Skyblasting

[JJD]

Its got to be a mix of desparation and ignorance.  I also feel that too many hunters have way too high of expectations that they should be able harvest limits eveeytime.  Since thier goals are so high they get desperate to fill their bag - like skybusting.  They're also likely to shoot before legal hours because they're only duck hunting to shoot as many ducks as possible. Just my belief based on my observations.

 

[scout/sniper]

As mentioned above, maybe they just don't know any better.
A new hunter sees others working ducks and making kills but can't seem to put it all together.
How many sets have you drove through that looked like an aquatic yard sale?
They get frustrated and intent on ruining the hunt for others.
The 'open seat thread' on this forum is a good way for new hunters to gain some knowledge.

[Special T]

I agree that there is nothing finer that shooting ducks over decoys with their landing gear down fully committed. I know of a few places where geese and some times ducks  pass in between feed and rest where they are in that marginal shooting range. to me there is a BIG difference between trying to whack some birds on the edge of a bluff or pass as they fly through, and corking some one with decoys. 

[hntrspud]

If it doesnt ruin your hunt it can be crazy to see, not if they wing and cripple tho. If it does, it can be VERY frustrating. There are a couple places I wont hunt because of the consistency of these type of people.

[ICEMAN]

I have sat in a blind many times listening to guys skybusting on geese that are sky high. Then they occasionally drop one. Must be using buckshot.

Maddening to say the least.

[MC37493]

Been calling it skyblasting since i was a kid, hard habit to break because it really means the same thing and the terms are interchangeable. Thanks for the FYI though.

[Mfowl]

I think stupidity/ingnorance are the biggest factors. I have been set up in public areas with other hunters and one group will be skybusting while myself and other groups of hunters will get birds in range and make shots. The skybusters could clearly see that others are decoying birds and having success but yet they continue to skybust. I think they mostly just want to shoot their guns and don't care if they get birds or not. Seems lime when you see a skybuster knock a bird down (or sale one) they don't make much effort to find it either.   

[ICEMAN]

I learned that some guys respond well if after a few volleys and they are not dropping birds, I yell out at the top of my lungs to "knock off the sky busting, it is not working!" "They are too high!"  This has actually worked as the knuckleheads stopped doing it on many occasions, not all.

[HoofsandWings]

Tshot goes a long ways. With a scope, chances are better.

[Duckwacker]

Happens all the time at McAllister creek..

[dreamunelk]

I remember a time we watched a guy sky blast.  We had talked to him that morning and he was bragging about the rounds he was using.  This was well over 10 years ago but, I remember that they were about 2 bucks each.  We just dat there going 2, 4, 6 , 8........   If memory serves it was close to a hundred dollar day for that guy an not one duck fell.  We got a good laugh out of it.  Don't think we fired a shot.

[cryfowl]

If you can see it, 3 1/2" shells can kill it.........NOT!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Just FYI: the term is "skybusting."

[BOWHUNTER45]

I remember those days  my rule of thumb was if I could not see the colors on their head or their eye balls they were out of range !

[ghosthunter]

I don't think it is ignorance . I think it's competition and the need for immediate gratification.
Now days everyone is rushed to get what they want right now. They want to shoot at ducks so they do. They do not want to make the effort to learn tactics. They want to throw money at it in hopes it pays off.
They compete with the other hunters, call louder,call longer, shot higher. I doubt anyone of them would change even if you offered to help them.

If they go home empty it's because they did not throw enough money at the problem they think.

And if they happen to kill one duck sky busting than they throw another 100 bucks to try to do it again.

It's a lack of commitment. Just like the guys who buy a nice pup and let it rot till it's duck season and than wonder why it will not perform . They never commit to the dog. They don't commit to tactics it just to much trouble for them.