Waterfoul Hunting From a Boat?

WaterDog · 12-29-2002, 08:14 AM

What is the law? Here is the situation:

Your in a power boat on a big river. Your motoring from shore to shore looking for small sloughs and pockets of water. You find one of these areas, there are some geese there. You square up the boat so it's parallel to shore, put the motor in nuetral (not shutting it off), and open fire. Two geese dead, one wounded but soon retrieved. Off to the next spot........
[img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

skein · 12-29-2002, 08:51 AM

Tempting, but expensive geese.

Skein

shakerfish · 12-29-2002, 09:03 AM

Well? Sorta like that! The way I was always told is you can cruse the river lookin for birds! But when you find them you must turn off the motor cuz you can't be under power of any kind! In fact you can not shoot your gun untill the boat is traveling at the speed of the curent of the river! Or maybe even be safe and throw your anchor! My buddys and I just use dekes and get out of the boat! We like to call them in! I think it's called sporting chance! :grin: And that's the truth by the way I shoot! Not the best ya know! Good luck!....Shakerfish!....

12-29-2002, 09:25 AM

I think the regs say complete stop. I'd run the bow on to the bank and shut the motor off.

chummer · 12-29-2002, 09:31 AM

We've never had a problem with the gamies while finishing off cripples from a moving boat.

WaterDog · 12-29-2002, 09:37 AM

For clarification purposes, I do not waterfoul hunt so this isnt a question of whether I can do this or not. I saw someone doing this exact thing yesterday at the Fishery. Since I have no clue as to the rules I thought I'd ask those that do. :smile:

It is not a very sporting way to take birds but if its legal fine. If what they were doing is illegal I'll turn them in.

Edit: chummer, I dont have a problem with that, its just when you roar up to some birds, put the boat in nuetral and blast away. Doesnt seem right.

[ 12-29-2002, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: WaterDog ]

12-29-2002, 09:45 AM

If the boat was moving they were breaking the law. Get their boat numbers and turn them in!

fishsauk · 12-29-2002, 09:56 AM

From what I have heard you can motor above the birds and drift to them but not motor directly to them.

Get Bit · 12-29-2002, 10:01 AM

The Regs say : "No person shall : Shoot game birds from or with help of any motorboat or sailboat unless the motor has been shut off/ and or sail furled, and movement has stopped.
Sail and motor-propelled craft may be used only to pick up dead or crippled birds. Crippled birds may not be shot from such craft under power."

Get Bit

bigshark · 12-29-2002, 10:14 AM

Get Bit is correct and what you described was a violation.

corrirod · 12-29-2002, 10:22 AM

Also, on the same page, page 22:

--No person shall, Drive, rally, or chase any game bird from any motor driven land, water, or air conveyance or sailboat.

One thing that is not in the regs is shooting from a "non-motorized" boat, ie. driftboat, raft, canoe, etc., whether it's moving or not.

There seems to be no restrictions for these craft. My question would be: If any of the above craft have a motor mount, would they then be considered "motorized", even if the motor is not attached? Also, note that the regs do not specify gas powered craft so even a trolling motor counts.

I don't hunt from a boat but have heard of people doing so while floating the Willamette. Based on the regs it sounds legal. Anybody familiar with this?

[ 12-29-2002, 11:32 AM: Message edited by: corrirod ]

Chum King · 12-29-2002, 12:03 PM

As long as the boat is only under oar/paddle/human power then you are okay i.e. skulling boats are legal as is drifting down the river. The reply by Get Bit spells out the rules.

Fishalot · 12-29-2002, 02:38 PM

I think that there are to many boats, people, homes, etc. in that area to be pulling that kind of stunt. The way they did it was not legal and they should be turned in.

Fishalot

Tilla · 12-29-2002, 08:04 PM

Your movement at the time of shooting may not be from the use of a motor. You may paddle or drift.
So this means that you could motor into a position and then drift by your targets. Different vecters are a help.

WaterDog · 12-30-2002, 06:34 AM

The call to OSP has been made. We'll see what happens.

The other thing that really bugged me was that these guys were shooting right towards I-84.

Maybe the freeway is far enough away that the shot wouldn't go that far but the way I was taught, you just don't do that. [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

Get Bit · 12-30-2002, 07:13 AM

Corrirod,

There are ton of places to hunt along the WIllamette. Many very close to Portland. Get a hold of a book that shows state land along the river and you will be in business. Just make sure you are out of city, no buildings, etc. Then it is only a matter of exploration until you find places worth drifting or throwing out your dekes. Hope this helps.

Get Bit

Jellyhead · 12-30-2002, 09:51 AM

As far as I know, sculling is the only technique that is leagal, as far as hunting from a moving boat.

Sculling is rowing with one oar. Just like they use for rowing the gondolas. Here is a picture of my sculling boat.

To hunt out of it, You motor around, glassing for birds. When you find birds, you remove and stow the motor (so there is no doubt that you are not using a motor for power) You lay on you're back in the boat, and row the single oar over your shoulder. The oar goes right through the transom at water level.

This is a deadly technique for geese. Ducks are not that easy to scull on, especially fast swimming divers. I've sculled right into flocks of geese and had them on each side of the boat before at point blank range.

Aaron