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Etiquette for Hunting Ducks on Public Areas

In many respects, hunter etiquette can make or break the quality of shooting on public areas. If all hunters would observe the following rules, ducks would work in tighter, shots would be closer, and the pleasures of this sport would be more widely shared by all. Everything you learned in kindergarten about getting along with others applies in the duck blind, too.

Don’t encroach on someone else’s spot. If they got there first, go find another hole.


Quit calling when ducks are working another hunter’s spread. If he has their attention, let him have them.


Don’t be a sky-buster. Avoid taking shots that are at marginal range. Sky-busting is unsporting, and it results in too many cripples that aren’t recovered.


Don’t block boat ramps or parking areas any longer than necessary. Be ready to launch with all your gear loaded in, plug installed and straps undone when it’s your turn to launch.


Be respectful of hunters in boats with less horsepower than you have. When passing another boat, ease around it with as little wake as possible. Don’t shine a spotlight in another boat driver’s eyes.


Don’t violate a friend’s trust. If he takes you to a secret spot on a public area, don’t go back there without his knowledge or permission. And never take others there.


Remember that the Golden Rule certainly applies to hunting on public areas. In all regards, treat others as you would like to be treated. Such respectful behavior will translate into better hunting and greater pleasures for all who must share an area.

mississippi_duc_htr wrote:Etiquette for Hunting Ducks on Public Areas

In many respects, hunter etiquette can make or break the quality of shooting on public areas. If all hunters would observe the following rules, ducks would work in tighter, shots would be closer, and the pleasures of this sport would be more widely shared by all. Everything you learned in kindergarten about getting along with others applies in the duck blind, too.

Don’t encroach on someone else’s spot. If they got there first, go find another hole.


Quit calling when ducks are working another hunter’s spread. If he has their attention, let him have them.


Don’t be a sky-buster. Avoid taking shots that are at marginal range. Sky-busting is unsporting, and it results in too many cripples that aren’t recovered.


Don’t block boat ramps or parking areas any longer than necessary. Be ready to launch with all your gear loaded in, plug installed and straps undone when it’s your turn to launch.


Be respectful of hunters in boats with less horsepower than you have. When passing another boat, ease around it with as little wake as possible. Don’t shine a spotlight in another boat driver’s eyes.


Don’t violate a friend’s trust. If he takes you to a secret spot on a public area, don’t go back there without his knowledge or permission. And never take others there.


Remember that the Golden Rule certainly applies to hunting on public areas. In all regards, treat others as you would like to be treated. Such respectful behavior will translate into better hunting and greater pleasures for all who must share an area.

Amen. Preach on Brother

You need to print that in big letters and post that at each public hunting entrance.

We had a group of people bust out a hole in the ice about 80 yards from us around a point. Every group that tried to work us got spooked off from all their shooting....every time. We never saw anything they could be shooting at. We were in open water and could have had a good hunt. They left before we did but it was over by then. Top it off, I forgot to zip my waders back up after a whiz. That was at 9:30...toughed it out til 11 then had to call it a day. This was Sat. morning...temp was 10 degrees at
5 am according to the truck thermometer. I got COLD!

i guess i'm lucky.. never had a problem but once in my life with people sitting up on top on top of me. i heard nightmares from people bout this issue though.

speaking of a timed post.....sat. morning, cruisin down the main lake, almost to 'the spot' and some guy (kid) roars past in a 90HP outboard with 2 others in the boat with NO LIGHTS....'mind you that it is 15 degrees, pitch black dark, and on BIG water... scared the crap out of us....he knew where he was going, sort of.....we get into the small "channel" that is about 2 boat widths wide and he slows down.....we know that channel like are peters, and bud was wanting to pass....i felt like it would have been kinda butthole-ish, and tell him no...so we get to 'the spot' and someone was already there.....so we go set up somewhere, i dont know....and the 4th boat comes through looking for 'the spot' and realizes he's way late and sets up 60 yards from us....WHAT a JACKASS!!!!!....we could hear their conversations.....felt like i was at mahannah....then fifth boat comes through, and sets up just down from them.....

I mean, come on? I am way to nice, it took every thing I had not to pass shoot over their spread....I could have sank 3 of their decoys with one shot....

I guess I was just raised right.....but my tolerance clock is ticking...

just gotta find a new 'the spot'

D

"Don’t violate a friend’s trust. If he takes you to a secret spot on a public area, don’t go back there without his knowledge or permission. And never take others there."



I particularly love this one I have had it happen to me quite a few times but now w/ the guys I hunt with I dont have to worry about it and neither do they thats why when folks ask me where I am am hunting I never ever tell them the truth unless its one of the 2 other guys that hunt with me.

This was a great post and one that quite a few folks need to read

duckkiller wrote:"Don’t violate a friend’s trust. If he takes you to a secret spot on a public area, don’t go back there without his knowledge or permission. And never take others there."



I particularly love this one I have had it happen to me quite a few times but now w/ the guys I hunt with I dont have to worry about it and neither do they thats why when folks ask me where I am am hunting I never ever tell them the truth unless its one of the 2 other guys that hunt with me.

This was a great post and one that quite a few folks need to read

COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER DUCKKILLER, I FEEL THE SAME WAY, ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE I TRUST AND WE ALL HUNT TOGETHER, 2 ARE FAMILY AND 2 ARE FRIENDS, WOULD GET A SERIOUS BEAT DOWN IF ANY OF US WERE CAUGHT TELLING SECRETS.

I AM ALWAYS AMAZED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE SPILL THEIR GUTS WITH EXCITEMENT WHEN THEY GET A SHO-NUFF HOLE, I ALMOST FEEL SORRY FOR THEM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE NEXT DAY IT IS ALMOST FOR CERTAIN THAT HE WILL NOT BE THE ONLY ONE FIGHTING FOR THAT HOLE.