# Shiawassee



## steelsetter (Dec 14, 2003)

set up in fields waiting for parties to come in and hunt out there in the late 70's and early 80's? Or how several guys always seemed to manage to get top 10 or so draws on such a regular basis it defied all odds? Did you hunt there when the balls were rolling around in the "vase of fate"?

I hunted there *every day *of the season for 2 years, and missed a couple of days here and there a third when I was in High school and then Technical school.

Maybe my perception was off, and what I saw with my own two eyes was not really happening????:evil:

Sorry to say there guy, but the scams back then were thicker than mud on my Lab after a CI marsh hunt.....

Now things are better for sure. But humans (hunters or not) have tried or defeated any gambling/game of chance since the dawn of mankind. Is this gambling/gaming experience the only one that is not???

Alas, I imagine I will never know the "system"........ Oh well, nothing like not standing in line, gambling on my fate/destiny and shooting ducks anyway.


I wish you the best of luck with the "system" and happy hunting!



Mallard870 said:


> I always laugh at the "good ole boys" comment. Obviously soomeone who dosen't know the system very well. If someone does better than them there must be some grand conspiracy going on!
> 
> I can't even count the number of times I've had "good" draws only to watch people with worse draws shoot a lot of ducks.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

thedude said:


> man... hope i get a good draw tomorrow... know where i'm goin.:lol::evil:


Text message from thedude this morning at 5:17 am

"34th pick.........Mother effer!":lol:


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## jrsoup (Mar 2, 2007)

I cannot belive that this turned into such a rant. First off anybody that knows anything about waterfowl hunting knows that when November 1 comes you can set your clock to the activity out there in Charlie Town. 

I will laugh the rest of the week thinking about some of the comments. I apologize if I offended or upset anyone. But you know yesterday when we drew first when we approached the counter we did'nt have a clue really as to where to go....the fella in the yellow jacket behind the counter looked at us and said 59? I answered with where would you go? He wrote 59 on our card and we were off. So now its off to the top of the State for four days of drawing first everytime!:lol::lol::lol:


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## jrsoup (Mar 2, 2007)

GVSUKUSH said:


> Text message from thedude this morning at 5:17 am
> 
> "34th pick.........Mother effer!":lol:


 He did'nt go to 59 did he? I forgot to mention yesterday that all of the guys we talked to coming out did'nt do very good in the morning.....two here three there but that is hunting.


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## ScavengerMan (Sep 6, 2006)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> hah, knew i could bait someone in on this. Of course i can hunt a bad draw. But do you know how many times i've drawn 6th and got the hot field because someone didn't do their homework. I'm all for someone reporting they did awesome....thats good......hell even tell them the parkin lot name. But for gods sake....make them work a lil for this....posting a hot field or even close to it the nite of a good hunt is kinda like shooting yourself in the foot...specially when you are hunting the next day.
> 
> I can't begin to telll you how many people surf this site merely looking for that piece of info....i know it because i meet people daily at the draw and they introduce themselves as a screen name that has never posted. Alls i'm saying is be a little discreet with your coordinates...not that hard to do.


 
I can't begin to tell you how many people now travel from around the state to hunt Shiawassee because of the tireless promotional efforts of one guy. Perhaps that is the intention to draw hunters into the area like flies on "you know what". No matter the reason, it sure has brought in a lot of people and made one particular state game area the focus of attention. 

I find it a little ironic that someone who makes a barker at a Barnum and Bailey circus seem like a soft sell would worry about someone mentioning locations......


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## jrsoup (Mar 2, 2007)

ScavengerMan said:


> I can't begin to tell you how many people now travel from around the state to hunt Shiawassee because of the tireless promotional efforts of one guy. Perhaps that is the intention to draw hunters into the area like flies on "you know what". No matter the reason, it sure has brought in a lot of people and made one particular state game area the focus of attention.
> 
> I find it a little ironic that someone who makes a barker at a Barnum and Bailey circus seem like a soft sell would worry about someone mentioning locations......


 AMEN!


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## steelsetter (Dec 14, 2003)

bingo hunts as I get older. But even I am tempted by some of the posts here to go haul my junk over 2 or 3 mountains to hunt. Just wish I was out at the best duck hunting spot in the entire universe (SRSGA) instead of being at work today. I know that Maple River, CI, Saginaw Bay and other misc. sloughs, ponds, potholes, and drainage ditches in the State currently have NO birds right now. So please guys do not waste your precious time and gas by even going to them to hunt!  I will continue to monitor these areas as best I can and then report here with my findings when the birds finally arrive..... In the meantime continue to hunt area 59, as I continue to monitor areas 51:lol:



ScavengerMan said:


> I can't begin to tell you how many people now travel from around the state to hunt Shiawassee because of the tireless promotional efforts of one guy. Perhaps that is the intention to draw hunters into the area like flies on "you know what". No matter the reason, it sure has brought in a lot of people and made one particular state game area the focus of attention.
> 
> I find it a little ironic that someone who makes a barker at a Barnum and Bailey circus seem like a soft sell would worry about someone mentioning locations......


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## ducslayer2 (Sep 29, 2004)

Aren't you getting a little full of yourself here on the forum. The last time I checked, we still live in a free speech country and this is still a public forum. If someone wants to talk about where they hunted, so be it. I appreciate all the work you do at the flats, but that doesn't give the right to scold someone for giving secret spots away. You have your little group that calls each other every night, so that you know where the birds are. Maybe we should rename the flats to Shiawassee Kids hunt Club.


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## Mudfoot (Nov 28, 2006)

ducslayer2 said:


> Maybe we should rename the flats to Shiawassee Kids hunt Club.


No, that would imply he actually owns the place.


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

ducslayer2 said:


> Aren't you getting a little full of yourself here on the forum. The last time I checked, we still live in a free speech country and this is still a public forum. If someone wants to talk about where they hunted, so be it. I appreciate all the work you do at the flats, but that doesn't give the right to scold someone for giving secret spots away. You have your little group that calls each other every night, so that you know where the birds are. Maybe we should rename the flats to Shiawassee Kids hunt Club.


so if we both hunted a public spot and i posted gps coordinates to said spot and said "limits of birds here" you wouldn't mind then? free speech and all....

heck.. on this very forum you can't even post about entire rivers because of cyber-scouter fisherman.


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## flatsman (Jan 15, 2001)

I think I'll just pull up a chair and watch this one.  



:woohoo1:


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

I don't see what the big deal is. Drawing attention to Shiawasee itself causes more of a problem then posting on a specific spot. After all you still need to get drawn.


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## Water_Hazard (Aug 16, 2006)

TSS Caddis said:


> I don't see what the big deal is. Drawing attention to Shiawasee itself causes more of a problem then posting on a specific spot. After all you still need to get drawn.


Drawing attention is not a problem at all. Its nice to see 50+ parties. The state isn't going to keep the place open for us same 15 parties everyday. Everybody should try it out there at least once a year. As far as 59, today they didn't do so hot. I am not sure how they did for the last hour because we left early with our 16 mallards. We got really lucky today. Some hunters took a spot in the top 10 picks and then found out they couldn't make it out. We held the field down for them. Again, thanks.


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## Water_Hazard (Aug 16, 2006)

zr800o1le said:


> Went out this AM and missed a Diving flock of Bluebills, Then I shot your One Oddball, A hen lesser Scaup, Sorry.
> Would have been out tonight probably next to you but I have a Hole in the boat from this Mornings Hunt.


Found the fence post this morning. When pulling from the triangle to the woods, there is a green fence post barely sticking up out of the water on the triangle side. Definately will put a hole in the boat.


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

Water_Hazard said:


> Drawing attention is not a problem at all. Its nice to see 50+ parties. The state isn't going to keep the place open for us same 15 parties everyday. Everybody should try it out there at least once a year. As far as 59, today they didn't do so hot. I am not sure how they did for the last hour because we left early with our 16 mallards. We got really lucky today. Some hunters took a spot in the top 10 picks and then found out they couldn't make it out. We held the field down for them. Again, thanks.


16 birds - dang i'd hate to be the poor sap who gave up that field.


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## HunterHawk (Dec 8, 2005)

yup.... what a couple good guys to give up that field.... work always gets in the way... i will also offer a thanks because i just happend to be another one hunting that with water_hazard


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

HunterHawk said:


> yup.... what a couple good guys to give up that field.... work always gets in the way... i will also offer a thanks because i just happend to be another one hunting that with water_hazard


only thing worse i can think of would be finding a merganzer shoved up underneath some waders in the back of your truck.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

ducslayer2 said:


> Aren't you getting a little full of yourself here on the forum. The last time I checked, we still live in a free speech country and this is still a public forum. If someone wants to talk about where they hunted, so be it. I appreciate all the work you do at the flats, but that doesn't give the right to scold someone for giving secret spots away. You have your little group that calls each other every night, so that you know where the birds are. Maybe we should rename the flats to Shiawassee Kids hunt Club.


ok for starters......when did i try to stifle anyones free speech. If you comprehend what i wrote you would understand....gimme a break. I promote the flats every chance i get. I am the opposite of most locals who don't give information simply based on fear of the very nature of this post. I give honest information when someone asks me for it. I don't lie. I don't deceive. But what i will not do is set here and give out my hunt location and how many birds i shot and what time i did it for all to see. You know why? because i want to hunt it the next day, just like any other hunter in this place. 

To come on here and say "i just shot the piss outa the birds in 34 tonite....was a blast....see ya I'm going outa town tomorrow hunting" is ******....to all the hunters who maybe were in a field next to him or were scouting and seen them doing it that night. 

I have never treated the flats as my "own" personal hole, I've invited many, many new hunters to hunt with me and i share all the info i can with them. To set here and criticize me because i simply asked him to not state gps coordinates is ridiculous.

p.s. why don't you fill out your profile, stop hiding behind that screenname.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

ScavengerMan said:


> I can't begin to tell you how many people now travel from around the state to hunt Shiawassee because of the tireless promotional efforts of one guy. Perhaps that is the intention to draw hunters into the area like flies on "you know what". No matter the reason, it sure has brought in a lot of people and made one particular state game area the focus of attention.
> 
> I find it a little ironic that someone who makes a barker at a Barnum and Bailey circus seem like a soft sell would worry about someone mentioning locations......


ok so you honestly can't see a difference from promoting shiawassee as a great public hunting spot for everyone to enjoy and blurting out the hot field on the internet? please really, so what i really should be doing is promoting shiawassee and give out hot fields every nite.....would that comply with your thinking?

alot of people are ignorant in the thinking of keeping the shiawassee this great ol' secret......they want everyone to think their is no ducks being killed at srsga, and have it all to themselves.....and i am completely against it. What i don't want to see is exact fields given...i hate it, i would never do it, and i would never do to anyone that told me that they "killed them" in a certain field.


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## zr800o1le (Oct 20, 2005)

O.K my Hunting Buds just called, They hunted the marsh tonight and said all the Ducks were DIving into the Corn, but We were in the COrn Tonight and all the Ducks were Diving into the Woods.
Oh and by the way, I did find a Merganser under my waders.:yikes:


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## BFG (Mar 4, 2005)

As much as we all would like to think The Kid is offering up spots at the Shi...he really just promotes the area. Totally up to you to scout, decoy, and kill your own birds. 

I mean seriously...if someone PM'd me asking me which zone to draw at Pte. Mouillee I would tell 'em to figure it out for themselves...b/c that is what I had to do...

I'm also a big fan of posts that read like this....

"Picked zone 24(?) yesterday and filled the strap..."

I think it is cool and all that the DNR posts the kill numbers for the zones at the Managed Areas...but man...too many guys take that info WAY to seriously...

I'd like to get up to the Shi and give 'er a shot sometime. Hopefully in the next couple weeks. 

My, I'll figure it out as best I can, Regards...


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## sean (May 7, 2002)

BFG said:


> As much as we all would like to think The Kid is offering up spots at the Shi...he really just promotes the area. Totally up to you to scout, decoy, and kill your own birds.
> 
> I mean seriously...if someone PM'd me asking me which zone to draw at Pte. Mouillee I would tell 'em to figure it out for themselves...b/c that is what I had to do...
> 
> ...


Well said...over 2000 looking at this thread so far...I highly doubt there's enough room for all of us to take 59.:sad:

I think its funny watching people look at the kill board, frantically writing numbers down. If they only knew that the majority of the people fudge alot of the numbers there. I know of at least 20 people that wont write there numbers down....now they will write how many ducks they killed, but its not the zone they were hunting.:idea: :16suspect Im not a big fan of the kill board Im all for everyone shooting birds, but for gods sake your hunting in flooded corn right by a refuge!:lol:


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## MICHIGOOSE (Nov 20, 2002)

Ever since Shiawassee went to a delayed kill board, I don't think you can really learn much from looking at it other than how many birds got shot when you were there last week, if you believe the numbers....


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## sean (May 7, 2002)

MICHIGOOSE said:


> Ever since Shiawassee went to a delayed kill board, I don't think you can really learn much from looking at it other than how many birds got shot when you were there last week, if you believe the numbers....


Then you do the "Dang it, I knew we should of picked that field"!:lol:


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

MICHIGOOSE said:


> Ever since Shiawassee went to a delayed kill board, I don't think you can really learn much from looking at it other than how many birds got shot when you were there last week, if you believe the numbers....


what did come of that was hunters actually reporting honest kills. Back when it was posted the next day.....many lied and actual counts were next to possible to get. you are correct....but they do post the previous days draw order which is somewhat a better way if your a newer hunter to get the general idea.


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## zr800o1le (Oct 20, 2005)

I found all the Ducks today. They are all in the back yard in the Creek, Had to be 2-300 of them at noon. Come on down, If you can get in, about 100yds from the School.


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## zr800o1le (Oct 20, 2005)

Kid, where was that Pic taken of the Bucks under the Trampoline???
I need a good comfortable opening day SPot. Thanks.


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## MICHIGOOSE (Nov 20, 2002)

Kid,

I agree that the the numbers are for the most part accurate now, just sometimes I see stuff that makes me wonder like I was in the 30's a couple weekends ago, I know what we came out of there with and and it seemed like another group in the field did more shooting than us but there were only 5 other birds killed. Could be they just were having a hard time hitting em, did see the guys take a couple of long walks which I would guess would mean the bird got away. You never know I guess, but accurate delayed numbers are much better than bs the day after. 

I have always liked the fact that numbers are given for the group of fields unlike other managed areas I have been to, sure puts a premium on knowledge of the area and gives you hope for a good spot on a bad draw. The previous draw board is definately more useful.


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## BFG (Mar 4, 2005)

I've noticed the PM hunts at several Managed Areas include some very interesting numbers for kills...AM hunt shot 3...PM hunt shot 17. Granted, I also am aware that maybe some zones are better in the PM than AM...but c'mon...

Seeing as how you drop your permit in the tube (birds not checked on PM hunts)...there are obviously guys playing games and recording false numbers in an attempt to draw attention off the better zones.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

BFG said:


> I've noticed the PM hunts at several Managed Areas include some very interesting numbers for kills...AM hunt shot 3...PM hunt shot 17. Granted, I also am aware that maybe some zones are better in the PM than AM...but c'mon...
> 
> Seeing as how you drop your permit in the tube (birds not checked on PM hunts)...there are obviously guys playing games and recording false numbers in an attempt to draw attention off the better zones.


Thats exactly how it goes here. I can go hunt the morning and absolutely not fire my gun or shoot 1 bird. Go out in the afternoon and run outa shells.

I'm not sure what advantage your talking about, since kills don't get posted next day......what incentive do they have to lie on the card?


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## BFG (Mar 4, 2005)

They only hunt PM twice per week. If I have a preferred zone in mind for the next hunt, but I'm rotting in another zone that day in the PM...why not put that my party took a bunch of birds so that everybody that looks at the kill board 4 days later can say..

"wow...look at what happened in zone 9 on Wednesday PM....let's pick that one...."

This tactic is especially effective on newbies to the draws...


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## flatsman (Jan 15, 2001)

I'm not gonna say people don't do it. I just don't see how they would gain from it. Bird usage can change daily out there and often does. With that being said I don't know how you could go back to a zone a couple days later and plan on a great shoot.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

BFG said:


> They only hunt PM twice per week. If I have a preferred zone in mind for the next hunt, but I'm rotting in another zone that day in the PM...why not put that my party took a bunch of birds so that everybody that looks at the kill board 4 days later can say..
> 
> "wow...look at what happened in zone 9 on Wednesday PM....let's pick that one...."
> 
> This tactic is especially effective on newbies to the draws...


this is why kill boards are wrong. any way you look at it, they just encourage bad information.


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## Water_Hazard (Aug 16, 2006)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> what did come of that was hunters actually reporting honest kills. Back when it was posted the next day.....many lied and actual counts were next to possible to get. you are correct....but they do post the previous days draw order which is somewhat a better way if your a newer hunter to get the general idea.


I like the draw order sheet. There was about 4 days straight earlier this season that the same fields were being taken first in the draw and they weren't even producing very well. Best way is to be out there everyday. If you can't do that, try to plan it where you can hunt 2-3 days in a row. First day to figure out where the birds are working and the next couple days trying to get a good draw to get the fields. Spend a day out there, take a spot in the morning after the draw where you can hear the rest of the fields and just listen. Get in the draw for the afternoon and try to get there. Hunting a managed area successfully isn't as easy as a lot of people think.


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## Bullrush (Oct 7, 2005)

I have not been on this site in a while, looks like I am getting into it a little late.

I started hunting Shiawasee years ago by getting lost in the fog on an AM hunt not finding our zone and having to be back for the PM draw since we took left overs. I think we pulled over 3-4 dikes . . . . . TWICE.:yikes: What a day that was - never killed a bird but we learned a lot.

I know we learned the hard way where to hunt and when to hunt. To see some one "dump" info like that on a board is foolish and inconsiderate. Feel free to share just keep it to yourself on the exact details. 

Congrats on your hunt !

Mark


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

The only hot fields at SRSGA for my old feeble butt are the ones with NO DIKES TO PULL OVER. :lol:

Used to hunt there almost every day of the week (when I was a youngster), kill numbers where a farce back then as they are now, poor shooters/hunters, can have a great zone and kill few ducks. While good hunters/shooters can have a mediocre field and get good results. So unless ya know what type of hunters have been hunting there the numbers can be misleading. There are also some shifty characters that fudge their numbers.  

The same with draw postings the guys that got drawn in the top 10 may be first time or occassional hunters there and are picking based on their experience from a couple of weeks or even a couple of years ago, or basing their pick on last weeks kill chart. Only good way to know is be there and watch the birds and be aware of how changing conditions may affect them.

Used to be I had to call my buddies to get the scoop if I didn't hunt for a few days but I don't have to do that anymore all I have to do is look here. :lol: :lol: Which is great because now I don't have to share my info with my buddies just so I'll have the favor returned.  

Thanks JR keep the info coming and I hope my number is drawn before yours. :lol:


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