re: Thoughts on duck hunting these days

OK finally had a min or 15 to read through the entire thread.

So grandpa and dad used to only shoot waterfowl with 2 5/8" shells, and only when they were landing in the decoys.

Clearly that means I am doing it wrong when I shoot ducks passing at 30 to 40 yards and roll them, or when I use a semiauto gun with 3 or 3.5" magnum shells?

Well, I suppose outlawing lead in 91 had nothing to do with the change in shells, loads, or guns. And tighter restrictions of baiting have made it no harder to "decoy" birds in.
Certainly, the increasing popularity of the sport, and decreasing access to private and public lands has not concentrated hunters so that they now infringe on each other, flair each others birds, and gain a natural competitive emotion with the other hunters present.


It seems those most upset are upset most when they have successfully worked birds in, have them locked, and nearby blinds skybust flairing "their" birds. So if both blinds are working in groups and the other blind has birds locked in on final approach but yours are feet down, do you hold off on your shot so you don't flair their birds?




I suppose I am more fortunate that I realized. I duck hunt 75% of the time out of the same pond 10 min from my house. I only hunt water with people who are hunting with me. We work birds into the decoys when possible. We kill birds on passing shots. We occasionally have cripples but it is rare and we usually find, finish, and recover them anyway. We enjoy the sound of other hunters on other properties because they are pushing birds off of their property and to us. But I will tell you, I enjoy bringing home a limit although it rarely happens. Everyone in my household LOVES duck meat.










Yall want to bitch, bitch about the guys who hunt just for the sport and don't even like the meat.