# Shooting Ducks on the Water



## DB4x4

...Now that I've got your attention:

I have hunted since I was 12, so I have plenty of experience in the field, but never waterfowl hunted until this year. 

I know that shooting ducks off of the water is typically viewed by most to be unsportsmanlike, and I have to admit that I feel the same way. 

My question is...

If you shoot a duck in the air and drop it, but have no dog to retrieve it for you, and the bird is crippled, but getting away...is it OK/ethical to "water-swat" the wounded fowl so as not to lose it? (Assuming it is safe to do so)

I don't think there's a worse feeling for a hunter than wounding game and not retrieving it, whether it be deer, birds, etc...

Thoughts?

Thanks ahead of time...


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## OrangeMilk

The only issue I have with shooting birds on the water is when they are in groups and you are trying to rake a bunch of them at once. When you do that it is too easy to kill, or wound, too many hens than the limit allows.

Wounded ducks getting away need to be shot, absolutly.

Now say you have three guys in a blind and a flock circling, one or two birds land on the water the rest circle back, you let a couple land so you can get shots at the bigger flock, when they come back have two guys shoot the flock and one guy go for the ones on the water.

Like I said, water raking a flock on the water or in a field is unsportsmanlike, but wounded is ok and a single target bird on the water is ok.

That's all just my opinion atleast.


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## Mushijobah

Of course it's OK and sportsmanlike to waterswat an injured bird. Last thing you want is for it to dive and get hung up on something underwater.


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## 21938

DB, you have an obligation to dispatch(rake) a cripple as soon as possible, dog or no dog. It's the right thing to do. And you're right, its a bad feeling to wound game and not be able to retrieve it, be it a Deer or a Sora Rail.


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## firstflight111

OrangeMilk said:


> The only issue I have with shooting birds on the water is when they are in groups and you are trying to rake a bunch of them at once. When you do that it is too easy to kill, or wound, too many hens than the limit allows.
> 
> Wounded ducks getting away need to be shot, absolutly.
> 
> Now say you have three guys in a blind and a flock circling, one or two birds land on the water the rest circle back, you let a couple land so you can get shots at the bigger flock, when they come back have two guys shoot the flock and one guy go for the ones on the water.
> 
> Like I said, water raking a flock on the water or in a field is unsportsmanlike, but wounded is ok and a single target bird on the water is ok.
> 
> That's all just my opinion atleast.



well back in the day you werent a duck hunt if the ducks did not land in you'r decoys then shoot them ..

to me yes in the air is fun but there is no rule about shooting them off the water or in the air.. in the air it gives you a better shot at killing them ..


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## firstflight111

and on another note if you hunt water without a way to retriveing a bird is bad deal ..then you just killing stuff with no hope of retriving ..kind of point less ..


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## Muskarp

firstflight111 said:


> and on another note if you hunt water without a way to retriveing a bird is bad deal ..then you just killing stuff with no hope of retriving ..kind of point less ..


Agreed! Not saying this pertains to you DB as you may have a canoe. But I saw a couple guys hunting Alum in the day use areas (which are by the beach) with no canoe or dog. Irresponsible hunting, water drops to 40' very quickly in that area. Even a bird dropped at moderate distance may be irretrievable.

But, to answer your question as others have already stated. It is your responsibility to dispatch that wounded bird as quickly as possible.


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## firstflight111

or just get a dog if you'r going to hunt waterfowl they open up a whole new world of hunt birds ..with the group of guy's i hunt with we have 9 dogs i have 2 of themi have used mine the last week and we piled up the birds ..

i will post up pics what we could never done with out the dog ..


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## WeekendWarrior

Realistically shooting the bird on the water isn't unsportsman like!!!! If your birds finish and light the hole the job is done. How can that be unsportsman like? I don't shoot them on the water because their backs are like teflon and the odds off a quick kill diminish severly. When my 11 year old hunts with me, I let him shoot them on the water. I suppose that's unethical? I do have a 17ft duck boat and a champion lab. I like cripples!! Great dog work!!!!


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## Rodeoinforeight

Water swat away! If they land and you want to kill them like that go right ahead. You don't scare your deer so they run off before you shoot them do you? As long as its legal and you are within your bag limit, swat away.


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## JimmyZ

If it flies it dies! If it sits it dies too! ...duckcommander Phil Robertson 

Nothing like some green heads landing in the dekes 20 yrds away. Sometimes I let them fly again, not very far though


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## Plavo

Dead is Dead............. have had birds land in the deeks and refuse to leave upon trying to flucs them off.. Ended bad for them


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## DB4x4

Thanks for the replies. I have a canoe, and I also bring a fishing rod rigged with a large topwater lure, so I have means of retrieval even though I don't have a dog.

I downed a duck (in flight) on a small river recently, but whenever I got close to it, it dove under the water and disappeared. I realize (now) that I should have shot it again when it was still on the surface.

It made me sick to my stomach that I was unable recover the bird, but I will be better prepared/educated next time...

Out of curiosity, how many birds do you get per season and how many do you lose, typically?


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## Plavo

Last year 50 to 75 ducks and prob 30 geese....... the places I hunt are all big flooded out fields, so we don't typically loose birds may need to find them in the tall grass they may drop in not to say we haven't lost any and your right , I feel bad when I can't find a cripple, little different than river hunting.


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## firstflight111

DB4x4 said:


> Thanks for the replies. I have a canoe, and I also bring a fishing rod rigged with a large topwater lure, so I have means of retrieval even though I don't have a dog.
> 
> I downed a duck (in flight) on a small river recently, but whenever I got close to it, it dove under the water and disappeared. I realize (now) that I should have shot it again when it was still on the surface.
> 
> It made me sick to my stomach that I was unable recover the bird, but I will be better prepared/educated next time...
> 
> Out of curiosity, how many birds do you get per season and how many do you lose, typically?


we as in the 7 or 8 guy that hunt with me 278 ducks 220 geese we lost 4 birds this year ..from them flying off .would of been 5 but we found one the next day ..


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## Plavo

Just me and my son....Don't run a guide service like you guys firstflight


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## firstflight111

it would not matter if i guided or not ..me and the group i run with would still be dropping birds ..and i only guide so i can hunt more with my buddy and show them a good time ...


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## Plavo

Take no offense to my post Chappy, I know some of you guys from firstflight.I was just replying why you guys shoot so many birds


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## Minnowhead

I'd rather see a guy waterswat a duck than skybust a duck. My 2 cents.


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## firstflight111

Plavo said:


> Take no offense to my post Chappy, I know some of you guys from firstflight.I was just replying why you guys shoot so many birds


sorry my friend i am not chappy . and dont run with him any more. he does his own thing now ..i have my own guide service now .


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## I_Shock_Em

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## firstflight111

i_shock_em said:


> !$!$!$!$!$:banane36:!$!$!$!$


bawhahahahahahahahahahaah man that's funny


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## saug-I

Just throwing in my 2 cents.........We never shoot swimming ducks......We wait on them to stop


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