Polite Request

[Skyhigh]

I know i hate when i get to a field at 400 am make at least three trips out in the field with decoys  . Just to have some guys shoot at geese flying over the dike that are not even close to being in range and ruin it for everyone .

You learn not to set up in fields next to the dikes.  It has been that way for as long as I can remember.  For about one season they made it that you couldn't shoot from the dike.  The guys just stood in front of the dike then.  Same year they made the rule that each person had to have 24 decoys.  That lasted one season.  Guys used to pass shoot or decoys birds very well.  When the QH fields went into effect is when things started to really change.  The permit requests went from about 300 to over 1,000.  Every field would have decoys set up vs. a few fields by local guys.  Then the dikes started getting lined with folks.  As the snows start getting broke up into smaller groups and dispersed more, the crowed will die down.  You will still have the local group and some retirees that hunt the snows almost daily that will not change their ways.  They are fine with shooting 2-3 boxes to get a limit of snows.  It's not how most would do it.  Not even recommended as many birds get wounded, but the eagles eat well.  The only way to change it, is to pull the sky busters snow goose card.  That would be the quickest way to fix the issue at hand.  Keep an eye on the known problem individuals and groups and pull their cards when you start seeing them break the rules.

Dont forget the different cover crops that are being planted the last two years or lack of cover crops being planted at all or late cover crop..Those three factors have really sent the birds further and further away.

[Skagit_Hunter]

Dont most skybusters use a range finder so they know the birds are within there effective range?

Rangefinder

I have gone to these places this is all about with a arc rangefinder. Stood close to the action. and shot ranges. WOW is all I can say
A good way to figure distance is. walk around with a rangefinder. Make a guess at a distance. then confirm it with the rangefinder.
With a shotgun 5 yrds isn't a big deal until your at the end of the killing range. And because a shotgun will shoot xxxxx distance. Doesn't mean that is the killing range. Ya ok you hit one in the eye you might kill it.