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Grand River/ Hambden Orchard/ Auburn Marsh

3K views 27 replies 10 participants last post by  jmschreck1 
#1 ·
Hi, Im new to the forum. Am coming up from Florida last week October, plan on hunting one or more of these areas for waterfowl/ fall turkey. Not looking for advice on hot spots, but just want to know if they are at least decent for a chance at game. Most public areas in South Florida are overhunted and very little game is left.
 
#4 ·
Don't even bother with Hambden Orchard or Auburn Marsh
 
#9 ·
Go to Mosquito......as long as your the first guy in the blind that morning, the blind is yours. Someone else built it but legally you can hunt from it....(isn't socialism great?)
 
#10 ·
Go to Mosquito......as long as your the first guy in the blind that morning, the blind is yours. Someone else built it but legally you can hunt from it....(isn't socialism great?)
Hey Toner, I've found guys in my blind before and they've left. Of course I invited them to hunt with me since I had my boat and 80 dekes to put out. Mosquito can be crazy but at least I'm not there anymore so someone has to take my place.
 
#11 ·
At mosquito I have had people in my blind also, some will leave, some don't, if they don't I just go to another one, I have never been asked to leave some ones blind, I would, just never have seen the owners. There is also pymantuning lake where the islands up north can be very good. Good Luck
 
#12 ·
So let me understand this correctly. You get drawn for a blind spot at mosquito, you pay and build your own blind, then someone else is allowed to hunt it as long as they show up first, even if you show up afterwards?

I would be the type to invite them to stay and hunt with me, but not the type to take kindly to them refusing to leave if I asked them to. At the very least, I'd park my ass right outside the blind and shoot at everything within 200 yards.
 
#13 ·
At the very least, I'd park my ass right outside the blind and shoot at everything within 200 yards.

Your right to do so. Enjoy your public hunting One of the many reasons I will never hunt public again.
 
#16 ·
I haven't hunted public in years other than lake Erie. I've also never put in for a blind draw like that. Is it public and you build your blind at your own risk, or is it a drawing where you draw for the right to that spot? If it's the latter, that doesn't seem right.

You draw for the ability to build a blind on the site you choose, but it's public, anyone can hunt it. Like you, I haven't hunted public land in many years. Don't miss the BS at all.
 
#19 ·
So let me understand this correctly. You get drawn for a blind spot at mosquito, you pay and build your own blind, then someone else is allowed to hunt it as long as they show up first, even if you show up afterwards?

I would be the type to invite them to stay and hunt with me, but not the type to take kindly to them refusing to leave if I asked them to. At the very least, I'd park my ass right outside the blind and shoot at everything within 200 yards.
Unless they've changed it, you don't have to pay. Secondly all the permit does is give you permission to build a seasonal structure to hunt from. The last several years I would build one nice box blind to hunt from and very few of those drawn would do that. The last one I built was an elevated 5x8 box blind with roof and then brushed up. I had $ in paint and wood plus 3 trips to build that blind. If I anticipated a problem with some one in my blind, I would carry my cordless screwdriver and could start to take it apart, there would be nothing they could do. Most blinds are no more than a bunch of brush piled up and no money is put into them. My reasoning has been that if they are in and standing on my private property, then I have a right to ask them to leave my blind. If it is not my private property, like standing on the dirt, I don't.

I've met many a good people while hunting at the lake but I've also met some jerks. It is also true that like the internet, people can misinterpret your actions so it is best to try and communicate clearly with neighbors and try to have a good relationship. I had one build their blind 90 yards from me one year, I paced it off. By the rules, they were supposed to be 200 yards away. I had put out a longline of divers that went out from the outskirts of my puddlers 80 yards. That means their blind was closer than my farthest decoy! (I've had divers in the middle of the lake turn and then come down the longline giving us an opportunity that we wouldn't have had otherwise.)
 
#20 ·
Unless they've changed it, you don't have to pay. Secondly all the permit does is give you permission to build a seasonal structure to hunt from. The last several years I would build one nice box blind to hunt from and very few of those drawn would do that. The last one I built was an elevated 5x8 box blind with roof and then brushed up. I had $ in paint and wood plus 3 trips to build that blind. If I anticipated a problem with some one in my blind, I would carry my cordless screwdriver and could start to take it apart, there would be nothing they could do. Most blinds are no more than a bunch of brush piled up and no money is put into them. My reasoning has been that if they are in and standing on my private property, then I have a right to ask them to leave my blind. If it is not my private property, like standing on the dirt, I don't.

I've met many a good people while hunting at the lake but I've also met some jerks. It is also true that like the internet, people can misinterpret your actions so it is best to try and communicate clearly with neighbors and try to have a good relationship. I had one build their blind 90 yards from me one year, I paced it off. By the rules, they were supposed to be 200 yards away. I had put out a longline of divers that went out from the outskirts of my puddlers 80 yards. That means their blind was closer than my farthest decoy! (I've had divers in the middle of the lake turn and then come down the longline giving us an opportunity that we wouldn't have had otherwise.)
That makes sense. I guess I just don't understand why they do the drawing if that's the rules. Might as well just let people build temporary blinds at their own risk.
 
#21 ·
I've hunted Mosquito Lake for over 25 years and had my hassles. I've come to enjoy the comforts of a decent blind and also seen the ways folks will mistreat yours. Had holes shot in them, whiskey bottle left in one and so much litter you wished a game warden was around to teach someone respect. I've hunted others people's blinds but always leave them like I wish they would leave mine. If I was still in Ohio this fall, you can bet I'd be at the drawings hoping for one of my prime spots and if not, then I'd be freelancing since I hunt a lot of weekdays when people are working and no one is around. Of course I've been learning to enjoy hunting Lake Erie more too which was taking me away from Mosquito but when I'm jumping the border and the shooting is so good, I'll travel the extra 80 miles!
 
#23 ·
Jim, are you back in town?

I was back in Oh for a week in July, visited family and checked on my house. (My son is living in it rent free while maintaining it so we don't have to worry. He's finished some projects that I started but didn't get the finishing touches done:) )

Hopefully I won't have to move back for at least 2 more years as it will be paid off and I will be 100% debt free!!! Then I can look towards last preparation for retirement and lots of duck hunting.:shootingguns:

How are you doing Tony? I have to assume you still miss your wife. Love the men who are lucky enough to have their spouses hunt also.
 
#24 ·
How are you doing Tony? I have to assume you still miss your wife. Love the men who are lucky enough to have their spouses hunt also.

Thanks for asking Jim. Can you believe it's been almost 5 years? It's difficult during early goose, she really loved killing those things but I've moved on and married a wonderful lady, although she doesn't hunt....YET! Everything else is going well. Look forward to seeing you again, let me know when you come back up.
 
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