4 bird limit poll

[jblabsnduck]

Easy question: Do you agree with the new 4 bird limit?

Also which do you do more? hunt or fish?

Me, don't like the new four bird limit.(unless it was flyway wide and then it wouldn't bother me)

I hunt, fishing just kills time before hunting season.

I am not looking for any arguments, just want to know what you think. I don't even want to know why.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Ice fish as much as I hunt. Don't have much time for fishing in summer. When early goose season comes along I kiss Mrs. boilerguy and say,"Love ya hun, see ya when the ice melts."

4 bird limit doesn't bother me but I think we agree that it would be better served if it was throughout the entire flyway.

[TimR]

Agree.

Hunt.

[eyepatrol]

Impartial to the limit...doesn't matter to me.

I fish more since I can go fishing anytime of the year. But when hunting season arrives, I'm out there as often as possible.

[mr wizard]

disagree cause it's not throughout the flyway

hunt

[Sartell Angler]

1. Agree, hope the rest of the flyway / all of N. America follows suit until things improve

2. Waterfowling can't be beat, but I do a lot of fishing year round

[mwal]

I'm against the limit. If others in the flyway don't do it what good does it do. Plus ducks are not beans you can save in a cookie jar. Some of our problems are warmer falls the mallards don't arrive in mass until after season closes.Or we get the instant freezer treatment and the birds skip over us with a major cold front. And we are still draining wetlands. Go to Grant and Douglas counties and see for yourself it still continues.We have been going there since 1982 and there are less than half the wetlands left.Only public wetlands remain but they are high due to fast runoffs and carp minnows etc no weeds due to increased depth. Its habitat that makes ducks. Low water years less ducks good water years more ducks. I think we are playing into the anti hunters hands by doing this. This is putting hunter against hunter in fighting amongst ourselves. Pretty soon we won't be able to use certain decoys because they are to realistic etc. Then it will be lets close our season to protect our ducks then its all over for our hunting and the anti's win. Biologists etc say hunter's don't have the effect that habitat has on ducks. Don't let feel good knee jerk emotions rule the day.

Mwal

[Quackaddict9]

The 4 bird limit doesnt bother me or anything..

hunt more than fishing

[Nova]

I like the new limit. If the rest of the flyway doesn't follow suit, that there business. We can at least try and do our part. Besides, how many times last year were you sitting out there with 4 ducks saying it's a good thing I can shoot 6. I did not have many of those chances last year and I hunt every single weekend. Personally it doesn't hurt me to reduce the limit. I can switch to goose hunting when I am full or go scout for deer, build deer stands. I ain't there to fill the freezer. I just want to be able to hunt and if I have to take less fowl to continue to hunt I have no problem with that. Hopefully next year the rest of the flyway will follow us, but for now I can live with 4 a day.

I fish all summer, hunt all fall and into winter, then I fish again until spring when turkey hunting starts. So I can't say I hunt or fish more. I have been hunting since I was 5, and didn't start fishing until I was 12.

[Mark Christianson]

4 bird limit doesnt bother me in the least. I rarely shoot limits with them at 6 birds.

Hunt to fish ratio?

50/50 maybe? No clue. I can't pick a favorite.

[bigbucks]

Not impacted by the decision, but still disagree. Either all flyway or now flyway, especially based on what the USFWS apparently has said about it.

I'm a hunter more than a fisherman, but probably still fish more do to the disparity of seasons. Hunt 3 1/2 months, fish the other 8 1/2. I've been known to fish or hunt during early goose, but once bow opens, fish if it's over 80 degrees maybe...

[huntnfish]

The new limit really doesn't matter to me, but I am for it. I think I am more in favor of the limit of only one hen mallard. Dead hens don't lay eggs and hopefully it will cut down on some of the skybusting.

I probably get out fishing more times a year than hunting, but only because the fishing season is longer. I do prefer hunting, though.

[lawdog]

I don't need to kill 6 ducks to have a good hunt. Haven't done so in a couple years in fact, so I'm all for the new lower limit. Do wish it was the whole flyway though.

I definitely hunt more than I fish. Seems I get out fishing less and less every year (too busy in the summer). But NOTHING interferes with my hunting seasons.

[mwktrapper]

I would have to say I disagree. The limit number doesn't bother me all that much, except for the fact that our hunts will be done too quickly now. What bothers me more is that the DNR made this decision politically more so than statistically. I was told at our duck meetings from the DNR staff that lowering the duck limit would increase the duck population at such a small percentage, if at all. Don't quote me on this, but I think the average hunter last year shot only 7 birds! So for all of the MN hunters who have hardly ever shot 6 ducks in a day, you could care less about the 4 bird limit...heck, you're probably happy because you finally got a chance at shooting a limit. But then the few hunters that do shoot limits consistently throughout the season get to shoot less birds in order to please those who have been sitting on their same slough for the past 73 seasons and are now wondering why the birds don't show up there. Therefore the DNR has these whiners on their tails saying that "there's no birds left in MN, do something about it". So they lowered the limits.

I'm not going to lose my hair over shooting only 4 ducks a day. But I am somewhat irritated that the DNR would go against the flyway's suggested limits because there's "no ducks in MN". Seems like politics to me. Let's let 'em fly by...so the South will see 'em die.

As far as hunting vs. fishing...my income comes from hunting so I think it wins out.

[sheepheadslayer]

I agree with the lower limit for one reason mainly. There is no reason whatsoever to shoot 6 birds. Why should the limit be six???? Will it help the pop. of birds if we shoot 6 instead of 4???? I can only believe that by shooting 4 birds will not hurt the state of mn duck pop. as much as 6 bird limit. Will it have a effect at all maybe not. Ducks are not over populated are they??? If they were then i would say up the limit. If they are more plentiful than years past then up the limit. If MN hunters are seeing less birds in the state then by shooting the same # of birds here makes no sense. Yes it sucks that other states will be able to shoot six but that is the way it is this year.

hunt more than fish.

[BLACKJACK]

I agree with the four bird limit and especially like the one hen mallard part. Hopefully the rest of the flyway will see the light. I'd also like to see the wood duck limit cut to one, with the duck populations being down, I think that people are shooting more wood ducks. I've noticed that not as many of my wood duck houses are occupied...

Hunting!!!! It seems like in the spring and summer I have too many other projects that have priority over fishing but in the fall, hunting is number one! Its a fight for which one to do - duck hunt, bow hunt, pheasant hunt? The last several years I've taken the first week in November off, I bowhunt morning and evening, and pheasant hunt during the day - life is great!!

[Tom Wilson]

BlackJack,

I'm gonna argue this one with you--I have seen more woodies this year than you can shake a stick at. I think that a lot of people (and I'm not being offensive to you) forget that ducks molt over the summer and have nests and young ens' to raise. From the end of May until right about now, ducks disappear. People often think this disappearance means there are no ducks, and this is not the case. I appreciate the fact that you have houses, but there could be other factors involved there. How many, where, first year, better conditions elsewhere, etc...

I'm telling you man, there is no shortage on woodies. I have seen some very impressive broods this year, and I think it will be an unbelievable year for them. Lat year, everyone was all tickled because the woodies saved the season for a lot of people--I didn't see near as many last year, as I'm seeing this year. just my .02 don't take it personal.

Tom W

[Willy]

Disagree with the limit at 4 for reason just as others stated. If if was for the whole flyway, then I'd love it. Also, I think it was more political and to silence a few whistle blowers than it was to protect the ducks.

I fish more than I hunt overall. But in the fall, I'm out there most every weekend, scouting, hunting, and hopefully bagging a few birds.

[FOOT]

The 4 bird limit doesn't bother me. Rarely do I shoot a limit of 6 anyway. Not that I don't have the opportunity but once I get 3 or 4 I tend to be very selective in what I shoot. If I see a fully colored drake Pintail, fully colored drake Woodie, a big orange footed curely tailed Mallard drake, etc. then I'll take them. Otherwise I enjoy watching them and the other wildlife.

As far as hunting or fishing. I guess I'd have to say I fish more BUT only because there is a longer season to fish then hunt. October and November and part of December I hunt and teh rest of the year I fish.

[The_Duckslayer]

Reduced limit is fine. I never get more than two it seems anyway.

Hunt WAY MORE than fish

Fish hardwater WAY MORE than softwater!

Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[wyldewal]

I agree with the limit. And I hope the whole flyway goes with the four duck limit.

And as far as hunting vs fishing it's a toss up. But I know I'd rather be hunting.

[whitewolf6647]

I've was hoping they would make the limit 4 for the last 2 seaesons so I love it. Hunt more than fish but this year may be a toss up I've been out on the water at least 2-3 times a week all summer.

[paintbrush]

The 4 bird limit is fine with me,but do wish the whole flyway would be at 4 birds.

I fish hard in the summer until October and then hunt thru the end of December,but my favorite is spring turkey hunting!

[Farley]

I like the 4 bird limit.

The way I see it there is a work season (March 1- Mid may), then comes the open water season, then hunting season, then hardwater, then back to work. Not that I dont work the whole year through, but that how my mindset is. So I would say I hunt as much as I fish in the summer, I hunt as much as I fish in the winter, but if you combine summer and winter fishing, then I fish a lot more than hunt.

[hobbydog]

It seems like everyone votes based on their personal impact, especially if you are in the "I hardly ever shoot more than 4 " group. The view should be based on what is best for the resource. While some biologists will disagree, the majority opinion is that a 4 duck limit, especially when you can still shoot 4 mallards will have little if any impact on the overall population. I personally think it should be a 6 duck limit this year if for no other reason than there are more ducks than the habitat can support. The DNR sidesteps the real problem when they put the focus on limits. I do think there are a lot of other restrictions could be put in place. A noon or 1 PM closing the first 3 weeks would be a good start. Putting some lakes/areas off limits during the weekends would be another....of course that would impact everyone and not just the few that shoot more than 4 ducks an outing.....I don't expect the DNR or the "4 is OK with me" group to support those more controversial measures. Those would be much more benificial to the ducks than a 4 duck grandstand show by the DNR.

As far as hunting or fishing....hunting.

[Mark Christianson]

Look at it this way HD.

You'll have your limits quicker this year, and you can spend more time taking pics and posting for us to see.

[hobbydog]

Quote:

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Look at it this way HD.

You'll have your limits quicker this year, and you can spend more time taking pics and posting for us to see.

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That is the plan. I will shoot plenty of sunrise pics too for all those that go out just for the sunrise.

[Nova]

Hobbydog, I respectfully disagree. Where I hunt there is more prime habitat that you can shake a stick at, but there are not more ducks. I hunt every single weekend of the season and do once in a while get "my limit", but it isn't that important to me to fill out every time. There are a number of times I could fill out, but I would rather watch my sons or a "green horn" that is with me shoot. If we don't fill out big deal. Maybe I am in the minority here, but I am not sure it's all habitat. I know that if I really worked at it I could fill out most of the time and that would reduce duck populations no matter what biologist say. I do my very best to shoot drakes and only drakes but not everyone does and dead hens have a hard time raising a brood. I guess my point is if we shoot less ducks it can't hurt. I know it won't bother me.

[riverbasher]

Limit really doesn't affect me. I just enjoy getting out. I do agree that more and more habitat is getting destroyed every year. The DNR needs to really look at the root of the problem before taking the easy road out and blaming the lack of population on limits.

As for hunting or fishing....about the same

[hobbydog]

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Hobbydog, I respectfully disagree. Where I hunt there is more prime habitat that you can shake a stick at, but there are not more ducks.

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Hard to comment on that unless I knew the general area you hunt, however on the micro level that are some good habitats however habitat on the macro scale is is serious trouble...no....repeat NO biologist will disagree with this fact. Also what looks like a good habitat on the surface may not be so good in the eyes of a duck.

Quote:

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I hunt every single weekend of the season and do once in a while get "my limit", but it isn't that important to me to fill out every time. There are a number of times I could fill out, but I would rather watch my sons or a "green horn" that is with me shoot.

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But some of us take hard earned vaction to pursue ducks and weekdays are much more productive. I take young hunters also and it is fun for me to watch and teach but that has nothing to do with what the bag limit should be.

Quote:

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If we don't fill out big deal. Maybe I am in the minority here, but I am not sure it's all habitat. I know that if I really worked at it I could fill out most of the time and that would reduce duck populations no matter what biologist say. I do my very best to shoot drakes and only drakes but not everyone does and dead hens have a hard time raising a brood. I guess my point is if we shoot less ducks it can't hurt. I know it won't bother me.

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There are a lot of things you could say...."It can't hurt". Double the price of a duck stamp...it can't hurt. Close it down at noon the first 3 weeks...it can't hurt. I think what everyone in the "6 duck camp" are saying is that use scientific methods to set the season. If you want to reduce the harvest in Minnesota there are many ways to do it....the bag limit is a poor way to acheive that goal. My main point of contention is that if you are going to reduce the harvest then spread it out across the entire hunting base by using some of the alternative methods.

Heck here is another thought. Have a 2 tiered system, those who buy a regular state date stamp go with the state imposed restrictions and those that buy an enhanced stamp could go with the Federal framework. Price the enhanced stamp at say $50 to $100. It would be interesting to see how many buy the enhanced version. It would also be intersting at how many would buy the enhanced version even thought they rarely shoot over 4 ducks.