# Party shooting?



## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

Question came up in another thread if people party shoot? Some who say that they do not do it themselves believe no one else does it.


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

I think there's a difference between party shooting and party filling the bag. 

Party shooting, everyone that still has birds to fill shoots at it. One guy claims it towards his bag. The person that thinks they "got" it.


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## Rhawk86 (May 21, 2013)

When I shoot with Family, such as my father. We stop when we hit our limit. There is no concern for us on how many we shot personally.

When I hunt in a group of friends and guests, we definitely keep an individual tally. Your hot seat usually finishes first and let the others catch up.

I guess I need to apologize for how I have been hunting. I am not abiding by the law every time I hunt. But I am not abiding by the law every time I jump in the car.

Filming and trying to commercialize your hunting activities, you better set the right example for all who see. In any spotlight you’re held to higher standards. 

Just my confession and thoughts. I can’t really throw stones here.


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

BumpRacerX said:


> I think there's a difference between party shooting and party filling the bag.
> 
> Party shooting, everyone that still has birds to fill shoots at it. One guy claims it towards his bag. The person that thinks they "got" it.


What is party filling the bag? 
Everyone thinks they got it.:lol:


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

fsamie1 said:


> What is party filling the bag?
> Everyone thinks they got it.:lol:


This is why everyone shoots different shells samie. Come on man. You know this one. Just cut it apart and look at the shot in it.

Blindside hex
Black Cloud with the rings
Walmart Winchester all deformed

But the dude shooting the cheapie federals is the one that probably really killed the bird.

If it's a band though I definitely got a piece of it. 0-70ish. I'm due.


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## Fishfighter (Dec 20, 2009)

Its not hard to tell who shot a bird and claim it towards your bag. Maybe you just shoot at a flock and dont single out a bird to shoot at fsamie? Or maybe all of us arnt so greedy to try and call every bird we shoot at as our own. What is so hard about putting your gun away when you reach your limit? The opinios were made clear by many people in the other thread why did you feel like you needed to make another one to get your opinion smacked down again?


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

I am changing my user name to PartyShooter007 and I'm not voting in this poll. 

see y'all around


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## buckhunter14 (Oct 10, 2007)

You are missing the point.


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## Wallis (Nov 10, 2015)

Pointless poll...
It’s a simple 4 step rule I abide by.
1. Stay in my lane 
2. Put ducks on MY stringer
3. Unload gun when there are 6 ducks on said stringer
4. Don’t touch my gun until time to bag it up, and just enjoy watching buddies shoot birds

One time back home I unloaded after my 4 mallards only to have a group of teal fall in a timber hole like mallards. Now it stays loaded until I shoot my bonus birds. 
Also it’s never fun being the guy missing a duck or ducks on your stringer on a bad shooting day. Your shooting goes from bad to worse... so I hear at least.


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

That's why I luv to layout hunting. It's just u and the birds. No guessing who got what. Jmo good luck and be SAFE.


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

When I used to guide it was crazy how many people could not hit the broad side of a barn.had a group that said geese were to far,25 yards from pit blind. I called the shot no one shoots,gave them 3 seconds and I dropped 3 bird's.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

this question is worded so wrong i can see why lefties get the polls wrong all the time...

question should be: if 2 man are limited out and you need 1 bird for the 3rd limiit, do all 3 shoot at it.

two completely different scenario's being portrayed here samie....although i'm not surprised by your version...


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

to answer your question. i shoot backup on every single bird through the decoys until i have my limit. once i have my limit i will move whoever needs birds to the best spot and let them have at it til they are done.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

How should chasing down, and killing, cripples, while layout hunting count?


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## lefty421 (Dec 7, 2012)

DecoySlayer said:


> How should chasing down, and killing, cripples, while layout hunting count?


We give it to the first guy that knocked it down. Everyone shoots at cripples.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

I agree, just wondering what others thought.


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

What I really want to know is where is Apollo? Is he okay?


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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

BumpRacerX said:


> What I really want to know is where is Apollo? Is he okay?


LOL, I have not told him that season started since I can pick any zone single. Tied of telling him to hide.


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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> this question is worded so wrong i can see why lefties get the polls wrong all the time...
> 
> question should be: if 2 man are limited out and you need 1 bird for the 3rd limiit, do all 3 shoot at it.
> 
> two completely different scenario's being portrayed here samie....although i'm not surprised by your version...


LOL, but we lefties like everyone to vote.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

fsamie1 said:


> LOL, but we lefties like everyone to vote.


SURE you do! LOL!


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## Reef runner (Jan 21, 2020)

A hunting partner should be at the ready when a single comes in, even if they have no intention of shooting the bird. If the bird gets crippled they should be shooting. My crew will empty out their guns on my cripple. Doesn’t matter who finished it off. It goes on my strap.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Small groups we call the shot to someone. That's the first shot, you miss and we are joining in.

First blood drawn gets the bird.

Everyone backs up a hit bird. That gets interesting when you are limited but there's a hit goose gliding into the refuge.

If someone limits out quicker than others, we may rotate positions to help those who aren't as far along.


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## Outdoor Gal (Sep 9, 2008)

At this point I'm not sure I remember what a limit is. Lol

Group shoots into a flock of birds. Everyone hopefully picks birds in "their zone". Birds get claimed by individuals. One bird left on the limit. One person shoots at it. It's pretty simple, not sure why this is even a debate.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

fsamie1 said:


> LOL, but we lefties like everyone to vote.


even the dead and illegals, we know.


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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> even the dead and illegals, we know.


Cannot even have the live ones vote because of all righties obstacles. Did you hear about post office?


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## BFG (Mar 4, 2005)

Watching Youtube it is pretty damn obvious that a lot of those folks party shoot. Someone mentioned having to be careful in videos....um, they don't really pay attention to that from what I have seen. 

As a hunter, it is your job to know what you hit and what you did not. You have your face to the stock, you pull the trigger, you see what happens thereafter. You know whether you hit your target or not. If you did, that bird is yours, not matter who else finished it off. I agree totally, a crippled bird on the water is going to get swatted by everyone in the party. We came to shoot birds and retrieve them, not watch them swim into the cattails because the shooter had a poor angle on the cripple. 

We layout hunted for 10 years on Erie and I can say with confidence that I burned through 5x as many shells while chasing cripples than I ever did gunning from the layout.


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

If you shoot them in the lips you will have no cripples. Lol


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

If you shoot them in the lips you have no cripples lol


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

To me ground swatting and group shooting are in the same category. Big no no's on my rig. JMO


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

Hypothetical: Flock of Teal fly through without landing left to right, 15 birds. 3 guys shoot and empty their guns, 5 dead birds.
Who shot what?
Anybody got any suggestions how to figure this out? Or, do we divvy them up, as we do?


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> this question is worded so wrong i can see why lefties get the polls wrong all the time...
> 
> question should be: if 2 man are limited out and you need 1 bird for the 3rd limiit, do all 3 shoot at it.
> 
> two completely different scenario's being portrayed here samie....although i'm not surprised by your version...


I think the question should be why does it have to be illegal in michigan for everyone to shoot? Not sure about ducks in other states but with most game in other states party shooting is legal and accepted. Pheasants they do this all the time in many states. Heck minnesota allows party hunting with deer. Why is it a big deal here?


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

DirtySteve said:


> I think the question should be why does it have to be illegal in michigan for everyone to shoot? Not sure about ducks in other states but with most game in other atatws party shooting is legal and accepted. Pheasants they do this all the time in many states. Heck minnesota allows party hunting with deer. Why is it a big deal here?


It's a federal migratory bird rule, not a Michigan rule.


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## Divers Down (Mar 31, 2008)

DirtySteve said:


> I think the question should be why does it have to be illegal in michigan for everyone to shoot? Not sure about ducks in other states but with most game in other atatws party shooting is legal and accepted. Pheasants they do this all the time in many states. Heck minnesota allows party hunting with deer. Why is it a big deal here?


$$$$$ Its an easy ticket grab, fish or game.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Urriah said:


> It's a federal migratory bird rule, not a Michigan rule.


Well I figured that might be the.case but that doesn't change the question of why it would have to be that way. We also dont allow party shooting in michigan for pheasants grouse woodcock rabbits etc..

It would make sense to allow it for ducks since typically every person in the party shoots at most flocks that come in range. It isnt like other types of hunting where hunters would be more spread out.


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## Wallis (Nov 10, 2015)

waxico said:


> Hypothetical: Flock of Teal fly through without landing left to right, 15 birds. 3 guys shoot and empty their guns, 5 dead birds.
> Who shot what?
> Anybody got any suggestions how to figure this out? Or, do we divvy them up, as we do?


I would say 90% of the time I know what bird I killed and where it lays. I have hunted with guys who like to claim every bird killed but usually I just tell them that the bird folded when I pulled the trigger and it was in my lane. If they keep on then I will surrender the bird if it was borderline lanes. But I keep an eye on there stringer too and when they have 6 they are done. If I’m running the hunt it’s abided by or they will have a long walk back. If someone else is running it I am not as dogmatic about it. But I will still shoot my birds and they will deal with being over the limit if they shoot more. Not saying it’s the perfect way but it’s the way I do it. 

If it’s my boat, it’s my rules. I will welcome a discussion but if they don’t have a valid argument, I will gladly leave them with there birds and a life jacket and let the CO give em a ride back to the truck.


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

fsamie1 said:


> Cannot even have the live ones vote because of all righties obstacles. Did you hear about post office?


How could we have made it any easier for everybody to vote? There’s no excuse not to vote


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

Wait a minute did the poll question change?


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## stancat (May 14, 2012)

AaronJohn said:


> How could we have made it any easier for everybody to vote? There’s no excuse not to vote


I would rather read about ducks here but since you asked, Here is a good place to start. Don't jack up operations in the post offices where you think most mail in votes will be for an opposing candidate. That's some gangster **** that should offend every American who care as much about free elections as he does about whether his guy wins.


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## twoteal (Jul 22, 2001)

Are you still beating your wife?

1. Yes
2. No



great poll.


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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

Well, I rest my case. 25 percent do not party shoot and maybe should start doing that if they want to fill the party limit quicker. Sorry Kid, just take one string next time.


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

For those of you that like to party Shoot, You should find a another sport, Golf or badminton. That is not very sporting, But then again most of the party shooters are also Ground swatters. It is called wing shooting not water shooting. Good luck guys and shoot Then in the lips. JMO


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## Fishfighter (Dec 20, 2009)

Gonna be keeping a party limit today.... Hunting solo.


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## Ieatshrooms (Sep 19, 2019)

fsamie1 said:


> Well, I rest my case. 25 percent do not party shoot and maybe should start doing that if they want to fill the party limit quicker. Sorry Kid, just take one string next time.


You and your ilk are basically why I avoid the waterfowl forum. You act like this poll proves something but it's an obvious misrepresentation of what party shooting is. Sure, on occasion it can be debated about who shot which duck, but if the group makes a decision and sticks with it, the duck goes to that person's limit. That is a far cry from needing one bird for a 2 man limit and having both people shoot. Someone in that case is at their limit and attempting to shoot over. This poll proves nothing except for how little you understand, and is a pathetic attempt at justifying your illegal actions.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Ieatshrooms said:


> You and your ilk are basically why I avoid the waterfowl forum. You act like this poll proves something but it's an obvious misrepresentation of what party shooting is. Sure, on occasion it can be debated about who shot which duck, but if the group makes a decision and sticks with it, the duck goes to that person's limit. That is a far cry from needing one bird for a 2 man limit and having both people shoot. Someone in that case is at their limit and attempting to shoot over. This poll proves nothing except for how little you understand, and is a pathetic attempt at justifying your illegal actions.


I think his poll has merit. There really is no difference between 3 hunters shooting at 16 ducks and then continue for 17th &18th in principle. I get that the law wouldnt see it that way but if you all shoot at a duck and then decide who gets it whats the difference? Morally It doenst matter if it is the first duck through the 16th... but 17th & 18th duck your a lousy violater. You are kinda blinding yourself to the issue here if you cant see that that this a bit hypocritical.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

I have never liked volley fire videos.
They sell videos however.
It sounds exciting, lots of high fiving, big piles of dead animals, all that.

It gives a false impression of the migratory waterfowl laws however.

Doesn't seem like many people ever learned that at their beginning.


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## Ieatshrooms (Sep 19, 2019)

DirtySteve said:


> I think his poll has merit. There really is no difference between 3 hunters shooting at 16 ducks and then continue for 17th &18th in principle. I get that the law wouldnt see it that way but if you all shoot at a duck and then decide who gets it whats the difference? Morally It doenst matter if it is the first duck through the 16th... but 17th & 18th duck your a lousy violater. You are kinda blinding yourself to the issue here if you cant see that that this a bit hypocritical.


What, do you just shoot into a flock and just hope and pray you drop a bird? It isn't that difficult to pick a bird, watch it drop, that's your bird. If two guys shoot the same bird there may be a decision of who claims it, but both people were under limit at the time shots were fired...still a far cry from what prompted this thread when one guy is clearly at limit and still shooting. Im sorry if your shooting skills are so poor you don't even know what you are shooting and hitting, that is just inexperience.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Ieatshrooms said:


> What, do you just shoot into a flock and just hope and pray you drop a bird? It isn't that difficult to pick a bird, watch it drop, that's your bird. If two guys shoot the same bird there may be a decision of who claims it, but both people were under limit at the time shots were fired...still a far cry from what prompted this thread when one guy is clearly at limit and still shooting. Im sorry if your shooting skills are so poor you don't even know what you are shooting and hitting, that is just inexperience.


Since you are bringing up hypotheticals...


Say you have 3 hunters in your group. 5 ducks decoy. Two are nice drakes but you all shoot at the closest drake....or maybe you shoot both drakes between the 3 of you. Your buddy who never hits anything is so excited because he was certain he dropped his bird but you know you hit it. No big deal you hunt all the time and he doesnt get the oppurtunities that you get so you let him claim the bird. This happens two more times during the morning. 

You shoot half your buddies limit. Do you stop at 3 since you think you killed 3 already? Do you shoot your limit knowing deep down 9 of the 18 birds you killed? You are basically shooting birds and giving away half your limit if you shoot a limit that day.


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

Carpenter Bill said:


> For those of you that like to party Shoot, You should find a another sport, Golf or badminton. That is not very sporting, But then again most of the party shooters are also Ground swatters. It is called wing shooting not water shooting. Good luck guys and shoot Then in the lips. JMO


Is it more ethical to take 40 yard pass shots or land ducks and swat them? What about sneak shooting divers, that unethical?


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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

DirtySteve said:


> Since you are bringing up hypotheticals...
> 
> 
> Say you have 3 hunters in your group. 5 ducks decoy. Two are nice drakes but you all shoot at the closest drake....or maybe you shoot both drakes between the 3 of you. Your buddy who never hits anything is so excited because he was certain he dropped his bird but you know you hit it. No big deal you hunt all the time and he doesnt get the oppurtunities that you get so you let him claim the bird. This happens two more times during the morning.
> ...


That is exactly ho it is done. Not me, I hunt alone.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

Urriah said:


> Is it more ethical to take 40 yard pass shots or land ducks and swat them? What about sneak shooting divers, that unethical?


Don't worry about ethical/unethical. Worry about legal/illegal.
Ethical/unethical is a personal choice decision within the legal framework.

You can make it as hard as you want to. Just be legal about it.


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## Ieatshrooms (Sep 19, 2019)

DirtySteve said:


> Since you are bringing up hypotheticals...
> 
> 
> Say you have 3 hunters in your group. 5 ducks decoy. Two are nice drakes but you all shoot at the closest drake....or maybe you shoot both drakes between the 3 of you. Your buddy who never hits anything is so excited because he was certain he dropped his bird but you know you hit it. No big deal you hunt all the time and he doesnt get the oppurtunities that you get so you let him claim the bird. This happens two more times during the morning.
> ...


I tell my buddy sorry champ, I shot that duck and it goes on my stringer. I watched it fold on my shot. Guys like your hypothetical dingbat dont get invited again. 

Even if that occasionally happens, when its claimed by a guy and on his stringer, that is his bird. The huge difference that apparently some fail to see is that in that case both guys have a count on their own limit and are shooting to legally fill their limit. In the case with 2 guys shooting for one duck, what happens when they both hit a different duck? One guy is clearly violating with intent. Some debate over who shot which bird isn't intentionally breaking the law. By all intents they are trying to sort out who factually shot the bird.


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## Ieatshrooms (Sep 19, 2019)

fsamie1 said:


> . Not me, I hunt alone.


Surprise, Surprise.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Ieatshrooms said:


> I tell my buddy sorry champ, I shot that duck and it goes on my stringer. I watched it fold on my shot. Guys like your hypothetical dingbat dont get invited again.
> 
> Even if that occasionally happens, when its claimed by a guy and on his stringer, that is his bird. The huge difference that apparently some fail to see is that in that case both guys have a count on their own limit and are shooting to legally fill their limit. In the case with 2 guys shooting for one duck, what happens when they both hit a different duck? One guy is clearly violating with intent. Some debate over who shot which bird isn't intentionally breaking the law. By all intents they are trying to sort out who factually shot the bird.


Man you must be a fun guy to hunt with.

I have plenty of friends who cant shoot well some days. Admittedly I am not that great of a shot myself. I have days I am dead on and shoot 6-8 times for a limit. I have gone 0 for 25 too. Regardless of experience level the guys I hunt with are good friends. I would never squabble over a duck. There are millions of them and who shot one isnt worth the breath it takes to discuss it.


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## Ieatshrooms (Sep 19, 2019)

DirtySteve said:


> Man you must be a fun guy to hunt with.
> 
> I have plenty of friends who cant shoot well some days. Admittedly I am not that great of a shot myself. I have days I am dead on and shoot 6-8 times for a limit. I have gone 0 for 25 too. Regardless of experience level the guys I hunt with are good friends. I would never squabble over a duck. There are millions of them and who shot one isnt worth the breath it takes to discuss it.


I agree and your hypothetical doesn't really ever happen in my groups because we know what ducks we are shooting at. But if it did, and it was a rookie hunting blasting away,, I have no problem telling him sorry I shot that duck.As I said the rare exception is when two people target the same duck, and in that case as I previously said, its completely different because BOTH shooters are under limit. Not the same as two guys shooting for one bird to hit a two man limit.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

fsamie1 said:


> That is exactly ho it is done. Not me, I hunt alone.


I totally believe that.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

Ieatshrooms said:


> I agree and your hypothetical doesn't really ever happen in my groups because we know what ducks we are shooting at. But if it did, and it was a rookie hunting blasting away,, I have no problem telling him sorry I shot that duck.As I said the rare exception is when two people target the same duck, and in that case as I previously said, its completely different because BOTH shooters are under limit. Not the same as two guys shooting for one bird to hit a two man limit.


I don't want to beat the dead horse But when you are watching videos where there are 12 people shooting at geese You know damn well nobody's paying any attention to who shot what. And when they post pictures here of 12 man limits, you can't tell me that each of the 12 guys only shot 5 or 3 or 2.Party shooting Is complicated and hard to enforce.
It boils down to what YOU choose to do.
It's the same on the big western pheasant drives.


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

I don't need to take 40 yd pass shots I put the Ducks in your face.


Gamekeeper said:


> Don't worry about ethical/unethical. Worry about legal/illegal.
> Ethical/unethical is a personal choice decision within the legal framework.
> 
> You can make it as hard as you want to. Just be legal about it.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

Carpenter Bill said:


> I don't need to take 40 yd pass shots I put the Ducks in your face.


Quality pass shooting is a different style of duck hunting most people in Michigan are unfamiliar with. Hence the culture of discouraging it.
Pass Shooting snows on the flight lines as they come off the roost out west is an art form, where guys routinely are puffing birds 60 and 70 yd up with box car length leads.
There Are pass shooters that are absolutely deadly and are a joy to watch.
But everybody likes what they like and if you don't practice you don't get good at it.

Again, as long as it's legal.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Ieatshrooms said:


> I agree and your hypothetical doesn't really ever happen in my groups because we know what ducks we are shooting at. But if it did, and it was a rookie hunting blasting away,, I have no problem telling him sorry I shot that duck.As I said the rare exception is when two people target the same duck, and in that case as I previously said, its completely different because BOTH shooters are under limit. Not the same as two guys shooting for one bird to hit a two man limit.


In reality it is no different than one guy shooting half a groups limit because he is a better shot....even if they split up the birds and stop party shooting once the get within 1 or 2 birds shy of their limit. The law doesnt address how to claim a bird that 2-3 guys aim at. I totally disagree that this rarely happens. If 3 birds decoy my spread and one is a nice looking drake everybody in my party is taking a shot at that drake until it goes down. I see it often where two guys hit the same bird and sometimes it is two guys who think they hit it but reality that may not be the case. Happens alot. I am 99% certain that my son and i both hit a woodcock twice this year. Both shot and that poor bird was visibly hit twice.


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## Ieatshrooms (Sep 19, 2019)

DirtySteve said:


> In reality it is no different than one guy shooting half a groups limit because he is a better shot....even if they split up the birds and stop party shooting once the get within 1 or 2 birds shy of their limit. The law doesnt address how to claim a bird that 2-3 guys aim at. I totally disagree that this rarely happens. If 3 birds decoy my spread and one is a nice looking drake everybody in my party is taking a shot at that drake until it goes down. I see it often where two guys hit the same bird and sometimes it is two guys who think they hit it but reality that may not be the case. Happens alot. I 99% certain that my son and i both hit a woodcock this year. Both shot and that poor bird was visibly hit twice.


Well the law does address when two people are both shooting at a group of birds and they have 11 between two of them.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Ieatshrooms said:


> Well the law does address when two people are both shooting at a group of birds and they have 11 between two of them.


yeah, i'm not quite sure where the debate is here.

they have 11 ducks. one guy is limited and his gun should be put away or unloaded...and at the very minimum not shooting. specially when you only need 1....let the guy without the limit shoot a damn bird. lol....and legally, he has to be the only one shooting.


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with pass shooting, I will go upstairs on them if I have to, But I prefer to see their little beady eyes before I pull the trigger.


Gamekeeper said:


> Quality pass shooting is a different style of duck hunting most people in Michigan are unfamiliar with. Hence the culture of discouraging it.
> Pass Shooting snows on the flight lines as they come off the roost out west is an art form, where guys routinely are puffing birds 60 and 70 yd up with box car length leads.
> There Are pass shooters that are absolutely deadly and are a joy to watch.
> But everybody likes what they like and if you don't practice you don't get good at it.
> ...


JMO


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> yeah, i'm not quite sure where the debate is here.
> 
> they have 11 ducks. one guy is limited and his gun should be put away or unloaded...and at the very minimum not shooting. specially when you only need 1....let the guy without the limit shoot a damn bird. lol....and legally, he has to be the only one shooting.


Legally one guy can shoot in that scenario and i dont disagree with that. 

The question in this thread is about party shooting in general. Shooting your buddies limit or a portion of it. I dont think any hunter who hunts with 2 in more in a group can unequivocally say they can avoid it to some degree. In theory it is no different. Legally it is.

I say make it legal like western states do with pheasants. Level the playing field. I believe most hunters party shoot in some form or another.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

DirtySteve said:


> Legally one guy can shoot in that scenario and i dont disagree with that.
> 
> The question in this thread is about party shooting in general. Shooting your buddies limit or a portion of it. I dont think any hunter who hunts with 2 in more in a group can unequivocally say they can avoid it to some degree. In theory it is no different. Legally it is.
> 
> I say make it legal like western states do with pheasants. Level the playing field. I believe most hunters party shoot in some form or another.


while we are at it, i say we make "if it ain't posted, you can hunt it" rule a thing here too. lol. i would be on board.

Just remember western states yer referring to have populations of under 1 million people...michigan and most eastern states have 10 million +....so rules are always different there because rampant disregard is just less across the board.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> while we are at it, i say we make "if it ain't posted, you can hunt it" rule a thing here too. lol. i would be on board.
> 
> Just remember western states yer referring to have populations of under 1 million people...michigan and most eastern states have 10 million +....so rules are always different there because rampant disregard is just less across the board.


Amen to that.
I was in a "Block and drive" shoot near Dodge City, Kansas, with 15 people, half of whom were kids. 54 birds later, I was done with it. I can still remember the hunt master telling me , "Your job is to shoot. So, Shoot! Dammit!"

They were all going into some family's freezer, and it was really just the harvesting of an annual crop. But I am not comfortable shooting limits for a mass of people.
Now I go to England and pay to shoot a big bag.


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## Po'Boy (Oct 15, 2010)

fsamie1 said:


> Cannot even have the live ones vote because of all righties obstacles. Did you hear about post office?


The same post office that warns you not to mail cash?


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

Carpenter Bill said:


> I'm not saying there's anything wrong with pass shooting, I will go upstairs on them if I have to, But I prefer to see their little beady eyes before I pull the trigger.
> 
> JMO


So pass shooting and shooting high is okay, but you draw the line at shooting a bird on the water? Seems silly to me.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Urriah said:


> So pass shooting and shooting high is okay, but you draw the line at shooting a bird on the water? Seems silly to me.


There is definitely an art to pass shooting. Those who know how to do it do it well. The British and Europeans are very good at it.


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## on a call (Jan 16, 2010)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> to answer your question. i shoot backup on every single bird through the decoys until i have my limit. once i have my limit i will move whoever needs birds to the best spot and let them have at it til they are done.


+ This how we always...always shot Pheasant.... out west. 

I preferred to be back up ... always ... no pressure and you looked like the king when it dropped. 

So...back up is my vote


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## on a call (Jan 16, 2010)

craigrh13 said:


> There is definitely an art to pass shooting. Those who know how to do it do it well. The British and Europeans are very good at it.


+ I love pass shooting !! as long as they are in range...and at times I would shot if not in range and dropped my fair share. 

I can remember yelling at my trap shooting coach....Did you see that coach...did ya..did it more than once  Fond memories !!!


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## quack head (Oct 23, 2007)

Nobody party shoots on snow geese. Just saying. Can't believe I wasted my time reading this thread.

DUCKS 2020!!!!!!


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

How sporting is it to shoot a duck in the water?not. About as sporting as rolling up on golf cart on the golf course and shooting geese on the ground. If you learn to shoot your gun properly with the correct lead u might amaze your self. Done on this one, over and out from carpenterbill. 


Urriah said:


> So pass shooting and shooting high is okay, but you draw the line at shooting a bird on the water? Seems silly to me.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Carpenter Bill said:


> How sporting is it to shoot a duck in the water?not. About as sporting as rolling up on golf cart on the golf course and shooting geese on the ground. If you learn to shoot your gun properly with the correct lead u might amaze your self. Done on this one, over and out from carpenterbill.


i'll water swat a duck every chance i get. sporting part for me is getting them to land. also easy way to get 2 for 1 shot and get my whole mallard limit in one flock. that way i can get outa there and do other things productive like catch a walleye limit later.


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## Wallis (Nov 10, 2015)

If you want to prove how good a shot you are then shoot trap. If you want to hunt ducks put em in the dekes. I’ll swat em way before I’ll try to take a 50 yd shot on a bird that I wasn’t good enough to fool into my spread.


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

Carpenter Bill said:


> How sporting is it to shoot a duck in the water?not. About as sporting as rolling up on golf cart on the golf course and shooting geese on the ground. If you learn to shoot your gun properly with the correct lead u might amaze your self. Done on this one, over and out from carpenterbill.


Trust me bud, I shoot just fine.



Wallis said:


> If you want to prove how good a shot you are then shoot trap. If you want to hunt ducks put em in the dekes. I’ll swat em way before I’ll try to take a 50 yd shot on a bird that I wasn’t good enough to fool into my spread.


Anyone who claims it's not 'sporting' to water swat a duck is duck hunting for the wrong reasons. That's like saying I'll only shoot at deer 30 yards away or further, there's no sport to shooting them once they're closer than that.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

no lie, i've shot my whole limit by landing and water swats in 15 minutes after setup. packed my gear up and left. shot 3 times. i'm pretty sure the fields around me were confused as all hell. lmao


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

Hell, I'd consider changing my user name to pond_swatter69


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

The old market hunter. Daughter got five coots punt gunning her Beretta from the bow of the canoe...


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> no lie, i've shot my whole limit by landing and water swats in 15 minutes after setup. packed my gear up and left. shot 3 times. i'm pretty sure the fields around me were confused as all hell. lmao


I can agree with this 100%. The people who complain about shooting ducks on water remind me of the grouse hunters who wont load their gun until the dog is on point. If I have a clear ocean shot at a bird i am taking it. Doesnt matter if it is in a tree or on water.


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## Bigeejakes (Nov 11, 2011)

Urriah said:


> Trust me bud, I shoot just fine.
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone who claims it's not 'sporting' to water swat a duck is duck hunting for the wrong reasons. That's like saying I'll only shoot at deer 30 yards away or further, there's no sport to shooting them once they're closer than that.


As duck hunters we need to understand people duck hunt for different reasons, and support those people that are hunting... Regardless of how they're doing it as long as it's ethical and legal.

Some people duck hunt for meat, some people duck hunt for pictures of piles, some people enjoy the challenge of hitting a duck in flight (wingshooting), some guys like the challenge of setting a perfect spread and calling them in close, some just like to work their dogs... All of them are great reasons to enjoy the sport. 

I would be on the side that says that's it isn't "sporting" to shoot a duck in the water, but that doesn't mean it's wrong to do. The word sporting to me is that someone is someone who is in it for a little bit more of a challenge, and wouldn't really care if it gets away because that's part of the challenge for them. Same reason some guys enjoy using sub-gauge guns.

We need to support each other and grow the number of hunters, not criticize and drive people away.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

If you can convince a duck to land in your decoys then you did your job. But yes, in general it’s definitely more satisfying to kill them on the wing then the water.


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## Blacklabsmatter (Aug 28, 2020)

When the geese land across the lake I give the dog a go play command. The geese swim in to check out the dog. It’s my duty to put those geese down so the dog can retrieve. Sometimes it’s the difference between a skunk or a limit


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

Bigeejakes said:


> As duck hunters we need to understand people duck hunt for different reasons, and support those people that are hunting... Regardless of how they're doing it as long as it's ethical and legal.
> 
> Some people duck hunt for meat, some people duck hunt for pictures of piles, some people enjoy the challenge of hitting a duck in flight (wingshooting), some guys like the challenge of setting a perfect spread and calling them in close, some just like to work their dogs... All of them are great reasons to enjoy the sport.
> 
> ...


Sure, and a great way of supporting other hunters is to not insinuate that water swatting is on par with party shooting. 
But I won't support someone proud of taking 50 yard shots at ducks because it's 'sporting'. That's how birds sail 200 yards and die unrecovered. And the only way someone gets good at those kinds of shots is by...practicing and taking a lot of those kind of shots. That's a lot of crippled and lost ducks over a career. As a bunch of others have said, if someone wants to prove how well they can make long shots, they can take up trap.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

I can make the tall overhead. It has its time and place.

Private corn or MWW, no neighbors, geese not looking I'll take the pass shot.

PM, Shiawassee, I've passed a 100 birds I'm a hunt all under 30 yards as I'd never find them where I dropped them. Fun hunting those little pot holes so easy to lose even a stone dead bird.

We lose less than 3% of our birds a year and often are positive picking up more birds than we've shot.


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

I don't water swat unless it's wounded. Just not my thing. Couldn't care less if someone in my party does; just don't shoot the decoys. If a duck has landed in my spread and I didn't kill it flaps down that's on me. Either my shooting sucks or I wasn't paying attention. Not gonna lie, both happen at least once each season. Lol!


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

If your gonna pass shoot you better have a good dog. I have two and still avoid it. Feet down is what we all should be looking for. No lead needed, you don’t piss off your neighbors, and the dog is back in the hide quickly. I always thought “party shooting” was locking up a big flock and letting em land. That’s when the party really starts. The best party shoot I ever had was with five guys and flock of 50+ mallards and blacks. We let half of em land and the rest sucked right in. That was a party shoot.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

DecoySlayer said:


> How should chasing down, and killing, cripples, while layout hunting count?


There are CO’s that watch the forum, maybe they will answer.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

just remember, if you water swat your limit, no one can ever call you a skybuster...


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

CO’s typically right tickets for violations. Unless they sit in the hole from shooting hrs til your done how would they know? Why would any one care? Breast meat is usually virgin on the old water swat. Can’t say I’ve ever limited out on the water. Four is the best I’ve ever done. We play music in the barn with the decoys some times if the buzz is just right.


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## Chessieman (Dec 8, 2009)

OK, I will pipe into this discussion.



Gamekeeper said:


> Quality pass shooting is a different style of duck hunting most people in Michigan are unfamiliar with. Hence the culture of discouraging it.
> Pass Shooting snows on the flight lines as they come off the roost out west is an art form, where guys routinely are puffing birds 60 and 70 yd up with box car length leads.
> There Are pass shooters that are absolutely deadly and are a joy to watch.
> But everybody likes what they like and if you don't practice you don't get good at it.
> ...



If you shoot up family group of Greater Canadians that fly through here and shoot one adult they will circle a few times over 150 yards away about 80 yards high. If you head out in the field ducking down 100 yards away from the water they will give you 80 to 100 yard shots. The majority you drop will have broken wings but I sure do not lead as far as you do! 



Urriah said:


> So pass shooting and shooting high is okay, but you draw the line at shooting a bird on the water? Seems silly to me.



Yep, I water sway Geese. During the nuisance kill three of use were standing on my dike when a group landed in my pond about 75 yards away. As we ducked down (not flapping our wings) they all bunched up after noticing us. As the three of us stuck our guns out of the weed we were laying down in on the count of three we all fired one time, saving the two other shots for the flyers. Nothing flew, 14 D.O.A., that was a day to remember! We were using one 10 and two 12's. Good luck everybody and shoot straight!


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

Chessieman said:


> OK, I will pipe into this discussion.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was just pointing out that people do things differently in different places.
If you only hunt bingos, You should hunt in the way that doesn't diminish the experience of the other bingo Hunters.
Near my home, People routinely set just inside the dikes, waiting for flocks of birds to come off the refuge roost. It's just flight line pass shooting. Been going on there since 1920 when they dug out the dikes. Somedays you're standing in the right spot.
I don't mind a 75 year-old guy that wants to pot a couple of geese or ducks hunting in that way.


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