What do you think?

G

Gerald N

Active member
The what do you say post has me thinking about all the recent waterfowling related deaths. A few local DU representatives and local outdoor writers have gone on the record to explain the recent string of events that resulted in three deaths, particularly since the last two when a captain, medical doctor and retired service man went out in single digit temps with 30 knot winds against the tide across a pinch point where underwater obstructions make a nasty chop in a small aluminum boat with a heavy four stroke on the transom. They have all told the press that waterfowlers will head out in the worst of conditions because that is when the best shooting occurs. To the non sporting public this really comes across that we are reckless, careless and self centered only out for a shootem up. Never mind endangering the first responders that need to go out to save ill fated attempts.

While over the years I found myself in situations that I preferred not to be in; I always learned from them and never repeated. I can honestly say when in doubt the boats stay on dry land. I will not endanger myself or others regardless of how many birds are flying and I much prefer the bluebird days over stormy weather since that is when the boat comes out.

I hunt waterfowl for an overall experience that harvesting is only a small part of the total picture and when so much emphasis is placed upon numbers of birds as has been done by the vocal proponents in the press we are not percieved as we would like. I always tell myself that when it is not fun it may as well be work and I am out there to relax and enjoy the marsh, the solitude, reflection, the days gone by, the marine and avain life around and finally the birds working the decoys.

Thoughts? And hope not to offend with this touchy suubject.
 
A while back, while hunting on Virginia's Eastern Shore, my hunting comrades and I ran into such a storm. Perhaps the same storm. My friend summed it up best when in the wee morning hours he sent me a text that read- "I'm going to be the voice of reason and cancel". We agreed later, it was the right move.


In my more experienced years, I have to agree with what you wrote. It's more about relaxing, being out amongst the nautical nature, and more about enjoying what I have than killing things at all cost.


Jon
 
I agree, at the end of the day you're out there to shoot a duck and have a good time, which shouldn't have to involve risking your life to do so. I've been told by many that you need a nasty, windy, rainy day in order to shoot ducks, but I have done just as good on calm days without a cloud in the sky when you can worry more about the hunt itself than trying to get back to the ramp without sinking. I know the limits of my boat and often just stay home when the forecast calls for more than i can handle.
 
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Have to agree with you on doing well on nice days. My best days this year were above freezing before the ice front, no wind and sunny.
 
C~

As one who has hunted in - and savored - many a true gale - when I lived on Long Island - I would draw a subtle distinction regarding motive. While the potential for a good shoot was always a part of the draw, to me it was more the whole experience. For me, hunting waterfowl - as distinct from simply observing or even photographing them - is ultimately about participating in the natural world. A big part of that world is the weather. For me, a hunt is always enhanced by weather that is out-of-the-ordinary. On a wintering ground, that usually means strong cold and often strong winds. During the gunning season, I find myself reacting viscerally and psychology to strong weather - when the wind is howling, I need to be on the bay. (Just as, during the warmer months, a breeze in the treetops told me I needed to be under sail.) My favorite here in dairy country - where I am never boating in a strong wind - is to hunt when snow is falling. Again, I have a hard time if I am not hunting when snow is in the air.

Having said the above, I do not feel that I have ever been in a "close call". I have not made it to the ramp only to say "I will never do that again." There have been days where I opted to stay ashore. There have been other hunts that I terminated for the sake of safety. On 2 occasions, I abandoned decoys to shifting ice. More often, though, I relied on my knowledge of my boat and the waters to keep me out of trouble. I would select the hunts where I knew I could cross whatever waters I needed to cross and to get back to the ramp. In my mind, the fundamental rule of seamanship is to ALWAYS give yourself leeway - in the literal and figurative senses of the word. Be sure that you would be OK - that you have a Plan B - if the worst happens - losing power, shifting winds, moving ice, etc.

I certainly hope none of this reads as encouraging anyone to push the limits - I am just relating my experience and thought processes. It is not the draw of the shooting that gets me afield in a big blow, it is the desire to experience the same weather as the ducks do. I agree with others that, in fact, gunning is seldom great at the height of any storm. In my experience, it is the changes in weather (and, of course, we have tides, too) that tend to move birds and not the weather itself.

It is certainly sad that these men lost their lives. The point some have made about the additional consideration that comes with taller vessels certainly rings true. The sit-up blind I build for my Sneakbox changed its handling and risks significantly - and so was used only in lighter winds.

I am glad that you started this discussion and hope that it will help everybody think through their "standards and practices" for pursuing this grand sport.

All the best,

SJS
 
Steve,
You really echoed my thoughts regarding hunting in difficult conditions. I can't tell you how many times I have stood alone in the woods and marsh and laughed out loud with no one around to hear me because if the shear ridiculousness of the weather and the fact that I am standing there in it. I loved every moment. Bluebills in a driving snow storm, Ringers in the rain, snows and mallards in the strongest of winds with bright sunshine and clouds threatening on the horizon. Each and every one a special memory.

Like you I am not reckless and have stayed home many times but when conditions are safe I love to experience the sheer power of the weather.

I think that those speaking to the recent loss of life in the press should talk more about how bad weather can make for good waterfowl hunting conditions but its not the only conditions that can make for good hunting. Even in the best of weather, waterfowl hunters are hunting in and or crossing water in cold conditions. Mistakes in those conditions can be fatal and those things need to be considered before heading out. Wear a life preserver, tell others where you are going and when you plan to be back. Carry you cell phone in a waterproof container and consider purchasing a person distress beacon. Information like that would all be good advice to interject into a conversation with any media in regards to those tragedies.
 
If your a waterfowler you cheat death on a more than regular basis. Just as you do each time you get in your car. When I was younger I took way more chances than I do now, but that is no guarantee of safety. Things go bad very quickly in bad weather, yet many pleasure boaters and swimmers, die in sunny and warm conditions. As I would tell my daughter when she was growing up, "Stupidity has it's own reward".

Life is very precious, and Every Day you wake up is a gift. Never take that for granted.
 
Steve, Brandon and Vince I'm with you.
There is something invigorating about being out in nasty weather. I enjoy the mild weather shoots but my most memorable were days when my wife and friends think I'm Crazy. I do pick my spots carefully and use my experience to stay safe but those conditions make me feel alive. If not I'd take up sewing!
Knowing your limits is part of the game and God's creation is not very forgiving, John
 
I would echo most of what others have said here but will also add in a few words of caution. While I am a severe weather junky myself, I know where to draw the line. Most of the accidents that happen to seasoned guys happen because they have become to complacent with their surroundings and don't follow thru with putting safety first and following procedures that they know they should. The attitude of "that's never going to happen to me" is the first mistake in a chain of events that will follow.


This can be the guy that heads out without a life jacket on because he is "just running out to pick up a dead bird" or "it's a real short ride" then falls overboard with no life jacket on or the guy who has no running lights on his boat because he can find his way in the dark and then gets run down by another boat because they can't see him.

In my line of work I have to be out in all kinds of weather and that can be on the high seas or mountain climbing in a high peaks region. You have to know not only your limits but also the limits of your equipment and the skills of others that are with you. Make sure you have a plan and stick to it. We have a saying in the dive industry, "plan the dive and dive the plan." Abort if anything changes the plan. Now that may not apply to some hunting scenarios but it is always a saying that is in the back of my mind. Also remember if and when something does happen, don't panic or react to a situation. As a recuse diver we have always been trained to "stop and think" how am I going to save myself and the person I'm trying to rescue? Reaction can kill, so please, if you find yourself in a bad situation remember" Stop and Think" gain your composure and find a way to save your self. Go over bailout plans with you buddies. When sitting and chatting while out discuss different scenarios and how you might handle them. The time you spend doing this may very well save your life some day of the life of someone else.



Most of all enjoy the bad weather but be smart and safe about it.
 
John - As you are from western Pa, you must have been to the Pymatuning WMA. There is a monument in the parking lot, to a man that was one of the point men for DU in western Pa. He was a very experienced waterfowler, decoy carver, and County Coroner. He reached for a decoy that was to far, tipped, fell into the water and died of hypothermia....... I will never forget Howard, or how much he did for DU, and the decoy community. Every time I go to Pymatuning, I have to stop and pay my respects, to a real gentleman, who made a fatal mistake.
 
Great feed back as well as from Vince. Remember waterfowling can be just as dangerous from land without a boat. I recall a hunt on the north side of Cape Cod where a friend slipped on some ice along the edge of a ditch. The tide was as almost ten feet that day and we expected two feet of water over the marsh. The tide was pouring in when he slipped and he went to the bottom of the ditch that was three quarters full. Trouble was the ditches are about six feet deep due to higher tides on north side of Cape and it was ice sheets so he couldnt get out without somebody to lend a hand. Had he been alone we were certain the outcome on that single digit day would have made the news.

The recent accident in my area had the last hunter and only survivor picked up 35 minutes after the other two were found one half mile away. All this in a small harbor but his camo coat made him impossible to see according to the Coast Guard report so I will carry a blaze orange or white flag in my coat pocket from now on and in addition to other items I will add for next year.

Thanks to all for input and expressing why we hunt in a more appropriate way than the news junkies looking for press that did a tremendous disservice to us all.
 
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