ethics question

[NW-GSP]

I arrived at a public hunt spot at 3:30 am and while talking to a buddy that happened to be there he told me that all the spots had already been claimed, no big deal to me but what made me mad was when he told me that one of the guys arrived at 2:30 am went out to the blind and set his decoy bag at the blind and left a headlamp to signal that the blind was claimed and proceeded to go back to his truck and sleep until his buddys showed up.

maybe its me but it just annoys me for some reason.

[Hilltop123]

In this day and age, of public ground, designated blinds and more hunters wishing to use those blinds. Well, as much as I hate to say it,  it sucks......first come first serve. This is why the state on public waterways does not allow, decoys to be kept out overnight.  Nothing unethical to me, but if you know your competing for limited real estate, the early bird get's the worm. I bet the guy showing up, after you, thought you were being unethical, for being so early. Your pissed because you got aced out........get up earlier. 

[vandeman17]

If he was out at the blind I would say it's ok but setting out your stuff and leaving is bush league. I have a little light that is solar charged so I might as well just claim my spot for the rest of the year using this method. *sarcasm*

[NW-GSP]

I guess the prob I had is that he was not actually in the blind, he was sitting in his truck in the parking lot.
it doesn't bother me that someone beat me there first.

[NW-GSP]

If he was out at the blind I would say it's ok but setting out your stuff and leaving is bush league. I have a little light that is solar charged so I might as well just claim my spot for the rest of the year using this method. *sarcasm*

that's how I felt. Might as well as set your headlamp up the night before lol.

[Hilltop123]

 You gentlemen are correct and I was wrong on this point. Yes the person in question, should have stayed with the setup. I stand corrected!

[Bob33]

Setting out decoys before 4:00 a.m. is not legal. Leaving them in a blind with a light is not illegal, but does provide any legal protection to that property. If you really wanted to, you could stay in the blind and when he returned tell him to pound sound. Unfortunately the outcome probably wouldn't be good for either party.

I've often wished that I could rid the world of A circular parts, but to date my efforts have been futile.

[h2ofowlr]

Probably headed back to the rig to dry off.  It was a wet one this morning.

[rtspring]

Some of you waterfowlers kill me!!  Find a spot that only you hunt.  Few years ago i got into a fist fight with two waterfowlers and there dog.  Over kinda the same thing, but I had set out decoys and forgot my shells. Went to the truck to get them and these two knuckeheads thought they could bully me by calling the law.  I was -00 percent legal and they got a good whupin and i threw both their shotguns in the river.  Its not worth the trouble...

Now I hunt sagebrush and never have to deal with idiots! 

Both shotguns went into the river cause I really thought they would try to shoot me after they decided to jump me at the same time.  To ghis day i bet their guns are still in the river.. 

[Hilltop123]

Setting out decoys before 4:00 a.m. is not legal. Leaving them in a blind with a light is not illegal, but does provide any legal protection to that property. If you really wanted to, you could stay in the blind and when he returned tell him to pound sound. Unfortunately the outcome probably wouldn't be good for either party.

I've often wished that I could rid the world of A circular parts, but to date my efforts have been futile.

Oh lord am I that old, or has the state changed rules this much, since I got out of the duck game? No decoys out, before 4 am? We had spreads that took forever to put out... Wow, back to my walker, excuse me while I put my Depends on.....

[NW-GSP]

Probably headed back to the rig to dry off.  It was a wet one this morning.

this was on Friday when it was not raining.

[NW-GSP]

When I can afford it I will be getting a boat.

[Hilltop123]

Just humor a feeble old man, just where are you hunting? General area.

[Pnwrider]

When I can afford it I will be getting a boat.

Where do you live/hunt. I had an open seat in my boat I couldn't fill this morning... I'm in Snohomish.

[NW-GSP]

I'm in Marysville, I usually do not have the weekends off though. I have Thur,Fri off.

[Pnwrider]

I'm in Marysville, I usually do not have the weekends off though. I have Thur,Fri off.

Wow, I'm surprised that many people were setup that early on a weekday. I'll hit you up if I can make it out on a friday since you're on the way to where I hunt!

[NW-GSP]

Sounds good, thank you!.

[Tealer]

I will pull decoys and headlamps out of a blind if I know the guy is sleeping in his rig. State law says you cannot leave them unattended.


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[NW-GSP]

I will pull decoys and headlamps out of a blind if I know the guy is sleeping in his rig. State law says you cannot leave them unattended.


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that's what I thought

[Skillet]

Technically, I suppose you probably have grounds to move his stuff out of the blind.  But how much fun is it going to be waiting for him and his buddies to come try and claim the blind?  How much fun is it going to be hunting in the blind when the guys who think it should be theirs decide to skybust any birds that happen to work your dekes?  Waterfowling is supposed to be fun, right?
For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing by leaving the stuff alone. Just get there earlier next time. These types of issues make me so glad I don't hunt ducks anymore...

[Hilltop123]

Technically, I suppose you probably have grounds to move his stuff out of the blind.  But how much fun is it going to be waiting for him and his buddies to come try and claim the blind?  How much fun is it going to be hunting in the blind when the guys who think it should be theirs decide to skybust any birds that happen to work your dekes?  Waterfowling is supposed to be fun, right?
For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing by leaving the stuff alone. Just get there earlier next time. These types of issues make me so glad I don't hunt ducks anymore...

[Tealer]

Technically, I suppose you probably have grounds to move his stuff out of the blind.  But how much fun is it going to be waiting for him and his buddies to come try and claim the blind?  How much fun is it going to be hunting in the blind when the guys who think it should be theirs decide to skybust any birds that happen to work your dekes?  Waterfowling is supposed to be fun, right?
For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing by leaving the stuff alone. Just get there earlier next time. These types of issues make me so glad I don't hunt ducks anymore...

My buddies are big boys I never worry about it. I have had it happen twice. One guy left his stuff overnight. He got hot when he walked out 45 min till shoot and his gear was piled up 35yds to the left.


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[bigtex]

Setting out decoys before 4:00 a.m. is not legal.

That regulation only applies to WDFW managed lands/waters.

[NW-GSP]

This is a area managed by wdfw.

[ghosthunter]

Well I will step in this one. I am 63.
I have been hunting the Samish unit since the day it became a state site.
I have haunted every spot of water there. And they are all good one day a year.

I get there early hours early not to get some primo spot because I really do not care.
If you have hunted there it's a good walk to spots. I don't like to get there and have seven rigs there already because than we play bump in the dark and I don't want to drag my gear over 450 acres.

Now I don't know where the op was hunting but here is my story.

Saturday I was In the parking lot at one am. I had a friend who was coming to hunt with me who had never hunted here before. I told him I would meet him at 5:30 am.

I got my gear and headed out to a pond on the far south end. I left my dog and my gun in the truck.
Took my cart and dekes. Located a spot dropped off my dekes and other gear and put a flasher out so any other hunter could see where I was. No dekes in the water just dumped my bag.
Walked back and since no one else was in the lot I set in my truck till 2:30 am. When a pick up came in. I got out and said good moring and kinda him about being early.
Asked him where he wanted to hunt?  He was going west towards the dike.

I indicated I was out where the blinkers. We're blinking. He saw I was no threat to his spot so he got back in his truck. Since it was pouring.
I got back in my truck till 3 am.
There were no other trucks in the lot.
At 3 am I walked back out to my gear. Prepared my dekes for placement and started putting them out at 4am. Other hunters stared to arrive. I saw three other guys using blinkers to show their location.
At 5:30 am my buddy called said he was in the lot and I left my gear dekes in water and walked in met him and walked back out to my gear. Maybe I was gone 20 minutes max.

Now far all you legal beagles read the law. No placement of dekes before 4 am.
There is no law on stashing gear. Dekes cannot be in water.

And you can leave your dekes and gear in place unattened for one hour.

Now the guys who complain about this cry because they are too lazy to get their rearends out of bed. They want to sleep in and show up late and expect to get what ever puddle they think they need.
You know I would rather lay on my butt at home than have to out there that early but  that is just not posible if you want to hunt state sites.

I might add that I have got to samish many times at one or two on the weekend and found two or three rigs there ahead of me.

Sooooo let the whining begin.

[full choke]

I'll bet the guy who left the decoys and went back to his car to sleep does the exact same thing during the big game seasons. You know, the guy that sets up a "dummy camp"- crappy tent and chair to hold his place for a week or two for when he really wants to use it...

[NW-GSP]

Ghosthunter I think that your situation was much different then what I described and besides I was taught to respect my elders, I probably would have offered to help with your decoys to be honest.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I will not whine much  But I can not force myself to hunt these places ..There is no way I can hunt anything being surrounded by other hunters ..I finally bought my duck stamps again after quitting about 6 years ago ..The only reason I did decide to buy them this year is because of my new pup ..I just can not hunt these areas ..After looking on line and seeing where you have to register to find places to hunt I do not want anything to do with it ..Someone telling me where I need to be or where I need to sit is just BS !    I know some of you like it but just not my kinda hunting ...This valley has went to crap in the last 10 years ...Literally 

[NW-GSP]

The register to hunt places are actually pretty good.

[ghosthunter]

I will not whine much  But I can not force myself to hunt these places ..There is no way I can hunt anything being surrounded by other hunters ..I finally bought my duck stamps again after quitting about 6 years ago ..The only reason I did decide to buy them this year is because of my new pup ..I just can not hunt these areas ..After looking on line and seeing where you have to register to find places to hunt I do not want anything to do with it ..Someone telling me where I need to be or where I need to sit is just BS !    I know some of you like it but just not my kinda hunting ...This valley has went to crap in the last 10 years ...Literally 

Well I got to Agee with you and Saturday was the first time this year I hunted Samish.
I have a 16 ft boat but I wanted to hunt my 2 year pup on the gound a little more and my buddy wanted to see samish.
I have hunted the feel free sites but don't like the in the their blind restriction. So I set out next to the blinds.
Saving for a bigger boat to hit the bay and Colombia.

But I sure get tired of the Johnny come late whiners.
Walking in to meet my buddy There are two guys with their dekes floating on the south access trail. I say guys you can hunt here if you want but 100 guys are going to walk though your set up. They had never been there before and showed up in the dark. I pointed them towards some water.

[ghosthunter]

Ghosthunter I think that your situation was much different then what I described and besides I was taught to respect my elders, I probably would have offered to help with your decoys to be honest.

No problem. Thanks

I might add I never fired a shot because I refuse to sky bust.
The weather cleared and the guys over my right shoulder were better callers.
I a good day with a buddy my son showed up too. And got to watch the dogs find several cripples deads.
Which is a product of guys blasting at ducks way too high.

[NW-GSP]

Ghosthunter I think that your situation was much different then what I described and besides I was taught to respect my elders, I probably would have offered to help with your decoys to be honest.

No problem. Thanks

I might add I never fired a shot because I refuse to sky bust.
The weather cleared and the guys over my right shoulder were better callers.
I a good day with a buddy my son showed up too. And got to watch the dogs find several cripples deads.
Which is a product of guys blasting at ducks way too high.

my seven month old pup has found three cripples so far this year, I finish them off and add them to my haul for the day. Makes me feel good about finding them.

[h2ofowlr]

Ghosthunter I think that your situation was much different then what I described and besides I was taught to respect my elders, I probably would have offered to help with your decoys to be honest.

No problem. Thanks

I might add I never fired a shot because I refuse to sky bust.
The weather cleared and the guys over my right shoulder were better callers.
I a good day with a buddy my son showed up too. And got to watch the dogs find several cripples deads.
Which is a product of guys blasting at ducks way too high.

my seven month old pup has found three cripples so far this year, I finish them off and add them to my haul for the day. Makes me feel good about finding them.

Always hesitant to add cripples to my bag limit.  Possible stems from the lead days, but I have seen to many that develop infections.

About now, if you run a good dog at this particular location, they may locate several limits worth of birds.

[ghosthunter]

If they are alive and I finish them I will count them.

If they are cold dead.
I dump them. No telling how long they have been there.
Real waste, caused by people shooting too high.