Idea for dealing with Mahanna crowds

[JDgator]

Many, many people have complained about the over-crowding at their favorite wma. They argue that too many folks are just there to kill ducks, and are not real duck hunters. I have a solution for dealing this issue:

Ban the use of internal-combustion engines on certain wmas. Identify certain sections of public land that tend to overcrowd (like mahanna), and ban the use of gas-owered engines. I think this would drastically cut down on the number of hunters, while providing a more challenging, higher quality hunt the die-hards. They already do this in parts of Florida and california, with decent reviews from hunters.

What do y'all think? Would you be willing to paddle or pole your skiff if it meant better hunting?

[Denduke]

Great idea. Hate to see another draw ruin another place for lotta reasonable people. The $10 charge instead of the basic launch fee like the recent Bogue Homa might look appealing to commissioners...Lets hope not! Finally some control at a field I know. Knotheads running ATVs through the fields and down levees got a 'lil surprise Sat. I know of 8 citations above us. Us old farts gotta pack stuff in and fall out from heart failure! You yougins gotta do it too! Kinda cleaned the place up a little...Thanks boys in the green jeens....Nuff said...

Pirogue wheels!

[Wildfowler]

What do y'all think? Would you be willing to paddle or pole your skiff if it meant better hunting?

No thanks, just hunt it during the week.

[pntailhntr]

amen wildfowler!!! GREAT place to hunt Monday-Friday!!

[ChadL03]

I think a 15 shell limit heavily inforced would help Mahanna a lot...let them sky blast away and their hunt would be over quick!!!

[STIHL]

I think a 15 shell limit heavily inforced would help Mahanna a lot...let them sky blast away and their hunt would be over quick!!!

That would make a big diferrence if they enforced it wouldn be the war everyone talks about.

[Ducks be us]

Outlaws are ONLY going to do what they can get away with...Park 3 or 4 Feds out there and let em impound some property and write a few tickets, maybe lock up a few drunks. Flood the area with the law... SHAZAM, problem solved

[JDgator]

I think a 15 shell limit heavily inforced would help Mahanna a lot...let them sky blast away and their hunt would be over quick!!!

That would make a big diferrence if they enforced it wouldn be the war everyone talks about.

That would be the ideal solution, but it seems easy to smuggle in extra shells and get past this. On the other hand, pretty much anybody can call the authorities if they see someone with a mud motor.

[STIHL]

but when you got 523 hunters on 11-27-2006 it would still sound like a war.

[GulfCoast]

Do they still have that shell limit at O'Keefe? I remember the warden strip searching some guys on the levee back when I was in school. Gotta be mighty darn cold with your waders down around your ankles when its 20 degrees and some guy is shining a flashlight around the legholes!

[Skeeter]

Yeah, on opening morning out there, either there was 750 hunters, or every hunter had at least 3 boxes of shells....


D

[MemphisStockBroker]

I think someone should deputize the El Camino crew, ...

[VICKSBURGBOB]

GW's were pretty vigilant at mahanah this weekend and last but what can you do when there are 750 of us and like 10 of them if that. Need hunters with sense and more open area to hunt. People go to Mahanah to shoot ducks because it is open, relatively easy to access, and there are almost always ducks there. You just have to keep your head low and hope the ducks will come your way cause it shore don't do any good to call them so that every gun within earshot can get an interception.

[olemissduckhunter]

carlyle lake in Illinois was just rated the number 4 public duckin spot in the country and they have a ban on motorized vehicles. up there there is no draw but they ring a bell at 4 30 and everyone races out to the hole alot of people use mountain bikes. its acctually pretty neat to watch. you also have to have 12 decoys to hold your hole so just imagine a bunch of grown men riding mtn bikes in waders with bags of decoys on their backs.

[cmwangsdixie]

What bothers me so is that they keep the gates closed till a certain time, which don't get me wrong, the going in and setting up at 2 and 3 in the morning to ensure a spot was $#!+, but someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed trying to win the holeshot out of the gates on 4 wheelers... They need to come up with something better