Archery Geese and Ducks?

[Chris Shelton]

Listen we are not in any position to question some of the wrongdoings of the Native American people, after all think about that big old ugly black spot in our american history.  How can you say something about native Americans running buffalo off cliffs when it was the white man that almost wiped them off the face of this earth?  I bet the Native Americans went down and got everything from those buffalo at the bottom of the cliffs when they were done?!

Alright now that I pissed you off . . . why does everyone say it is unethical to shoot ducks on the ground, or shoot a turkey on their roost?  100% of the time the answer is because its unethical.  Nobody knows why it is unethical it just is.  Call me crazy but I just ain't the type of person who goes with the flow, someone says something that just doesn't make sense, I will question it.

All that said, I still won't shoot ducks or geese on the ground, or shoot turkeys on their roost-cause its unethical,lol

[Chris Shelton]

and to answer your question yes it is different since we aren't in survival mode.  But hunting for meat is still hunting for meat weather you need it or not.

[Cory Mattson]

OK back when I took groups swan hunting I think we averaged about ONE (in the air) hit & kill per 75 shots taken. This was at decoying birds - not pass shooting. My groups did have both types of guys - "only in the air" - and some who were good with shooting them "after they landed". Several years we did this - highest success was 80% tags filled - lowest was 30% tags filled - and amazingly we ended with 100% recovered - none lost birds - so I quit!!! HA
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[Cory Mattson]

ps: Biggie - you are so misunderstood ?!?!?!?
Dude I MISS you - 2 weeks till blackberries are BOOMIN!
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[Biggie Hoffman]

Chris...hang in there, you have a tough life ahead of you. I don't think anybody here is pissed off besides you.

Cory my man!! Gotta get together!!

[wingnut]

I think I'm with Biggie on this one.  Spent a lot of time hunting geese with a scattergun and it just doesn't feel right to shoot em on the ground.  I really don't care if someone else wants too though.

Now turkeys on a roost.  Chris check the game laws, here in texas that's a hanging offense.

Now if it's illegal, it is sure as heck is unethical.

Mike

[SELFBOW19953]

I think a lot of the "shooting on the ground" thing has to do with when one took up hunting.  Someone who has just taken up hunting, no matter their age, probably won't be a very good wing shot.  They'll waste a lot of ammo and never cut a feather.  Out of shear desperation, they'll ground swat them.  As they get better they ar more likely to improve their shooting and, as they take more birds on the wing, they'll shoot fewer on the ground.  I was 30 years old before I hunted from a blind or over decoys-all our shooting was pass shooting.  I was brought up that you don't shoot quail on the ground, ducks on the water, does (they were illegal when I was growing up), piglets that are less than half the height of their moms, turkey off the roost, armadillo, and no shooting into a squirrels nest.  I grew up in Florida and shot only 2 armadillo (caught and released a lot more), we ate both of them.  I still prefer pass shooting waterfowl.  I still follow those guidelines, except that now I do shoot does-every chance I get.  They're not better or worse than anyone else's hunting rules, just the way I was brought up.  Just like using a flyrod, it ain't for everybody.   I'd rather catch 1 fish with a flyrod, than 10 with a spinning rig and livebait.  Garden fodder or corn for trout isn't wrong, it's just not for me.

[Chris Shelton]

Originally posted by Chris Shelton:
All that said, I still won't shoot ducks or geese on the ground, or shoot turkeys on their roost-cause its unethical,lol

Let me quote myself   :p    

[reddogge]

I'm with Biggie but not for the reasons given, ie: unethical or illegal.  I'm an old duck and goose hunter from way back but with the scattergun.  The reasoning for not shooting them on the water was it produced a tremendous amount of cripples.  A duck rides very low in the water (3/4 of him is underwater) as do any waterfowl and basically you're hoping for a few pellets in the head so we just didn't do it.  Much more effective to shoot at the exposed breast and wings of a locked up decoying duck.

My other reason is is just isn't sporting and real sportsmen I know don't do it, period.

[Chris Shelton]

Originally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
Chris...hang in there, you have a tough life ahead of you. I don't think anybody here is pissed off besides you.

Wow, I can honestly say I am not pissed at all.  Some respect may have been lost, but I'm still not pissed.  

I still don't get something . . . if all the shotgun talk is removed, since we all know that it is definitely unethical to shoot at anything on water with a boom stick.  I cant think of anyone that can put in a more humane shot in the air vs on the ground???  

  I still laugh when folks wait till the bird is just about to touch the ground to shoot at it.  What is the difference?

Anyway, I'm done with this convo, apparently I have to go prepare for my tough life  

[frank bullitt]

First, and foremost to Konrad, yes, the blind thing would be one way to do it! I remember seeing the boys of Double Bull Blind use this set-up in a residential area, no guns, on Canadians! I would also say, Thanks to Cody for the kind reply he gave you!

As for Ducks on the water with the bow, if you won't, then you haven't, and you don't know!

It ain't "shootin fish in a barrel", and I'll be %^$&, if I do Bowhuntin Easy!

Oh, and speaking of fish, bowishing carp during the spawn, Like shooting Buicks, in a Bucket!  

[Konrad]

I once pass shot a duck with my bow on the second try (shall we say I got “lucky”?).
I have shot both ducks and geese with scatter gun in the air (on the ground is just not done in my home state of Texas) and I still go with that philosophy.

That all being said, today I would take a walking goose with a bow.
I’ve tried sneaking up on groups of those guys on foot and talk about a lot of eyes!
Therein lies the rub…getting close enough.
Yep, I would say on the ground is fair game with the bow.

[reddogge]

I still laugh when folks wait till the bird is just about to touch the ground to shoot at it. What is the difference?
 

Read my post before yours.  Higher percentage shot.  Those folded up wings can stop shot at longer ranges whereas the exposed breast and wing bones are very vulnerable.  If a duck or goose lands we flush it and then shoot.  And besides.....very unsportsmanlike.  It just isn't done in most circles I know.

[Chris Shelton]

reddogge I am not questioning why it is bad to shoot one on the ground with a shotgun, I did read your post, but I said get rid of all the shotgun stuff, I am only talking about with a bow!!!!

[frank bullitt]

Yes, I also understand with a gun, Reddogge. Just like the fellas I know, who jump shoot them in the drainage ditches and puddles around here.

Not my kind of fun!

Have you shot at a Wood Duck, on the water, in a rural creek? Where about a dozen, or so others are swimming around.

Their, predators, Coopers Hawks, Redtail Hawks, Great Horned Owls, Coyotes, Fox, House, Ferral Cats. Welcome to my hunting Paradise!

You know how a Texas Deer "ducks" an arrow?  

When i was younger I hunted ducks and geese a lot with a longbow.  It seems to me there are situations that shooting on the water is about the same as shooting a rabbit.  Is it unethical to shoot a sitting rabbit?  Now if it is one of those dock friendly ducks that has no fear of humans on the shore it is another matter, but if it some hunter savvy bluewinged teal, you just blink twice and they gone.  i shot at a passing group of mallards with a tail wind, I gave them about a forty foot lead.  Not enough, next pass more, still not enough.  On the third pass I did not shoot, they turned and came into the wind and locked their wings less than twenty yards in front of me.  They were virtually standing still when I shot, one dead mallard. I have had better luck stalking feeding geese, they usually fly right you think you can get by with ground swatting one, so those were only a few feet off the ground and not moving too fast either.  Pass shooting at geese can be fun, but pick a large empty plowed field to land your arrows in, and don't count on hitting any.  The spring season is much better for goose hunting than in the fall, from what I have seen.  There are more around and they can be decoyed a little easier.

[Don Stokes]

Once, in the misspent days of my youth, I shot a mallard while it was asleep, head tucked. Broad daylight, but he must have had a rough night. I was young, inexperienced, and hungry for duck blood. It was my first mallard drake. Just had to have those curled tail feathers for my hat. Ahhh, the foibles of youth.

I don't do that sort of thing any more... too old and experienced now, and I satisfied that blood lust long ago. I think it's called maturing.

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

...wonder is the indians in the old days waited for'm to fly ???????  I bet there bellys said ...no !!!!

[Ken Taylor]

I love shooting at flying ducks and geese with my longbow. And my Indian wife, children, relatives and friends enjoy watching me try. It is amusing. LOL

[oxnam]

My hunting has little to do with getting meat and much more about the challenge.  Hunting ducks and geese with a shotgun can be difficult and unproductive and are a formidible challenge even with multiple shots and patterns.  So when it comes to bows, I don't think it is unethical to pursue them on the ground/water with a bow.  I think even sitting, they challenge a bowhunters stalking and shooting abilities.  

I personally find it much more satisfying to try and connect with them in flight.  The precision and luck required to connect is so much fun.  It make me feel like a kid again just flinging arrows.  I am not concerned about shot placement or form and just clipping feathers and coming close provide fond memories.  I especially like that even inexperienced archers can have a lot of fun and be surprisingly good.  It's up to you if you want to hunt them on the ground or in the air, but either way I want to see pictures.