Out of State Hunters

[hammer time]

I just want to let the resident Mississippi hunters know that I think it sucks that a substantial portion of you have such a problem with out of state hunters. I look forward every year to coming to the Jackson and the Greenwood area of Mississippi every year. I sincerely believe that ALL the pepole of Mississippi that I have met over the years have been the most kind and hospitable hunters and business owners/employees I have EVER met. I do not sky bust, impede on anyones "hole" or behave in any way that I would not want to be imposed on me. I hunt all public land and have made good relations with any "local boys" I have ever met while hunting these areas without ANY animosity from anyone. I am sure the substantial portion of you know a guide or two that would tell you if it was not for out of staters they would be in trouble for guided hunts [which I can't afford]. I hunt Mississippi at least twice every year for a week at a time and my 14 year old son enjoys it as much as me. I guide off shore fishing here and I don't have aproblem with out of state fishermen who bring their own boat to fish the reefs off the coast. There are plenty of locals who are worse than out of state anglers, just as I would imagine the same being true in Mississippi of local duck hunters. Hell if you want to dislike me, do it because I played for the Georgia Bulldogs... not because I love Mississippi and the duck hunting you are so fortunate to have! Thanks

[Wildfowler]

Well Hammertime, just like you, I love MS and I love duck hunting too. You sound like you are an upstanding fellow. As far as I am concerned, you're welcome here in MS "any ole time". Based on what you just said, I would much rather have you as a hunting neighbor on public land, than some skyblaster.

I think most of us probably feel the same way, just don't expect us to tell you any specific on the internet, or in private for that matter. Keep up your good relations with the "local boys" and you'll be fine this year.

Good luck to ya!!

[um_rebel]

just wondering what got ya so upset hammer; have to say i have never had a problem with out-of-state hunters, everyone should be able to enjoy each states outdoors upsides!!!

Proud to be an AMERICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Delta Duck]

I've never hunted public land, matter of fact I've never duck hunted more than 47 miles from my house. I never understood the gripe about out of state hunters. I feel sure it is just a small, small portion of people in the state. That is excluding Tallahatchie county. I don't think they want any out of county hunter's.

But anyway, Welcome to you and your son to Mississippi this season

[torch]

Wildfowler, I agree about posting on public land. It is already overcrowded and I have only hunted on it a few times when I was younger. I guide on private land and out of staters make up a majority of our business but that is exactly what it is a business. In the past 10 years I can count on one hand any out of state trouble makers for the most part they are exactly like us. A group of buddies that enjoy the outdoors and each others company. I'll say it again, I WISH MISSISSIPPI WOULD GO TO A DRAW SYSTEM ON WMA"S AND PUBLIC LAND CONTROLLED BY THE STATE. Your chances would be good to be drawn and you deal with overcrowding. If an area could hold 100 parties it would be better to let those 100 hunt rather than having 200 parties on top of one another. I'll get off my soap box now.

[gadwall2]

Torch if you have only hunted on public land a few times then you shouldn't be pushing for a draw system. Its easy to figure out that if people can't hunt on public land when they want to then they will have to lease a spot or go on a guided hunt. I think this helps you out doesn't it. Its easy for you to go duck hunting, but its not easy for most. I don't resent you for having it easy(knowing you have a hole to hunt). Thats your good fortune. But all I hunt is public land and I don't want to be told that I can't hunt during the season when I want to.

Put yourself in my shoes. What if you signed up for hunts at every WMA in the north half of MS. If you get pulled for a hunt on Dec. the 19 and can't make it, you just lose it. If they do it like Noxubee you hunt on the day you are drawn or you don't hunt it. You could possibly get drawn for a hunt at every WMA, but thats not many days to hunt. With the number of duck hunters now, whats the odds of getting drawn at every one. And what if the ducks are concentrated somewhere else. Thats not hunting thats hoping. I get out and do the leg work and scout. I scout before during and after the season. If you didn't get drawn you could go stand by and hope somebody doesn't show and then hope you get lucky and get drawn out of the standbys. Believe me, its a not a short ride from Houston, MS over to the MS delta. Having to drive over and not get to hunt would be quite disheartening.

I fight the crowds, deal with the skyblasters, high-ballers, and road time. Thats my choice. If I want to hunt ducks, thats what I have to do. The same goes for anybody else who hunts public land in MS. If anybody doesn't want to deal with this stuff, then don't hunt public.

Don't piss in my cereal and I won't crap on your toast.

[SoftCall]

No problems about out-of-staters. Just do your homework and respect others in the brake. You aren't going to get info on where to go from anyone on the forum...maybe through PM's if you build a relationship with someone. If your panties are in a wad...stay home... otherwise; come have a good time. Nobody in my group is going to give you $#!+ at the landing unless you screw up our hunt...but that goes for anyone including locals. I wouldn't expect Georgia boys to tell me their hot spots on a forum that's open to anyone who can access the internet. Would you?? Based on your post, you should have no problems.

I hunt out of state too and the locals always bitch and moan when we show up. This is no different...don't take it personal.

It's the fact that you played for Georgia that I can't get past! See ya in the brake!

[Meeka]

Heck, its not that I discriminate against outastaters, I just dont like anybody . . . well enough to tell them where to go. I've been nice to outastaters plenty of times, but the remarks above are the rules, you can come, but do your own homework. I didn't mean anything by my post, I knew if you did your homework you might figure it out; was just making a point.

Come on down, my arms are open. Just don't crowd us.

[hammer time]

I have not asked anyone for any spots. I have my own places that I like to go when I am there. If I'm there before you or any other local...too bad. First come first served boys.

[Wildfowler]

I also disagree with the lottery on all public lands idea. Unless, I'm a guest on private land, I am on my own to go find a place to hunt. I would be shut down, if I had to rely on luck to get to hunt where I wanted to when I wanted to. I could lease land, I just choose not to. A lottery is not a good thing for people who don't own land or lease.

I don't know Torch, I would want to see exactly what the state would try to do before I ever put my backing into a lottery. I doubt seriously that the state would try to manage a lottery for 100 shooting parties on a WMA. I can't even imagine how long that might take just to get checked in. I would go from having to get up at 4 am to having to get up at 1 am. Ouch!!

In the areas where they have a lottery drawing now, how many slots actually get to hunt in a morning? I'm thinking that it's well below 100, but I really don't know.

Even if I did have a lease, I would still hunt on public land because most of the time a lease is just one or two duck holes very close to one another. And we all know that you are not going to shoot ducks on the same 4 acre bean field pothole every day. The thing is, I rarely have problems, and I hunt these areas. I can deal with people well in most all situations. And I also hunt a lot during the week when it's less crowded. I really don't want to have my livelihood planned by the state.

So I politely disagree with you.

[SoftCall]

If I'm there before you or any other local...too bad. First come first served boys.

And that's exactly the kind of comment that will not get you any info. or respect in the parking lot.

[litlhitch]

I am with you all the way gadwall2, those that have never hunted public land and dont have to, shouldnt be worried about these posts. I just think it sucks when you do your scouting and get rewarded and then someone watches you and just decides to move in there on ya. I realize it's public land and there's nothing you can do about that though.
And I would be willing to bet that the majority of out of staters at MS WMA's have their own private land but their season might not be in so they want in on the hunting. just my $.02[/quote]

[torch]

Wildfowler I'm not talking about sending in for a draw. I'm talking bout if you want to hunt say Noxubee on dec 20th. You drive up and they draw from only the people there. I wouldn't want to send in and they give you a date you have to be there or lose your spot. If they would draw from only the people who show up it would help everyone and I don't think you would have people driving 200 miles if they weren't sure they would hunt or not. Thats all I'm saying.

[ducman77]

I have seen many people that act like hammer time with flat tires. They want to come to hunt public land in ms and be a smart ass about getting to someone's hole. This is why we dont like out of staters.

[sportsman450]

I've been guilty of bitchin about out-of-staters myself,but you know what,I've made friends with a lot of those people over the years.I think we just like to bitch,and they are an easy target until you're face to face with a nice guy who just happens to be from say Georgia.

About that lottery huntin.It's like Gadwall22 said-if you don't hunt public land,don't try to tell those who do how it should be done.As far as limiting the draw to those present is concerned,thats even worse than a general lottery.How would you like to get up at 3:00 AM,go to the woods,and not get drawn.If you want to discourage hunting,you've got a problem here.

Hammertime-Let me know when you're comin,and I'll try to take you to a new place or two.

sportsman