birdwatchers on release sites

[seth30]

I'm of the opinion that if people (non-hunting) are going to be enjoying the outdoors during hunting season, and if they choose to go where hunters may be, it should be state law that they wear hunter orange as well. No exceptions.

Definately a common sense law that needs to be pushed

not all areas please    Some of the areas I hunt for ducks are now overrun by birdwatchers and hikers.  They spook the ducks with there bright colors, out of control dogs and noise they make   I stopped hunting in one of those areas after I had to kick someones mutt that attacked my lab. 

[singleshot12]

I'm of the opinion that if people (non-hunting) are going to be enjoying the outdoors during hunting season, and if they choose to go where hunters may be, it should be state law that they wear hunter orange as well. No exceptions.

Definately a common sense law that needs to be pushed

not all areas please    Some of the areas I hunt for ducks are now overrun by birdwatchers and hikers.  They spook the ducks with there bright colors, out of control dogs and noise they make   I stopped hunting in one of those areas after I had to kick someones mutt that attacked my lab. 

only in areas where pheasant and duck overlap! it's a safety issue! specially where bird watchers insist on being

[singleshot12]

but even better wdfw should of NEVER aloud all 3 user groups in the same field in the first place

simple solution! ban the duck and phez hunters from these sites

[stevemiller]

well we don't have to worry about harrassment if the bleeding heart birdwatchers win and get the whole release site all to themselves. this is what this thread is about.

wouldnt have gotten this far if they would have been turned in all along now would it have? 

[AspenBud]

I'm of the opinion that if people (non-hunting) are going to be enjoying the outdoors during hunting season, and if they choose to go where hunters may be, it should be state law that they wear hunter orange as well. No exceptions.

Definately a common sense law that needs to be pushed

not all areas please    Some of the areas I hunt for ducks are now overrun by birdwatchers and hikers.  They spook the ducks with there bright colors, out of control dogs and noise they make   I stopped hunting in one of those areas after I had to kick someones mutt that attacked my lab. 

only in areas where pheasant and duck overlap! it's a safety issue! specially where bird watchers insist on being

As a pheasant hunter on a release site I try to stay away from blinds and keep my dog away. If I grouse hunt during bow season in a state where bow hunters are commonly sitting in tree stands I expect them to let me know they are there so I don't interfere with their hunt or worse, accidentally shoot them during a flush.

It's common respect and understanding of what the other guy is out to do.

Hikers, bird watchers, and so forth, they all need some sort of education in that at the least. Hunter orange should be a common sense thing for them and required by law, big clear signs saying that hunting is going on should be posted (a lot of them say they don't know hunting is going on or even when the seasons are) and we all need to be better about making hunter harassment complaints. If they are walking in front of your blind that's about as blatant as it can get.

[singleshot12]

I'm of the opinion that if people (non-hunting) are going to be enjoying the outdoors during hunting season, and if they choose to go where hunters may be, it should be state law that they wear hunter orange as well. No exceptions.

Definately a common sense law that needs to be pushed

not all areas please    Some of the areas I hunt for ducks are now overrun by birdwatchers and hikers.  They spook the ducks with there bright colors, out of control dogs and noise they make   I stopped hunting in one of those areas after I had to kick someones mutt that attacked my lab. 

only in areas where pheasant and duck overlap! it's a safety issue! specially where bird watchers insist on being

As a pheasant hunter on a release site I try to stay away from blinds and keep my dog away. If I grouse hunt during bow season in a state where bow hunters are commonly sitting in tree stands I expect them to let me know they are there so I don't interfere with their hunt or worse, accidentally shoot them during a flush.

It's common respect and understanding of what the other guy is out to do.

Hikers, bird watchers, and so forth, they all need some sort of education in that at the least. Hunter orange should be a common sense thing for them and required by law, big clear signs saying that hunting is going on should be posted (a lot of them say they don't know hunting is going on or even when the seasons are) and we all need to be better about making hunter harassment complaints. If they are walking in front of your blind that's about as blatant as it can get.

These sort of things need to get sorted out soon...Blaze orange for all users during season. What would it take to get this simple law passed? Hate to see release sites closing due to hiker birdwatcher saftey complaints

[singleshot12]

well we don't have to worry about harrassment if the bleeding heart birdwatchers win and get the whole release site all to themselves. this is what this thread is about.

wouldnt have gotten this far if they would have been turned in all along now would it have? 

Turned in for just being on a release site during season? I like that idea

[cardboard slayer]

seen a hole family picking berry's last year 200 yards of the road with black and brown shirts on I tolled them that they should put some different colors being that it was bear season the dad tolled me to mind my own business if some one shot them that was not his falt.  I didn't know what to say

[bear hunter]

The last few years we had nothing but trouble with most of the bird watchers F-up are hunt. They would stand right behind use like 20 ft from the blind. Walk right up to are decoys and stand there.  They have not respect for other users. My dog got in to a fight with a bird watchers two yappers 2 years ago. The old man was standing right behind use. I herd my dog growl and dart behind the blind. I yelled and she stopped 10ft from the guy and his dogs. Then the old guy released his dogs and they attacked my dog which made my dog tare into his 2- 20 pound dogs. I'm glad I was able to stop my dog by yelling. Some people I bet they will shut down hunting and lease it to the bird watcher. Like the public lands on Lopez island. Friends of Lopez hill and one other spot was shutdown and turned into a park. Friends of Lopez hill is trying to shutdown all public land up their. It is sad that they are WINNING the war. Some day I might have to hunt with a Camera. LOL

[Johnb317]

Then who will pay to protect all 'their' bird watching spots? 
It's the foot in the door, they just want a small site, until the next one.

They can use the land for 7 months and we'll take the other 5.   
We need to fight every step of the way.   Maybe take an air horn out off season when they're birding     

[snowpack]

seen a hole family picking berry's last year 200 yards of the road with black and brown shirts on I tolled them that they should put some different colors being that it was bear season the dad tolled me to mind my own business if some one shot them that was not his falt.  I didn't know what to say

Seen some hikers that dress in 'earth tone' colors.  They said bright colors disturb wildlife and they didn't want to stress out the animals.   

[cardboard slayer]

I get stressed out glassing berry pickers out in dnr land I don't even think of looking for game with in a mile of the gate just keep walking till I get back in a ways

[Andrew]

Wow, in order to read that website I had to go and take a stupid pill to understand their logic.  At best bird hunters have 4 months 'top' anywhere in this state and we most likely flip 70-80%? of the bill for these areas.  Yet they feel they are being robbed and unfairly treated with 8 months and hardly paying squat...maybe an access or discovery pass at best.  Oh wait..."home of the free and land of the entitled".

My only run in was during a grouse hunt and a couple came down the trail at me yelling "Don't shoot Don't shoot WE ARE NOT BEARS!!!"  I replied "you were safe I noticed you didn't have any wings".  They didn't appreciate my humor.

[singleshot12]

Wow, in order to read that website I had to go and take a stupid pill to understand their logic. 

That's it! They run on strictly emotion and just because they don't hunt they figure nobody else should either!

Could we do something about it and protect our designated hunting lands? YES, but from what i've seen about 90% of us hunters are too friggin lazy to write letters,go to meetings and do anything about it

[BiggLuke]

We all, as hunters, should foot the bill to make up a bunch of offical looking posters that we can all take out with us and hang up at sites like these, that read: "This land access brought to you by Hunters. Thank you for visiting. Buy Ducks stamps to help conserve wildlife."
Maybe with a big picture of a happy smile right under it.