Am I the only one?

[Bill Cooksey]

 

Hunter mortality, with today's regulations, counts for very little in the overall death of ducks.  habitat drives duck populations.

Key here is "with today's regulations."  Change one and hunter mortality can have a drastic effect.

[Marc]

Hunters have always questioned what the next guy might be using, or how they're using it. We all have to limit our shotguns to 3 rounds for the majority of the game we hunt because of market hunters killing ducks in the early 1900's (not to mention the double-barrel clan cried foul). Does a shotgun REALLY need to be plugged today? Why?

It is my understanding, and experience that we are only allowed three rounds, not because of the game we take home, but because of the crippled game we leave in the field.

As it currently stands, there is an extremely high percentage of waterfowl hit and not recovered on that third shot.  I have no doubt that many hunters would keep shooting at birds well beyond "killable" range, and many of those birds would fly off and die.

And oddly, a bird hit in a non-vital area with lead will likely recover, but with steel shot, wound healing is impaired (due to rusting wounds and other issues).  When we put pellets into a bird with steel, there is a high likelihood that that bird will not survive.

I am alright with three rounds in the gun, but I would balk at four, and would not cry if they lowered it to two.  Primarily due to the rate of crippling increasing so severely after the first shot.

Fortunately, a good portion of our game laws are based on some degree of logic.  Unfortunately, some are based on politics, and some are based on financial greed.  We as hunters need to be educated as to the basis and reasoning behind the regulations that we either support or oppose.  Conservation and long-term population maintenance must be considered when we push for more or less regulation in any aspect of hunting.
In short, if we are going to voice our opinions, those opinions should be educated opinions based on logic and/or science, and not based on emotional "feelings," or short term hunter benefit.

[SteelerFan]

"As it currently stands, there is an extremely high percentage of waterfowl hit and not recovered on that third shot.  I have no doubt that many hunters would keep shooting at birds well beyond "killable" range, and many of those birds would fly off and die."

...or that same ethical hunter might be able to kill that 3rd shot cripple with a 4th or 5th round, thereby reducing the number of crippled birds left in the field? Just food for thought - but I digress. It's turkey season, good luck to all and hunt safe! 

[CMBOSTC]

I see it a bunch on forums, Facebook, and magazines.  "Ban this product!!!" or "ban that style of hunting!!!"

Am I the only one that is such a strict conservative (politically speaking) that I feel that following current laws is enough? 

Don't get me wrong, if there were say a brand new, "Turkey Killa Thrilla" decoy that would coax a turkey half a mile through downtown New York into my lap, by all means.......BUT I want to see documented evidence, proven by multiple state agencies/third party assistance (this is a must), and sources for the public to view this evidence,  WITH public input prior to the ban taking place. 

Am I the only person that does not trust our government to handle these issues?

You sound more Libertarian!   

Your definition of liberal and conservative is much different than mine.  LoL

Libertarians are nothing like a liberal!

I cover all spectrums to an extent, but that's another conversation that will not be done on social media.  Lol

Happy hit on something that I was afraid would happen.  I do think the restrictions, at least here in AR are good as is...with the exception of the season dates.  With that said, I am saying that killing with no guidelines is bad.  Baiting, night hunting, killing hens, etc. have been proven to dwindle a flock to the point of 0% chance of rebounding.  Those laws are needed and have proof the back them up.  Reaping, fanning, decoys, calls, shotguns that shoot 40+ yards DO NOT. 

So, without evidence, there should be no banning of said methods.  If they can prove that without a doubt any of those, or other, styles of hunting can diminish a flock to a point of no return...then outlaw it.

I'm not convinced that baiting should be outlawed. It's being done on deer, why not turkey?

You, sir, aren't a turkey hunter if you'd even entertain asking that question.

Firstly, corn can be disastrous for turkeys when it becomes exposed to moisture and grows harmful bacteria.

Secondly, corn is like crack cocaine for turkeys.  We have a brain, 10 fingers, 10 toes, guns, shells, camo, calls, and decoys.  How much easier does it need to be to kill a turkey?  The commercialization of hunting has finally caught up to turkey hunting.  The sacredness and art of it is being lost in favor of gadgets, gimmicks, and pansies who want to throw the grand bird over there shoulders without having earned the right to kill one.

Why do people on here feel that they need to be a jerk to others. I see this kind of thing on just about every thread.

[Spurs]

I see it a bunch on forums, Facebook, and magazines.  "Ban this product!!!" or "ban that style of hunting!!!"

Am I the only one that is such a strict conservative (politically speaking) that I feel that following current laws is enough? 

Don't get me wrong, if there were say a brand new, "Turkey Killa Thrilla" decoy that would coax a turkey half a mile through downtown New York into my lap, by all means.......BUT I want to see documented evidence, proven by multiple state agencies/third party assistance (this is a must), and sources for the public to view this evidence,  WITH public input prior to the ban taking place. 

Am I the only person that does not trust our government to handle these issues?

You sound more Libertarian!   

Your definition of liberal and conservative is much different than mine.  LoL

Libertarians are nothing like a liberal!

I cover all spectrums to an extent, but that's another conversation that will not be done on social media.  Lol

Happy hit on something that I was afraid would happen.  I do think the restrictions, at least here in AR are good as is...with the exception of the season dates.  With that said, I am saying that killing with no guidelines is bad.  Baiting, night hunting, killing hens, etc. have been proven to dwindle a flock to the point of 0% chance of rebounding.  Those laws are needed and have proof the back them up.  Reaping, fanning, decoys, calls, shotguns that shoot 40+ yards DO NOT. 

So, without evidence, there should be no banning of said methods.  If they can prove that without a doubt any of those, or other, styles of hunting can diminish a flock to a point of no return...then outlaw it.

I'm not convinced that baiting should be outlawed. It's being done on deer, why not turkey?

You, sir, aren't a turkey hunter if you'd even entertain asking that question.

Firstly, corn can be disastrous for turkeys when it becomes exposed to moisture and grows harmful bacteria.

Secondly, corn is like crack cocaine for turkeys.  We have a brain, 10 fingers, 10 toes, guns, shells, camo, calls, and decoys.  How much easier does it need to be to kill a turkey?  The commercialization of hunting has finally caught up to turkey hunting.  The sacredness and art of it is being lost in favor of gadgets, gimmicks, and pansies who want to throw the grand bird over there shoulders without having earned the right to kill one.

Why do people on here feel that they need to be a jerk to others. I see this kind of thing on just about every thread.

I am not meaning to come off as a jerk.  Any grain in a field is spread out over a fairly large area, therefore, turkey have multiple spots to enter, leave, or lounge.  A pile of corn on the other hand is just that, a pile of corn.  So, it makes it pretty dang easy for a hunter, coyote, bobcat, or anything for that matter, to take down a bird....could be a hen that has 12 eggs waiting to be incubated.  Another thing, you can dang near set a clock to when they will show up daily. 

[g8rvet]

I hate to turn this in to a duck hunting thread. 

One more comment.  You could change 10 things on duck hunting and overall, hunting mortality would have little effect on year to year fluctuations in duck populations. What did affect it was market hunting (killing them by the thousands when they had rarely seen humans) and shooting them on the way back north after pair bonding had occurred (hens would not reconnect on the spring breeding grounds and not lay fertile eggs) and agriculture practices that took the farmed crop the very edge of wetlands, allowing no nesting cover for hens - or worse, what nesting cover was there was run over by harvesting machines, killing the year's clutch.  Compared to those three things-allowing 8 mallards a day (like they do in Canada) or 5 shots, or an earlier start to the season, no shell limits, etc would have very minimal effects.  Not arguing with ya Bill, just pointing out some common waterfowling misconceptions about population dynamics in waterfowl management. 

I shoot an O/U, so I CAN'T shoot a third shot. Kill just as many ducks and shoot fewer shells.

[CMBOSTC]

I see it a bunch on forums, Facebook, and magazines.  "Ban this product!!!" or "ban that style of hunting!!!"

Am I the only one that is such a strict conservative (politically speaking) that I feel that following current laws is enough? 

Don't get me wrong, if there were say a brand new, "Turkey Killa Thrilla" decoy that would coax a turkey half a mile through downtown New York into my lap, by all means.......BUT I want to see documented evidence, proven by multiple state agencies/third party assistance (this is a must), and sources for the public to view this evidence,  WITH public input prior to the ban taking place. 

Am I the only person that does not trust our government to handle these issues?

You sound more Libertarian!   

Your definition of liberal and conservative is much different than mine.  LoL

Libertarians are nothing like a liberal!

I cover all spectrums to an extent, but that's another conversation that will not be done on social media.  Lol

Happy hit on something that I was afraid would happen.  I do think the restrictions, at least here in AR are good as is...with the exception of the season dates.  With that said, I am saying that killing with no guidelines is bad.  Baiting, night hunting, killing hens, etc. have been proven to dwindle a flock to the point of 0% chance of rebounding.  Those laws are needed and have proof the back them up.  Reaping, fanning, decoys, calls, shotguns that shoot 40+ yards DO NOT. 

So, without evidence, there should be no banning of said methods.  If they can prove that without a doubt any of those, or other, styles of hunting can diminish a flock to a point of no return...then outlaw it.

I'm not convinced that baiting should be outlawed. It's being done on deer, why not turkey?

You, sir, aren't a turkey hunter if you'd even entertain asking that question.

Firstly, corn can be disastrous for turkeys when it becomes exposed to moisture and grows harmful bacteria.

Secondly, corn is like crack cocaine for turkeys.  We have a brain, 10 fingers, 10 toes, guns, shells, camo, calls, and decoys.  How much easier does it need to be to kill a turkey?  The commercialization of hunting has finally caught up to turkey hunting.  The sacredness and art of it is being lost in favor of gadgets, gimmicks, and pansies who want to throw the grand bird over there shoulders without having earned the right to kill one.

Why do people on here feel that they need to be a jerk to others. I see this kind of thing on just about every thread.

I am not meaning to come off as a jerk.  Any grain in a field is spread out over a fairly large area, therefore, turkey have multiple spots to enter, leave, or lounge.  A pile of corn on the other hand is just that, a pile of corn.  So, it makes it pretty dang easy for a hunter, coyote, bobcat, or anything for that matter, to take down a bird....could be a hen that has 12 eggs waiting to be incubated.  Another thing, you can dang near set a clock to when they will show up daily.

Then why allow it for deer hunting?

[CMBOSTC]

I still don't understand how a pile of corn would decimate a population with current bag limits and possession limits.

[Spurs]

I still don't understand how a pile of corn would decimate a population with current bag limits and possession limits.

Because, if ever single hunter in Arkansas (or anywhere for that matter) and this happened for about 2-3 years, the population would suffer tremendously...probably for the next 5-10 years after that.

Now, as far as deer go.  Some states have outlawed it due to the CWD problem.  I see that progressing as that issue grows. But, it does not effect the population like it could/would turkey.  If you had a corn feeder, you may get one or two does that come to your feeder daily, other than that, it is pretty sporadic.  Turkey on the other hand...I have seen videos of them stay under it as the freezer goes off.  Like said previously, it is like crack to them...and crack kills.

Bag limits are not meant to be filled every single season.  I honestly don't even know how there is a question there.

[CMBOSTC]

I see your point.

I am 46 years old and have been hunting for more than 36 years. I can count on one hand the number of times that I have hunted on private property with fields and such. I did kill a very nice gobbler once on private property, and must say that it was easier than hunting vast acreages of trees on public land. I say that because I don't have the same perspective as guys who get to hunt private, therefore I don't have the knowledge base of that kind of hunting.

"Bag limits are not meant to be filled every single season.  I honestly don't even know how there is a question there." There probably isn't, I was thinking the same thing. But, this question comes from not tagging out on public. Tagging out on public is very hard in my opinion.