river hunting problems

[airdriver]

I was out hunting the Mississippi on Sat. Finally, after about 2 weeks, figured out a decoy spread that would get the ducks to deek in. HAd a chance at three flocks. BUT, they were ruined. One, by a group of guys headed down river about half hour after shooting. They went just outside of our set upmaybe 10 yrds out side. As the ducks passed over their heads they shot. Missed, and ruined our chance. Down river a group of skybusters. Up river another group of skybusters. The group up river also got out about an hour late. They set up within 100 yrds of a group that was set up before me. It was good to go to go 15 minutes before shooting time. It's a big river, why set up so close to someone else. The skybusters were shootong at geese and ducks that had to be 1000 feet in the air and about 1500 feet away from them. When did hunters become so rude to each other? This is about fourth time this year this had happened. I'm just tired of it. I understand if you have to get out late, but respect the group that are out on time. Anyone else see the decline in hunting behavior? And what do you do about it?

[Level3]

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about it. It's part of hunting public water. Skybusting and getting out late aren't illegal. You could do a number of things, both good and bad, but in all reality, they are the portion of our hunting community who don't have any ethics.

[ironman]

I've witnessed the same on the river and other public waters, its frustrating but a fact of life. What I really want to know is your successful decoy set...I myself have struggled with this problem on the river. I'm quick to blame the fact I dont have a robo..but it's got to be more than that.

[WalleyeWeasel]

Ya still gotta hit em'.........

[stayman79]

airdriver,

I just want to know where you were so I don't go there. I plan on doing some river hunting this last week and would like to avoid hunters like that. Sorry your hunt was ruined, those couple of flocks can make or break a hunt this time of year. Was this on a weekend by any chance?

Better luck next time!

stayman

[Guest]

I was hunting the river yesterday in a popular area and the only problem I had was people coming out at the last minute(afternoon) breaking ice... it wouldnt have seemed likea problem if the ducks werent already flying. the than that, 3 boats full of deer hunters came by in the last 10 minutes of shooting time I wasnt too happy about... but thats public water on a weekend.

1 flock of about 30 mallards came into the decoys, and 1 flock of 100 mallards came over the decoys also.. it was exciting to see.

Walleye Weasel... your phone number changed, give me a call.

[airdriver]

It was a long road to figure out the deek problem. ROBO or no robo, doesn't seem to matter. Sometime I would have it out, other times not. I went from 114 to 55 to 16 no luck. I finally put out five dozen with a gap in the middle. I put two dozen one one side, with a medium spread between deeks. The other, I put out the rest with a large deek spread, aleast 2 to 3 feet apart. Amke the spread look really big. I also put of few (less than ten total) into some rougher water. They finally started coming in. Went out today and had aleast 4 flocks circle and two land outside of the deeks. The ones that landed swam into range. All mallards, still can't get the divers in, so I gave up on them.

[airdriver]

weekend end, on sat up near st. cloud, monticello can be worse.

[hanson]

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All mallards, still can't get the divers in, so I gave up on them.

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LOL! I've had a lot of problems getting the darn mallards to come in, divers have been no problem.

What I've noticed in the area that I hunt in NW MN (primarily) is that there is bigger water and there are many little potholes that are adjacent to the big water. The mallards LOVE these potholes, and the open spots back in the cattails that you just can't get to. We hunt on the bigger water and it is hard to get the mallards to even look when they have their hearts set on dumping into these little potholes. That may be your case with the divers. They just don't want to be there.

Anyway, for divers, you should be able to get them to decoy with mallard decoys but diver dekes with a lot of white (bills, cans, buffleheads, goldeneyes) on them never hurt when you are specifically hunting divers. The lake we hunt has a couple prominent points that we use as much as possible.

Typically, we'll hunt one side or the other depending on the wind. For divers especially, get that wind behind your back so they are coming into it, or set up for a slight crosswind as well. If you don't have the wind right, you are screwed from the start.

I have been hunting with 3-4 dozen dekes and set them in a 'J' for the most part with a long line tailing off the end of the point up into the wind. The divers will run right down the inside of that line before they bank (if they don't land) and give you awesome shooting right in front of you.

[ironman]

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Ya still gotta hit em'.........

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Awww pipe down. I miss on purpose so you can feel better about yourself...it's just the kind of nice guy I am.

[WalleyeWeasel]

YOU FUNNY