duck hunters in my drift

[SR1 5]

Today I was in my usual spot on the Columbia where I pull plugs for about a half mile stretch that is very productive this time of year for "B" run steelhead. There was some duck hunters set up about half way on the drift and I felt like I was screwing up their hunt . The first pass I picked up a 10lb brat right in front of them. They didn't say anything but soon picked up their decoys and left and I'm sure they think I am an a**h***. Should I have fished elsewhere or does the hunter need to find a spot where peole don't fish?

[sinker]

This is a tough one. I don't hunt but I know finding spots to hunt is getting scarcer than finding spots to fish.
If it were me on the bank I'd wonder why someone had to drift in front of my setup when they had the whole stinking river. :grin: :grin:

Not sure what I'd think if I were in your shoes. Sounds like you ran into some pretty decent guys though. Too many guys would have been hollering at you.
Don't forget, them hunters got guns!!! graemlins/icon_argue.gif

[Boedy]

Who was first?

[PapaHog]

Who was first????

If you have to ask maybe you already know the answer.

Hog

[Good to the Last Cast]

I would have tried to find the same depth/slot either below or above where they were, I know it would have been inconvinent but it's alot harder for them to move and reset their decoys of course you could have said "Guys I work this area all the time but I'll work a different today so you can hunt just let me know when to come back and get a duck for my fryer" :grin:

[Hogmaster]

Another factor in this it seems to me is whether the area you chose to fish is generally known as a fishing or hunting area.

You wrote that it was your "usual spot", but would they have likely known that? I suspect not or they wouldn't have set up there. If they were ignorant and if it weren't you some other boat would have likely been there, they probably needed to move.

If it was your ultra secret hidey spot that seldom sees a fishing unit out from them, you probably should have found another spot in the spirit of fairness. My .02 anyway...

[ANDYCOHO]

Was there ducks working their dekes? If there was I need to know where it is so I can investigate.

I am a avid duck hunter and fisherman, I have been hunting and had guys anchor out sturgeon fishing a little close for my comfort, but I found that the ducks didn't care to much about the anchored boats, it was the achored boats that didn't like the shot falling close to them!!

Granted shot looses it velocity after a couple hundred yards but it still rains down noisly on an aluminum boat.

All joking aside, I would never shoot any where near where it may injure another person, and if someone was fishing too close to my decoy spread I would politely ask them to move, only if I was there first.

Just my thoughts,
Andy

[Gun Rod Bow]

SR15,

I have to comment on this because I've been the guy on the bank with the decoys before. It is tougher and tougher to find a place to hunt on public land. That really isn't the question though.

In my situation, we set up our spread before daylight, as would be the custom, had birds working, had shot a few and had a guy in a sled with his canvas zipped and rods in the holders trolling by within 15 yards of my last decoys. Obviuosly if he is doing that, he is completely prohibitting me from my activity.

I imagine your guy was there before daylight as well. I think you should have given him a wide berth, at least 200 yds and allowed him his sport.

Just my opinion graemlins/dork.gif

I'm glad you cared enough to post the question. It shows that you thought about it.

Happy New Year

GRB

PS if anybody really wants a "duck for the fryer", I'll gladly trade you a duck, for a steelhead fillet!!! :grin:

[bigshark]

Let me see here........You were going duck hunting and this fisherman had anchored where you like to hunt............You put out your decoys and start to call in ducks.....but this boozo who had the spot for fishing because thats where the fish are didn't act in a sportsman like manner and respect the fact that this spot was already being used by someone who got there first............Heck you got me! Guess it's all in how you see it and expect someone else to see it.

No........Wait.........who was hunting......no, who was fishing.......well I thought someone was doing something first, no....someone was already on third. Happy new year to you anyway SR1 5.......You live in great country !

[Sturgeon Tom]

I thnk Hogmaster has it right, if there first go arround and fish below them. Its just plane courteous and it could stop an graemlins/icon_argue.gif

[bigshark]

Thanks......thats what I wanted to say.......................darn martinis...............probably bad vermouth.

[thankful]

Common courtesy for the other guy is hard press these days. Being the first person to apply it is even harder but if there is a tomorrow, there is always hope that we all can share our outdoors to where we all can really enjoy it. Those guys (duck hunters) may have left for your safety. Normally, when I encounter others in the bank especially those with guns, I tend to be nice and row very quickly.........

[MetalHead]

Bad Karma SR1 5, they were there and hunting you should have moved on. graemlins/icon_argue.gif
Happy New Year anyway and congrats on the fish graemlins/applause.gif

[cannonball]

What time were you out there? If it was after 9:00 am they probably were through for the day anyhow. hunting generally isnt too good on a bright sunny day like today. There are way better places to hunt than hartstein island and few better drifts with flows like today. If your backtrolling, generally you wont bother the hunters too mutch. Im shure they dont like you blowing through on plane. Dont sweat it, if they were really mad youd be picking #4 out of the side of your boat. graemlins/eek13.gif

[ 12-31-2002, 09:30 PM: Message edited by: cannonball ]

[Gun Rod Bow]

Cannonball sounds like he has insighted someone to put #4's into his boat.

"should be done by 9:00" :hoboy:

Obviously not a duck hunter, over there it can go from calm to blowin' hard in minutes, and from not shootin' many ducks to red hot in the same amount of time.

Guys riding jet skis around your boat in tight circles are "just sharing the water" right?

PS Nobody shoots #4's at ducks since we went to steel shot :shrug:

Please respect other users.

Peace

GRB

[ 12-31-2002, 10:43 PM: Message edited by: Gun Rod Bow ]

[crabbait]

A touch off topic but I will make the point anyway: The duck hunters were obviously there first and had the "right of way". Instead of making a scene, they elected to pick up and call it a day or re-set somewhere else. This prompted SR15 to wonder whether he did the right thing by fishing the spot (and probably not a single pass...instead, he made several passes through the water close enough that he did not feel real comfortable about it).

What would his reaction have been if the hunters had decided to make an issue of who had first dibs on that stretch of river? Would he be wondering about his own ethics or cussing them for being rude?

I don't mean to put you on the spot, SR15. My point is that giving the right-of-way even when you are in the right can have a much more positive effect than standing up for what you believe to be your right.

In my opinion, the ducks were not flying or you would have heard a request to move on.

[Dan Christopher]

If the ducks were flying move on.
If the duck were not flying fish on.

just my >02 cents

[cannonball]

GRB, sounds like you have an ax to grind.

I was in the area, not too many ducks to be seen on a calm clear day. The regulars were packing up and heading for their favorate corn field when I hit the launch. yes I share the river, it is large and most out there are friends and neighbors. Most places have plenty of space to hunt and fish in the same area.

P.S.
I duck hunt very seldom, but use #4 tungston mag loads.

[bait boy]

Nobody told me I wasn't supposed to use #4 shot anymore..... Guess those dead ducks don't mind....

[SR1 5]

Thanks for the replies.Gun Rod Bow being a duck hunter gave me what I wanted to know.I did swing wide when I saw them but was still inside 200yds although no closer than 100yds. There wasn't a duck in the sky but I still don't want to step on anyones toes. May everyone have a happy and plentiful New Year!

[Lured In]

SR...as has been said already, you could have made a better choice. I don't think it matters whether or not ducks were flying. As an avid waterfowl hunter and fisherman, I try to respect others regardless of what is going on.

Reverse the situation (danger aside for arguments sake), and you were anchored up fishing. A couple duck hunters come down and see that you are not catching any fish in the 10 minutes they are watching you. So they decide to set up and start banging away on ducks. (Not that the ducks would have come anywhere near them with the boat there.) You would probably be a little upset and either move or yell at them. Same is true for the wacko boaters and jetskiers on the rivers while fishing. A litttle common coutesy goes a long way.

On a side note, a buddy and I were duck hunting the Columbia and were set up on the bank. Within an hour of each other we had: 1 sled go by and then turn and stop to watch at 150 yards out, a guy in a sea kayak go by at 20 yards outside our dekes, and some dude walking the bank walk right up to us in his plaid shirt and stand there yawing about how the hunting has been. My view on this is that all of these folks could have respected how we were using the shared resource and chose to give us some courtesy. :rolleyes:

[Boedy]

Snapset makes a good point and SR sounds like a good guy. But as I both hunt and fish as a lot of us do I have found myself in the spot before so let me say how I feel about it. If someone floated by and asked if they could make a few passes I would be happy to let them as long as the understood what a few meant. But the guy that just does it and acts like he owns the river is the one that I would be ****** with. He’s the one that would be looking at some #2 -3 ½ mag bouncing off his boat… j/k 

Anyway most people are happy to share if you talk to them and let them know you respect there space. Nothing gets under my skin more then the guy who thinks he has more of a right to a stretch of river then the next guy. More then happy to work with someone that acts like a grown up then some spoiled brat who just wants his way. Common courtesy will get you a lot farther the blind arrogance any day.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Cannon Ball,

My only axe to grind is that you seem to be saying, if in your opinion, they probably won't be doing very well, just go ahead and dissregard their right to use the public land.

If it is sunny, after 9:00 or you think it's ok, just go ahead and fish??? :shocked:

If you read through the strand, thankfully your opinion is in the minority. I could have been more tactfull at pointing that out, but as previously stated, I've been the guy on the bank before. And besides, I've never been known for my tact, or jibe for that matter. :wink:

I'm very pleased that you are able to use $2:00 per shot loads. If others think #4 steel for big ducks on big water is a good idea, by all means knock yourself out.

Please think of other users when you're out there.
May your prosperity endure. :grin:
Peace

GRB

[cannonball]

All Im trying to say is that if people act responsibly there is plenty of room for all. Like I said before, out here most on the river are friends and neighbors weather hunting, fishing, taking a group jet boat tour or just running around. The river is a place for all to share, weather you are the first or last out.

p.s. try shopping the White Elephant in Spokane for ammo its alot less than 2.00 per shell. Its also the best and cheapest place for quality tackle around a penny saved is like earning 2;)

Time for me to shut up and go fishing

[ 01-01-2003, 11:23 PM: Message edited by: cannonball ]

[Snapset]

Good question, SR, and the fact that you asked shows you are not part of the problem. Since you asked, I will chime in.

I think your best option seeing there are no birds flying, would be to get within hailing distance, explain what you want to do, and ask how long they might want to be there. If thay say "all day", they were there first, let them have it. They might say "An hour," or "We were just leaving" or who knows what else.

Communication when it is an option always gives us the opportunity to take the high road without sacrificing opportunities needlessly.