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Answers (23)
I hardly every hunt the weekends but today was special. It's the day my wife died last year and I was hunting when it happened (or rather when the accident happened). Figured I might be okay today since it is opener for big game and I expected most of the weekend goofs would be off doing the moose gig. I got up way too late but still managed to knock down three pass shooting. Never got my deeks out. Only heard a few shots way in the distance. I had lunch and drove around for a while then came back for the evening shift. It was slow so I decided to walk the dogs the mile down to river for a drink and swim (about 75 degrees today and real windy). Got to the end of the field and heard someone shooting down at the river. I figured it might be deer hunters since the river is closed to waterfowl. Turned and walked the dogs back to my decoys. About an hour later the geese started coming out to the fields. Blam! Blam! Blam! What the...? Somebody in the tall timber down at the end of the field is shooting at geese 150 yards up in the sky! This goes on for an hour and the evening flights are just about done. I have been hollering at this character to smarten up (by then the wind had died down). He's only 250 yards away. Finally I figure I'm going to have to walk over and have a chat or I'm NEVER going to get a shot. Now, mind you, I'm not in a great frame of mind today to start with. I round the corner into this newly cleared field of WEEDS and what do I see but a couple of 12 year-old kids standing in the middle of maybe a half dozen decoys. They were dressed like a couple of rodeo clowns. One of them is wearing bright blue basketball shorts, the other blue jeans and gawdy rock band T-shirt. They have some kind of lab mix pup on a baling twine leash. I walk up. But they don't appear to have a gun. Then grandpa steps out of the brush line between this weed field and the barley stubble I'm hunting. He's hardly dressed any better. "I shot four, how you doing?" "Well, not worht a crap thanks to you." "Whatya mean?" "See that pine tree there in front of us. That tree is at least fifty yards high and the geese you are shooting at are TWICE as high as that." "Well, I have only fired six shots and have four geese. You're just sore because I have a ten guage and you don't." "Listen, you have shot a LOT more than six shots." "I keep all my empties, wann see them." "Okay, lets see them." (I saw him knock down one goose and it was all of eighty yards up - I pretty much know he's shooting lead). "I don't have to show you anything." then he again gives me the same song and dance bragging about shooting four geese in six shots. "Well, I'm sure I could get four or five in ONE shot shooting them on the river." One of the kids says "Well, why don't you then?" I turned to him and said "Because it's illegal and your grandpa here knows that very well!" "Uhhh ... he didn't shoot them on the water." "Oh, I'm sure it was someone else down there. But where are they now?" What a bunch of twits. I stormed off.
Now, you might want to say everyone has a right to hunt the way they want to. Perhaps. And I guess I have a right to get pissed off if the way they are hunting is disrepsectful of others hunting in the same area (not to mention disrespecting the poor birds that are going to fly way all banged up). I have been known to once in a great while attempt a shot that's a bit longer than I should be taking. But I don't do that if anyone else is around. It could scotch their chances of getting a shot. (Plus, I don't like looking like an idiot). The one exception that comes to mind is about six years ago when I was hunting the same field in a torrential downpour again on a Saturday. My buddy was supposed to meet me there (he works weekdays) but didn't show. I got set up well before hours and low and behold a whole bunch of guys set up in the other field west of me and then PARK THEIR TRUCKS FIFTY YARDS AWAY FROM MY DECOYS. I hollered and they waved me off with a middle finger. Okay arseholes! Big mistake. I am between them and the river. Everything is going to fly over me to get to them. I was nice enough to let them have at the scroungy snows/blues that flew early (it took them at least four boxes of shells to get a couple even thoough the birds almost landed right on top of their layout blinds). Then the big honkers started to fly. I obviously wasn't going to get anything to land in my decoys so pass shooting was it. Fifty yard shots at minimum. I shot one out of each of the first three groups over. One shot each when they were exactly overhead. A whole lot of cursing and screaming out there in the muck and cow poop (dairy farmer next door had fertilized their field Wednesday night). Tough! They packed it in.
Weekend hunters!
I wouldn't necessarily give them the title of "weekend hunters" because there are plenty of folks that hunt on weekends are at WAY more courteous than the folks you described. Chances are they are idiots any day of the week they hunt...it just so happens they only have the weekends to hunt due to work obligations. I wouldn't really call them hunters either...they may look the part, and do the deeds, but I like to think of hunters as having more class than that.
I love hunting tues weds thurs.
Well, Bioguy, they sure did NOT "look" the part of hunters! I have seen Halloween attire that would have been more appropriate for goose hunting. Just as well have been wearing one of those big Coca-Cola blinking neon signs. That kid in the shorts was also clearly getting eaten alive by the black flies. And STANDING in the middle of the decoys. What the heck was THAT supposed to "look" like? How could anyone that screwed up get a hunting license up here, that's what I'd like to know. I think Grandpa was grandfathered in (no pun intented) and never had to take a proper hunter education course or exam to get his license. Sometimes I think the government goes overboard with senior citizen entitlements.
OHH, first off, I am sorry for your loss.
I will disagree with you though, and agree with Bioguy. I work for a living. Usually 12-16 hours a day, Monday through Friday. I generally only get to hunt Saturdays, or if I am lucky, I am able to schedule some vacation days off during the peak of the rut for whitetail.
I understand where you are coming from, and we will probably all deal with shady hunters, illegal hunters, or disrespectful idiots. But please, don't label idiot hunters, as "weekend hunters". I hunt the weekends, and I hunt whenever I am able to do so. Don't lump me in with the jerks.
Another pet peeve of mine with weekend hunters is shooting after hours. Virtually every time I'm out on a weekend evening hunt I see this. Guys are shooting at ducks almost at nine at night! Cripes, even a good dog isn't going to find anything knocked down that late! Those guys are just shooting stuff to be shooting stuff. Taking it home and using the meat is the very last thing on their minds. I did alert one landowner about this problem earlier this year. The culprits had more or less exclusive rights to his slough. The farmer listened for it the next weekend and kicked them out. He's very religious and doesn't hunt but as a farmer he can't tolerate wasting animals.
Whitetailfreak, my buddy who didn't show in that story is a weekend only hunter and a more ethical guy you won't find. But those of us who frequent the fields and timber during both the week and weekend know that the idiots on weekends far and away exceed those on the weekdays. And I'm talking idiots per capita hunters. Every weekend I see guys doing the hail mary empty the gun routine at geese two hundred yards up. I just don't see that on the weekdays. And that's a fact. I see lots of hunters out on the weekdays but they are for the most part a sophisticated and considerate lot. We hunt the same fields without issue. I don't take stupid shots and they don't either. The geese can be set up for their decoys and sail over me forty yards high and I won't shoot. Most of the time they reciprocate. They will pick up my birds if they fall down in their end and I'll use my dogs to find any they can't locate. But I have had guys on the weekend (mind you years ago) take shots in the direction of my dog when she headed out to pick up one of their birds. No kidding! Really good way to get killed buddy!
Bioguy, there is a really good research project for someone in wildlife grad school. Look into the vocations of the poachers arrested and the days of the week when violations occur most. I would be surprised if the data DOESN'T support my GENERAL view of weekend hunters. I acknowledge that there are many, many very fine weekend hunters. But I'd like to see what the OVERALL statistics show.
Why, if you hate ALL weekend hunters, would you become one and hunt on the weekend?
OHH, these are guys i refer as, "the C team"....in the world of hunters, you got your A team, B team, and C team. C team hunters hit the field every once in a blue moon, dont really know what they are doing, and only go in perfect weather. B team goes a bit more often, knows a thing or two about hunting and fishing, and unless the weather is bad will typically hit the field as planned.
now the A team is where the real men are at. outdoors all the time, know what they are doing. doesnt matter what the weather is, these are the die hards. i am on the A team, as are most people on this site im sure.
Oryx, you're reading something into my posts that isn't there. Obviously, I never said I hate "ALL" weekend hunters. As I clearly indicated, my best friend is a weekend hunter and he's totally competent and considerate. I think I explained very thoroughly why I went hunting on the weekends in both posts. I was obligated to others.
Bioguy, you might also include in that data set the days of the week that fatal hunting accidents occur. It has been my experience (including forty years of hunting) that most fatalities occur on the weekend.
I think ya'll mean to say SLOB-HUNTERS not weekend boys that Hunt, Hunting is a sport or a need for some people to feed there house hold in tough times.
The SLOB-HUNTER is NOT considerate or competent just out for him self. IMO
OHH,
Those "weekend hunters" as you call them are the working stiffs that pay the taxes that pay your entitlement checks. You really have your head in the sand on this one. I'm just glad that there are those "professional" hunters who don't hold a regular job and can keep the game populations in check while the rest of us work.
I don't much care for anyone who is irresponsible or sloppy in any endeavor they undertake. These guys are jerks, regardless of the day of the week they hunt.
I agree with your statement to some extent. Weekend hunters around Iowa are typically your shotgunners, who have the motto "if it's brown, it's down" and run around the woods aimlessly. I, on the other hand, muzzleload and am a college student that cant afford to miss classes. I skip some but for the most part, my weekend is when I hunt. I agree with treestand here, it should be SLOB-HUNTERS.
Ontario - There's no doubt that a majority of violations occur on the weekends...that's when the most hunters are available to hunt, so there's a little bit of bias in that data! On the same token, opening days that occur on Mondays are a high point for violations as well...again...more hunters, of all sorts, are in the woods.
I agree with others...there are more slobs on the weekends than during the week...but there's more of EVERY type of hunter on the weekends as well. We all know where you're coming from...just picked the wrong title to give 'em is all. Good luck in the future and I hope your the remainder of your hunts this season are "slob-free."
I'm with Bioguy on this one Honker, the majority of hunters are most likely out on the weekends, slobs, joe schmo hunter,and your all around most ethical guys out there. Most people have a better likelihood of getting out on the weekend as opposed to the rest of the week when work or other circumstances keep them out of the woods. So given that, of course accidents will increase, the more people in the woods the greater the likelihood. As far as the poaching case though, I think you would find that poachers aren't paying all that much attention to the season. They may be more likely to attempt a violation on the weekend but I doubt it would be that significantly different than the rest of the week, month, or year for that matter.
Don't get me wrong, I understand exactly where your coming from, but as everyone else as stated, don't lump the bad eggs with all the other weekend hunters out there enjoying the only time they get a chance in the woods to hunt and have a chance to put a meal on their plate.
I work all week and hunt and fish on the weekend. I do, however, take time off once in awhile to do these things. I also consider myself an honorable and ethical hunter. Not sure of your situation that allows you to hunt and fish whenever you want during the week but it doesn't meaan you own the WMA either.
Not all of them just the ones that set up your decoys 200 yards away from yours.
Joshy, a couple of weeks ago I had a fella set up his decoys a lot closer than two hundred yards from mine, and I was totally fine with it. Didn't know him from Adam but he did offer to go somewhere else because I was in there first. A guy like that is not going to do stupid stuff, so yeah it was fine with me. He got a limit and I didn't but I didn't care. If I hadn't been able to fire a shot it wouldn't have mattered because he was hunting with consideration for me and for the birds. That young fella passed on some geese that fell immediately into his decoys right next to him. Blasting birds at fifteen yards on the ground wasn't what he was about. Instead he waited for more to come and shot them at a more challenging (and less damaging) range as they circled overhead. I really enjoyed watching him hunt.
Birddog, it was private property not a WMA. No I don't own it and as you can see from above, I'm certainly not selfish about sharing the hunting with others. Last year I got permission to hunt a hot field just before a group of four hunters showed up at the farmhouse. They had pretty long faces when they saw me driving out. I asked if they had layout blinds, which they did, and told them to go down to the barn and tell the farmer it was okay with me if it was okay with him. I hunted from the brush on the edge of the field and their spread out in the middle drew in almost everything. I passed on anything coming over for their decooys (I'm sure they were holding their breath as the first flight passed over me). I got a couple honkers and they shot a pile (but not as many as they should have). Sad to say, this year that bunch did not show me the same courtesy I showed them - I had to hunt the next field over. Oh well. And, no, I didn't get sore about it either. At least they weren't taking stupid shots and I was able to call in a few small bunches.
"Weekend hunters" was a term we used loosely for slob-hunters when I was a kid. Even my best friend who can only hunt weekends uses the term in that fashion. Also sometimes called "weekend warriors" (not to be confused with National Guard).
Jeez, OHH, you are really stepping on some toes here. LOL.
AGAIN, I understand what you are talking about, but knowing MANY National Guardsman from the Army and also from the Reserves in the Army, and from my beloved Marine Corps., "weekend warrior" is not a term to throw around lightly.
I TRAINED every month for a deployment because I was a FIELD military policeman. I was an instructor of the M16, M9 Beretta, and heavy machineguns to active duty and reserve Marines. I took my job very serious. I was NOT a weekend warrior.
I take no offense to your last post, but before you keep posting, you might want to rethink how you post things.
I certainly don't want the trashy type weekend hunter confused with "weekend warrior" Guardsmen! And I was doing my best to make that clear. We sometimes called those slob-hunters weekend warriors for obvious reasons (they only came out with their guns on the weekend) but make no mistake about it I was making no association between those guys and National Guard. Many of my best friends were in the Guards or Reserves. My uncle who was as close to a father to me as my dad would let him be retired as a full-bird from the National Guard. The Guards and Reserves have always done their share ... and more than that in recent years.
I'm Sorry to hear your loss man, indeed there are boatloads of idiot hunters out there, but for the few that are true woodsmen that are stuck in a saginaw boarding school working hard to maintain a 3.62 GPA but still dream and desire to go hunting only have limited weekends to do what they love most-hunt. but i'm just speaking hypathetically ;)
I'm retired, my wife isn't. I stay home on the weekends for quality time with my better half. Rest assured I hit it hard during the Mon.-Fri. period. Less people for me to deal with since I just hunt public land, win-win!
Post an Answer
I wouldn't necessarily give them the title of "weekend hunters" because there are plenty of folks that hunt on weekends are at WAY more courteous than the folks you described. Chances are they are idiots any day of the week they hunt...it just so happens they only have the weekends to hunt due to work obligations. I wouldn't really call them hunters either...they may look the part, and do the deeds, but I like to think of hunters as having more class than that.
OHH, first off, I am sorry for your loss.
I will disagree with you though, and agree with Bioguy. I work for a living. Usually 12-16 hours a day, Monday through Friday. I generally only get to hunt Saturdays, or if I am lucky, I am able to schedule some vacation days off during the peak of the rut for whitetail.
I understand where you are coming from, and we will probably all deal with shady hunters, illegal hunters, or disrespectful idiots. But please, don't label idiot hunters, as "weekend hunters". I hunt the weekends, and I hunt whenever I am able to do so. Don't lump me in with the jerks.
OHH,
Those "weekend hunters" as you call them are the working stiffs that pay the taxes that pay your entitlement checks. You really have your head in the sand on this one. I'm just glad that there are those "professional" hunters who don't hold a regular job and can keep the game populations in check while the rest of us work.
I don't much care for anyone who is irresponsible or sloppy in any endeavor they undertake. These guys are jerks, regardless of the day of the week they hunt.
I love hunting tues weds thurs.
Why, if you hate ALL weekend hunters, would you become one and hunt on the weekend?
I think ya'll mean to say SLOB-HUNTERS not weekend boys that Hunt, Hunting is a sport or a need for some people to feed there house hold in tough times.
The SLOB-HUNTER is NOT considerate or competent just out for him self. IMO
OHH, these are guys i refer as, "the C team"....in the world of hunters, you got your A team, B team, and C team. C team hunters hit the field every once in a blue moon, dont really know what they are doing, and only go in perfect weather. B team goes a bit more often, knows a thing or two about hunting and fishing, and unless the weather is bad will typically hit the field as planned.
now the A team is where the real men are at. outdoors all the time, know what they are doing. doesnt matter what the weather is, these are the die hards. i am on the A team, as are most people on this site im sure.
I agree with your statement to some extent. Weekend hunters around Iowa are typically your shotgunners, who have the motto "if it's brown, it's down" and run around the woods aimlessly. I, on the other hand, muzzleload and am a college student that cant afford to miss classes. I skip some but for the most part, my weekend is when I hunt. I agree with treestand here, it should be SLOB-HUNTERS.
Ontario - There's no doubt that a majority of violations occur on the weekends...that's when the most hunters are available to hunt, so there's a little bit of bias in that data! On the same token, opening days that occur on Mondays are a high point for violations as well...again...more hunters, of all sorts, are in the woods.
I agree with others...there are more slobs on the weekends than during the week...but there's more of EVERY type of hunter on the weekends as well. We all know where you're coming from...just picked the wrong title to give 'em is all. Good luck in the future and I hope your the remainder of your hunts this season are "slob-free."
Joshy, a couple of weeks ago I had a fella set up his decoys a lot closer than two hundred yards from mine, and I was totally fine with it. Didn't know him from Adam but he did offer to go somewhere else because I was in there first. A guy like that is not going to do stupid stuff, so yeah it was fine with me. He got a limit and I didn't but I didn't care. If I hadn't been able to fire a shot it wouldn't have mattered because he was hunting with consideration for me and for the birds. That young fella passed on some geese that fell immediately into his decoys right next to him. Blasting birds at fifteen yards on the ground wasn't what he was about. Instead he waited for more to come and shot them at a more challenging (and less damaging) range as they circled overhead. I really enjoyed watching him hunt.
Birddog, it was private property not a WMA. No I don't own it and as you can see from above, I'm certainly not selfish about sharing the hunting with others. Last year I got permission to hunt a hot field just before a group of four hunters showed up at the farmhouse. They had pretty long faces when they saw me driving out. I asked if they had layout blinds, which they did, and told them to go down to the barn and tell the farmer it was okay with me if it was okay with him. I hunted from the brush on the edge of the field and their spread out in the middle drew in almost everything. I passed on anything coming over for their decooys (I'm sure they were holding their breath as the first flight passed over me). I got a couple honkers and they shot a pile (but not as many as they should have). Sad to say, this year that bunch did not show me the same courtesy I showed them - I had to hunt the next field over. Oh well. And, no, I didn't get sore about it either. At least they weren't taking stupid shots and I was able to call in a few small bunches.
"Weekend hunters" was a term we used loosely for slob-hunters when I was a kid. Even my best friend who can only hunt weekends uses the term in that fashion. Also sometimes called "weekend warriors" (not to be confused with National Guard).
Oryx, you're reading something into my posts that isn't there. Obviously, I never said I hate "ALL" weekend hunters. As I clearly indicated, my best friend is a weekend hunter and he's totally competent and considerate. I think I explained very thoroughly why I went hunting on the weekends in both posts. I was obligated to others.
Bioguy, you might also include in that data set the days of the week that fatal hunting accidents occur. It has been my experience (including forty years of hunting) that most fatalities occur on the weekend.
I'm with Bioguy on this one Honker, the majority of hunters are most likely out on the weekends, slobs, joe schmo hunter,and your all around most ethical guys out there. Most people have a better likelihood of getting out on the weekend as opposed to the rest of the week when work or other circumstances keep them out of the woods. So given that, of course accidents will increase, the more people in the woods the greater the likelihood. As far as the poaching case though, I think you would find that poachers aren't paying all that much attention to the season. They may be more likely to attempt a violation on the weekend but I doubt it would be that significantly different than the rest of the week, month, or year for that matter.
Don't get me wrong, I understand exactly where your coming from, but as everyone else as stated, don't lump the bad eggs with all the other weekend hunters out there enjoying the only time they get a chance in the woods to hunt and have a chance to put a meal on their plate.
I work all week and hunt and fish on the weekend. I do, however, take time off once in awhile to do these things. I also consider myself an honorable and ethical hunter. Not sure of your situation that allows you to hunt and fish whenever you want during the week but it doesn't meaan you own the WMA either.
Not all of them just the ones that set up your decoys 200 yards away from yours.
Jeez, OHH, you are really stepping on some toes here. LOL.
AGAIN, I understand what you are talking about, but knowing MANY National Guardsman from the Army and also from the Reserves in the Army, and from my beloved Marine Corps., "weekend warrior" is not a term to throw around lightly.
I TRAINED every month for a deployment because I was a FIELD military policeman. I was an instructor of the M16, M9 Beretta, and heavy machineguns to active duty and reserve Marines. I took my job very serious. I was NOT a weekend warrior.
I take no offense to your last post, but before you keep posting, you might want to rethink how you post things.
I certainly don't want the trashy type weekend hunter confused with "weekend warrior" Guardsmen! And I was doing my best to make that clear. We sometimes called those slob-hunters weekend warriors for obvious reasons (they only came out with their guns on the weekend) but make no mistake about it I was making no association between those guys and National Guard. Many of my best friends were in the Guards or Reserves. My uncle who was as close to a father to me as my dad would let him be retired as a full-bird from the National Guard. The Guards and Reserves have always done their share ... and more than that in recent years.
I'm Sorry to hear your loss man, indeed there are boatloads of idiot hunters out there, but for the few that are true woodsmen that are stuck in a saginaw boarding school working hard to maintain a 3.62 GPA but still dream and desire to go hunting only have limited weekends to do what they love most-hunt. but i'm just speaking hypathetically ;)
I'm retired, my wife isn't. I stay home on the weekends for quality time with my better half. Rest assured I hit it hard during the Mon.-Fri. period. Less people for me to deal with since I just hunt public land, win-win!
Well, Bioguy, they sure did NOT "look" the part of hunters! I have seen Halloween attire that would have been more appropriate for goose hunting. Just as well have been wearing one of those big Coca-Cola blinking neon signs. That kid in the shorts was also clearly getting eaten alive by the black flies. And STANDING in the middle of the decoys. What the heck was THAT supposed to "look" like? How could anyone that screwed up get a hunting license up here, that's what I'd like to know. I think Grandpa was grandfathered in (no pun intented) and never had to take a proper hunter education course or exam to get his license. Sometimes I think the government goes overboard with senior citizen entitlements.
Another pet peeve of mine with weekend hunters is shooting after hours. Virtually every time I'm out on a weekend evening hunt I see this. Guys are shooting at ducks almost at nine at night! Cripes, even a good dog isn't going to find anything knocked down that late! Those guys are just shooting stuff to be shooting stuff. Taking it home and using the meat is the very last thing on their minds. I did alert one landowner about this problem earlier this year. The culprits had more or less exclusive rights to his slough. The farmer listened for it the next weekend and kicked them out. He's very religious and doesn't hunt but as a farmer he can't tolerate wasting animals.
Whitetailfreak, my buddy who didn't show in that story is a weekend only hunter and a more ethical guy you won't find. But those of us who frequent the fields and timber during both the week and weekend know that the idiots on weekends far and away exceed those on the weekdays. And I'm talking idiots per capita hunters. Every weekend I see guys doing the hail mary empty the gun routine at geese two hundred yards up. I just don't see that on the weekdays. And that's a fact. I see lots of hunters out on the weekdays but they are for the most part a sophisticated and considerate lot. We hunt the same fields without issue. I don't take stupid shots and they don't either. The geese can be set up for their decoys and sail over me forty yards high and I won't shoot. Most of the time they reciprocate. They will pick up my birds if they fall down in their end and I'll use my dogs to find any they can't locate. But I have had guys on the weekend (mind you years ago) take shots in the direction of my dog when she headed out to pick up one of their birds. No kidding! Really good way to get killed buddy!
Bioguy, there is a really good research project for someone in wildlife grad school. Look into the vocations of the poachers arrested and the days of the week when violations occur most. I would be surprised if the data DOESN'T support my GENERAL view of weekend hunters. I acknowledge that there are many, many very fine weekend hunters. But I'd like to see what the OVERALL statistics show.
I hardly every hunt the weekends but today was special. It's the day my wife died last year and I was hunting when it happened (or rather when the accident happened). Figured I might be okay today since it is opener for big game and I expected most of the weekend goofs would be off doing the moose gig. I got up way too late but still managed to knock down three pass shooting. Never got my deeks out. Only heard a few shots way in the distance. I had lunch and drove around for a while then came back for the evening shift. It was slow so I decided to walk the dogs the mile down to river for a drink and swim (about 75 degrees today and real windy). Got to the end of the field and heard someone shooting down at the river. I figured it might be deer hunters since the river is closed to waterfowl. Turned and walked the dogs back to my decoys. About an hour later the geese started coming out to the fields. Blam! Blam! Blam! What the...? Somebody in the tall timber down at the end of the field is shooting at geese 150 yards up in the sky! This goes on for an hour and the evening flights are just about done. I have been hollering at this character to smarten up (by then the wind had died down). He's only 250 yards away. Finally I figure I'm going to have to walk over and have a chat or I'm NEVER going to get a shot. Now, mind you, I'm not in a great frame of mind today to start with. I round the corner into this newly cleared field of WEEDS and what do I see but a couple of 12 year-old kids standing in the middle of maybe a half dozen decoys. They were dressed like a couple of rodeo clowns. One of them is wearing bright blue basketball shorts, the other blue jeans and gawdy rock band T-shirt. They have some kind of lab mix pup on a baling twine leash. I walk up. But they don't appear to have a gun. Then grandpa steps out of the brush line between this weed field and the barley stubble I'm hunting. He's hardly dressed any better. "I shot four, how you doing?" "Well, not worht a crap thanks to you." "Whatya mean?" "See that pine tree there in front of us. That tree is at least fifty yards high and the geese you are shooting at are TWICE as high as that." "Well, I have only fired six shots and have four geese. You're just sore because I have a ten guage and you don't." "Listen, you have shot a LOT more than six shots." "I keep all my empties, wann see them." "Okay, lets see them." (I saw him knock down one goose and it was all of eighty yards up - I pretty much know he's shooting lead). "I don't have to show you anything." then he again gives me the same song and dance bragging about shooting four geese in six shots. "Well, I'm sure I could get four or five in ONE shot shooting them on the river." One of the kids says "Well, why don't you then?" I turned to him and said "Because it's illegal and your grandpa here knows that very well!" "Uhhh ... he didn't shoot them on the water." "Oh, I'm sure it was someone else down there. But where are they now?" What a bunch of twits. I stormed off.
Now, you might want to say everyone has a right to hunt the way they want to. Perhaps. And I guess I have a right to get pissed off if the way they are hunting is disrepsectful of others hunting in the same area (not to mention disrespecting the poor birds that are going to fly way all banged up). I have been known to once in a great while attempt a shot that's a bit longer than I should be taking. But I don't do that if anyone else is around. It could scotch their chances of getting a shot. (Plus, I don't like looking like an idiot). The one exception that comes to mind is about six years ago when I was hunting the same field in a torrential downpour again on a Saturday. My buddy was supposed to meet me there (he works weekdays) but didn't show. I got set up well before hours and low and behold a whole bunch of guys set up in the other field west of me and then PARK THEIR TRUCKS FIFTY YARDS AWAY FROM MY DECOYS. I hollered and they waved me off with a middle finger. Okay arseholes! Big mistake. I am between them and the river. Everything is going to fly over me to get to them. I was nice enough to let them have at the scroungy snows/blues that flew early (it took them at least four boxes of shells to get a couple even thoough the birds almost landed right on top of their layout blinds). Then the big honkers started to fly. I obviously wasn't going to get anything to land in my decoys so pass shooting was it. Fifty yard shots at minimum. I shot one out of each of the first three groups over. One shot each when they were exactly overhead. A whole lot of cursing and screaming out there in the muck and cow poop (dairy farmer next door had fertilized their field Wednesday night). Tough! They packed it in.
Weekend hunters!
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