Primitive Weapon Duck Hunting

Practice makes perfect. I hosted a shindig for folks from a different duck forum for 5 years down at my river property. Some of the Wisconsin boys brought bow setups one year and we took turns shooting clays for a while. Connecting was a feat. I suggest flu-flu arrows for waterfowl.

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Scott Gilliland said:
I have a book that should be in my library
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Well, I found that book. It's been a long time since I read it, and re-reading it you can see how you can inject your own story in a memory, but my description is still pretty close to the original. The book was "Hunters of the Northern Ice" by R. K. Nelson (https://archive.org/details/huntersofnorther00nels/mode/2up). The is also a very good description of the use of the kiipooyaq (bola). The book is focused on hunting in Alaska and they use the word killamittaun for bola in this book.
 
Ed L. said:
It's not legal in Illinois to hunt waterfowl with any other means other than approved shotgun and ammo.
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All of those state restrictions are more restrictive than Federal regulations. Falconry is covered separately.

§ 20.21 What hunting methods are illegal?​

Migratory birds on which open seasons are prescribed in this part may be taken by any method except those prohibited in this section. No persons shall take migratory game birds:

(a) With a trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10 gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machinegun, fish hook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance;
(b) With a shotgun of any description capable of holding more than three shells, unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so its total capacity does not exceed three shells. However, this restriction does not apply during:
 
Brad Bortner said:
All of those state restrictions are more restrictive than Federal regulations. Falconry is covered separately.

§ 20.21 What hunting methods are illegal?​

Migratory birds on which open seasons are prescribed in this part may be taken by any method except those prohibited in this section. No persons shall take migratory game birds:

(a) With a trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10 gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machinegun, fish hook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance;
(b) With a shotgun of any description capable of holding more than three shells, unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so its total capacity does not exceed three shells. However, this restriction does not apply during:
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Why any state would make using primitive weapons such as a sling shot or atlatl illegal is beyond me. They do not give an advantage to the hunter over modern firearms and ammo, few hunters would ever attempt to use them, and an insignificant number of birds would ever be harvested from these means. Yet here we are discussing what states allow what. There are too many bureaucrats in state game and fish agencies. In Alabama if you combine general state hunting regulations with WMA regulations there is a whole lot of reading to do. Atlatl bad, straight pipe mud motor okay. I think some folks need to step away from the computer and get out and hunt the lands they manage.
 
Eric Patterson said:
Why any state would make using primitive weapons such as a sling shot or atlatl illegal is beyond me. They do not give an advantage to the hunter over modern firearms and ammo, few hunters would ever attempt to use them, and an insignificant number of birds would ever be harvested from these means. Yet here we are discussing what states allow what. There are too many bureaucrats in state game and fish agencies. In Alabama if you combine general state hunting regulations with WMA regulations there is a whole lot of reading to do. Atlatl bad, straight pipe mud motor okay. I think some folks need to step away from the computer and get out and hunt the lands they manage.
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Other than possible safety concerns (rifles being shot at ducks on the water) few if any of the Federal firearm prohibitions make sense in today's world with 6 duck limits. I'm on board with no traps, snares, nets, poison, drugs, explosives etc.. States taking the prohibited list a step further is likely just a "because we can". Bureaucrats like to do that.
 
Eric Patterson said:
Why any state would make using primitive weapons such as a sling shot or atlatl illegal is beyond me. They do not give an advantage to the hunter over modern firearms and ammo, few hunters would ever attempt to use them, and an insignificant number of birds would ever be harvested from these means. Yet here we are discussing what states allow what. There are too many bureaucrats in state game and fish agencies. In Alabama if you combine general state hunting regulations with WMA regulations there is a whole lot of reading to do. Atlatl bad, straight pipe mud motor okay. I think some folks need to step away from the computer and get out and hunt the lands they manage.
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It may be because they think such methods are inhumane or subject to high losses of injured birds? (If so, they haven't seen 3/4 of the shotgunners out there . . . .) I'd be 100% for rules intended to keep remote places remote. No mud motors, motorless areas, HP restrictions, etc. Not the right solution everyplace or even most places, but it is a tool to be used in some special or overcrowded places.
 
Hop on to You Tube and search for Slock Master (Tim Wells). He has several videos of him shooting ducks and geese with a bow. Quite amazing
 
You can use archery equipment to take waterfowl in Maryland. I keep looking for places I could spot and stalk resident Canada geese. However, I'd swat them on the ground; I have no illusions regarding my skill with a bow. I think a crossbow would work better because you could keep a lower profile during the shot. I've just never seen flu-flu arrows used in a crossbow.

Nate
 
Eric Patterson said:
A fellow club member is attempting to kill a duck with a bow and arrow. Anybody here do that or seen it done? I started thinking about this and came up with the grand slam of primitive duck hunting.

  1. Bow and arrow
  2. Sling shot
  3. Atlatl
  4. Blow gun
I kind of doubt anyone has ever completed this but who knows what may have happened over the eons. Anybody up for the challenge?
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My dad has a blow gun that he bought in the Amazon years ago. I am certain that you could kill a duck with one, but you would need to be close. That thing will put a dart (essentially a skewer) an inch into a wood board at 60 feet. A competent shot could easily kill a bird at much longer ranges.

It seems like a toy, but it is more like a poison-tipped air rifle than anything else. I would prefer not to be shot with it.
 
Had a budy shoot a pheasant out of the air with a .22LR. We were young and dumb at the time. Didn't know the legality of such a feat. None of us could believe it.
 
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