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Decoys set day before Opner?

6K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  AtItAgain 
#1 ·
A place I have been hunting for the last 5 plus years is public. Last year I had guys setting up their decoys and heading back to camp etc. No one was there on there decoys.

Is this legal?

I have always been first come first serve and if you sleep on your decoys then it is yours. Last year I went to a different spot did fine, but this really annoyed me. I will be back doing my scouting Friday and this year going to hunt where I see the Mallards no matter what.
 
#3 ·
I've always understood it that its midnight the night before(pretty early to shoot some ducks imo). I know summer lake pushed it to 4am starting last year.

Pretty sure if you dig deep enough you'll find the midnight rule..Fight them if you have the energy, hunt elsewhere if not.

Good hunting!
 
#4 · (Edited)
WDFW/Federal migratory waterfowl regs:
IT IS UNLAWFUL TO:
• Place waterfowl decoys prior to 4:00 a.m. (violation);
allow or permit waterfowl decoys to be unattended or not in your immediate control for a period greater than one hour (violation); or fail to remove waterfowl decoys within two hours after the close of established daily hunting hours on days open to waterfowl hunting on department owned or controlled lands, waters, or access areas.
• Place waterfowl decoys on lands or waters controlled by WDFW except as authorized by permit of the director, on days closed (violation on day before season opener) to waterfowl hunting on department owned or controlled lands, waters, or access areas.

There wouldn't have to be any fighting or confrontation; just call the warden after you notice the dekes the night before; he'll be waiting for them.
 
#7 ·
I may have to give OSP a call if it happens again this year. I don't know if they will come out, but worth a shot.

I can't find anything in the Oregon synopsis about this issue.
That's right, you can't find it in the Oregon regs because it is a Washington reg that applies to federal migratory birds, just like the regs state on the header.
Look on page 10 of Oregon Regs under "Decoys and Calls".
Except for WMAs there is nothing about time constraints or tending decoys in the Oregon regs.
 
#15 ·
So much for first come first served. You see this all the time in different situations, such as putting up tents in camping spots in public places but not camping until the next day just to hold the spot for them. What is wrong with people any more? Where is their sense of fairness? If you want that spot, get out there early enough to get it, not the day before. Quit being selfish and lazy.

I'm really surprised that there aren't more decoys that go missing when people do this. In the places that I hunted in Arkansas that is exactly what happened to them. So consequently this didn't happen too much down there. I'm not advocating doing this. Call the warden.
 
#10 ·
Not less annoying, I just have not gone back. Plus the refuge rules.state that all equipment is to be removed at the end of the day.

I have no problem with decoys left out on private property or public land if you spend the night with them. But to set the decoy and leave to come back the next morning is just not appropriate in my opinion.
 
#12 ·
A place I have been hunting for the last 5 plus years is public. Last year I had guys setting up their decoys and heading back to camp etc. No one was there on there decoys.

Is this legal?

I have always been first come first serve and if you sleep on your decoys then it is yours. Last year I went to a different spot did fine, but this really annoyed me. I will be back doing my scouting Friday and this year going to hunt where I see the Mallards no matter what.
From the regs, this is only illegal in Oregon in the Columbia basin,AFAIK.
I've driven by some clubs on the westside with decoys out all the time.
 
#13 ·
So if it is legal on public marsh then I guess there will be a discussion when they show up and I am set up with there decoys gathered up for them. I am not going to get into a fight, but in my book people leaving decoys out the day before on PUBLIC is asking for problems. Like decoys being taken or moved etc. I have some boys that last year I was looking out for because it was there first season, but they see what goes on now. I hope all have a great opener.
 
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