The Problem Facing ND Waterfowl Hunting

[dean nelson]

I'm not going to accept "never going to happen". It's a different time, a few different legislators, different people taking up the cause and social media being readily available.

Feel free but its a losing play at this point especially now with mony shortfalls. Hell even SD's system is getting chipped away at year after year.

 

[Account Deleted]

Tell me how doing nothing is better.

 

[Retired Educator]

I'm not going to accept "never going to happen". It's a different time, a few different legislators, different people taking up the cause and social media being readily available.

Can't argue your points. I do worry when I hear the term "getting legislators involved". My experience with legislators is that when they start making fish and game decisions no good usually comes from their group. Don't agree with everything the game and fish does but I trust their biologists way more than a legislators ideas of what's good for the wildlife of this state. Too many emotions get involved, not sound biologic data.

Many people think the game and fish only wants the license fees, but sound reason should suggest the more they take care of the game the more licenses they will sell. Fishing is a case in point. Setting records in the number of fishing licenses sold because of the availability of fish throughout the state. Game and Fish got lucky with the wet cycle and the number of new lakes but they are the ones who have stocked most of them, arranged boat landings where possible and helped create public access where available.
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Social Media? Not always good. Social media is what got the spear hunter in Canada all the negative press. It was also mostly responsible for the great lion hunter in Africa getting the death threats. Won't argue that he didn't use some common sense in the animal he shot but it was decided that it was legal. The end result is that social media can be useful but not always. Social media right here is responsible for useful help to lots of people, and the cause of many arguments. Arguments that used to be settled over a few beers at the local pub, thus adding to the economy. Everything is always changing.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

I believe you buckeye but I see the trend and I don't like it. I'm trying to make changes while there is still time.

Yup, I understand. Not sure what the best answer is other than hunt differently than everyone else.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Yup, I understand. Not sure what the best answer is other than hunt differently than everyone else.

Bingo!

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BTW, instead of crying a river up and down this web-site I would drive around and talk to people in prime waterfowl country right now. We have some of the best waterfowl hunting in the country. Yes the migration has moved west and it is later. We can't change that. If you really want to kill birds, hunt in the spring. I know you are venting, but unless you are going to pay people to hunt in Canada you are peeing up a rope.

 

[Account Deleted]

You can't hunt ducks or Canada's in the spring. Do you hunt waterfowl at all Ahab?

 

[Captain Ahab]

You can't hunt ducks or Canada's in the spring. Do you hunt waterfowl at all Ahab?

I used to a lot. You can hunt here in the spring. It's a muddy mess, but you can shoot tons of birds.

 

[Account Deleted]

In addition, driving around now does very little. Until the bird migrate here, you really don't know where they are going to be. If it were as simple as just having a go to spot, there wouldn't be a problem but that is not how the birds operate.

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But they aren't ducks or Canandas are they? Snows behave differently and don't like to hunt them.

 

[Captain Ahab]

In addition, driving around now does very little. Until the bird migrate here, you really don't know where they are going to be. If it were as simple as just having a go to spot, there wouldn't be a problem but that is not how the birds operate.

You could have coffee with local farmers right now and they would call you when they see birds.

 

[Account Deleted]

Maybe I could post an add on Bisman too hoping someone will contact me out of the blue to hunt. You never know. It could happen.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Maybe I could post an add on Bisman too hoping someone will contact me out of the blue to hunt. You never know. It could happen.

Good luck with that.

 

[Account Deleted]

I don't expect someone else to do my scouting either.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I don't expect someone else to do my scouting either.

Work smarter, not harder.

 

[Account Deleted]

"Say Ghost, saw some birds in my one of my fields if you want to come hunt them tomorrow."

"Gee thanks Mr. Farmer. Where at in the field? What direction did they come from? Do you have time to go out and show me tonight? No? Would 4am tomorrow morning work better?"

(dial tone)

 

[Captain Ahab]

"Say Ghost, saw some birds in my one of my fields if you want to come hunt them tomorrow."

"Gee thanks Mr. Farmer. Where at in the field? What direction did they come from? Do you have time to go out and show me tonight? No? Would 4am tomorrow morning work better?"

(dial tone)

I am dropping the microphone.

 

[Account Deleted]

Probably shouldn't have picked it up to begin with.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Probably shouldn't have picked it up to begin with.

Probably right. I am just not a fan of people that complain.

 

[Account Deleted]

Complaining is when you aren't offering solutions, since you didn't notice that's what we are doing. In fact I asked suggestions in my very first post where I talked through all I researched. Care to contribute something useful? Or is shut up and deal with it the best you got even though the general consensus is that there is a problem?

 

[Traxion]

A cap does nothing if you can't manage pressure in certain areas. Yes, SD has a cap, but during the peak time in November the hot areas are loaded up with R and NR alike. Everyone wants to hunt the peak time regardless of residency. Weather patterns have become a huge part of things. Look how many geese you winter on the Missouri River. A large amount of those birds used to make it to Pierre and have not for years. Open water and food is all they need and they'll stay. Snows are snows and I think are really the most reliable birds of any regarding timeline. They'll start showing up end of October and be gone around Thanksgiving. In some areas we may not see the big numbers of mallards until December....and the geese may or may not arrive.

I don't believe you'll ever get a cap. The SD Legislature has slowly eroded our cap and will continue to be pressured by local businesses and economies to bring hunters to town. These parties don't understand the limited local availability of birds during the migration and think endless hunters is fine.

My personal thought on waterfowl hunting is changing to a simplified, no stress operation. Less decoys, quit scouting for the "mother lode" and hunting smaller, less desirable spots with less competition. And, learning to accept a disruption and some competition, it's just a fact of life. Doing the same thing every other hunter does will only lead to frustration. And finally, hunt when there are birds. I get frustrated pushing it all season looking for birds- hunt a peak here and there and just enjoy it!

 

[Account Deleted]

I have discussed adding additional zones to spread hunters out as well.

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And maybe that's the best place to start.