# public land duck blinds



## jasomx6 (Mar 28, 2010)

I go to a very public place to duck hunt this morning. Took a first timer out early to show her what duck hunting is like. Someone hunting close to my typical spot so I go to another close by area to not be rude. The other spot has a tarp and a couple poles set up like a blind. No one there so we set up a spread and settle down, ten minutes before light three guys boat in and proceed to act as though they own this spot because they have a half ass blind set up.

So I learned this morning after setting up on public land that if someone has a couple poles and a burlap tarp with their name and contact info on it, sitting in one of few hunting spots on a busy lake, that they have first take on that spot whenever they decide to show up. Am I the only one that finds this ODD or Wrong? 

This arguement that transpired, really gave the girl I was showing the sport of duck hunting for the first time, a good first time experiance of what hunting is all about. No comprimise was to be had, I had to pack up and move. 

Am I wrong???


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## duckhunter382 (Feb 13, 2005)

first come first serve but also no law stopping them from hunting close to you. You will get idiots all the time just got to get used to it when hunting public land.


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## jasomx6 (Mar 28, 2010)

I could understand if like deer hunting there is thousands of acres of land to sit on, but limited waterfront duck hunting spots should not be held like a reservation jsut because someone set up a couple tarps and posted their info on it. Im my opinion that person(s) should feel greedy by trying to act as though they can save a spot like that, so no one else can hunt there without wondering if they might show up last minute and have to move. NOT RIGHT


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

duckhunter382 said:


> first come first serve but also no law stopping them from hunting close to you. You will get idiots all the time just got to get used to it when hunting public land.


Inland lakes it is NOT first come first served. If someone constructs a blind and pulls their name and address on it that is there blind. Even though it is state land it is considered personal property. They can try and kick you out.

I have battles with this topic for a few years now and every Conservation Officer I have called and talk to has said the same thing I just said. Now let's be real if I came out a half hr befor shooting hrs I wouldn't ask someone to leave. If it's a hour or more, get the hell out. I spent the time and money to build it and if I show up to hunt it I'm hunting it. Now if there is enough room for both parties I'll offer to hunt together. If they don't wanna get out "looks like I'm here to take her down this morning". 

Now great lakes it IS first come first served that's where a lot of people get mixed up and also people refer to the deer hunting rule too. If you want to use someone blind...go deer hunting.


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## firenut8190 (Jul 15, 2006)

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2010_waterfowl_digest_web_version_331533_7.pdf


 You may not erect or use a hunting blind on any public waters
without permanently affixing to the exterior, in waterproof
letters not less than three inches high, the name and address of
the person who placed it there. Any unoccupied blind on the
Great Lakes or Lake St. Clair may be used by the first person
to occupy it each day.
 You may not leave any hunting blind or part thereof anchored
or affixed to the bottomlands of any public waters within the
state of Michigan prior to Aug. 15 or later than Jan. 16.
 You may not hunt waterfowl with a firearm from a raised
platform except over submerged bottomlands. Blinds or
platforms constructed over public waters must meet marking
and removal requirements.
 You may not use or occupy a blind on the waters of the
state that does not comply with marking and placement
requiremets.


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## jasomx6 (Mar 28, 2010)

I can understand the feeling of effort put forth building a blind, but this was not skill filled building.....this was not a secret spot, well scouted out during days of pre season scouting.....it is an ******* wanting to sit in a specific spot whenever he pleases. I would have rather him taken down his camo tarps so I could have hid in more natural cover not so obvious to be seen by the ducks. I only moved there out of plan A not working out, but if I would have left my 10 dollar burlap tarp out there with my name on it I guess i could have kicked out the guy that beat me to my ideal spot, so none of this would have happen. 

I was more sour because my first timer had to see one of the uglier sides of the sport.


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## lilsean95 (Mar 6, 2007)

WOW make me want to hunt............People are *****e$ sorry. If I would have pulled up there I would have let you stay and called ducks for the youngster, as I have said "You can fix stupid and the more you try the dumber you become!" There is no ethics in hunting just people thinking there are more ethical then the next only to be a ass just like the rest of us are.


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## firenut8190 (Jul 15, 2006)

If it was my blind and someone was in it I would have asked to hunt together and if they said no! Game on. I would have started taking my blind down while they sat there in it.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

if someone beat me to "my" blind on public land...I woulda kicked my own ass for being an idiot.


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## lewy149 (Apr 19, 2007)

especially this time of year. no reason for people beating you to your spot on a week day. pretty crappy to me. you beat em in you beat em in. go ahead and pull ur blind u child.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## flockshot1967 (Dec 18, 2008)

Permanent blinds on public waters (any public waters) is simply claiming public resources for private use. Nothing new with this. 

"Guides" build 3,4,5,6 blinds and 'own' those spots for the season.

It sure seems wrong to me, but no Conservation Officer is going to show up and defend the public, even if you don't occupy their 'personal property' blind but simply set up with your own equiptment in that spot.


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## jasomx6 (Mar 28, 2010)

I was the one in his blind yes, but I waited until after opener four days and thought i might be able to take her out and not have to deal with that on a weekday but I was wrong. Like I said, I don't think this really even qualified as a blind, it was a five minute pop up an old tarp on a couple poles. 

I tried everything to negotiate with them, especially since it was almost hunting time. I asked if we could all jsut hunt together, I told them i would hunt there today and not next time, I even pointed out a spot a couple hundred yards away that I unltimatly ended up in, but I guess they didn't want to show any sportsmanship. So i picked up my couple dozen ducks SLOWLY, and moved and set them up during the first twenty minutes of shooting light, yay.


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## lastflight (Aug 16, 2005)

Duck-Hunter said:


> Now great lakes it IS first come first served that's where a lot of people get mixed up and also people refer to the deer hunting rule too. If you want to use someone blind...go deer hunting.


So what happens if you show up to your duck blind on inland public land and I am sitting in there with blaze orange and a slug gun? Can you kick me out?


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## Divers Down (Mar 31, 2008)

Typical Slob hunter. Taking claim over his end of the lake? Gimme a GD break:rant:
Next time, take that little crappy blind of theirs and sink in in the lake before you hunt there. You never saw any blind...End of story.
If that guy wants a private blind he needs to go buy some property then.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Without a doubt, duck hunters are the RUDEST most INCONSIDERATE, SOB'S in the hunting community......:lol:

Worse than state land deer hunters in Jackson, on opening day gun season. 

A few years back there was a guy that constructed a similar blind in the best spot on this little lake that we hunt. To my amazement, nobody messed with this guys spot, all year. 

In the OP's particular case,, I woulda just apologized and explained that I had a first-timer and figured nobody would be around on a week day. If they still asked me to move,,, I probably would have, just not worth the hassle anymore.


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## jasomx6 (Mar 28, 2010)

this is exactly what happen, there was no negotiating, I gave every good reason in the book, all true too, lol.

I moved to my prefferd spot which was now right between both others out there, but we saw ducks and enjoyed a nice morning. 

Wondering if the wind ever picks up if that tarp blind might end up "blowing away", lol


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## 1fish (Oct 2, 2006)

The solution to this problem is really easy. Change the law to where any blind constructed on public land must be removed at the end of each day. With portable blinds and boat blinds these days the only real purpose of building a blind on public land is to try and "claim" a piece of public property, which as most will agree is totally wrong on so many levels.

With that said, if I'm hunting somewhere on public land and there's a blind in the spot I want to hunt, and there's nobody there before me, I never hunt out of that blind (most are less than adequate anyhow), but I will hunt the spot without hesitation if I'm the first one there. 

Actually this is quite a sore spot with me. I don't deer hunt but feel the same way about any public land and hunting rather it be deer, bear, waterfowl, turkeys, etc etc. Public land is public land is public land and in no way shape or form should any individual be allowed to designate any of it in any way as prohibited from others using it.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

...is set up right next to whatever piece of crap blind might be there.
That way, you have the spot, you're not in their blind.
What are they going to do, throw you off public land? Set up in the blind, with you 20 feet away?
By not setting up in their blind, you're not taking advantage of their work, you're utilizing a public hunting spot.

I ran into this in Canada some years ago in Mitchell's Bay. But there, 6 decoys floating in a spot meant it was reserved. I overheard some guy with Hockey Hair bragging about this strategy. He had 4-5 groups of 6 decoys in all the best spots, and laughed at the stupid yanks that fell for it.

So, whenevr I found 6 decoys floating in a spot when I got there, I helpfully picked them up, secured the lines with 50-60 knots, and threw them behind my boat blind so the birds could'nt see the balled up mess.
Sure enough, the confrontation came, I told him that's how stupid yanks pick up decoys.
I think others were messing with his plan because the practice stopped shortly after.


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## duckhunterr13 (Jun 3, 2008)

shi kid-right on, kick your own ass for not being there early

william h bonney-yea jackson public land for deer is a real hoot

Ultimately this is why people go out and burn the blinds...people try to own the area and they learn that lesson the hard way. Do i agree with it? No, but i dont agree with contsructing a blind out of unnatural materials especially a tarp either.

Heard on the radio while in the thumb that a couple blinds on the bay got burned over the weekend, probably a confrontation earlier that weekend....


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## Squints (Oct 21, 2009)

William H Bonney said:


> Without a doubt, duck hunters are the RUDEST most INCONSIDERATE, SOB'S in the hunting community......:lol:
> 
> Worse than state land deer hunters in Jackson, on opening day gun season.
> 
> ...


I think this goes deeper than just hunters though. In my experiences people around Jackson are just rude in general. That's why unfortunately i hunt solo, none of my friends hunt and i've never met anyone around here that does that i'd be willing to spend hrs with. But, to the OP, i feel for you man. Next chance you get i would go hunt out there, 3 feet from the blind. When he confronts you, just say you're not using his blind.


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## quakattic (Aug 27, 2008)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> if someone beat me to "my" blind on public land...I woulda kicked my own ass for being an idiot.


couldn't have said it any better....


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## gomer (Dec 30, 2000)

I guess I don't see where the argument is here. The guy legally built a blind and affixed his name to it on public water. Whether it was a crappy blind or not does not matter. Someone set up in this legally build blind and he wanted to kick them out and he legally could. Sure he could have invited you to hunt with him but he didn't have to. 

Next year build your own blind there on Aug 15 or hunt nearby if you really like that spot.


At least you still had the option to hunt in the area. I live down in Virginia now and the blind laws here are so ridiculous that I don't even like going out on public water. Here you legally can't hunt within 500 YARDS of a blind on public waters. Sure, its nice if you actually have a blind license for a good area. However, the problem is ol' Billy Bob whose family has licenses for 10 blinds that lock up 3 miles of prime marsh gets first dibs on renewing the license each year, ultimately privatizing PUBLIC water for himself until he dies or gives up hunting.


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

i didn't think it sounded right what people were saying - so i posted this on the "ask a CO" board on MDHA forums. CO replied with this:



> On an inland lake it depends who owns the land. It goes back to riparian rights, and the pie shape to the middle of the lake. If its private land, the blind is private. If its state land, the same rules apply as on the great lakes.


you cannot "reserve" a spot on state land simply by putting your name on a blind.


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## kcud rellik (Mar 9, 2005)

lastflight said:


> So what happens if you show up to your duck blind on inland public land and I am sitting in there with blaze orange and a slug gun? Can you kick me out?


Yes you can be kicked out because it is a waterfowl blind constructed on public land on an inland lake and would have proper ID on it. However, if it was my blind I would let you "deer hunt" out of it while I was hunting just to laugh at you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## lab1 (Aug 31, 2004)

If possible, I try to avoid them all together. That way, my hunt aint screwd up. In your case, I can see guys trying to force you out, but they sure dont own the area. Just a bad situation.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

thedude said:


> i didn't think it sounded right what people were saying - so i posted this on the "ask a CO" board on MDHA forums. CO replied with this:
> 
> 
> 
> you cannot "reserve" a spot on state land simply by putting your name on a blind.


Yeah,, I knew that didn't sound right when he posted that. I didn't bother looking it up though...


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

lastflight said:


> So what happens if you show up to your duck blind on inland public land and I am sitting in there with blaze orange and a slug gun? Can you kick me out?


I would pull up ask you what you are doing and laugh at you for hunting deer over open water. If you had decoys set I would call the DNR and tell them some jack*** is sitting in my duck blind with blazed orange and a slug gun and pursuing waterfowl illegally.

If I was to show up to a guy with kid(s) I would move along. Not going to discourage young hunters.

A camo trap is a sad excuse to use for a permeant blind.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Duck-Hunter said:


> I would pull up ask you what you are doing and laugh at you for hunting deer over open water.


Biggest buck I've seen in Michigan came walking through open water at Quanicasee with cattails hanging from it's antlers.


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## 1fish (Oct 2, 2006)

TSS Caddis said:


> Biggest buck I've seen in Michigan came walking through open water at Quanicasee with cattails hanging from it's antlers.


Same here, I was hunting an inland lake during gun deer season and had been doing pretty well. At some point mid-morning, I walked back in the cattails to relieve some of my morning coffee and it was bedded down in the cattails not 20 yards from where I was hunting. He never even stood up, just looked at me like "SHHHHHH!!!! Don't tell anybody!!!!"


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

1fish said:


> He never even stood up, just looked at me like "SHHHHHH!!!! Don't tell anybody!!!!"


:lol:


You just distinguished yourself from 80% of Michigan duck hunters in that you didn't give him a face full of #4's.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

There is an island that is part of Harsens I saw exactly the same thing.

It was the third weeknd in the season about 5 years ago, and I was jump shooting ponds on this island.

Like the other posters, a deer with 10+ points and massive thickness rose out of a hole in the Phragmites (his rack was comically tangled with them too), snorted a few times, and watched me walk off.

Face full of #4's? How in the HECK was I going to drag a 200# deer through 1/2 mile of Phragmites by myself?


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## Shlwego (Sep 13, 2006)

thedude said:


> i didn't think it sounded right what people were saying - so i posted this on the "ask a CO" board on MDHA forums. CO replied with this:
> 
> "On an inland lake it depends who owns the land. It goes back to riparian rights, and the pie shape to the middle of the lake. If its private land, the blind is private. If its state land, the same rules apply as on the great lakes."
> 
> ...


This question has come up on the MDHA Ask the CO board a couple of times, and the answer above was given BOTH times. If you want to read it verbatim, here are the links. Print them out and show the blind owner that you cannot be kicked out of a blind, and let us know how that works for you.....

http://midha.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2507&highlight=BLIND

http://midha.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3731


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

waxico said:


> Face full of #4's? How in the HECK was I going to drag a 200# deer through 1/2 mile of Phragmites by myself?


Need to think like a grizz and stay with the carcass. Eat what you can, take nap, eat more, take nap. I'd suspect a mountain man like yourself could have stayed out there for a week on that kill


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

William H Bonney said:


> Yeah,, I knew that didn't sound right when he posted that. I didn't bother looking it up though...


Yep I just pulled it out of thin air. I remember when I was knee high and a CO on the particular lake we hunt said the something I said and so have the last two Co's we had patrolling the area.


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## 1fish (Oct 2, 2006)

Shlwego said:


> This question has come up on the MDHA Ask the CO board a couple of times, and the answer above was given BOTH times. If you want to read it verbatim, here are the links. Print them out and show the blind owner that you cannot be kicked out of a blind, and let us know how that works for you.....
> 
> http://midha.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2507&highlight=BLIND
> 
> http://midha.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3731


I don't think that the issue is so much can they "legally" make you move from the spot, but the "belief" that they now have that spot reserved for themselves at their convienence. I think most of us realize that legally we can hunt anywhere on public land.

The problem that arises is the conflict that is caused, just like the original poster described. First person gets to the spot to hunt, the person that built the blind shows up and tries to force the first person to vacate resulting in a conflict. Even though the first person is legally just fine and in the right, it still results in many an unpleasant situation which often times escalate into verbal and/or physical confrontations.

I mean it really doesn't help much to try and explain the finer points of legality to three angry guys with shotguns in the middle of a swamp at 5am when you're the only people around. Even if you were able to call law enforcement, it's still not going to salvage your morning's hunt and odds are you're going to run into those same people again if it's a place you hunt regularly and some people really just don't have anything better to do with their time than make your life miserable on a continous basis.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Duck-Hunter said:


> Yep I just pulled it out of thin air. I remember when I was knee high and a CO on the particular lake we hunt said the something I said and so have the last two Co's we had patrolling the area.


I'm usually quite good at sensing the sarcasm, but in this cases I'm a little perplexed, since you didn't use any "smilies"...

Anyway,, are you saying that numerous CO's informed you that it was "ok" to throw someone out of a duck blind that you built on an inland public lake???


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## kcud rellik (Mar 9, 2005)

Can you physically make then leave the spot your blind is located? No. They however, are suppose to leave the blind when the owner of said blind arrives. The blind itself is considered private property and the owner OWNS it. Do you have to leave the "spot"? No. Do you have to leave someones private property (the blind) even tho it is on pulic land? YES.

I (along with Duck-Hunter) have talked to atleast 2 different COs face to face about this issue so its not like we are just making up our own rules.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

William H Bonney said:


> I'm usually quite good at sensing the sarcasm, but in this cases I'm a little perplexed, since you didn't use any "smilies"...
> 
> Anyway,, are you saying that numerous CO's informed you that it was "ok" to throw someone out of a duck blind that you built on an inland public lake???


Lol sorry I didn't use any smiles in there. I wasn't trying to be a smart **** or nothing.

Pretty much it is a waste of time and a huge hastle to try and ask someone to leave your blind. The ONE time kcud-rellik and I had guys beat us to our blind it didn't go to well. We figured if they had all there decoys set we wouldn't bother them. We got to the blind and they just got ready to set up. We confronted them just like we would anyone(polite at first). They blew a gasket. Needless to say we made a call to the CO. We later got a phone call and he gave us a description and it was the same guys that gave us a problem and he said he was already going to confront them on other issues and said we wouldn't have to worry bout those guys anymore and he told us the samething I posted earlier in the thread. We have had multiple co's tell us the info I shared along with the one on the phone.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Duck-Hunter said:


> Lol sorry I didn't use any smiles in there. I wasn't trying to be a smart **** or nothing.
> 
> Pretty much it is a waste of time and a huge hastle to try and ask someone to leave your blind. The ONE time kcud-rellik and I had guys beat us to our blind it didn't go to well. We figured if they had all there decoys set we wouldn't bother them. We got to the blind and they just got ready to set up. We confronted them just like we would anyone(polite at first). They blew a gasket. Needless to say we made a call to the CO. We later got a phone call and he gave us a decryption and it was the same guys that gave us a problem and he said he was already going to confront them on other issues and said we wouldn't have to worry bout those guys anymore and he told us the samething I posted earlier in the thread. We have had multiple co's tell us the info I shared along with the one on the phone.


No biggie, I understand what you're saying now. 


See back when I started duck hunting,, there really were no such things as "boat blinds" and stuff like that... Every lake ya hunted on had real wooden "blinds" all over the shore's..... and they were pretty much fair game. There actually might still be some of those type blinds on 4 mile lake, those were sweet,,,, same as Winnewana,, had spots to pull your boat into, then hop out into the blind... :lol: Man,, those were the days!!


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## jasomx6 (Mar 28, 2010)

As the original poster I was simply sitting on this mini island because someone else was out NEAR my ideal spot, maybe 100-150 yards from where I like to sit, So trying to be poilite I moved farther away and I get crap from these guys who showed up an hour after the two groups that were already out there, literally ten minutes before shooting light. 

Either way, the person who sets up a blind to stay there all season in an area that is heavily hunted by many with limited spots is a greedy lazy bastard. Sorry but if you want special rights then earn them by owning property or scouting out private property and get permission, not the easy/ lazy way that building a blind on public land gets u.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

jasomx6 said:


> As the original poster I was simply sitting on this mini island because someone else was out NEAR my ideal spot, maybe 100-150 yards from where I like to sit, So trying to be poilite I moved farther away and I get crap from these guys who showed up an hour after the two groups that were already out there, literally ten minutes before shooting light.
> 
> Either way, the person who sets up a blind to stay there all season in an area that is heavily hunted by many with limited spots is a greedy lazy bastard. Sorry but if you want special rights then earn them by owning property or scouting out private property and get permission, not the easy/ lazy way that building a blind on public land gets u.


I hear ya man. When I read your post I felt exactly where you are coming from and I've been in your position and it sucks. You try to do the right thing and then get hastled for it. Especially someone who sets up some camo burlap and calls it a permanent blind.

The blinds we build are pretty much a fort. It has four walls, a roof and a door. We also have a porch and dog blind on ours. It takes a lot of time to camo the thing out and once it is constructed once it goes together in a matter of ten minutes with the help of a friend or two. We do put a lot of time into building and maintaining our blind. I a lot of people think we are "idiots" or whatever you want to call us. But when you hunt a lake enough and know how to hunt it, it is nice to do it in comfort. Hunting out of a perm. blind is WAY better then a boat especially on a cold rainy/snowy day. We put it out for our own personal use and when aren't there go for it and tear 'em up. Most people that hop into a permanent blind don't have a clue how much effort is put into putting that blind there for them to use and could carless because it isn't there's. That's why they get so fired up and don't see why we want to hunt in our blinds. Anyway I'm gunna get off my soap box now. Good luck Huntin and keep it safe. Ohhh and stay out of my blind! Lol JUST KIDDING. :coolgleam


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

seems pretty cut and dry to me. I don't think the point is to kick someone out of a blind that they built, but on the other hand - you can't just go around every decent wet-hole on state land and put a blind up and expect to hunt it all year. I can think of 5 or 6 pot-holes on state land around here. I could go put a ramshackle blind on each one and by some of your logic - have 1st right to hunt those potholes all season?? I don't think so.

Most inland lakes are not public. They may have a ramp, but the land itself is not public. As stated, riparian rights are in effect. If someone constructs a blind on a lake in this fashion, it is private and does not fall under the laws above. On the other hand they also must have permission from the land owner to place it there, which i would be surprised if most of them actually do.


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## kcud rellik (Mar 9, 2005)

Its not "by some of our logic" it is by law. 

Just like any other law, if you have a problem with it do something to get it changed.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

kcud rellik said:


> Its not "by some of our logic" it is by law.
> 
> Just like any other law, if you have a problem with it do something to get it changed.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


its not law. If its PUBLIC PROPERTY (ie state land) you do not have first right of using a blind and you cannot kick someone out of it just because your name is on it.

public lakes are not the same as public land. In most cases they are private property and therefore the blinds in the water are actually on private property and the owner can do whatever they want with them.


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## kcud rellik (Mar 9, 2005)

The blind is private property. 

If we are talking deer blinds then you're right in that you can't make someone leave but if you are talking about a duck blind (that is not on the great lakes or LSC) then you can.

If you want to continue this discussion please PM me.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## lewy149 (Apr 19, 2007)

somehow i feel like ur name plate may come up missing in the wind or id gladly give you a hand taking it down. we can all play the a hole game let.s figure out who is bigger.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Branta (Feb 6, 2002)

sounds like an interpretation issue.

blind on an inland (public) lake, secured to bottom land, in front of private property.... is private property. you're trespassing and you'll get the boot. 

said land owner and/or the person that is leasing that bottom land to build said blind, can (and will) kick you out at their discretion.

actually had to inform some guys of that fact during the middle opener


I think the Grey interpretation comes in when the blind(s) are on public bottomlands.



Here's an example of what I think Dude is trying to convey;
(dude, correct me if I'm wrong)

Let's say we have lake X that's a flooding created by the MDNR.

one person contends that hunter "A" can put HIS blind on it and can kick people out.
well? what's to stop hunter A from building blinds on every single point, every cove, every cherry spot in that flooding and because HE put them there.... you're saying he gets to kick you out on a whim? he could be at one spot, see you get in another blind and come kick you out and you'd have to comply even though you beat him to it? really?

if that were true, heck I'd be creating make shift blinds at a rate that'd rival a ford assembly plant!

now if hunter A catches you in his blind, I guess he has the right to tear it apart if you don't comply with his wishes to vacate, but my point is that one guy (or group) can't shut out the rest of the hunters from public hunting property just because they built a blind on public land.

at some point, reasoning and fair play have to come into effect, right?

again, I guess it's interpretation but we always used the "_Snooze you lose_" practice. the exceptions were; opening day , last weekend of season and thanksgiving holiday. you just didn't hunt someone elses spot. (then again, guys only had one blind too).

I think if we all showed each other a bit of courtesy, it'd go a long ways. Courtesy and respect to the blind builder considering the pains (and $$) someone had to go through to build it, but vis versa as well. 
If the builder is not in his spot by legal shooting hours..... that blind is (should be) fair game. 

Snooze.... you lose, I say.


~~~~~~~~~ Edit ~~~~~~~
here's an evil twist to this argument;

if you _could _get kicked out on a whim for "trespassing" on public land....

what's to stop the tree hugging/peta clan from propping up makeshift blinds all over our public lakes? simply have one PETA Yahoo go over to each blind that day, kicking guys out as they attempt to hunt.


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

Branta - that is 100% spot on as to what i've been (trying?) to say.



> The blind is private property.
> 
> If we are talking deer blinds then you're right in that you can't make someone leave but if you are talking about a duck blind (that is not on the great lakes or LSC) then you can.
> 
> If you want to continue this discussion please PM me.


this is not necessarily true. Public owned land.. the blind is on public property - same as the great lakes.
I would pm you but someone might read this and take it as fact. All i've been trying to say is what branta posted above. If i did a poor job making that point, i apologize.

Like i said - asked a co on MDHA and i copied and pasted his repsonse. Here it is again.


> On an inland lake it depends who owns the land. It goes back to riparian rights, and the pie shape to the middle of the lake. If its private land, the blind is private. *If its state land, the same rules apply as on the great lakes.*


back to the original post - i don't know if the blind in question was on a public lake but private ground or on a public lake on ground owned by the public as well. This would be the key distinction as to if it was legal to use the blind or not.


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## rivrat1959 (Feb 18, 2001)

thedude said:


> i didn't think it sounded right what people were saying - so i posted this on the "ask a CO" board on MDHA forums. CO replied with this:
> 
> 
> 
> you cannot "reserve" a spot on state land simply by putting your name on a blind.



Right on!! That guy lost his spot because he wasnt the first one there period. Public land there is no reserving spots blind or no blind, great lakes or inland lakes!!


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## Shlwego (Sep 13, 2006)

kcud rellik said:


> Can you physically make then leave the spot your blind is located? No. They however, are suppose to leave the blind when the owner of said blind arrives. The blind itself is considered private property and the owner OWNS it. Do you have to leave the "spot"? No. Do you have to leave someones private property (the blind) even tho it is on pulic land? YES.
> 
> I (along with Duck-Hunter) have talked to atleast 2 different COs face to face about this issue so its not like we are just making up our own rules.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Take a look at the links to the MDHA site I posted earlier in the thread. I believed the same as you, but the CO who answers the questions on that site said that "blinds on public land are treated the same way as blinds on the Great Lakes," which seems to indicate first come first stay - even if the owner shows up. If you've heard differently from other COs, then it appears that this is an area that needs clarification so that we have consistency in what COs tell hunters. It seems like it would be an easy fix to just print what they mean in the DNR's annual waterfowl guide. Either say _"All blinds on public property, including the Great Lakes are open to the first person who occupies them"_ or say _"Blinds located on public property other than the Great Lakes may be hunted at the discretion of the person whose name is properly affixed to the blind." _ Or something like that. As it currently reads, the intent is obviously not clear. Somebody is eventually going to get hurt over the confusion on this issue, and it doesn't have to be that way.


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## kcud rellik (Mar 9, 2005)

If blinds are first come first serve no matter the body of water why did the COs we talk to tell us we were in the right to make people leave our blind? Have these laws changed in the last year or two?

Edit: posted before I saw the post above. I agree, one way or the other it should be printed and known vs whatever the CO thinks. 

Thanks Branta, way to give PETA some ideas!! Haha
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Shlwego (Sep 13, 2006)

kcud rellik said:


> If blinds are first come first serve no matter the body of water why did the COs we talk to tell us we were in the right to make people leave our blind? Have these laws changed in the last year or two?


No, they haven't changed. But evidently how the "blind rule" is interpreted is not the same among COs. And this is not good. See my previous post.

But it's not "no matter the body of water." Like the Dude said, if the shoreline is private then a blind anchored to the bottomland off of that shoreline is also private EVEN IF the lake has a public access. In this situation, the riparian (shoreline) owner owns the hunting rights (but not the boating or fishing rights) to the water in front of his property. So in the end it all hinges on who owns the shoreline. But in situations where the shoreline is public, I think the way the "blind rule" is worded needs to be clarified.


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## Branta (Feb 6, 2002)

just emailed this thread to CWAC coordinator for review in their post season meeing (feb/march '11?)



~~~~~~
I reread my post as well and to clarify; It wasn't MY blind and had to kick guys out of it (if that's what it sounded like). I just happen to know who's blind it was and didn't recognize the boat/guys that were in there, so stopped over for a visit. this was probably an hour and half before shooting. 

same misconception; the guys figured since they were _in the water _on a public lake, it was "first come, first served". I let them know that wasn't quite true in this case, that they were actually hunting on private property and to make matters worse, in someone elses leased blind. (think about it; why would you lease a blind if you could hunt the same spot for free? doesn't make sense, right?)

So, I suggested they vacate (quickly!) before the other party showed up!

~~~~~~~~~

and Krud: PETA has the market cornered on "how to be a [bleepin', bleepity, bleep, bleeps]... - I'm sure they already thought of it!


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

thedude said:


> i didn't think it sounded right what people were saying - so i posted this on the "ask a CO" board on MDHA forums. CO replied with this:
> 
> 
> 
> you cannot "reserve" a spot on state land simply by putting your name on a blind.


 
Truth. End of story.


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## jasomx6 (Mar 28, 2010)

This blind was definatly on state/public land, and the idea of private owned blinds, off of private shorelines, giving the blind builders rights makes absolute sense. I was not 100% certain of the rules/laws but put forth an honest effort to talk common sense rule into these guys and it was jsut easier to move in the end. 

Took my 12 yr old nephew this morning for his first duck hunt and we watched different guys sit in the spot I got booted from so they at least didn't have to deal with that crap this morning. Nice morning of hunting too, only one duck, but lots of stories and laughs.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

Branta said:


> Let's say we have lake X that's a flooding created by the MDNR.
> 
> one person contends that hunter "A" can put HIS blind on it and can kick people out.
> well? what's to stop hunter A from building blinds on every single point, every cove, every cherry spot in that flooding and because HE put them there.... you're saying he gets to kick you out on a whim? he could be at one spot, see you get in another blind and come kick you out and you'd have to comply even though you beat him to it? really?
> ...


Very well put. I know myself and all the other guys on the lake that have the permenant blinds didn't put them out just to be able to kick people out at our own freewill. We all have a unwritten rule "if you aren't there within a half hr of shootin hrs it's far game". Kcud-rellik and I have only had a group of hunters beat us to our blind once in the 5 years we have had it. These guys got there pretty early and wanted to hunt it really bad apparently since we showed up at around 4:15am. All the people including myself don't think "screw it we don't have to be there until just before shooting times because WE OWN IT and kick people out." we all look at as if someone is going to beat us out there so we have to get there early. If I show up 1.5-2hr before shooting time I am going to confront them and ask them if they will leave and if there is enough room for both parties to hunt I'll even ask them if they want to team up for the day.


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