Sky busters......

LonnieKlein

LonnieKlein

Member
What is it with this new generation of waterfowlers? I've been a hunter all of my life and there are several pricipals that my father taught me. One of them is to know what you are shooting at. Ive seen more people this year honking at seagulls or pelicans. And have heard of a couple of people shooting them because they thought they were "Snow geese" Not to mention the people that cant tell the difference between a teal and a wood duck!
I hunt mostly public land and the trash that is left behind his disgusting. I usually pick what i find but its every time.
The skybusting is the worst! Today we watched a boat with 3 or 4 hunters shoot at least 4 boxes of shells at group after group and not drop one bird on their spread. The ducks had to be 60 yards out or more and we watched the birds that they may have crippled, glide off to the nearest lake or weeds 100 yards or more. And they never make it close to where the ducks landed to search for them. I have to say it is very frustrating. I only shoot what I plan on eating and sure I loose one once in a while, but I search for the bird no matter how long it takes. And I make it a point to wait till they are in"range" I call 40 yards in range but usually hold out for 30yards or closer.
Its just upsetting because it makes it harder to get the birds to work when they fly straight to the refuge. And more birds get crippled then harvested. Ill step off my soap box. Just had to vent. Is it like this everywhere?
 
NEW Generation?.....I've seen exactly the same thing you describe since the first day I duck hunted....and that was 50 years ago.....I see nothing "new" in what you describe....well maybe it was always "young guns" and there is just a never ending supply of them....


Steve
 
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Just had to vent. Is it like this everywhere?
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Unfortunately, yes

I too watched one boat the other day take shots that I personally would not. I will say that yes they did drop several birds. That said I also watched one duck fly away, losing altitude with every wingbeat. I know in my own mind, that duck was dead when it disappeared in the trees 300 yards away.


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I've spoken to hunters back at the ramp that were marveling at the amount of 'snow geese' they were seeing. They were swans. Luckily they didn't bag any.

Unfortunately not everyone has mentors that get them into the sport the 'right way.'
 
I'm half way between the "new" generation and "older guys". Both groups have their flaws. I know older guys who have hunted 40+ years and are pigs when it comes to leaving trash, don't know the difference between game and throw birds in the trash. One of the biggest problems for the young crowd is lack of help. Every time a kid asks a question they get blasted with "do your homework" "put in the leg work". It didn't really hinder me, I had good role models in NJ and MD so my brother and I learned on our own and put in the time. All I can say is I see plenty of 45-50 year olds sky busting, honking at gulls and shooting anything with wings. Yes younger guys are more likely to do dumb things but hopefully they mature and grow out of it, the older guys missed that chance.
 
Yeah, I do believe its somewhat generational ... at least, I've experienced it in trying to teach people 40 years younger how to fly. I've come to the conclusion that most anyone younger than 40 probably won't get it for another 20 years or so. I remember honoring my parents and most anyone a generation older ... Just don't see much of that today. Sky busting? Well, they just do it 'cause they can.
 
Sky Busters have been around for as long as I've been waterfowling, and in the Lead days it was way worse. In 1964 my cousin and I begged my uncle to take us to Pymatuning the first day of waterfowl season. He told us "You really don't want to go there, it's not good". We persisted and he took us. When we got to the railroad tracks across from the refuge I could not believe my eyes. "Hunter's" as far as we could see. We walked past four men sitting on chairs playing cards at a card table, listening to a transistor radio. They had a couple wooden cases of shot gun shells by the chairs. When a duck or goose flew over Very High or not, they dropped their cards picked up their shotguns and shot till empty. My uncle told my cousin and I "Ya happy, ya seen enough...did ya learn anything?" On our way out a very high Canada goose fell after a massive barrage and fell in the lake. A guy tore off his huntin' clothes swam in and got the goose. When he got to shore another guy pointed his shotgun at him and said "That's My Goose". I will Never forget that day as long as I live, and boy did my cousin and I learn a lot.
 
Sky Busters have been around for as long as I've been waterfowling, and in the Lead days it was way worse. In 1964 my cousin and I begged my uncle to take us to Pymatuning the first day of waterfowl season. He told us "You really don't want to go there, it's not good". We persisted and he took us. When we got to the railroad tracks across from the refuge I could not believe my eyes. "Hunter's" as far as we could see. We walked past four men sitting on chairs playing cards at a card table, listening to a transistor radio. They had a couple wooden cases of shot gun shells by the chairs. When a duck or goose flew over Very High or not, they dropped their cards picked up their shotguns and shot till empty. My uncle told my cousin and I "Ya happy, ya seen enough...did ya learn anything?" On our way out a very high Canada goose fell after a massive barrage and fell in the lake. A guy tore off his huntin' clothes swam in and got the goose. When he got to shore another guy pointed his shotgun at him and said "That's My Goose". I will Never forget that day as long as I live, and boy did my cousin and I learn a lot.
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Good education as any as far as ethics is to see it done wrong. Got to love the firing line mentality.
 
I hunted on a public marsh yesterday and the sky busting was rampant! It's safe to say we've all taken shots that were marginal but some of the shots I witnessed yesterday were almost laughable. I think the "young guns" make up the majority of sky busters, but I can think of a few older guys that I know that pull the same stunts. I'll offer up my $.02 worth on why this goes on:
1.) I think some of these sky busters have never been taught proper ethics or taken hunting by a waterfowler with experience.
2.) They never patterned their gun to see actually what happens to a pattern at 30+ yards.
3.) The commercialism of duck hunting. Hunter have been sold the idea's of "Wad Stopper Tech, Hevi-Shot, Blindside, Yada Yada Yada. Don't get me wrong, I've used some of these products and some of the one's I've used are great, but you can cripple a duck with ANY shell, choke combo and any range. Period! Poor shooting is poor shooting.
4.) This one applies probably most to the younger hunter and relates back to my idea in #1. All some of these guys know about duck hunting they've learned from TV shows and duck hunting video's. Now I know that the camera and camera angles can make things look farther than they seem, but some of the shots shown on TV and video's are flat out sky busting. And to top it off, somebody on these shows/videos, stands up, gut shoots a bird and sails it out to 200 yards and then everyone in the blind stands up and says great shot with high fives all around! GIVE ME A BREAK!!! There's nothing great about that. Great is calling them in, feet down and killing them clean at 15 yards.
Sorry for the rant, I feel the pain too. Bottom line is there's some that know no better and some that are stupid. We all know you can't fix stupid....
 
Tod - I had a big Goose Hunting addiction prior to the Sept. Canada goose seasons. Cost me jobs, a teaching degree, and after a three week Manitoba trip (every waterfowler should go to Oak Hammock once) it cost me my first marriage. I traveled to as many of the old goose refuges as I could, I was on a mission. Almost everyone of them had a Murders Row around part of the refuge. The amount of ammo that was shot during those times is beyond belief by today's standards. Yet we now have Nuisance Canada Geese! Who da thunk? To wonder why Giant Canada's are so wary, well those that weren't are DEAD, and the Sept. seasons just made them even more wary.
 
I think you hit the nail on the head here Jeff. I think popularity of waterfowling has brought a lot of hunters that were not introduced to the sport properly. So they dont know that they are disrespecting the land or the harming the wildlife or our way of hunting. Its a shame that these birds get so much steel thrown at them. It cripples so many birds and makes it harder to get the birds to come in.
 
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