Have corn pond complexes affected your 2018 duck season?

[bigdub257]

My point is it's not for the ducks.. It's not for conservation.....It's to make money.. Money is power.. Power to control the migration.
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[Dhoey07]

Where do they get the water?

[JBG]

It seems like every slow (public land) year this topic comes up.  The main factor is the weather.  If you tell these guys to stop flooding corn they will just leave dry corn standing and put a pond right next to it same result.  Does it suck yeah, but maybe we should outlaw hunting ducks from a boat because it gives the guys who can afford a boat better opportunity.  If guys in boats didnt short stop the ducks from the shore hunters like me I'd have a much better season. 
As for corn complexes changing migration patters who knows.  Maybe all the farm land going from corn, wheat, potatoes, etc to wine grapes has something to do with it at lease in places. 
There is a saying if you want a great hunt, hunt the X.  If you want a great season hunt around the X.  I know a lot of guys have had great seasons hunting next to a property of a friend of mine who keeps flooded corn. 

[singleshot12]

My point is it's not for the ducks.. It's not for conservation.....It's to make money.. Money is power.. Power to control the migration.

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Duck Dynasty We'll see how long it lasts..

[hunterednate]

It seems like every slow (public land) year this topic comes up.  The main factor is the weather. If you tell these guys to stop flooding corn they will just leave dry corn standing and put a pond right next to it same result.  Does it suck yeah, but maybe we should outlaw hunting ducks from a boat because it gives the guys who can afford a boat better opportunity.  If guys in boats didnt short stop the ducks from the shore hunters like me I'd have a much better season. 
As for corn complexes changing migration patters who knows.  Maybe all the farm land going from corn, wheat, potatoes, etc to wine grapes has something to do with it at lease in places. 
There is a saying if you want a great hunt, hunt the X.  If you want a great season hunt around the X.  I know a lot of guys have had great seasons hunting next to a property of a friend of mine who keeps flooded corn.

If this is true, then the corn complexes won't oppose banning the practice. Win-win!

[hunterednate]

I guess I'm coming at it differently than others.If it's truly illegal then obviously it needs to be stopped but I wouldn't think such a big outfit running illegally would be allowed to continue. So if they found a loophole and it is detrimental to the flocks then that need a to be addressed but sportsman bashing sportsman just leads to everybody losing.
  I would think that the feed benefits the ducks before heading back North

It's not illegal - that's the point. It's equivalent to a practice that IS illegal (baiting). Therefore, it should be banned for the sake of consistency.

[hunterednate]

I am a believer that the ponds have effected bird travel habits and thus, bird hunting, in the basin. It would be different if the ducks had to walk to the ponds but considering their flight paths, it is a completely different set of circumstances.

Bingo.

[hunterednate]

Imo it benefits the public also they have great habitat for allot of ducks and they will spill over to public ponds
  I know that might not explain it well but you get what I'm saying I hope

They don't spill over. Thats the whole point of flooded corn vs. dry corn. The ducks literally don't have to move. They can loaf and feed in the same spot. That is why Eagle Lakes and others went to all the effort to abuse a loophole in the baiting law by growing corn in low spots and artificially flooding it. They even brag in youtube videos that they stop the migration from happening....

So so true. Spill over effect is minimal compared to the number of birds that would need to find water on public land after feeding in dry corn.

Private dry corn, however, immensely helps public land areas that have water because ducks travel from feed areas to loafing areas. So there is a definite partnership that used to happen between farmers and sportsmen. But this isn't about agriculture - its about Bernsen and others making a literal killing

[hunterednate]

Do the math if you got 33 people to pay 350$ a trip even half the season that's over $600,000 crazy money to be made. We can all come on here and talk talk all we want but when the public comment period comes out for waterfowl seasons you have to go online and voice your opinion some place other than here.

For sure! Let's get the link posted for public comment when it comes out. If enough public hunters make their voice heard, change might happen (e.g. big game baiting). But like you said, drk9988....money is power. Big corn complexes have a lot of money.

[hunterednate]

Do the math if you got 33 people to pay 350$ a trip even half the season that's over $600,000 crazy money to be made. We can all come on here and talk talk all we want but when the public comment period comes out for waterfowl seasons you have to go online and voice your opinion some place other than here.

What kind of math?

33 limited shooters paying 350$ each for half the season 55 days.

My point is it's not for the ducks.. It's not for conservation.....It's to make money.. Money is power.. Power to control the migration.

Can't say it better.

[JBG]

Do you also want to ban (water in corn) the practice on public land?  Why not get WDFW to do a much better job of making good habitat on public ground?

[huntnfmly]

JBG made a good point do we start banning hunting from boats because it effects shore hunters.
  Like he mentioned hunt around point X. I'm not a waterfowler so this doesn't effect me as much as some of you but what does effect all of us is the let's ban it because I can't or don't agree with the way someone is doing it way of thinking

[Tbar]

JBG made a good point do we start banning hunting from boats because it effects shore hunters.
  Like he mentioned hunt around point X. I'm not a waterfowler so this doesn't effect me as much as some of you but what does effect all of us is the let's ban it because I can't or don't agree with the way someone is doing it way of thinking

As many have stated it's a bigger problem than what's fair.  It could potentially be very detrimental in several ways, one being disease.  A huge threat when you congregate any species.

[EWUeagles]

JBG made a good point do we start banning hunting from boats because it effects shore hunters.
  Like he mentioned hunt around point X. I'm not a waterfowler so this doesn't effect me as much as some of you but what does effect all of us is the let's ban it because I can't or don't agree with the way someone is doing it way of thinking

JBG comparing corn complexes to owning a boat is the dumbest argument I have ever heard. Most people who boat hunt still hunt from shore haha. Boat hunting only allows you to get to a spot faster and maybe with less work. It doesn't physically draw ducks to you or keep ducks in an area because you are using a boat. I'm not saying I'm against corn complexes but his points are all pretty bad. Ducks do move their migration patterns because of these complexes. Last year there was a huge duck die off because ducks changed their natural migration patterns and stayed in one area because they had food and water. It made it a perfect breeding ground for Avian Cholera.

Personally I'm not really for limiting what other hunters can do just because I can't afford it but I do believe they have an unfair advantage. It would be nice to see the playing field a little more equal. Also JBG dry field duck hunting is way different than a flooded field.

[huntnfmly]

JBG made a good point do we start banning hunting from boats because it effects shore hunters.
  Like he mentioned hunt around point X. I'm not a waterfowler so this doesn't effect me as much as some of you but what does effect all of us is the let's ban it because I can't or don't agree with the way someone is doing it way of thinking

As many have stated it's a bigger problem than what's fair.  It could potentially be very detrimental in several ways, one being disease.  A huge threat when you congregate any species.

They congregate in large numbers already  along thier migration so I don't see that as a valid argument.
  What this really comes down to is people feeling that it's not fair so let's stop somebody else that's only going to shoot all sportsman in the foot