Public Bay Blinds

I am still relatively new to duck hunting, and have read mixed information on public blind etiquette on the Texas Coast. A buddy and I hunted in an open blind in early teal season without any issues. However, would I be asking for trouble by trying to hunt in the same blind on opening day? Or would I be better off just setting up on the shore? Any advise is appreciated.

People will give you crap if they show up to find you in their blind. But technically they are on public water and legal for anyone to hunt. Some blinds have gone up in my favorite coast spots, and that doesn’t stop me from hunting there wether it’s in the blind or close to it. However I don’t go out of my way to hunt a blind just because it’s there.

In fact, someone recently built a brand new blind where I’m planning to hunt Saturday. I don’t plan on hunting in it but I’m sure they’re going to be mad when I beat them to the spot. Luckily my skiff is in the water on a lift already and I don’t have to wIt till 6 for the ramp to open like everyone else.

Proper etiquette on public is first come, early bird gets the worm. Unless they have a permit for the blind. Otherwise, tell them to go pound sand.

I like to run over blinds in my gatortrax.

Okay, Thanks for the information. Also, this may sound like a dumb question, but what is a good distance for parking the boat so that it doesn't spook the ducks? Where I will be hunting it doesn't seem like there is a good way to hide the boat.

Ducks drop several IQ points the second they touch salt water. Your boat doesn’t need to be far. Should be fine with 75 to 100 yards even if it’s in the open

There are some lakes and places in Texas where semi permenant blinds are a normal thing and for some reason people like to think they own that piece of water. The coast is one area as well as Caddo lake WMA which some guides think they have more of a right than you do to be there.

I choose not hunt any of those areas or lakes personally but if you do, be prepared to deal with the occasional Billy BadA$$ or local guide that will either try to make you move or make it difficult for you to kill any ducks in that spot by some other method.

If you are smart you will find another area to hunt not to have to deal with the crap, of course this is after you destroy or burn the blind down.

Allegedly burn it down

Expect hassle and crapola -------- less of that if you hunt during the week, on the weekend is a lot worse.

Exactly

I'm glad I don't hunt down there. I argue enough with a$$hats on normal lakes that just want to sit on the same piece of mud, let alone a blind that someone took the time to build. That could get ugly fast with all the dumb people out there.

"Ducks drop several IQ points the second they touch salt water."

So true.

Yep, end of last season, I was on a North TX lake. I don't get out at 1am in the morning, But I'm always set up by shooting time. I knew where the birds were and as expected there was a group set up on the X. I set up 450 yards away on X #2. I did a range finder in the light and Google mapped the next day. These guys put up such a fit I set up there, to the point that would fire their gun when ducks would make the final approach to my spread. I had the sun and wind at my back. 50 more decoys then they did and can say the calling was better.

You can get up as early as you want to get the best spot, but if the birds want to be somewhere else, there is nothing you can do about it.

All I ask is you setup 200 yards away, no matter how big the lake is. Oh, and just have fun.

All is fair in the bay, nobody owns anything unless they can present a permit and the blind is tagged. Like previously stated though, be prepared to catch hell from whoever put in the hard work to build the blind and get it there. That's why I just set up on the shore now, and use mobile blinds. I've been on both sides of this situation, and its never fun.

Just had a guy come through on an airboat, I’m guessing it’s his blind about 75 yards away from where I set up. Anyways, he came up to my boat real slow and then punched the throttle with his fan facing directly at me and knocked my dog off the boat and got me soaked. This is probably the worst experience I’ve had so far as far as people thinking they own the water.