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George we need more people like you out there to put on classes on waterfowl ID and hunting ethics. To many of them watch these hunting shows and then want to go out there and shoot anything that flies. I don't start shooting until it's light enough to clearly ID what I'm shooting even if I have to wait a half hour or more after legal shooting time. I also don't want the birds to see the muzzle flash and then they get spooked about flying around cover.
Thank you Scott. I really should start a thread on ethics.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Parker
Duck ID is easy just start out going before you are old enough to shoot. The way you prove that you have learned how to identify ducks is to be able to tell your dad every duck that gets shot that morning before the dog brings it back. Heck, you gotta be able to pick out a hen mallard, cause that is where bands come from!
There is def an increasing interest in waterfowl. I thank/blame duck dynasty. Im glad that new people like the sport i love. But it comes at a price. We already talked a little about this in the 'it flies it dies' thread.
So many new people do not have the knowledge and experience that is needed to be care for the sport.
as for ID birds, i dont even think i could tell you how i do it. Because i was asked on a teal hunt recently. My new hunting partner, who has never hunted before, was about to shoot into a flock of black bellied whistling ducks. I told him to not shoot, and he asked me how i knew they were not teal. The only answer i had was 'because they are not teal'.
It takes a life time to be able to ID ducks at a distance, and even up close it is hard. I go out to a local lake or two and sit on the bank and talk to ducks via calls. It is really helpful in scouting, calling, ID, sitting still, enjoying nature, dog steadiness, and more.
Was pretty cool to get out this weekend and figure out how to go about things. Checked about 8 different spots all along the Bay. Things really change with historic low water levels. The below pic was taken Saturday on the south side of the Bay of Green (Bay?). We were standing on the edge of the cattails looking north. There are some spots where you can see out 4-500 yards before any viable water. Some one little group of small ducks here but most birds were to the north where we sat in the evening. There we mainly saw cranes. :-x Although we did have two ducks come swimming near us at about 100 yards for over an hour. I think I need to invest in a green/brown 5 gallon bucket so I can get comfortable!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...r/IMAG0188.jpg
Looks pretty tough but I know what I would try. If I could walk out on that mud, I would dig in a coffin box. I would also employ some tricks to get ducks into that tiniest bit of water. If you think hard, you might even come up with some ideas to create some "water".
There's more than one way to skin a cat.
Renewed Interest; The HRC club up here put on a duck calling seminar, I had my doubts that we would be able to fill it, but come seminar day and we had to turn people away. It was completely full up, with mostly first time hunters, a few ladies, and a few kids. The youngsters were hysterical, definitely not bashful. Took a little longer for the adult to come out of their shells, but we succeeded in disrupting an entire shooting park by the end of the day.
Actually I am glad to hear of a renewed interest. I hope that is what we have here. There is a tradition that may be lost unless we get some new blood here on Long Island.