# Fish point lodge for sale ?



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Dead Bird said:


> You have the right to use any blind at any time on the big water that is empty.....
> 
> The owner of the blind has the right to remove the blind or relocate the blind at any time also...
> 
> If you happen to be in the blind at the time of relocation that is not the responsibility of the blind owner...


FPL's blinds are not legally considered "blinds".


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Dead Bird said:


> This brought back a funny from hunts past.... we had rented the second ridge blind for a hunt and did OK in the morning but we were a few birds short and none of our geese... came in for lunch and some football and hesitated but we went out for the afternoon...
> 
> The reason for the hesitation was the wind shifted to a strong east wind.... not the place to be in a east wind... we get back to the blind and find that two guys had jumped the blind and they really wanted to hunt and it wasn't worth auguring...
> 
> ...


I would've made one call to Chris at FPL. They cannot use their "blinds". They are considered private watercraft (see my other post)


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

limige said:


> And that is a very good question duckbuster.
> If it has a motor and is registered it's a boat and not open for anyone but I'm pretty sure they aren't.
> I believe most ppl are courteous to doug since he has always supported the community. They are great folks. If you stoop that low then you'll likely have many ppl to deal with.
> Legally speaking I'm not familiar with any laws for guides having soul use of their blinds on public lands. But it's called respect and not being a useless human being


One correction...do not need to have a motor on it. All it has to have is registration with MC numbers displayed just like any other duck boat would have. Think about a boat out there with just oars or paddles. Nothing says a "boat" needs a motor. But the law requires MOTORIZED watercraft to be licensed/registered. These "blinds" at FPL just happen to be boats without motors (have been renting them for many years...yes, they have MC numbers on them), and therefore, they are private property.


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## Tunaman (Apr 17, 2006)

If they are registered watercraft do they have to have pfd's inside


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

Tunaman said:


> If they are registered watercraft do they have to have pfd's inside


Probably have to have flares on Saginaw bay as well...


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

Regardless, it is a dick move to commander another's blind. It is not like they are laying claim to the best piece of marsh, it is open water. 
Get your own stuff and go where ever the mood strikes you - even be a bigger dick and down wind them if that is your bent.
But how lazy is it to just go use someone else's stuff and then give the owner a hard time when he comes to enjoy the fruits of his labor.
I know what the law says, and I agree with it whole heartedly. People have used my open water blind on many occasions when I wasn't there and other than a little trash and empty hulls, was none the worse for wear.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Tunaman said:


> If they are registered watercraft do they have to have pfd's inside


All I can say is the DNR gave this answer when it was posed many years ago. Whether they would enforce all regs for watercraft...good question.


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## smoke (Jun 3, 2006)

Must be some dems. in here wanting everyone to do the work and then they can enjoy the spoils. The Doob said it best ^^^ . Low life bastards are who claim jump others hunting blinds, legal or not. If there is no one in the said blind come shooting time I wouldn't feel bad at all hunting it. But to get out there at 1:00-2:00 in the morning to make sure you get it, is twisted af. Obviously you have a boat if you can make it to the blind site, go find a better spot, your own spot.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

I'll be the first to admit I've used someone else's stilt blind over by the middle grounds once or twice. But the times I did were always well after opening time when clearly no one was hunting the blind, and I left them spotless. Had I been confronted by the owner coming out, I would have gladly left.


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## duckbuster0123 (Jan 31, 2013)

smoke said:


> Must be some dems. in here wanting everyone to do the work and then they can enjoy the spoils. The Doob said it best ^^^ . Low life bastards are who claim jump others hunting blinds, legal or not. If there is no one in the said blind come shooting time I wouldn't feel bad at all hunting it. But to get out there at 1:00-2:00 in the morning to make sure you get it, is twisted af. Obviously you have a boat if you can make it to the blind site, go find a better spot, your own spot.


Not a dem I just know the rules that are stated in the book. And all blind on public waters are at a first come based. I don't hunt that way nor would I jump in another hunters blind to reap what they built. I'm questioning the obvious here. Not every duck hunter in the state of Michigan is a member to this site either. So new hunters and people that don't know that those blinds are "Doug's " are gonna have issues with other duck hunters cause who he is. Sounds like harassment. Rules are rules.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

smoke said:


> Must be some dems. in here wanting everyone to do the work and then they can enjoy the spoils. The Doob said it best ^^^ . Low life bastards are who claim jump others hunting blinds, legal or not. If there is no one in the said blind come shooting time I wouldn't feel bad at all hunting it. But to get out there at 1:00-2:00 in the morning to make sure you get it, is twisted af. Obviously you have a boat if you can make it to the blind site, go find a better spot, your own spot.


It's public land, so everyone should have equal opportunity to hunt those spots. They found a loophole for the blind laws, simple as that. They are profiting off of public land by denying opportunity to the general public. Yeah, you could set up in a boat blind right next to them, but most duck hunters aren't gonna confront someone in that way. Fortunately, there is a lot of opportunity on Saginaw bay, so it's not a huge deal, plus, permanent blinds flare birds like crazy.


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## duckbuster0123 (Jan 31, 2013)

Not only that but who's gonna pay for a hunt when they have to drive themselves out to the " rent blind". If you have your own decoys and a boat why rent a blind kinda of a weird setup


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

duckbuster0123 said:


> Not a dem I just know the rules that are stated in the book. And all blind on public waters are at a first come based. I don't hunt that way nor would I jump in another hunters blind to reap what they built. I'm questioning the obvious here. Not every duck hunter in the state of Michigan is a member to this site either. So new hunters and people that don't know that those blinds are "Doug's " are gonna have issues with other duck hunters cause who he is. Sounds like harassment. Rules are rules.


well if you plan to hunt an area. its the responsibility of the hunter to know the rules. don't matter if they read this site or not, rules are plainly stated. CO will side with the rules every time. not really a grey area or anything. If its got MC numbers its a boat not a blind. And if it was a fixed blind, owner can move it when he wants.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

i've hunted a fixed blind that wasn't mine. I've had the hunters come out (i got in it after daylight)..they came out around 8am and seen me in it...i offered to move/head in so they can hunt but after i told them it sucked they turned around and went in with me. lol. 

if someone puts up a permanent blind in a good spot, it doesn't bother me because i will probably hunt it eventually when they are not there. saved me some work.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

The worst part is when they don't leave the kill charts in the blind.


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## duckbuster0123 (Jan 31, 2013)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> well if you plan to hunt an area. its the responsibility of the hunter to know the rules. don't matter if they read this site or not, rules are plainly stated. CO will side with the rules every time. not really a grey area or anything. If its got MC numbers its a boat not a blind. And if it was a fixed blind, owner can move it when he wants.


So his blinds are boats not blinds. This is what I am trying to find out the questioning I was asking in the beginning. I'm not on here to start a war, I'm a vessel of knowledge and if don't know something I have questions. I knew you could not hunt a pontoon blind but I didn't know Dougs blinds are considered boats.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

duckbuster0123 said:


> So his blinds are boats not blinds. This is what I am trying to find out the questioning I was asking in the beginning. I'm not on here to start a war, I'm a vessel of knowledge and if don't know something I have questions. I knew you could not hunt a pontoon blind but I didn't know Dougs blinds are considered boats.


pretty sure he has both but i don't know as i've never hunted them. I do my own thing on that side. i've hunted a few private fixed blinds before in same area when they weren't occupied. I never set out to use them initially...just when it was too rough for my small boat to get to where i really wanted to go.


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## aphess223 (Aug 1, 2001)

I have read this post and just thought I would add my two cent on these blinds just quit duck hunting
who need the hassle of driving to the bay and finding a permanent blind where the birds are working and
setting up wind only to get called out for doing that also, after all it's not like we have fewer hunters
every year because of the hassle of finding a place to hunt, O wait we do!


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

duckbuster0123 said:


> So his blinds are boats not blinds. This is what I am trying to find out the questioning I was asking in the beginning. I'm not on here to start a war, I'm a vessel of knowledge and if don't know something I have questions. I knew you could not hunt a pontoon blind but I didn't know Dougs blinds are considered boats.


They are pontoon bases without motors. They are anchored with very heavy anchors and wire cable. They have navigation lights so other won't run into them. They have signs in them saying "property of Fish Point Lodge" with their phone number. I've hunted out of the lodge once or twice a year for almost 20 years. I don't always rent one of their blinds, but I have many times. We often just free lance. But we also book Doug for a guided hunt, and if you ever do that, you will understand why you pay for the service. And by the way, we have had other hunters downwind us when hunting with Doug. He often knows the other group, and if so he goes over to have a discussion with them. But we've also picked up and moved to another location a time or two. I will say that rarely happens to him because 1) he gets out there and setting up like 90 minutes before opening time, and 2) the "regulars" in that part of the bay seem to respect each other, and don't crowd each other. He plays by the rules, and doesn't assume he "owns" the bay. He's the most knowledgeable person that I know about that part of the bay, and his calling and advice are outstanding. Heck just the chatter during a guided hunt with him is worth the price of admission. Years of experience and stories in that man's head.

The closest thing to hunting with Doug that I've ever done is hunting with Shiawassee Kid. Honestly no ****! If you spend one day hunting with Dan at SRSGA you will know why people respect him and his hunting knowledge/ability. He and I have hunted in N. Dakota as well, and it's about the best experience I could ever imagine.

So before anyone chastises someone, I would suggest you meet them over a cup of coffee or beer, get to know them, and maybe even try to hunt with them. Betting you will change your mind.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> pretty sure he has both but i don't know as i've never hunted them. I do my own thing on that side. i've hunted a few private fixed blinds before in same area when they weren't occupied. I never set out to use them initially...just when it was too rough for my small boat to get to where i really wanted to go.


As far as I know all of their "blinds" are pontoon bases, anchored like a boat. I seem to recall they said they had stilt blinds at one time, but the mobility of the pontoon blinds I believe is why they use them.


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