# More Than P-O'd About This....



## Parrothead (Apr 15, 2004)

This is something that has been on my mind since Saturday. It is aggravating to see this so many times over a duck season. It happens every year. It is mostly seen on opening day but it does go on other times. 

"REDUCING TO POSSESSION. Migratory birds wounded
by hunting shall be immediately killed and reduced to
possession and become a part of the daily bag limit. No
person shall kill or cripple any migratory bird without
making a reasonable effort to retrieve the bird and
include it in his or her daily bag limit."

This does not mean wait an hour or so then go home and get your kayak and come back to make a half-assed attempt at finding the bird. Shoot the thing on the water if you hit it and it is swimming. Even if you think it is too far to shoot, at least try to put it down for good. You may only cripple it further but at least you might slow it down so you or your DOG could fetch it.

PLEASE ... make sure you do this every time. I had to chase some guys goose across the marsh at Delaware on Saturday. I was not happy about it. YES, I kept the goose for myself since I did all the work... besides... it was working my decoys and was coming in to my calling when he blasted at it. YES, it was over top of him but even at that, common courtesy would have been to let the guy working the bird shoot first. I know it is public hunting but come one, show some respect for others.

Also, if you are the one who did this, what were you shooting at this goose? It looked like 6's or 7 1/2's were peppered all over the front of this goose. They did NOT penetrated into the meat thank goodness. They went through the breast feathers and stopped there. There may have been 2 pellets in the breast meat but off to the sides so the bigger part of it was still good shape.
Just so you know, even flying over top of you, 7 1/2's will not usually kill a goose unless you get a good head shot and fill him full. 
ALSO:
Thanks to the guy on the island who helped me locate the bird. I don't know if he is on this site but if you are, you know who you are. Anyone else out on the marsh at Delaware Saturday morning that saw me chase that bird down just wanted you to know that it was not me that shot it to begin with.


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## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

I feel your pain! The never ending SKYBUSTER's that grow in numbers and in stupidity every year. I've had people that were set-up 200 yds accross from me against a woods on an island, bust into geese that were coming into my deke's from behind them that I called in from the other side of the lake. I know when they were able to see the geese once they broke the tree line above there heads, that they were still a good 60 yds above the tree tops. A 10 gauge with 3-1/2" T's couldnt have touched them birds. And speaking of T's and Skybusters, im sure it will be worst this year because they came out with a "T" shot Heavyload this year.


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

you should put this post on ohiowaterfowler.com,and the duckhuntersrefuge.com in the ohio forums. he prolly had teal loads in and thaught it was a texas teal.they grow big there.


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## TexasPete (Apr 26, 2005)

Dang, anybody can hit a goose with anti-aircraft artillery. The art and mastery of duck hunting is bringing them close. That is what gets me and is the fun of the waterfowl sport. PLEASE HAVE SOME RESPECT AND DON'T SKYBUST AT BIRDS THAT YOU DID NOT CALL. When it is flying over your spread and has not put its feet out and cupped its wings, it is not really your bird. If you are truly the better hunter, you should be able to call it back. Go and shoot some grouse if you want to showboat with your gun. Make the high-percentage shot and harvest it clean...Don't educate the ducks! They are getting tougher to bag every year. Parrothead: Great calling...You definitely deserved any birds on that marsh on Saturday.


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## Parrothead (Apr 15, 2004)

I was going to post on OWF also just havent made it over there yet. I will though. I haven't been on the refuge site. I will check into that though.


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## WalleyeGuy (Apr 9, 2004)

I here ya boys.
Seams there are sloppy hunters every where you go nowadays.
Post at OW and get a lot of feedbacks from that post.


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## BigChessie (Mar 12, 2005)

> you should put this post on ohiowaterfowler.com,and the duckhuntersrefuge.com in the ohio forums.


Sounds like a OW guy to me. 


(And yes I am on both boards, just prefer the Fuge'  )


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## Parrothead (Apr 15, 2004)

I kow I said it in the original post about the whole "public hunting" thing I know what it's all about. I have been doing it for waterfowl for 20 years. I have seen my share of morons hunting the public areas. There are some people that just tell ya "well, that's what hunting public areas is all about". I really don't mind all that much that he shot the bird when it was working my decoys and calling because I understand it is PUBLIC hunting and that is what happens but the part that really just burns my @$$ is that he didn't chase the bird down. GRRRRRRR!!!!!! I have spent countless valuable hunting time chasing birds down just to make sure they didn't suffer or go to waste and if I cannot find them I consider them part of my daily bag limit. It's not jus for ducks & geese. This goes for doves too. I have seen guys shoot at doves and hit them and the bird flies a bit then goes down. They don't even bother to go try to find it. Sloppy, very sloppy. At least make an attempt at getting the bird.


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## Darwin (Apr 12, 2004)

Good post Parrothead, hopefully it will make someone think twice about skybusting the next time. Also, why would someone go hunting knowing they were not prepaired to make every effort to get what they shot? The sad thing is that it happens all of the time with all types of hunting!  

I know I spoke with Saturday morning shortly after this happened and could tell you were P.O'd about it!


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## BigChessie (Mar 12, 2005)

Hey Mark I really hate to hear about guys having the same problems that you wrote about. Seems like public land is a free for all that guys just think they can do whatever they want. You are more than welcome to hunt with me this year and hopefully won't have to deal with the public land as often. It is nice to see more and more guys getting into waterfowl but would be much better if they would kinda have a "mentor" to advise them on what they should be and should not be doing. I'm proud of Peteyeh, I believe he is new to this but from everything I have read he is doing it well. Also have hunted with Mush-however you spell it, another young guy that shows more safety in the field then guys twice his age.


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## beatsworkin (Apr 12, 2004)

Not enough guys understand that it is waterfowl hunting, not waterfowl shooting. If you did not spend anytime scouting out a spot, learning where the birds are, sleep to late on the morning of the hunt, etc....(add your favorite gripe) Don't show up and make things miserable for those who made an effort to get it right. It is very encouraging to hear Peteyeh talking about doing the right things. I want to take a few birds just like the next guy, but no way am I going to ruin other's hunts to do so.

Parrothead, glad you took the time and effort to collect the bird! I have a few days off to take this season...I'm planning on hunting some public areas because I don't have as much private land as I did. I rarely have a problem on public land during the week.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

I quit duck hunting at Mosquito Lake because of the skybusters. It's amazing what some guys, or idiots, shoot at.

Each year I would take the time to go to the drawing, get a site, build a nice blind on it, and wait for opening day. Come opening day, I'd awake long before dawn, go to the blind, and set out the dekes.

Sure enough, two minutes before legal shooting time, you'd see guys walking down the shoreline, puffing away on their cigarrette, with no decoys. They'd stand on shore about 75-100 down from you. You'd see some birds off in the distance, and start calling. The birds would swing your way, and head for the spread. BillyBob would then bust out of the weeds down the shore from you, and empty his Rattleburg on ducks that are/were 100 yards off. I got sick of it, and quit going.


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## TexasPete (Apr 26, 2005)

If you're going to do anything, do it the right way... if there's no right way, do it the best way. Thanks guys, that means a lot coming from veteran waterfowlers.


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