hunting stuff along with fines and possibly taking your hunting rights enough "capital punishment" to deter people from breaking the laws? I guess we could add prison to the list. Unfortunatly they don't push the full extent of punishment they can often enough. Fact is there isn't enough CO's for the amount of hunters or should I say violators that there are out there. This goes for ducks, deer, grouse, pheasant, fish, etc. I get checked once a year and it is always on opener.

[gador2]

I witnessed a couple of questionable ethics this season. On Halloween, I was duck hunting a management area slough and the guys across the slough from me had about a 50 hp motor on there boat in only about two feet of water, I guess they wanted to ruin there motor but it is also illegal unless there is something I don't know. More recently, this past Friday, I had a couple older gentlemen come out by me goose hunting. I had already gotten my three birds so there presence didn't bother me but they came out at 4:40pm(sunset 4:44) and shot at geese all the way to 5:00. Almost 15 minutes after shooting time. All this does is make the geese fly higher, and later let alone 15 min after legal time. Also, they were shooting from the middle of the gravel road. Finally, these guys also weren't hunting with orange on and it was muzzleloader season. This wasn't a controlled goose zone with blinds so you are supposed to have orange on while performing an outdoor activity. Hunters like these just frustrate me.

Another point of frustration occurred on duck opener. While hunting the same slough as previously mentioned, we had a air spinner duck decoy. Some other hunters tried to chew us out for having an illegal decoy. When we told them only MOTORIZED decoys are illegal on public land, they just shrugged it off and refused to admit mistake.

As much as I love hunting, there is alot of frustration that comes with it unneccessarily.

[mwal]

I do believe waterfowl hunters are exempt from the Blaze Orange requirement.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Is it considered unethical if you witness game violations but do not call the conservation officer?

[Musky Buck]

I had this issue river goose hunting last weekend, but we have a plan, I bring my, hench my musky buck name, my oldest but yet good casting reel and rod in 10 minutes had the 3 geese that landed on the river ice, casted over them, snagged them with a musky bait and skated them in, piece of cake really, beat sending out the dog on that stuff, and I can easily cast all the way across the river, just got the line on line on the goose, set the hook and my buddies camera'ed the whole event, we've been doing this for about 15 years, do we want to no, but it's the safest plan.

[Musky Buck]

Someone e-mailed me, 6ft musky rod, the old 36 pound test braided dacron on a 6500C3 reel, fairly heavy like reef hawg. The goal is to never need that set up, we set up away from the water to pass shoot as they fly out, the toughest part is when the ice breaks on the edge and the lure falls in sometimes snagging on the ice edge, if they are on the other side we walk around cross the bridge and drag em in, glad grandpa owns both sides of the river, we don't try to go from ice to open water to ice, that makes it tougher as they can float away from you and hang up further down river, then 25 years of musky fishing the casting is pretty simple. Just get the line over the bird and the lure tracks right into the bird, too risky for the dog. Actually had to do the trick Monday morning, too bad the geese went from 1,000 to 50 over the weekend.

[gador2]

Why would Lac Qui Parle make you wear orange to the blind then?? I guess I would rather be safe than sorry.

[Juneau4]

Why would Lac Qui Parle make you wear orange to the blind then?? I guess I would rather be safe than sorry.

Your not waterfowl hunting going to the blind. Once in the blind you don't need it.