What is the right thing to do?

[Dead Bird]

well as I was reading how everyone did... I found this..

Since we were hunting 40 yrds upwind from the Ice, there was no need for the tender to come and pick up the birds until we were done and made a shift change at the same time.

I am guesing you hunted the same area...

[Duckman Racing]

Too bad you didnt pick up at least one of those ducks and the goose, because you still would have been legal. I saw in your other post that one of your 6 birds was a Merg, those dont count towards your 6 duck limit, and neither do geese.

[ScavengerMan]

Originally Posted by Dead Bird

well as I was reading how everyone did... I found this..

Since we were hunting 40 yrds upwind from the Ice, there was no need for the tender to come and pick up the birds until we were done and made a shift change at the same time.

I am guesing you hunted the same area...

I made the same observation and am wondering the same thing.....

[dpossum]

I started my hunt yesterday by dispatching a hen can that was up against the ice. I saw her there Saturday evening and she was still there Sunday afternoon. She was the first (and only) bird added to my bag. This was my youngest daughter's first hunting experience and I am sure she at least learned one lesson: try to not let any animal suffer needlessly. We talked about it before I shot her and she agreed that it was the right thing to do.

Happy Hooker - you did the right thing.

[just ducky]

Originally Posted by ScavengerMan

I made the same observation and am wondering the same thing.....

I saw that too, but HH said he was on LSC, and Duckwacor said he was at the North Channel, so it doesn't sound like it was the same birds.

But it does bring up another issue...I'm aware that lots of people let their birds lay and expect to pick them up later. Although there's nothing prohibiting that, I rarely do that for a couple reasons...1) ducks are tough SOB's, and I'm never convinced that they are completely lifeless until they're in my hand, so assuming they're stone dead and letting them lay has never made me comfortable, 2) on big water if the wind picks up, I'm never convinced I'll find a bird that's floating away, and 3) one time in North Dakota we let a couple lay because we were in the middle of lots of birds flying, and a friggin' hawk got one of the dead birds .

[beer and nuts]

Alot of cripples become cripples waaayy after the fact of someone shooting them...those birds take a pellet or two and can fly away like you missed only to be come cripples 1 mile down the way...so please do not jump to the conclusion that every cripple is someone NOT retrieving it or making an attempt.

[just ducky]

Originally Posted by beer and nuts

Alot of cripples become cripples waaayy after the fact of someone shooting them...those birds take a pellet or two and can fly away like you missed only to be come cripples 1 mile down the way...so please do not jump to the conclusion that every cripple is someone NOT retrieving it or making an attempt.

Yep, good point. As I said before, cripples happen in this game, like it or not. And often it's just not avoidable.

[happyhooker2]

Originally Posted by Duckman Racing

Too bad you didnt pick up at least one of those ducks and the goose, because you still would have been legal. I saw in your other post that one of your 6 birds was a Merg, those dont count towards your 6 duck limit, and neither do geese.

Yea I know I had a merg, but like I said I wasn't sure what the legal thing to do was so I played it safe.

[happyhooker2]

Originally Posted by beer and nuts

Alot of cripples become cripples waaayy after the fact of someone shooting them...those birds take a pellet or two and can fly away like you missed only to be come cripples 1 mile down the way...so please do not jump to the conclusion that every cripple is someone NOT retrieving it or making an attempt.

I do agree with that. It was just sad because it was so many birds, crippled or dead, and the fact that there were 2 other hunting parties in the near area. Makes me wonder if they were shot by these 2 parties, or if they didn't both to try to retrieve them. We'll never know.

[King Quack]

About the modern world of technology we live in. Most people carry cell phones with them now days. We had three phones in our group of four Saturday. In all these post not one person suggested doing the right thing, by CALLING THE DNR and asking for some direction on what you should do. My guess is the officer would have said pick them up and he/she would have met you at the ramp to turn them over. Problem solved...The cripples get killed and picked up. If you didn't have a phone I would say the best option would be to leave them there. As stated earlier Foxes gotta eat to and the birds would have done just that.

[ducwackor]

Dead Bird.......as a "moderator" is it also your job to imply that I would leave dead or cripple birds lay without picking them up?

I guarantee you would not have the guts to say that to my face.


I find it very funny. As I stated in a different post, "if your not one of the chosen few on this site, guys can't wait to pick you apart".

Feel free to shoot me a PM and you and I can meet up and discuss this in greater detail.

[ducwackor]

I will even post EXACTLY where I was hunting.

We were Dead center in the middle between Selfridge and the New Baltimore Water Tower. About 3/4 of a mile from shore, right where the ice stopped.

Now if happyhooker posts that we were hunting the same area, he would have certainly saw us hunting.

Every single bird we shot was picked up and counted towards our bag limit. I normally don't leave even dead birds lay on the water for more that a couple minutes, but since they were only floating at times 20 yrds, and they were in clear site(water was flat calm) there was no problem.

Some of you guys can say whatever you want about me, that I think I'm an "expert", or know it all or whatever, it doesn't bother me.

But when a "MODERATOR" put up a post that Implies that I am a game Violator, well that's over the line. I deserve a apology.

[just ducky]

Originally Posted by ducwackor

Dead Bird.......as a "moderator" is it also your job to imply that I would leave dead or cripple birds lay without picking them up?

Where did anyone say you did that??? Heck, I even went so far as to point out that you were on LSC, and HH was on Lake Erie, which I thought was HELPING YOU OUT

Originally Posted by ducwackor

I guarantee you would not have the guts to say that to my face.

You make a statement like that, then ask us to respect your opinions??? C'mon man, this isn't the kindergarten playground here where bullies rule. So called "chosen few" on this site follow the rules, and act like adults.

Originally Posted by ducwackor

I find it very funny. As I stated in a different post, "if your not one of the chosen few on this site, guys can't wait to pick you apart"...

I don't think anyone is "picking you apart". From my experience, this is one of the friendliest, and most helpful, boards around. But respect is earned over time. Those of us who are regulars here have not gotten there overnight. People here (moderators included) can only learn about you from your posts, and you haven't exactly earned a gold star in the last couple days. Why would you expect anything else than what you've gotten?

Here's my suggestion for you...next time you type a statement like

Originally Posted by ducwackor

I guarantee you would not have the guts to say that to my face.

, make sure you read your draft post and think about it before you hit the submit button. And filling out your personal profile (as I suggested you do once before) is a good way to help all of us know who you are, where you're from, how much experience you have, yada, yada, yada.

[Shlwego]

OK, so here's a question. Season is now closed. No hunting allowed, period. But what about going out today and picking up those birds? Many hunters "let their birds hang" for a day or two before cleaning them, so if these birds are on the ice, the meat should still be fine. If you go out today with no gun in your posession and run a dog for cripples or merely pick up dead or severly crippled birds that you dispatch by hand, are you in trouble if you get checked by a CO at the launch? You were not hunting, you were merely gathering. Is this prohibited? If not, is there a limit on how many you can bring in? I'm assuming the posession limit at least would still be in effect, right?

[EDIT: I just posted this question on the Ask the Conservation Officer forum on the MDHA site. I'll post up his response here when I get it.]

[ducwackor]

Just Ducky,

You did "help me" with your post. But are you serious with saying "where did anyone say you did that".....

Dead Bird:
well as I was reading how everyone did... I found this..

Since we were hunting 40 yrds upwind from the Ice, there was no need for the tender to come and pick up the birds until we were done and made a shift change at the same time.

I am guesing you hunted the same area...



Now it's obvious that he's referring to all the dead birds happy hooker found laying in the ice, then he post that. Come on, that's plain as day. He did everything besides saying it was probably me who left those ducks behind.

And by me saying, I guarantee that you would have the guts to say that (to call me a violator) to my face. Is there really anyone who would put up with such nonsense?

As far as filling out my profile..........what would that prove. Guys already insinuate that I'm exaggerating or I consider myself an expert. So think what you will, filling out my profile wouldn't change a thing.

Here I will show you......

I grew up on the St Clair Flats. I am almost 40 years old. I shot my first duck when I was 7 or 8. I have hunted the Flats area all my life, started working for a charter capt. who guided layout hunters when I was around 15. I had a good friend who was a Native American and I would hunt with him on Walpole where there were no limits. Bought my own layout rig when I was 18. I hunt both Divers and Puddle Ducks. I also am big into Goose Hunting. I hunt Canada on a regular basis. I've waterfowl hunted in a dozen different states. A couple of years ago I went to Argentina and shot more ducks in 5 days than most guys get a chance to shoot in 5 seasons. I have been around the block a time or two when it comes to waterfowl hunting.

So there it is. Do I think I know a lot about Duck hunting, yes I do. Do I believe that I have Hunted/Shot more ducks than 95% of the hunters out there, yup I do. But that's because I started young, had several great teachers, hunted all over this country and Canada. Which most guys are not so lucky to be able to do. Guys who hunt with me know that I am very passionate about this sport.

Do I think that I'm better than anyone, no I don't.

Now, I can only imagine the negative responses I will get with that "getting to know me" post.