Killing Birds on the Water?

[konrad]

I just finished watching the new installment of the Duck Commander Television show.
It was mentioned that in days past, no duck hunter would shoot a duck in the air. It was considered true duck hunting skill to get the birds to light on the water.

When I was a young man, I was told it was unsportsmanlike-like to kill birds on the water.

Which is it?

A: Yes, it is OK to shoot birds on the water
B: No, only a person of ill repute and/or low birth would engage in such despicable behavior

[shooternme]

If you read the thread titled "Take Them or Flush Them" you will see 3 pages or so of guys discussing the same thing.

[CP]

How about we all stop judging each other?  If you don’t want to shoot ducks off the water then don’t.  If the DC doesn’t want to shoot them out of the air then that’s his business.  No need for name calling.

[shooternme]

All I was saying is there is another thread about this where he could read everyones opinion.

Me, I would shoot them on the fly but that is my preference. I don't have a problem either way, on the water in the air. It's your preference.

[follow maggie]

I'm with CP. Duck in the air, I'll shoot it. Duck on the water, I'll shoot it. Either way i'm shooting a duck to put on my plate and don't see any difference. It's up to each for his own, though.

[fethrduster]

Only ducks that you sneak up on and strangle with your bare hands are considered sporting.  Anything else is boorish and just not done in polite company.

[bobcat]

For me it's just not fun to shoot a duck on the water. The only reason I would do that is if I was actually hunting  for the meat. But how many people hunt ducks so they can eat them? I think it would be ok to let a young kid shoot his first duck on the water, but other than that, I don't see a reason for it. Besides, they're much easier to kill in the air. On the water, they need to be close, and you need to make a good head shot.

[h2ofowlr]

Duck Commander guys would land the birds then spook them up and then cut them.  I've watched the episode several times.  Some probably have to shoot them on the water, but where's the challenge.  Shoot them on the wing and make it fun.
I guess you can go way back to the days of punt guns and battery boxes when they flock shot the birds on the water.  Different mentality of days of new and old.  There are duck hunters and those that shoot ducks.  I guess that's the difference you will see between comments.  Good luck.

[sakoshooter]

For me it's just not fun to shoot a duck on the water. The only reason I would do that is if I was actually hunting  for the meat. But how many people hunt ducks so they can eat them? I think it would be ok to let a young kid shoot his first duck on the water, but other than that, I don't see a reason for it. Besides, they're much easier to kill in the air. On the water, they need to be close, and you need to make a good head shot.

Totally Agree

[runamuk]

Only ducks that you sneak up on and strangle with your bare hands are considered sporting.  Anything else is boorish and just not done in polite company.

I could likely do this better than shoot one...have caught wild pigeons and other birds with my bare hands 

[bobcat]

Only ducks that you sneak up on and strangle with your bare hands are considered sporting.  Anything else is boorish and just not done in polite company.

I could likely do this better than shoot one...have caught wild pigeons and other birds with my bare hands 

If you do it, you need to post a video here for us all to see.

[Miles]

They are easier to kill when flying, so I will get them up off the water prior to shooting.   I will shoot one on the water if needed for a kill shot (if the duck fell in the water and is still alive).

[ghosthunter]

My 90 year old father in law loves telling about back in the day when times were tough he lived on a farm. A local man came to their house who was having trouble feeding his family. He wanted to hunt ducks on the farm pond. My father in laws dad said sure.
According to my father in law the guy layed behind the reeds for most of the day until five ducks lined up. Got all five with one shot.
He only had three shells to his name.

But he also tells me he walked up hill to school both ways in the winter snow.

[fethrduster]

My dad killed a turkey with his bare hands once when I was a little kid.  He had four mouths to feed, and he spotted it by the side of the road, and somehow ran it down.  I was too young to remember it, but it's a funny story.

[runamuk]

Only ducks that you sneak up on and strangle with your bare hands are considered sporting.  Anything else is boorish and just not done in polite company.

I could likely do this better than shoot one...have caught wild pigeons and other birds with my bare hands 

If you do it, you need to post a video here for us all to see.

my son stole my video camera...so cant video anything anymore...I have no desire to hunt ducks or geese so really dont care how one goes about shooting them as long as its legal and safe 

[seth30]

I have shot birds on the water   Not because I chose to, but because I had crippled them with the first shot, and they hit the water swimming away. I like to hit them on the flyby, due to the challenge of it.   And I love to eat the ducks and geese that I get, so my first priority during waterfowl is the freezer, second is to give my dogs the best day of there lives every time we go out.

[helzbelz888]

i dispatched a mallard hen last season that had been crippled by another hunter it was struggling to get close... it was heartbreaking to see the state of it.. it had a broken wing (extremely infected and green) and the bird was so skinny from starving there was hardly any mass to the bird..

Speaking of catching birds with your hands... my buddy caught a small grouse when he was taking a leak a few years ago. the little tiny bugger was hiding in the grass by his feet and when he stepped on the grass  by the ditch it got trapped under the the grass and he picked it up. (released shortly thereafter) haha it was so small it looked like a little ostrich with its big awkward looking feet.

[groundhog]

Its all good. As long as it is legal.
Why do some folks say it is unethical or unsportsmanlike to shoot a duck on the water or a pheasant on the ground. The same folks will say that it is unethical or unsportsmanlike to shoot at a running deer.
Bobcat, I hunt ducks for a lot of reasons and eating them is right up there at the top of my list. If you prepare duck right it is hard to beat!

[bagmNtagm]

duck in the water or in the air, either way im gonna shoot, i like to shoot the drakes though cause the hens you kill alot of new baby ducks coming the next year

[dannysdaddy]

I prefer flying shots.  I've taken shots on the water but it seems to be alot harder to kill em and im not trying to shoot them multiple times. if its legal its fine with me.  It you don't hunt ducks or geese then why would you put your  into something that doesn't affect you at all???

[Dmanmastertracker]

 I don't duck hunt much anymore but there was a time when I hunted ducks every week of the season, I was that into it. My experience with it is that I have seen far too many unethical or just plain bad shots cripple ducks in the air than I have on the water. The most important aspect is a humane kill, that said a non-moving target would seem to give a greater chance for a humane kill and the head is a bit easier target when on the water as opposed to in the air. One thing I was proud of all the time I hunted ducks a lot is that I never had a visible cripple that escaped me that I was ever aware of.