# Shooting "sitting ducks"



## BIGDADDYDB

New hunter, third time out for ducks/geese...didn't anticipate this problem! 

So, as stated, I'm new to waterfowl hunting and went out for my third time last Sunday. As of now, I have no private access so I went to a local public hunting area. Lugged my stuff in and had my dozen decoys set up around 6:30 am. This is the second time I've been to this spot and also scouted it once and saw a few random ducks but nothing the first day I hunted so I fully intended on watching my decoys for 3 hours before heading home to watch something less entertaining at 1:00 pm on TV. 

Shortly after shooting light, I was surprised by a drake mallard that came from behind me and landed right in my decoys before I could even raise my gun. While I'm pretty sure it's perfectly legal, it didn't feel right to just clobber him sitting there on the water. The point of this post is to get facts/opinions as to whether or not it is in fact legal and if so, is it acceptable? 

So you all know what happened...I watched swim around and quack for about 10 min, me quacking back at him, envisioning my triumphant return home with game in hand (my wife always has a good laugh at my lack of hunting skill). Then, I figured I would stand up and scare him into flight...popped up, gun at the ready and nothing but some more quacks! Started waiving my arms around and even splashed out into the water and the darn duck just swam across the lake!...no smoked duck for me.


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## RMK

smoke em! literally and figuratively lol my opinion will differ from others i m sure but that's fine. there is absolutely nothing illegal about shooting a duck on the water. some will say its not fair and you shouldn't do it if you are a true waterfowler. the way i see it is that if you have birds finish(land on the water in your dekes) you did everything exactly right. calls sounded realistic enough, decoys were placed properly, everything was brushed in good enough, you were setup on the X, you weren't detected-therefore the birds finished. and the goal of duck hunting is to bag a duck or two...?? correct. so why not whack em on the water if you did a good enough job to make them finish.


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## BIGDADDYDB

In hindsight, that is a good way of looking at it. I'm sure others will say the opposite...wanted to hear the pros and cons, that's why I posted. Probably due to the lack of experience, public land, and not ever having imagined that scenario, the little voice in the back of my head said "hmmmm???"...that little voice has kept me out of enough trouble in my life so I have a tendency to listen!


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## privateer

Just remember it is not polite to shot up your hunting buddy's decoys without permission first...


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## ducknut141

I used to shoot in the air to flush the bird then kill them. Then I realized how much ammo I was wasting then I decided that if they landed in the decoys they were "fully committed to the decoys" . Now its BANG


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## DiverDux

BIGDADDYDB-

Listen to that little voice, it usually leads you down the correct path. Just because something is "legal" doesn't always make it right or ethical, but these types of things are highly personal.

My brother and I have been hunting together for nearly 37 years. We have been fortunate to experience hunting many different game animals and game birds in places that are considered to be "the spot." Waterfowl in Arkansas' flooded timber and the praries of Saskatchewan, pheasants in the Dakotas, ruffed grouse and woodcock in Wisconsin and Minnesota, whitetails in Ohio, Iowa and Kansas. You get the idea. This isn't meant to be a "look at what I do" post, but just setting the stage to make a point.

The things that we do, the action that we take, the behaviors that we display are usually predicated by our individual experiences. If one has had an experience multiple times, a sense of complacency my become evident. That is, we have been there and done that, and the overall experience usually becomes the focus. That is, the "way" it is done becomes more important than the outcome.

So, while I would NEVER under any set of circumstances, shoot any healthy bird (wild turkeys not being included) not on the wing, I would not hold everyone to this standard. As mentioned earlier, I have done this enough that the decision is easy now. Not so much when I was twelve and my father insisted I hold to these standards. He having experienced successful hunts in the past and me just getting started were opposite ends of the spectrum.

Your post leads me to believe that you haven't experienced much success waterfowl hunting, so your struggle with "what should I do" is understandable. Follow your feelings, if you feel good about your actions and they are "legal" you are fine. Have fun and be careful out there!


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## Saugernut

Killing a duck on the water is a lot harder than you might think unless it's close, but the object of killing animals while hunting is to put them down as quickly and humanly as possible. Something to consider.


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## fishingful

I have had the same thing happen. Usually they flush. Sometimes they don't. I personally would have shot him once he was clear of my decoys. Sometimes they land before you see them especially when you hunt alone.


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## Riverduck11

It is interesting how everyone is introduced to the sport differently. When I started, I hunted with my grandpa and his good friend. Both in their 60’s. They had a rule that no one shoots until they land. Each guy tries to shoot one on the water and then another in flight. I watched many many duck fly by very close or even hovering over the decoys and we never shot. 

They felt if you could not completely fool the bird and land him, you did not deserve that bird. 

I no longer hunt by that standard but I have no problem shooting a duck on the water that I convinced to land with my decoys.


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## jray

Daddy always said flyin's how they get away


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## chuckNduck

Never was above the water swat. I never had a problem with anybody taking that shot, as long as they weren't sinking my decoys.


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## Lunderful

As long as it’s legal it’s really nobody’s business. Oh, and drake mallards don’t quack. That was a hen.


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## Flatty01

I shot a woodcock once like that and felt bad for a week, lol.


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## 21938

You answered your question in your post. You said while you were pretty sure it's perfectly legal to shoot them sitting(it is), it just didn't seem right to you to clobber a duck sitting on the water.
If it doesn't seem right to you, don't do it. You'll have many more opportunities for the shots you think are right for you.
Out of frustration, 40 some yrs. ago, I shot a Grouse running on the ground. I have never forgotten that.


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## BaddFish

Like DiverDux said- It truly is your personal preference... if you get total gratification of plucking your duck at home from swatting on water or shooting them from decoying in.. I won't do it now but shot a few on the water early in my career..


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## bdawg

I only started duck hunting last year. I have no qualms about shooting one on the water. My 1st duck was a wood duck that landed in the decoys early in the morning. I was terrible about hitting them on the wing my 1st year. I was just glad to get my 1st one! I will still do it if they are close enough. 

One thing I have learned is that if they are swimming, only half their body is exposed, so it's harder to kill them. Last time out, I we had a merganser land in our decoys 30-35 yards out. I shot, it dove, came up 10 yards to the side, then flew. We shot 4 more times at it still flew away!!! I know my 1st shot was right on it cause I saw the bbs hit the water! Same thing happened again 5 minutes later! What I've learned this year is to consistently kill birds, you gotta let them get within 25 yds. Further out and you either miss or wound them. Also, gotta set my decoys closer cause they always land on the outside edge of the deeks. Also, don't shoot anywhere near your buddy's new goose decoys! It really pisses him off!


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## chris1162

Shooting them on the water doesnt effect the taste so dont worry!!!!


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## Shortdrift

If you decide to have a good tasting duck breast shot free, make sure it is swimming away from you when you shoot.aim for the base of the neck for a quick killas you will cover the back, neck and head.


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## Minnowhead

Shoot em. Their only in season for a little while.


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## buckeyebowman

Yep, it's personal choice. I didn't grow up duck hunting, but in adulthood made friends with a guy who was all about it! First time out with him we set the dekes in the black dark and get in the blind with his Lab. When it was barely grey light enough to see, he counted the birds out there and there were two more than there should have been! 

We never saw or heard them come in. He tried some feeding chuckles to see if they would reveal themselves. Nope! Once it got light enough that we could make out the real birds we decided to stand up an make them flush. They just looked at us and swam to the far end of the pond. Where they flushed! 

Since then we've swatted them on the water if they are there. I've also shot pheasants out of trees if we couldn't get them to fly.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.


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## ducknut141

May I clarify my comment, I would rather shoot them coming into the decoys with their feet hanging. If they sneak in without being seen and are within 15 yards so I can make sure I can kill them I shoot. I can't waist the ammo to get them in the air to shoot them.


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## 3 dog Ed

Shoot em on water. Remember the goal is to decoy and cleanly kill a duck/goose. Trying the flush shot is worse than letting them go in my opinion. From personal experience and failure.


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## Weekend Woodsmen

Agree no reason not to shoot especially if you aren’t sure how many duck will be in there! If we know we are going to be on the ducks we will usually flush them and shoot them, but when it comes to shooting a duck on the water or going home empty handed, that bird is getting rocked!


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## Bprice1031

It's completely up to you if you shoot or not. Duck hunting to me is not necessarily how many birds I bag, but how many birds I get to look and commit to my decoy spread. If the ducks fly in and land in your spread, you're already having a successful hunt weather you shoot or not. Shooting on the fly is great, but if they land that's good too. Like I said, it's up to you, it's your time in the field.


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