[FOWLTALK]

this has happened to all of us before, &amp; works both ways too....<br> How do you handle it when someone sets up too close to you &amp; possibly<br> ruins your hunt.....do you shout &amp; swear at them, do you shoot at their birds, do you politely ask them why, or maybe you have a better idea ?<br> <br> i've seen/heard some nasty things done over the years, but what i despise<br> the most is when someone shoots deliberately when birds are working your<br> spread.<br>

 

[BFG]

I agree with going over and talking to the other party, but what the heck do you do when it's right at shooting time and here comes that late-arriving party of three? I've had more than one hunt ruined at Pt. Mouillee by late arriving parties. Not much you can do when it's shooting time and they are still setting up dekes, most often downwind of you too.

One example. Last year, second week of the MI season, set up at least 90 minutes or so before shooting time in the Vermet zone at Mouilleee. Wind was right, got all set up, waited until shooting time. Two guys show up 5 minutes after hours, throw some dekes out, and just stand in the water, not in the reeds or brush, but out in the open, behind their dekes. They were on the west side of the marsh, probably 150 yards away from us, downwind. Without face concealment, they were shining like beacons in the night. As we called in several groups of birds, these yahoos would shoot at them as they swung down wind to turn and come back to us. After getting rained on with shot for about the 6th time (several of the shots were taken 10' or so off the water), and watching them shoot all the birds we were calling, we picked up and left.

Now tell me how I'm supposed to handle that one. These guys obviously were not concerned about our safety, nor did they have a clue that they were shooting at birds that were decoying to us. They did not have the courtesy to set up in a section of the marsh that was open (there were other spots they could have taken) and they were late.

Heck, in hindsight, maybe they accomplished exactly what they wanted to have happen. Downwind some group and shoot their ducks and get an extra hour of sleep before heading out. I was livid, but we purposely did not go over to them, because I didn't want a bad situation to get worse. In talking with one of the DNR guys later, he told me "Welcome to Pt. Mouillee, it happens all the time here." That didn't help....

 

[Aythya]

All depends on the situation.... go ahead and downwind me in the layout rig!&nbsp; I'll be the one tending (or "perch fishin") from the tail end of their spread.<IMG src="http://www.websitetoolbox.com/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" align=absMiddle border=0>&nbsp; Have had conversations with guys that were in the process of setting up and some have been cool about it, others absolute TOOLS about the whole thing.&nbsp; Funny what a little joy ride around their spread will do.....<IMG src="http://www.websitetoolbox.com/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" align=absMiddle border=0>&nbsp;&nbsp; Only had one situation that was utterly ridiculous.... Had two guys try to short stroke us in the marsh. When they knew exactly where we were headed, the&nbsp;driver of their&nbsp;truck pulled into a closer parking spot and tried to&nbsp;beat us to that spot by having his buddy jump out&nbsp;and stake his claim.&nbsp; Oops....&nbsp;he was a little late.&nbsp; We&nbsp;continued to set up and they did&nbsp;the same.... 50 yds upwind of us!&nbsp; Stupid____es!&nbsp;&nbsp;We shut our robo off and let their robo do&nbsp;the&nbsp;work.&nbsp; The first birds to come in offered up a perfect&nbsp;"station&nbsp;8" shot and ...well....what goes up, must come down.&nbsp;&nbsp;They&nbsp;got rained&nbsp;on and then started screaming about us "shooting them".&nbsp; After several threats of calling DNR, I offered them my phone and told them #10&nbsp;in the phonebook.&nbsp;&nbsp;They'll tell you, "That's what you get when you set up 50yds behind&nbsp;some one".&nbsp; Well, after we dropped our 4th duck of the day and a couple honkers, they had seen enough and decided it&nbsp;was time to pack up.&nbsp; Boy was&nbsp;I surprised that they stuck&nbsp;around as long as the&nbsp;did...<IMG src="http://www.websitetoolbox.com/images/boards/smilies/tongue.gif" align=absMiddle border=0>&nbsp; At one point they did attempt to shoot some&nbsp;birds that were working in front of us.... they were too far for US to shoot, so imagine the distance they had.&nbsp;&nbsp;When confronted about it... they really&nbsp;had no answer....Oh well, that's the joy of hunting public land.&nbsp; <br>

 

[robert]

<P>if i'm running the tender then a big wake usally sends their dekes adrift but if i'm shore rigging constent gunfire usally detoures them</P>

 

[CODB]

<P>I get irrated as all get out but usually me or the guys I am hunting with can out call or out set up the other guys and almost enjoy it when we get more birds then the other party.</P>

 

[DUCDUCGoose]

<P>Usually a calm conversation explaining what they are are doing as soon as they try to set up does the trick. Some folks do not even realize they are down winding you. If it is still dark, distances are not easily recognized. Most times if you point out that they will only screw things up for both parties, they move. If they become indignant, and choose not to move, let the games begin! </P>

 

[ignantmike]

<P>most of these complaint's sound's like magee marsh<IMG src="http://www.websitetoolbox.com/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" align=absMiddle border=0>.....although they might not be set up too close....they sky bust at everything........that place has turned into a big joke......i wish the ranger's could inforce sky busting rules....everyone would be better off....back to the subject....if someone set's up too close to me.....i blow that duck call like a kazuu......it usually dosent take long before they leave<IMG src="http://www.websitetoolbox.com/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" align=absMiddle border=0></P>