Texas Hunting Forum

Duck hunters are worse then fishermen!

Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 03:51 PM

Newbie duck hunter but avid bow hunter and bass fishermen and wing shooter... I wanted to share my experiences so far this year on a public lake I have been hunting. The guy that I have been going with (seasoned duck hunter) said both these instances are just to be expected.


Situation number 1. Happened this last Saturday.
We were in a buddies of mine honey hole and had a really good shoot. Should had certainly had 3 limits but we forgot how to shoot on a couple of volleys. That morning we had seen a duck boat running up into another area while we are setting up. We heard him shoot maybe half a dozen times all morning and we shot way more... prob somewhere around 50 shells. Well we are picking up and here comes this boat. They were prob hunting 1000 yards away from us or more and they come directly our direction (opposite direction from the boat ramp and where they were hunting) cruise until they see where we are hunting. Set the boat down 80 yards away (assuming so they can mark it on GPS) then leave opposite direction and head back to the ramp. I couldn't believe that they drove all that way just to see where our spot was. This boat couldnt have made it any more obvious that they were trying to find our spot.

Situation number 2. Happened yesterday. Same spot. Same kind of deal.
It being Sunday the public land was obviously pretty crowded. We went just about as far away from everyone we could get. Another group was prob set up 400 yards away and did very little shooting. This being a really good spot we were shooting a considerable amount more then anyone else. Well we are sitting in the blind and the guy that was hunting just towards the truck from us literally walks up on us with 3 other people. No Decoys. He acts like he had no idea that we were over there and simply turns around and goes back to his spot and im assuming his spread he had set out. Completely calm morning and he knew exactly we were hunting that direction. Im guessing he wanted to know where we were since his spot didnt pan out.

So my question is this just a standard practice to start accepting? My buddy who is a long time duck hunter just kind of said thats the way a lot of duck hunters are and you have to deal with it. I was very surprised. That being said really enjoying this duck hunting thing so far!
Posted By: ducknbass

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 03:54 PM

The norm. Recommendation. Practice shooting. Not trying to be smart. But less booms equals less attention.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 04:03 PM

Thats crazy its just kind of an accepted "norm." We didnt miss but a bird yesterday so Im not sure shooting is our issue. I just dont think I could ever do that to somebody.
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 04:16 PM

Public hunting gets way worse than that. I'm not condoning those actions, but I've learned to live with them. There are plenty of worse actions by fellow hunters that I will never get used to.

Sounds like your buddy is putting you on birds and y'all are getting to the spots early enough. Those are the biggest things.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 04:26 PM

Yea we are having a blast and I am learning a lot. Its just something I am not use to! The mrs could be more thrilled about me picking up another hobby.
Posted By: ducknbass

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 04:26 PM

Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC
Thats crazy its just kind of an accepted "norm." We didnt miss but a bird yesterday so Im not sure shooting is our issue. I just dont think I could ever do that to somebody.


Well not sure what you would propose to do besides accept it? Shoot onsite? Create a law that says you can't observe someone else killing more ducks than you?

Several years ago me and a buddy pulled up to a launch on a smaller area. You can pretty much see the best end of the lake from the launch. There were 5 trucks. I backed up to launch and ran my spotlight around the area and got got with 4 lights none were in the spot I wanted. I hit the spot I wanted several times to make sure it was empty. Mind you this was maybe 30 minutes to lst. We scooted to the spot. We're done with 2 limits in about 20 minutes of shooting. Maybe heard 6 other shots. Buddy says we coming tomorrow? Said nope we'd have to get here real early won't do that twice let's go crappie fishing in the creek instead. Sure enough we passed that hole heading to the creek hour after sun up. Some dumb dumb was about 50 yards from the x. In a giant boat blind sticking out like a sore thumb.
Posted By: BarneyWho

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 04:44 PM

Originally Posted By: ducknbass
Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC
Thats crazy its just kind of an accepted "norm." We didnt miss but a bird yesterday so Im not sure shooting is our issue. I just dont think I could ever do that to somebody.


Well not sure what you would propose to do besides accept it? Shoot onsite? Create a law that says you can't observe someone else killing more ducks than you?

Several years ago me and a buddy pulled up to a launch on a smaller area. You can pretty much see the best end of the lake from the launch. There were 5 trucks. I backed up to launch and ran my spotlight around the area and got got with 4 lights none were in the spot I wanted. I hit the spot I wanted several times to make sure it was empty. Mind you this was maybe 30 minutes to lst. We scooted to the spot. We're done with 2 limits in about 20 minutes of shooting. Maybe heard 6 other shots. Buddy says we coming tomorrow? Said nope we'd have to get here real early won't do that twice let's go crappie fishing in the creek instead. Sure enough we passed that hole heading to the creek hour after sun up. Some dumb dumb was about 50 yards from the x. In a giant boat blind sticking out like a sore thumb.


did you catch any crappie?
Posted By: LarryCopper

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 04:45 PM

Boom scouting, just the way it is.

Yesterday I was happy to get my plan A spot. Got there later than normal, was all setup with 20 minutes to spare. 10 minutes AFTER LST a guy walks up with a head lamp on. At 8 am (when I'm normally done) a couple of other guys walked up. Started talking about how far they had to drive and walk to get there like I gave a rat's arse. I packed up and left - won't be hunting that spot any more, at least on weekends. Not mad about it, just gonna move on.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 05:08 PM

Originally Posted By: LarryCopper
Boom scouting, just the way it is.

Yesterday I was happy to get my plan A spot. Got there later than normal, was all setup with 20 minutes to spare. 10 minutes AFTER LST a guy walks up with a head lamp on. At 8 am (when I'm normally done) a couple of other guys walked up. Started talking about how far they had to drive and walk to get there like I gave a rat's arse. I packed up and left - won't be hunting that spot any more, at least on weekends. Not mad about it, just gonna move on.


That's called scouting?
Posted By: ducknbass

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 05:12 PM

Originally Posted By: BarneyWho
Originally Posted By: ducknbass
Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC
Thats crazy its just kind of an accepted "norm." We didnt miss but a bird yesterday so Im not sure shooting is our issue. I just dont think I could ever do that to somebody.


Well not sure what you would propose to do besides accept it? Shoot onsite? Create a law that says you can't observe someone else killing more ducks than you?

Several years ago me and a buddy pulled up to a launch on a smaller area. You can pretty much see the best end of the lake from the launch. There were 5 trucks. I backed up to launch and ran my spotlight around the area and got got with 4 lights none were in the spot I wanted. I hit the spot I wanted several times to make sure it was empty. Mind you this was maybe 30 minutes to lst. We scooted to the spot. We're done with 2 limits in about 20 minutes of shooting. Maybe heard 6 other shots. Buddy says we coming tomorrow? Said nope we'd have to get here real early won't do that twice let's go crappie fishing in the creek instead. Sure enough we passed that hole heading to the creek hour after sun up. Some dumb dumb was about 50 yards from the x. In a giant boat blind sticking out like a sore thumb.


did you catch any crappie?



Does a squirrel eat acorns?
Posted By: AbeLinkkin

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 05:22 PM

I don't really see a problem with either of these situations. Yes, it was a little crappy for them to come up on you while you are still hunting. Of course I am going to try and find where people are doing the best shooting. Its called scouting. Just because you were there hunting doesn't mean its your spot forever. If you are constantly killing birds you will have to deal with a little competition for your spots. That's public land in a nutshell.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 05:30 PM

Thats intersting that its called scouting in duck hunting but its called pot licking and the bent pole pattern in bass fishing. Im totally fine with it if its just the way it is and ok to do. My buddy said the exact same thing.
Posted By: Ojai Hunter

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 05:54 PM

I'm used to hunting in Federal Reserves where you are assigned a blind area and about a 20 acre rice pond that you are not allowed to leave, (or enter) if you are not on the blind permit.
There are some free roam areas, where you potentially cross paths with other hunters, but for the most part other hunters do not approach you like you described.
I have hunted public lands in South Dakota and sometimes when it really slows down a guy might come up and bs, and some of the nicest hunters I've met that way. If you are hunting public lands and you're not right in the thick of shooting, you might meet some newbies that need some help, after all it's in our best interest to encourage hunting for the future right?
just my 2 cents.
Posted By: maximum

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 06:00 PM

there are many folks these days in every sport that have no common courtesy.

the "sound shot" and "hail mary shot" people on public land are the ones
that get me
Posted By: Ojai Hunter

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 06:16 PM

Originally Posted By: maximum
there are many folks these days in every sport that have no common courtesy.

the "sound shot" and "hail mary shot" people on public land are the ones
that get me


If you don't mind, what is a "sound shot"?
Posted By: Erichugh22

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 06:27 PM

Everyone boom scouts wether they like to admit it or not
Posted By: Erichugh22

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 06:29 PM

There are a lot of other things that piss me off more, like how it sounded like world war 3 15 minutes before legal yesterday, and people sky blasting water turkeys on both sides of me non stop until 9
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 06:43 PM

We heard somone shoot 8 minutes before LST and we had mallards cupping into the decoys
Posted By: Hopedale

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 06:52 PM

CleerCreekDC what lake was this on? bolt


J/K, don't answer that.

Like someone said you just got to get their earlier now. The "X" is open to the first person to get there, and you'll never know if someone that beats you there, if they found it on their own, or found it from someone else having a good hunt.

I walk in, so I've never done that. I have come back to a lake latter, without waders on, to see if I could figure out where folks where shooting. Dam near impossible to know the exact spot, unless they leave their shells and trash. That will send mixed emotions.

Of course the places I'm hunting, it really isn't to hard to figure out where to set up. Not a lot of locations on the area lakes to hunt.

Just get their early and enjoy the birds.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 06:54 PM

So one more question.

Why is poaching someones hole or "boom scouting" ok but naming a lake on this forum a huge no no. What is the difference? Basically saying its ok to find out and hunt their spot but I have been a lurker here for a long time and everyone loses their mind if a lake gets named. Cant seem to understand why 1 is perfectly ok but the other is not? Does actually witnessing the other people do better then you give you the "OK" to poach them because you were in earshot of their shooting?
Posted By: BarneyWho

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 06:59 PM

Originally Posted By: ducknbass
Does a squirrel eat acorns?


squirrels eat lots of stuff. Did you catch them or not?
Posted By: LarryCopper

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:00 PM

Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC
So one more question.

Why is poaching someones hole or "boom scouting" ok but naming a lake on this forum a huge no no. What is the difference? Basically saying its ok to find out and hunt their spot but I have been a lurker here for a long time and everyone loses their mind if a lake gets named. Cant seem to understand why 1 is perfectly ok but the other is not?

Because the boom scouter found you by being there, not by reading about it.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:04 PM

So being within earshot of the shots and potlicking the hole is perfectly acceptable but reading about a general lake and going in blind is completely unacceptable. Makes sense....
Posted By: maximum

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:08 PM

Originally Posted By: Ojai Hunter
Originally Posted By: maximum
there are many folks these days in every sport that have no common courtesy.

the "sound shot" and "hail mary shot" people on public land are the ones
that get me


If you don't mind, what is a "sound shot"?


that's when someone is "hunting" and shoots at something they
heard instead of properly visually identifying it as game.
example-
"whaddid yew git this mornin' zeke?"
"nuthin' homer. i made a hail mary shot, and took 2 sound shots. didunt fine any blood."
Posted By: Navasot

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:09 PM

Just part of the fun
Posted By: ducknbass

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:11 PM

Originally Posted By: BarneyWho
Originally Posted By: ducknbass
Does a squirrel eat acorns?


squirrels eat lots of stuff. Did you catch them or not?


The answer is very clearly yes.

Where you from? Alabama?
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:21 PM

Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Situation number 1. Happened this last Saturday.
We were in a buddies of mine honey hole and had a really good shoot. Should had certainly had 3 limits but we forgot how to shoot on a couple of volleys. That morning we had seen a duck boat running up into another area while we are setting up. We heard him shoot maybe half a dozen times all morning and we shot way more... prob somewhere around 50 shells. Well we are picking up and here comes this boat. They were prob hunting 1000 yards away from us or more and they come directly our direction (opposite direction from the boat ramp and where they were hunting) cruise until they see where we are hunting. Set the boat down 80 yards away (assuming so they can mark it on GPS) then leave opposite direction and head back to the ramp. I couldn't believe that they drove all that way just to see where our spot was. This boat couldnt have made it any more obvious that they were trying to find our spot.


I don't see the problem with this. It's not your buddy's honey hole if it is public. It's a public honey hole that he knows about. The other boat set up 1000 yards away. Y'all shot over 50 times, they didn't, but they stayed put during all that shooting. Now if they had pulled decoys in the middle of the shooting and moved 100 yards downwind of you to set up and cut off the same birds you where actively shooting at, then that would be potlicking. But after all the shooting is done, no birds moving, and most everyone on the lake has picked up or in the process, with only one other group hunting nearby, having had a slow morning, I would say most experienced hunters on this forum after picking up would run the boat around the point to take a look to see where all the shooting had been coming from unless they were already very familiar with the area. They may not admit it here, but they would scout it.
Posted By: zbot11

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:28 PM

Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC
So being within earshot of the shots and potlicking the hole is perfectly acceptable but reading about a general lake and going in blind is completely unacceptable. Makes sense....


It does make sense. These threads can get thousands of views, but that's one person (or a few) boom scouting on the lake.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:29 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Situation number 1. Happened this last Saturday.
We were in a buddies of mine honey hole and had a really good shoot. Should had certainly had 3 limits but we forgot how to shoot on a couple of volleys. That morning we had seen a duck boat running up into another area while we are setting up. We heard him shoot maybe half a dozen times all morning and we shot way more... prob somewhere around 50 shells. Well we are picking up and here comes this boat. They were prob hunting 1000 yards away from us or more and they come directly our direction (opposite direction from the boat ramp and where they were hunting) cruise until they see where we are hunting. Set the boat down 80 yards away (assuming so they can mark it on GPS) then leave opposite direction and head back to the ramp. I couldn't believe that they drove all that way just to see where our spot was. This boat couldnt have made it any more obvious that they were trying to find our spot.


I don't see the problem with this. It's not your buddy's honey hole if it is public. It's a public honey hole that he knows about. The other boat set up 1000 yards away. Y'all shot over 50 times, they didn't, but they stayed put during all that shooting. Now if they had pulled decoys in the middle of the shooting and moved 100 yards downwind of you to set up and cut off the same birds you where actively shooting at, then that would be potlicking. But after all the shooting is done, no birds moving, and most everyone on the lake has picked up or in the process, with only one other group hunting nearby, having had a slow morning, I would say most experienced hunters on this forum after picking up would run the boat around the point to take a look to see where all the shooting had been coming from unless they were already very familiar with the area. They may not admit it here, but they would scout it.


He found it himself and hunted it last year over 40 times. Most times shooting solo limits. We have limited there this year several times as well. Im well aware its a public lake but I wouldn't call it a public honey hole that he knew about. He found it fair and square. IMO.

Btw Im perfectly fine and now understanding its not a problem to do this. Its just something being an unfamiliar duck hunter but being around hunting and fishing my entire life that strikes me as really strange that its a perfectly accepted practice.
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 07:49 PM

I had found a decent but not great hunting location walking towards the lake side from a bridge on the Ray Bob. There was a little dip in the bank that was not noticeable from the bridge. It has always been good for an easy 3 or 4 duck morning. The other direction from the bridge was just a creek and woods. I seldom hunt weekends, but when I did I was seeing another truck stop at the other end of the bridge and a group of hunters walk into the woods with decoys. Lots of fast shooting coming from them those mornings when I was just taking my usual 3 or 4 ducks. Do I.... A. They must be skyblasting and ignor it. B. Might be a honey hole but they found it first, it belongs to them now, so I will stay on the lake side of the bridge and never look at it. or C. Scout it when they are not there to see what all the shooting is about.

Satellite imagery showed nothing but woods, but they were coming out with straps of mallards so I knew something was there. So I went back during the week and scouted it when no one was hunting. It took some time walking around till I found it. What I found was a huge one foot deep beaver pond deep in the woods and off the main creek. And it had lots of ducks on it mid day. I only hunted it on weekday mornings so not to draw any more attention to it than I had to and never more than once in a week to not over pressure it. I still check it if I am doing a pre season scouting trip on that lake and on most wet years it is still a wonderful spot to hunt. I have no idea if the other group still hunts it, but over many years I have never seen another hunter there, nor sign of other hunters hunting it, but I don't draw attention to it or share it either.

Public land scouting includes looking at what others left on the ground, be it shells, foot prints, lines of retriever runs into the water, feathers from cleaned ducks, etc. It includes who and how many are parked nearby. Blinds or blind footprints left behind. Could be a pond full of shotshell wads that makes you take a second look. And so on. For me that part of scouting often tells me more where not to hunt than it tells me where to hunt. I prefer a strategy of avoiding over pressured areas. If your buddy is hunting that spot that much, even I probably know about it.
Posted By: RockDocJoe

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/20/17 08:27 PM

Originally Posted By: ZachW
Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC
So being within earshot of the shots and potlicking the hole is perfectly acceptable but reading about a general lake and going in blind is completely unacceptable. Makes sense....


It does make sense. These threads can get thousands of views, but that's one person (or a few) boom scouting on the lake.


I consider the forum a way to share hunting stories and experience to help everyone succeed. We don't need to know the lake for that.

And, to say Zach's comment another way, I feel like those that are out there on public land are earning any extra information they get, whether it was waking up early, a 1-2 hour drive, facing weather, etc.
Posted By: Judd

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 01:54 AM

One of the reasons I quit hunting public. It's an [censored] whip and was not fun for me or relaxing. I work a higher stress job and need a weekend to get my breathe and recharge...not added frustration. Good luck!

Oh and DnB is like the crappie whisper wink
Posted By: jnd59

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 03:30 AM

I don't know about worse than fishermen. I've been out when other boats would shadow us with their radar from 3 or 4 miles away waiting to see when we stopped. I've always thought a potlicker was someone who came up to fish beside you, not someone who noticed your spot and came back later. I don't need to drive up on someone to figure out where they are hunting. But I have had good spots confirmed by people leaving their shells behind and I have watched birds and matched them to gunfire. I just make a note on my app to check it out. If I see someone catch a fish, I don't rush over and fish beside them. It's their hole while they occupy it but when their gone it's anybody's to claim.
Posted By: jnd59

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 03:41 AM

Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC
We heard somone shoot 8 minutes before LST and we had mallards cupping into the decoys


That's exactly when I heard shots as well. About 9 or 10 in a span of about three seconds. I put it down to someone hunting the roost. My son asking me if we could shoot as there were birds in the dekes. 8 interminable minutes. Made the old man look like a stick in the mud. Hopefully he learned something.
Posted By: pervis

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 11:12 AM

I've been known to build a bogus blind or 3 so the idiots stay away from the spots I hunt. If I see a blind on public I stay away. That's a dead ringer for an over hunted under scouted spot.
Posted By: samsamthemex

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 12:35 PM

I try and pick up all my empty shells also to keep from pinpointing where my spot is.


PERVIS- great tip. May try building a few blinds.


So far the public lake I hunt has a bunch of lazy people. Everyone stops at the first spot they come too. I now take my junky Jon boat and row across the lake where no one has been. Or wants to get too.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 01:42 PM

Originally Posted By: jnd59
I don't know about worse than fishermen. I've been out when other boats would shadow us with their radar from 3 or 4 miles away waiting to see when we stopped. I've always thought a potlicker was someone who came up to fish beside you, not someone who noticed your spot and came back later. I don't need to drive up on someone to figure out where they are hunting. But I have had good spots confirmed by people leaving their shells behind and I have watched birds and matched them to gunfire. I just make a note on my app to check it out. If I see someone catch a fish, I don't rush over and fish beside them. It's their hole while they occupy it but when their gone it's anybody's to claim.

We call that pot licking or the bent pole pattern. Lots of fish in the lake and its nice when people find their own ones. Thats the big difference though that i've come to notice in bass fishing verses duck hunting. You will be pressed to find a true dedicated bass fishermen thatt will say its "ok" to do exactly what you just stated. Its just an unwritten rule that if you break it will get you a bad reputation quick. Now does it happen often and all the time? Yes! The difference is you wont find anybody openly admitting its ok. On the other hand in duck hunting its perfectly ok and agreed upon by everyone on this thread so far to poach somebody spot that was better then yours- It's called "scouting." That is whats gonna take some getting use to.
Posted By: TX TCAT

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 01:56 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
I had found a decent but not great hunting location walking towards the lake side from a bridge on the Ray Bob. There was a little dip in the bank that was not noticeable from the bridge. It has always been good for an easy 3 or 4 duck morning. The other direction from the bridge was just a creek and woods. I seldom hunt weekends, but when I did I was seeing another truck stop at the other end of the bridge and a group of hunters walk into the woods with decoys. Lots of fast shooting coming from them those mornings when I was just taking my usual 3 or 4 ducks. Do I.... A. They must be skyblasting and ignor it. B. Might be a honey hole but they found it first, it belongs to them now, so I will stay on the lake side of the bridge and never look at it. or C. Scout it when they are not there to see what all the shooting is about.

Satellite imagery showed nothing but woods, but they were coming out with straps of mallards so I knew something was there. So I went back during the week and scouted it when no one was hunting. It took some time walking around till I found it. What I found was a huge one foot deep beaver pond deep in the woods and off the main creek. And it had lots of ducks on it mid day. I only hunted it on weekday mornings so not to draw any more attention to it than I had to and never more than once in a week to not over pressure it. I still check it if I am doing a pre season scouting trip on that lake and on most wet years it is still a wonderful spot to hunt. I have no idea if the other group still hunts it, but over many years I have never seen another hunter there, nor sign of other hunters hunting it, but I don't draw attention to it or share it either.

Public land scouting includes looking at what others left on the ground, be it shells, foot prints, lines of retriever runs into the water, feathers from cleaned ducks, etc. It includes who and how many are parked nearby. Blinds or blind footprints left behind. Could be a pond full of shotshell wads that makes you take a second look. And so on. For me that part of scouting often tells me more where not to hunt than it tells me where to hunt. I prefer a strategy of avoiding over pressured areas. If your buddy is hunting that spot that much, even I probably know about it.

*note to self: there are mallards on Ray Bob*
Posted By: Wildphilhickup

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 02:02 PM


I drive to Saskatchewan. Hunt almost anywhere I please with NO pressure. Land owners have no issues giving permission to hunt. Many even show me betters areas to hunt. Some even ask why I am asking permission to hunt ducks / geese. They just don't care. The lady at the post office near Portal, where I buy stamps, asked for my phone number - she calls me when the birds are moving.
Posted By: Guy

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 02:13 PM

When someone is shooting on a lake, if I'm 1000 yards away (or more) I pretty much know exacally where they are, as I have scouted that spot before. And if hear a bunch of yahoos shooting out a spot, I'm thinking ok I'm not hunting that spot tomorrow. And when I'm done hunting I normally make a run around the lake, or at least the area I was hunting, and I'm looking for birds, not hunters, but sometimes I make a corner and there is group hunting, if they think I boom scouted them they are wrong. I think those that complain about boom scouting is just silly.

But it's one reason I like to hunt solo, less shooting, I try to get my limit then get out of that spot. You got 4 guys hunting a spot and they shoot a box each everyone on the lake is going to hear and ID that spot.
Posted By: colt45-90

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 02:15 PM

it happens, same with fishing, don't lose any sleep over it.
Posted By: Smokey Bear

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 03:02 PM

OP, no it's not ethical. It however is approved by those who practice it. There are a lot of yahoos who never learned how to scout and what to scout. Some of them try to lessen the learning curve by using others scouting. It's that way with fishing as well. Most who have no qualms with the practice also don't have a clue about the time and effort involved in consistently being on birds. The internet does not help.
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 04:00 PM

Originally Posted By: Erichugh22
Everyone boom scouts wether they like to admit it or not


I agree with that, but pulling your boat within 80 yards of the guys making all the booms while they're still setup isn't the same as what Sniper John describes, where he came back another day to scout it.

There is a clear distinction to me between the two. If it's the same day, but you make sure the other group has picked up and left, that's ok, but I find it rude/borderline unethical to drive a boat that close to hunters still hunting because you heard a lot of shots that morning and want to scout their honeyhole.

I've come to accept that it happens, and I agree we all boom scout to some degree, but there is a difference in how you go about it.
Posted By: Wildphilhickup

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 07:16 PM

Kind of like how some drive their motor vehicles.

When they step inside that steel cage and close the door, they are in their own little world.

They OWN the road.

They NEVER signal. Why should they, all you other guys better just get out of their way.

They ALWAYS pull in front of you, not behind you, so they can make that right or left hand turn just 100 feet ahead.

They RACE to red lights just to be the first in line. And if they can move up 1 or 2 positions, they will again pull in front of you.

On highways they constantly change lanes to get ahead of other vehicles. Especially when their is heavy traffic, even if it is only going 5 mph to 10 mph.
.
.
.
Maybe those that do this are "duck hunters". roflmao
Posted By: zbot11

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 07:43 PM

Originally Posted By: pervis
I've been known to build a bogus blind or 3 so the idiots stay away from the spots I hunt. If I see a blind on public I stay away. That's a dead ringer for an over hunted under scouted spot.


This is hilarious. I got bit by this more than one as a brand new public hunter..."oh, there's a blind here, must be a good spot"
Posted By: RockDocJoe

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 08:18 PM

CleerCreekDC:

Check out this article from Ducks Unlimited. I believe what you're describing is their Super Scouting Tip #6.

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-hunting-tips/ten-super-scouting-tips
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 08:53 PM

Originally Posted By: DFWpublichunter
CleerCreekDC:

Check out this article from Ducks Unlimited. I believe what you're describing is their Super Scouting Tip #6.

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-hunting-tips/ten-super-scouting-tips


That's hilarious. Good stuff!!
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 09:19 PM

Originally Posted By: TX TCAT
Originally Posted By: Sniper John
I had found a decent but not great hunting location walking towards the lake side from a bridge on the Ray Bob. There was a little dip in the bank that was not noticeable from the bridge. It has always been good for an easy 3 or 4 duck morning. The other direction from the bridge was just a creek and woods. I seldom hunt weekends, but when I did I was seeing another truck stop at the other end of the bridge and a group of hunters walk into the woods with decoys. Lots of fast shooting coming from them those mornings when I was just taking my usual 3 or 4 ducks. Do I.... A. They must be skyblasting and ignor it. B. Might be a honey hole but they found it first, it belongs to them now, so I will stay on the lake side of the bridge and never look at it. or C. Scout it when they are not there to see what all the shooting is about.

Satellite imagery showed nothing but woods, but they were coming out with straps of mallards so I knew something was there. So I went back during the week and scouted it when no one was hunting. It took some time walking around till I found it. What I found was a huge one foot deep beaver pond deep in the woods and off the main creek. And it had lots of ducks on it mid day. I only hunted it on weekday mornings so not to draw any more attention to it than I had to and never more than once in a week to not over pressure it. I still check it if I am doing a pre season scouting trip on that lake and on most wet years it is still a wonderful spot to hunt. I have no idea if the other group still hunts it, but over many years I have never seen another hunter there, nor sign of other hunters hunting it, but I don't draw attention to it or share it either.

Public land scouting includes looking at what others left on the ground, be it shells, foot prints, lines of retriever runs into the water, feathers from cleaned ducks, etc. It includes who and how many are parked nearby. Blinds or blind footprints left behind. Could be a pond full of shotshell wads that makes you take a second look. And so on. For me that part of scouting often tells me more where not to hunt than it tells me where to hunt. I prefer a strategy of avoiding over pressured areas. If your buddy is hunting that spot that much, even I probably know about it.

*note to self: there are mallards on Ray Bob*


Sure was. 1000s of them. Like 30 years ago.
Posted By: Adchunts

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 09:23 PM

That is unfortunately quite the norm in public duck hunting. Have duck hunted extensively in Arkansas and Oklahoma (former AR resident) and have seen many instances of horrible hunter etiquette among duck hunters. Have had groups set up within 150 yards of us and try to actively call ducks off us. Failing that, they just skybust to run them off. Completely against the WMA rules, but with two game wardens per county, you are lucky to get a response by the next day.

Guys sleeping in their truck while parked on the boat ramp so they can be first to launch, boats running through our decoy spread, people messing with trucks and boat trailers at the ramp, and tons more bad behavior. Don't really know what the solution is...
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 09:27 PM

Originally Posted By: Duck_Hunter
Originally Posted By: Erichugh22
Everyone boom scouts wether they like to admit it or not


I agree with that, but pulling your boat within 80 yards of the guys making all the booms while they're still setup isn't the same as what Sniper John describes, where he came back another day to scout it.

There is a clear distinction to me between the two. If it's the same day, but you make sure the other group has picked up and left, that's ok, but I find it rude/borderline unethical to drive a boat that close to hunters still hunting because you heard a lot of shots that morning and want to scout their honeyhole.

I've come to accept that it happens, and I agree we all boom scout to some degree, but there is a difference in how you go about it.


By his own admission they were done for the day.
"Well we are picking up and here comes this boat." So they were not interfering their hunt. The only thing I would have preferred is if they were going pull up 80 yards out, they should have pulled up and introduced themselves. Some of my best hunting partners were met this way.
Posted By: LarryCopper

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 09:32 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
Originally Posted By: TX TCAT
Originally Posted By: Sniper John
I had found a decent but not great hunting location walking towards the lake side from a bridge on the Ray Bob. There was a little dip in the bank that was not noticeable from the bridge. It has always been good for an easy 3 or 4 duck morning. The other direction from the bridge was just a creek and woods. I seldom hunt weekends, but when I did I was seeing another truck stop at the other end of the bridge and a group of hunters walk into the woods with decoys. Lots of fast shooting coming from them those mornings when I was just taking my usual 3 or 4 ducks. Do I.... A. They must be skyblasting and ignor it. B. Might be a honey hole but they found it first, it belongs to them now, so I will stay on the lake side of the bridge and never look at it. or C. Scout it when they are not there to see what all the shooting is about.

Satellite imagery showed nothing but woods, but they were coming out with straps of mallards so I knew something was there. So I went back during the week and scouted it when no one was hunting. It took some time walking around till I found it. What I found was a huge one foot deep beaver pond deep in the woods and off the main creek. And it had lots of ducks on it mid day. I only hunted it on weekday mornings so not to draw any more attention to it than I had to and never more than once in a week to not over pressure it. I still check it if I am doing a pre season scouting trip on that lake and on most wet years it is still a wonderful spot to hunt. I have no idea if the other group still hunts it, but over many years I have never seen another hunter there, nor sign of other hunters hunting it, but I don't draw attention to it or share it either.

Public land scouting includes looking at what others left on the ground, be it shells, foot prints, lines of retriever runs into the water, feathers from cleaned ducks, etc. It includes who and how many are parked nearby. Blinds or blind footprints left behind. Could be a pond full of shotshell wads that makes you take a second look. And so on. For me that part of scouting often tells me more where not to hunt than it tells me where to hunt. I prefer a strategy of avoiding over pressured areas. If your buddy is hunting that spot that much, even I probably know about it.

*note to self: there are mallards on Ray Bob*


Sure was. 1000s of them. Like 30 years ago.

Blame Canada! Not for short stopping, but for NAFTA. Killed US peanut subsidies as part of the deal. Adios peanut farming, adios Mr. Green. crying
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/21/17 09:52 PM

The day of the peanut fields was awesome, but the land there was destined to eventually grow houses anyway.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 09:57 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
Originally Posted By: Duck_Hunter
Originally Posted By: Erichugh22
Everyone boom scouts wether they like to admit it or not


I agree with that, but pulling your boat within 80 yards of the guys making all the booms while they're still setup isn't the same as what Sniper John describes, where he came back another day to scout it.

There is a clear distinction to me between the two. If it's the same day, but you make sure the other group has picked up and left, that's ok, but I find it rude/borderline unethical to drive a boat that close to hunters still hunting because you heard a lot of shots that morning and want to scout their honeyhole.

I've come to accept that it happens, and I agree we all boom scout to some degree, but there is a difference in how you go about it.


By his own admission they were done for the day.
"Well we are picking up and here comes this boat." So they were not interfering their hunt. The only thing I would have preferred is if they were going pull up 80 yards out, they should have pulled up and introduced themselves. Some of my best hunting partners were met this way.


By the way these guys pulled this off we could have been hunting as well. They couldn't tell if we were done not. until they got close enough. We were still in the bushes as we had just picked up our first set of decoys
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 10:02 PM

Well then, my best advice is the next time you hunt there, unless you have a plan B and C. Get up a couple hours earlier. Or you may find them already set up on your spot when you arrive.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 10:05 PM

(Not that it matters after reading and understanding how this goes now)
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 10:05 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
Well then, my best advice is the next time you hunt there, unless you have a plan B and C. Get up a couple hours earlier. Or you may find them already set up on your spot when you arrive.


No doubt! They scouted it fair and square!
Posted By: pervis

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 10:17 PM

Lastly get a silencerco salvo 12 shot gun supressor. It help keep the boom boom boys away. I've thought about it, but I shoot an over under
Posted By: pervis

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 10:20 PM

And if your gonna build a bogus blind, make it real nice, that way guys think someone actually took their time to put it together. I'm not gonna admit to building a boat blind in the middle of a lake one year, and watching idiots race from the ramp to it. Ah it was hilarious
Posted By: beaversnipe

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 11:46 PM

Hunting public is like watching the cowboys, just constant drama, it never stops.
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/21/17 11:46 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
Originally Posted By: Duck_Hunter
Originally Posted By: Erichugh22
Everyone boom scouts wether they like to admit it or not


I agree with that, but pulling your boat within 80 yards of the guys making all the booms while they're still setup isn't the same as what Sniper John describes, where he came back another day to scout it.

There is a clear distinction to me between the two. If it's the same day, but you make sure the other group has picked up and left, that's ok, but I find it rude/borderline unethical to drive a boat that close to hunters still hunting because you heard a lot of shots that morning and want to scout their honeyhole.

I've come to accept that it happens, and I agree we all boom scout to some degree, but there is a difference in how you go about it.


By his own admission they were done for the day.
"Well we are picking up and here comes this boat." So they were not interfering their hunt. The only thing I would have preferred is if they were going pull up 80 yards out, they should have pulled up and introduced themselves. Some of my best hunting partners were met this way.


You're right. I misread the OP. I still prefer the way you handled your scenario, and I agree they should have introduced themselves and maybe talked shop a little instead of stopping 80s yard short.
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/22/17 12:13 AM

If I am hunting a single lake the entire season, networking is a powerful tool.
Posted By: Duck_Hunter

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/22/17 09:15 PM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
If I am hunting a single lake the entire season, networking is a powerful tool.


I probably will too again this year. Networking is definitely a great tool. Took a while, but I've met some good people that I don't mind hunting with or who I don't mind sharing some information with because they share also.
Posted By: CleerCreekDC

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen! - 11/23/17 12:21 AM

The "scouting" got closer and closer today.... its getting comical. roflmao
Posted By: jnd59

Re: Duck hunters are worse then fishermen - 11/23/17 05:27 AM

Originally Posted By: CleerCreekDC
Originally Posted By: jnd59
I don't know about worse than fishermen. I've been out when other boats would shadow us with their radar from 3 or 4 miles away waiting to see when we stopped. I've always thought a potlicker was someone who came up to fish beside you, not someone who noticed your spot and came back later. I don't need to drive up on someone to figure out where they are hunting. But I have had good spots confirmed by people leaving their shells behind and I have watched birds and matched them to gunfire. I just make a note on my app to check it out. If I see someone catch a fish, I don't rush over and fish beside them. It's their hole while they occupy it but when their gone it's anybody's to claim.

We call that pot licking or the bent pole pattern. Lots of fish in the lake and its nice when people find their own ones. Thats the big difference though that i've come to notice in bass fishing verses duck hunting. You will be pressed to find a true dedicated bass fishermen thatt will say its "ok" to do exactly what you just stated. Its just an unwritten rule that if you break it will get you a bad reputation quick. Now does it happen often and all the time? Yes! The difference is you wont find anybody openly admitting its ok. On the other hand in duck hunting its perfectly ok and agreed upon by everyone on this thread so far to poach somebody spot that was better then yours- It's called "scouting." That is whats gonna take some getting use to.


Using that logic if I see someone catch a fish I should never go there. What if I had scouted it previously? What if I had caught fish there a week ago? Should I run them off? How long before it isn't potlicking? An hour? A day? Never? I'm not talking about running over there immediately after they leave. There has to be a statute of limitations on a spot. Next weekend do we say we can't fish that spot because we saw Bob fishing it last week? It's a public resource, once I leave it it's open, and expected, that someone else will use it. I've had people come in and cut off my drift. That's not cool. But I don't mind someone following that drift as long as they're not too close. It's the same with duck hunting. It's a public resource. If I hear shots from a spot I've scouted it confirms my suspicion. That's not potlicking that's using the data presented to me. The reason I feel this way is because of what has happened in other parts of the country. The Carolinas, Virginia. It started out as, "I built my blind there so it's my spot". Soon the government starts permitting blinds. The end result is groups that control blinds on public land in perpetuity as long as they pay their fee and have a name and address on the blind. Many of them aren't even hunted. They're permitted to keep other people from hunting in front of their property. A public resource has been locked up for private use.
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