# Airboat Shot At????



## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

I'm friends with both guys that were in the boat. I came up to camp the day after the incident. The area they were hunting that day is stack with blinds. They were 75 yards or so from the blind. The driver saw the guy stand up shoulder his gun and shoot at them. It was before shooting hours. The guy that fired the shot is an idiot. Even if a airboat skirts your spread there is no reason to shoot at someone... Luckily his dog wasn't in the boat(usually sits right where my other friend was sitting)and no one was injured. 


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## S.B. Walleyes&Waterfowl (Jan 10, 2012)

just ducky said:


> Betting it was the same guy who did a flyby at Fish Point Tuesday about 3pm. Went right down over the refuge, then circled the entire bay. Thought it was pretty strange.


I wish he would buzz the greenhead unit when im hunting the davis unit every once in awhile!

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## S.B. Walleyes&Waterfowl (Jan 10, 2012)

Not all of us can be that lucky Salmonbum...

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## bheary (Dec 29, 2010)

just ducky said:


> Sad to say I believe that ship sailed a long time ago. Guys yelling obscenities across the marsh...talking about burning another person's blind...trying to "out robo" the party next to them by using one more than they have...the list is long :sad:
> 
> Wish I were sitting on a pothole in Nodak right now, where the only thing I'd have to be concerned with is what I want to make for dinner tonight


That's why I always stayed away from the east side

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## bheary (Dec 29, 2010)

just ducky said:


> that's the only thing we could think of. I know the DNR does counts, but I've just never seen a plane go that low. I mean he was no higher than some guys shoot at birds :lol:


Had one buzz me by q river one year. He was maybe 40ft above the cattails. Scared the ****e out of me. White with blue stripe

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## Gater DONE (Jan 17, 2010)

http://thumbnet.net/wire/headlines/06784_AIRBOAT_STRUCK_BY_BIRD_SHOT_ON_SAGINAW_BAY_074305.php

link to anther article, it was a "guide" in the airboat

not my all caps just the way thumbnet publish's

BIRDSHOT THAT WAS FIRED FROM A DUCK HUNTER ON SAGINAW BAY AND STRUCK AN AIRBOAT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY HURON COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTIES. OFFICERS WERE CALLED OUT SUNDAY MORNING TO THE LOCATION ABOUT 3/4 OF A MILE WEST OF POPS PLACE MARINA AT ROSE ISLAND. THE OWNER OF THE AIRBOAT, WHICH IS A GUIDE FOR HUNTERS SAID HIS AIRBOAT WAS STRUCK AS WAS HIS CLIENT WHERE A B-B HIT HIM IN THE BOOT-LEG AREA, BUT CAUSED NO INJURIES. THE AIRBOAT OPERATOR TOLD DEPUTIES AND D.N.R. OFFICERS THAT THEY WERE STRUCK WHEN THEY WERE HEADING OUT TO ANOTHER AREA, NEARBY TO HUNT. THE HUNTERS, AGES 62 AND 29 FROM FENTON WERE QUESTIONED AND TOLD OFFICERS THEY WERE SHOOTING AT A BIRD AT THE TIME. DEPUTIES CONTINUE TO GATHER STATEMENTS IN THE INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED ABOUT 6:30 SUNDAY MORNING.


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## idylmoments (Apr 28, 2002)

10 min before shooting time 75 yards away? Doesn't deserve to be shot but still not right. Two wrongs.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

idylmoments said:


> 10 min before shooting time 75 yards away? Doesn't deserve to be shot but still not right. Two wrongs.


Cutting between two blinds that's are 200 yards away...almost in the middle. Still missing the big point someone SHOT at two people because they were driving by in a boat. People like that shouldn't be aloud to be around guns let alone society...

If someone drives to close to you do you run them off the road just because they might have came a little too close?...


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## Tron322 (Oct 29, 2011)

Duck-Hunter said:


> If someone drives to close to you do you run them off the road just because they might have came a little too close?...
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


gotta read the news around this state more bro, happens a lot, but usually someone winds up dead.

personally, and I hope a lot of people agree with me, if I ever raise my gun up to shoot at someone close to hitting my dekes, at shooting hours, in a loud ass boat. I am hanging up or selling my gear, taking a break. Duck hunting has gotten way too stressful.

I am not against these guys having guns, obviously this is their trigger and their breaking point. I just call it hunting public land.


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## Sander vitreus 01 (Jan 2, 2008)

Marsh rage..awesome is this what we've become? Guy in airboat know your area....have consideration for others etc. Wake up get set up earlier. Shooter...not cool...attempted murder....frustration not worth a felony...worse a dead hunter...dumb

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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

*The side of the boat got hit, and there was damage to the airboat.*

both parties are at fault and should be ticketed. one for unsafe operation of airboat and hunter harassment and the other for unsafe discharge of firearm. going to Harsens bingo, hopefully do not end up with a sky buster next to me.


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## casscityalum (Aug 27, 2007)

Lot of assuming going on.....

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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Tron322 said:


> ...personally, and I hope a lot of people agree with me, if I ever raise my gun up to shoot at someone close to hitting my dekes, at shooting hours, in a loud ass boat. I am hanging up or selling my gear, taking a break. Duck hunting has gotten way too stressful.....




third time I've said it in this thread. It's only duck hunting...life is way too short


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## John Singer (Aug 20, 2004)

fsamie1 said:


> *The side of the boat got hit, and there was damage to the airboat.*
> 
> both parties are at fault and should be ticketed. one for unsafe operation of airboat and hunter harassment and the other for unsafe discharge of firearm. going to Harsens bingo, hopefully do not end up with a sky buster next to me.


Are you sure that both parties are at fault? Have you completed your investigation?


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

fsamie1 said:


> *The side of the boat got hit, and there was damage to the airboat.*
> 
> both parties are at fault and should be ticketed. one for unsafe operation of airboat and hunter harassment and the other for unsafe discharge of firearm. going to Harsens bingo, hopefully do not end up with a sky buster next to me.


 The more that I read this I cannot see a case of hunter harassment here. The guys in the airboat have every right to be on a public waterway and to go where they want to in their airboat. It was not shooting hours when they went through. If a guy was out on the lake pulling planer boards and he comes close to a duck hunter is he harassing the hunter probably not unless there is malicious intent. The guy fishing has an equal right to be on the water. If the fisherman is on the water first and a hunter throws decoys in his path who is harassing who?


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

They may have felt in danger, tried to warn the boat off and used the loudest item they had to get the drivers attention.

And since #2 shot damaged the boat, I would say it was pretty close, 40-50 yards?

I had one just miss us from behind one morning at O dark :30.
He was running wide open knocking down 12' phramites and didn't see us until he was 40' from us, executed a hard right, and never even slowed down or stopped to apologize. And I was WAAAY back in the old marsh on Dickinson Island.
If I would have had a gun loaded, I would have probably shot in the air over his head. Scared the crap out of us, looked like a Mack Truck.


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## nosleeptillbrooklyn (May 8, 2005)

catfishhunter39 said:


> Your must be putting me on, did't hear the air-boat. You can hear those guys a mile off. I do a lot of cat fishing, and they always seem to fine me no matter where I'm at on the bay. some days worse than others.


I was being sarcastic with that comment. I have been on the bay and heard the airboats from miles away.


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## Divers Down (Mar 31, 2008)

waxico said:


> They may have felt in danger, tried to warn the boat off and used the loudest item they had to get the drivers attention.
> 
> He was running wide open knocking down 12' phramites and didn't see us until he was 40' from us, executed a hard right, and never even slowed down or stopped to apologize.


:yikes:Oh Man!! Its self defense at that point. Scary


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## sjk984 (Jan 4, 2010)

But officer IT was the biggest damn dick I've ever seen.

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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

sjk984 said:


> But officer IT was the biggest damn dick I've ever seen.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Seen a lot of em eh?


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## Big Skip (Sep 1, 2010)

casscityalum said:


> Lot of assuming going on.....
> 
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No....not on this site

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## gr8lakefisher (Jan 17, 2009)

Just had a local Co tell me that if your anchored then Noone is allowed to make a wake within 100 ft. That would be over 30 yards I can't see any kind of bird shot doing damage to a boat much further than that. 

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## Bills N Gills (Jan 30, 2013)

gr8lakefisher said:


> Just had a local Co tell me that if your anchored then Noone is allowed to make a wake within 100 ft. That would be over 30 yards I can't see any kind of bird shot doing damage to a boat much further than that.
> 
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Well in that case......Shoot at them:SHOCKED:


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## Shlwego (Sep 13, 2006)

gr8lakefisher said:


> Just had a local Co tell me that if your anchored then Noone is allowed to make a wake within 100 ft.


 
And if they can't even SEE you due to vegetation, what then? This is all fine and good in open water (though people still ignore it all the time), but it means next to nothing in a marsh.

I am sure there is an ongoing investigation. Until it's complete everything we say here is merely speculation. From what has been reported, it sounds like the "gentlemen" doing the shooting in this case were actually in a blind. Without knowing exactly where it was located, it's again only speculation, but I think it's highly unlikely that they thought the blind they were in was going to get taken out by the airboat. It sounds more like they were over reacting to the frustration of having an airboat scare away every duck in the marsh 10-minutes before shooting time. Of course that is also only speculation.... And if it is the case I can't blame them for feeling frustrated (I've felt that way about airboats, too), but their actions were totally uncalled for. Shooting at someone in frustration is NEVER the answer. Again, two wrongs don't make a right, and this could have been a lot worse.


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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

You shouldn't be making any wake in vegetation or tight marsh. As long as a boat has proper lighting..."I didn't see him because I was going too fast" is not a very good excuse. 

Tell me if I'm wrong, but isn't it illegal to destroy the marsh. ie. blazing through 10' fragmites in an airboat.


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## augerin (Aug 7, 2012)

Nuff Daddy said:


> Yeah. Pretty good sized plane. If I remember right it was all white with a blue/green stripe down the side. It had 2 bright flashing lights in the wing tips.
> I made this little make shift blind for when the water goes out. I want to know who the guys was so he can tell me what it looked like from the birds point of view.
> View attachment 49510


If the plane/pilot wasn't part of a Duck Counting/Survey opperartion the they were in violation. 

AIM 7-5-6 reads, in part:
Pilots are requested to maintain a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet above the surface of the following: National Parks, Monuments, Seashores, Lakeshores, Recreation Areas and Scenic Riverways administered by the National Park Service, National Wildlife Refuges, Big Game Refuges, Game Ranges and Wildlife Ranges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wilderness and Primitive areas administered by the U.S. Forest Service.

Most duck counting happens at about 150'. My guess is they were DNR.

The flashing lights in the wingtip are strobes. Used for clearence/I.D. & just to let the other guy see you. Hopefully! 

The plane you saw could of been the guy who crashed his Kitfox of Maisou Island, Christmas Day last year.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

augerin said:


> ...Most duck counting happens at about 150'. My guess is they were DNR....


I spoke with a DNR staffer last night...the DNR did a canvasback survey on Saginaw Bay on Tuesday, so I'm assuming that was the plane also taking a look at the various refuges while they were up.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

augerin said:


> If the plane/pilot wasn't part of a Duck Counting/Survey opperartion the they were in violation.
> 
> AIM 7-5-6 reads, in part:
> Pilots are requested to maintain a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet above the surface of the following: National Parks, Monuments, Seashores, Lakeshores, Recreation Areas and Scenic Riverways administered by the National Park Service, National Wildlife Refuges, Big Game Refuges, Game Ranges and Wildlife Ranges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wilderness and Primitive areas administered by the U.S. Forest Service.


FWIW, Wildfowl Bay meets none of these criteria.....



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## augerin (Aug 7, 2012)

Your right but Fish Pointe Wildlife refuge does & N.P. & Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge


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## sjk984 (Jan 4, 2010)

Shlwego said:


> And if they can't even SEE you due to vegetation, what then? This is all fine and good in open water (though people still ignore it all the time), but it means next to nothing in a marsh.
> 
> I am sure there is an ongoing investigation. Until it's complete everything we say here is merely speculation. From what has been reported, it sounds like the "gentlemen" doing the shooting in this case were actually in a blind. Without knowing exactly where it was located, it's again only speculation, but I think it's highly unlikely that they thought the blind they were in was going to get taken out by the airboat. It sounds more like they were over reacting to the frustration of having an airboat scare away every duck in the marsh 10-minutes before shooting time. Of course that is also only speculation.... And if it is the case I can't blame them for feeling frustrated (I've felt that way about airboats, too), but their actions were totally uncalled for. Shooting at someone in frustration is NEVER the answer. Again, two wrongs don't make a right, and this could have been a lot worse.


ThAt is kind of like over driving your headlights on your windshield wipers in bad weather if you can't react then it your issue. 

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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

Robert Holmes said:


> The more that I read this I cannot see a case of hunter harassment here. The guys in the airboat have every right to be on a public waterway and to go where they want to in their airboat. It was not shooting hours when they went through. If a guy was out on the lake pulling planer boards and he comes close to a duck hunter is he harassing the hunter probably not unless there is malicious intent. The guy fishing has an equal right to be on the water. If the fisherman is on the water first and a hunter throws decoys in his path who is harassing who?


He has the right to be there but common sense should tell him not to run so close to the other guys' decoy spread. he has the right to be on the lake but does not have the right to drive into decoy spread. as I said shooter is a moron too. I was in layout boat on LSC the other day and this cruiser drove 40 yards from me wide open and looking at me and decoy spread. I say he was just a DI^%. I am worried about a drunk with auto pilot while layout shooting.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

You're lucky he didn't swamp you.
If it was a 40 footer running WOT he had to be throwing a heck of a wake.
Did you wave or try to signal?


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## Swamp Boss (Mar 14, 2003)

Wait, this was an airboat driven by a guide. Shouldn't this be a nuisance species thread?


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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

waxico said:


> You're lucky he didn't swamp you.
> If it was a 40 footer running WOT he had to be throwing a heck of a wake.
> Did you wave or try to signal?


 it was about a 27 footer and made 2-3 foot wake. he was checking me and decoy out all the way so there was no point to wave. just an air head, not thinking what he was doing. or anti-hunter trying to annoy us.


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## Divers Down (Mar 31, 2008)

fsamie1 said:


> it was about a 27 footer and made 2-3 foot wake. he was checking me and decoy out all the way so there was no point to wave. just an air head, not thinking what he was doing. or anti-hunter trying to annoy us.


We store a 4X4 ft orange tarp in the layout for such occasions but yes, a shot across their bow to get attention will happen if my life's in danger of being ran over.


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## slammer (Feb 21, 2006)

Nuff Daddy said:


> You shouldn't be making any wake in vegetation or tight marsh. As long as a boat has proper lighting..."I didn't see him because I was going too fast" is not a very good excuse.
> 
> Tell me if I'm wrong, but isn't it illegal to destroy the marsh. ie. blazing through 10' fragmites in an airboat.


I know of an airboat that ran over an airboat full of guys in the early season. One cutting through the vegitation, both at high speed, and one boat drove right over the other. Some guys were able to bail out but one was pressed into the muck. He lived but was jacked up pretty bad.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

augerin said:


> Your right but Fish Pointe Wildlife refuge does & N.P. & Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge


Fish Point would not as it is run by the state and not by the feds. 


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## ausable riverboat (May 10, 2010)

just ducky said:


> I spoke with a DNR staffer last night...the DNR did a canvasback survey on Saginaw Bay on Tuesday, so I'm assuming that was the plane also taking a look at the various refuges while they were up.


 The DNR for safety always used to use twin engine aircraft for surveys. FAA says you must not fly lower than 500 feet. I would say that some hotdog pilot was flying the plane.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

ausable riverboat said:


> The DNR for safety always used to use twin engine aircraft for surveys. FAA says you must not fly lower than 500 feet. I would say that some hotdog pilot was flying the plane.


The plane was at least 1/2 or 3/4 mile from us on the bay, and although some have posted he was 50 feet up, I would guess he was 100 - 150 yds up at the lowest when I saw him. Which would about correspond to the 500 ft rule.

I can't imagine there was another plane out there on Tuesday doing flybys of the managed areas and the bay, but who knows?


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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

just ducky said:


> The plane was at least 1/2 or 3/4 mile from us on the bay, and although some have posted he was 50 feet up, I would guess he was 100 - 150 yds up at the lowest when I saw him. Which would about correspond to the 500 ft rule.
> 
> I can't imagine there was another plane out there on Tuesday doing flybys of the managed areas and the bay, but who knows?


When it came over me it was well within 100 yards. I could have easily hit it with a rock if I wanted to.


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