Respecting Waterfowl Hunters

[Daze Off]

As I contemplate fishing an area tomorrow that will likely be shared with a good number of duck hunters I got to wondering about respecting their "space" (not to mention safety issues).

I'm very confident knowing how much space to give other fishermen in a variety of circumstances but really don't have a clue as to how to operate around duck hunters. Have only enountered the situation once before and it was one guy in one location on a fairly large lake.

This will be on an even larger lake with a good amount of hunting parties.

Any thoughts on sharing the water respectfully and safely?

Daze Off

[Fishing_High]

That's a real good question I had a friend to leave to hunt at 4 this morning and I thought the same thing I have never had it happen to me because I usually don't fish this far into October I'm interested to see what people say.

[SledNeck]

I would say dont even fish close to them. That way you avoid all potential problems and conflicts.

[Duffman]

Just avoid them and the area they are hunting, showing a little respect goes a long ways these days. Last Oct I just went and fished the far side of the lake, and waited till the hunters packed up for the day before I fished the side they were on. It seems like most parties bail before 10:00 am if they are just there for the morning hunt. So maybe plan on getting there a little later than you normally would?

[ikeslayer]

with hanging up my rods several times already for game i can tell you that there are 2 schools of thinking. ONe is that local ducks don't mind fisherman. Believe it or not if a duck lived there all summer they learn quickly as to what boats are going to kill them and which ones aren't. So i wouldn't worry too much about scaring ducks away quite yet (however when the big pushes of ducks start they get pretty wary of new places and any kind of boat. Also you can be quite a distance away from a duck hunter and still get tagged with his shot not enough for injury or skin breaking but getting hit with a paintball sized welt while fishing doesn't really do it for me. So yes give them plenty of space. Most duck hunters only hunt the morning so they will be off the water before fall fishing action heats up. Also a duckhunter only gets 60 days A year to be on the water and that is if the ice stays off. So give him the right away. I personally had a musky fisherman in the same bay as us when we had a flock of geese come in. It was a foggy morning and we did not see him and blasted away. As we went out in the boat to retrieve our downed geese we saw him and thought, " WHoa we shot right at him." We went over to talk to him and apologize and he said, "Naw you guys are fine i figured there was duck hunters back here so i kept my distance" So there is a story of where we lived in close proximety and everyone was happy. Done rambling

ike

[MidCoast]

Well, this is just my opinion only, but I think fishermen should respect the waterfowl season. If they know that a certain lake will have duck hunters on it, or the lake is open for duck hunting, then they should avoid that lake and fish at a different lake. Fishing on lakes where people duck hunt can scare the waterfowl away.

[ikeslayer]

on the flip side however Mid coast i owe alot of ducks to fisherman who scared them up on a different part of the lake and sent them my way. I personally think the to can live happily at the same time on the same lake if it is bigger than an acre.

ike

[hanson]

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I personally think the to can live happily at the same time on the same lake if it is bigger than an acre.

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I agree. Just don't cast into the edge of my decoys. It has happened before.

[Daze Off]

Good info guys - thanks! Pretty much common sense but I thought I'd ask so that if there was anything special to take under consideration I would be informed of it rather than blunder around and tick off people with guns....

To be sure I won't be critical of their launch ramp behavior ....

Daze Off

[rascalP]

A few years back, I asked a duck hunting friend of mine this same question, concerning distance from hunters. He says, "Oh, about the effective range of a 12 gauge." Works for me. In fact I'll give em a whole lot more distance than that.

That said, I have "stumbled" onto hunters in the past whereas I quietly move out of the area. So sorry. Now I am much more observant of my surroundings in the fall.

Good fishin & Good huntin

rascal

[FishingRebel]

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on the flip side however Mid coast i owe alot of ducks to fisherman who scared them up on a different part of the lake and sent them my way. I personally think the to can live happily at the same time on the same lake if it is bigger than an acre.

ike

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So if the lake was 2 acres, there can be 5 bass fishing boats on the lake, and a party of duck hunters as well and it wouldnt matter? Just to let you know, an acre is equivalent to a football field only LOL. Two acres would be equivalent to about two football fields together. Thus, I find it hard to beleive that as long as a lake is bigger than 1 acre, fishing would not affect ducking hunting... What do you think?

Anyways, how would you feel if you were ducking hunting and a boat comes and bass fish right in front of you? How about near you?

[jalberg]

What does the law say about all this?

[commander019]

I like what I am hearing on this thread. You guys have it pegged. Give each other a little space and everyone will be happy. The lakes are plenty big. I know if I head out for an afternoon duck shoot and there are guys fishing a certain area of the lake I am heading to, I stay away and move to another area. A little respect goes a long way in my book.

[Sartell Angler]

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I like what I am hearing on this thread. You guys have it pegged. Give each other a little space and everyone will be happy. The lakes are plenty big. I know if I head out for an afternoon duck shoot and there are guys fishing a certain area of the lake I am heading to, I stay away and move to another area. A little respect goes a long way in my book.

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I too am very impressed with the replies thus far...if all fishermen had a grasp of reality like you guys seem to then everyone would be happy I think.

I fish basically year round but during the duck season I would never spend time fishing...if I didn't hunt ducks and instead was out fishing I'd be sure and keep as far away from them as possible so as not to ruin the hunt.

The fact that it is only a 60 day season, they were there first, and by getting close you are ruining their hunt is enough to convince anyone that staying away is the right thing to do.

Good fishing / hunting guys!

SA

[Scott M]

I think Sartell Angler is right on-I was reading each post waiting to see who would mention it first. Duck hunters have only 60 days to do their thing. Factor in the slow parts of the season (like these last two weeks during this warmer weather) and take out part of the season if you get an early freeze up, and there aren't many days to fish. I'm not saying give duck hunters the whole lake, just do what everyone one here has said...give them some space and they will be mighty happy.

Glad to see the responses are positive and nonconfrontational.

[Shack]

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I like what I am hearing on this thread. You guys have it pegged. Give each other a little space and everyone will be happy. The lakes are plenty big. I know if I head out for an afternoon duck shoot and there are guys fishing a certain area of the lake I am heading to, I stay away and move to another area. A little respect goes a long way in my book.

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I too am very impressed with the replies thus far...if all fishermen had a grasp of reality like you guys seem to then everyone would be happy I think.

I fish basically year round but during the duck season I would never spend time fishing...if I didn't hunt ducks and instead was out fishing I'd be sure and keep as far away from them as possible so as not to ruin the hunt.

The fact that it is only a 60 day season, they were there first, and by getting close you are ruining their hunt is enough to convince anyone that staying away is the right thing to do.

Good fishing / hunting guys!

SA

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I was also very impressed with this thread! I linked it in the duck hunting forum to show them how you guys are on the right path! Respect for the fellow sportsman is key! Even when I was their first in a situation, I end up figuring giving that spot to whome ever would go to a length to get that spot is what I would end up doing!

I do think the first one in a spot has a right to that spot, but I am not going to ruin a fishing or hunting trip because of someone claiming that spot, even if I was their first!

Be nice and respect your fellow sportsman!

Good luck and keep it up bass guys!

Duck hunters thread to dealing with fisherman! Click here!

[EBass]

I was on the river on Sat and heard shots all day. I saw 1 duck hunter beeotching there was no place to hunt (protected islands) and said he was going to the Dakota's as he was going back to the launch.

Ducks are smart though, the flock that I did see were in DT Elk River, other wise I didn't see any mallards. I saw one freaked out coot hiding in the shoreline wood, it was tucked way back in there then scamped along the shore. That was funny watching that coot bob it's head hopping from log to log.

If I see a hunter I don't mess with them - they have guns