bowfishing for ducks/geese

[boznarras]

Here is a goofy idea? Or would it be Daffy?
I was telling a duck hunting friend about the article on bowhunting for waterfowl that was in TBM a few issues back. After a little talking we got to wondering if anyone ever used a bowfishing rig for this.
You could retrieve the duck, plus you would not lose the arrow if you missed...and you would not have a cripple get away with your arrow in it.
Seems like you could use a lighter arrow than the regular heavy fiberglass fish arrows, get better flight.
I did a read on the game laws here, could not find a restriction against it. I can ask the trooper about it sometime. Has anyone else already done this?

[Stumpkiller]

I've raised geese.  I would not want a mad goose tied to me or my bow.    

[bowmofo]

a Game Tracker may be a better idea.  

[BigCountryOK]

I've never tried it, but I've often thought about using something like the Magnus Bullhead on geese or ducks when they are in a field.

[Ron+dog]

Originally posted by Stumpkiller:
I've raised geese.  I would not want a mad goose tied to me or my bow.      

aint that the truth
ive had fine luck with flu flu arrows and judos i sure wouldnt want a wounded goose coming after me atatched to me in any way

[ti-guy]

bowmofo's right,it's no different then game tracker.If it's usable for deer or fish...

[oxnam]

I have and it worked relatively well.  I am still tweaking my system to get it to work better.  The biggest concern, and it is a safety issue, is that most of my duck hunting is done in freezing temperatures.  The first shot is fine, but once the line is wet, it is going to freeze on your spool or in your reel with braided line.  So there is a real possibility that on the next shot, the line will not come off the spool properly which could result in the arrow snapping back at the archer.

Worked great on warmer days but it really limits range and the arrow does not follow it normal trajectory.

[reddogge]

Come on Spring.

[Guru]

I'm picturing a huge safety issue! Sounds like recipe for disaster!

Bowfishing rigs are made for bowfishing!

[boznarras]

Oxnam that is what I was looking for. Someone who already tried it. So, above freezing it works, at short ranges....interesting. I am mostly around salt water, so freezing is a little colder.
Did you use the heavy fish arrow? Seems like you might not need the mass here, since you are not shooting through the water.

Would a game tracker be strong enough to drag a bird back to you? I never used one, but thought it would just be a light thread for tracking...

As to the wounded goose problem, why not just tie off the end of the line to something other than yourself or the bow? Like a tent peg? Step away and shoot again?

reddogge, you are right, this is the sort of thinking winter brings on, cabin fever. But we've got to do something or we will go crazy, and perhaps I have proven my point  :rolleyes:  .

[oxnam]

I shot a regular carbon but I did not do it to "reel" in a bird.  There are only a couple times I would recommend it: on a river/lake where flu flus will still result in lost arrows and near populated area where birds could make it far enough to get on the news.  If a wounded bird might make it to town, I sure as heck don't want my arrow to be in it.

Early this season I had a good duck day with decent opportunities.  But most of the shots were when the birds were about 20-25 yards out. That is getting real close to the end of the line.  I had one shot that we thought was definately going to connect until the arrow hit the end of the line a foot or two from the bird.  I ended up hitting low most of the time because of the drag of the line.  When shooting instinctivly on moving birds, it is really hard to adjust and think, "a foot higher".  I never lost an arrow but I couldn't help to think how that day might have turned out if I had let the arrows fly untethered.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Safety, Safety, Safety.  Just say no!

I like to use Turkey Guillotine heads on flu flus for ducks and geese.  Aim for the heads.

[oxnam]

BigCountryOK - You would have really mixed results with the bullhead on waterfowl.  On head, neck, or wing shots, it will generally do a great job.  But I don't think you would have any chance of bringing down a goose with a good solid body shot.  The impact of the head is spread over too large of an area on the gooses dense down and feather.  Keep in mind that a lot of energy is lost because they get "pushed" and have a lot of give while in the air.  

With ducks there is a greater chance of bringing them down.  On a hunt with my brother, we were setup in a ditch so the shots would be close.  Over the course of the morning, he clipped the tip of a mallard's wing which brought it to the ground.  Later, I put a solid shot on a back pedaling wood duck, square and low on his chest.  He managed to stay airborne and flew off without gaining any elevation.  I was suprised and disappointed because he was probably only 10 yards away and am shooting 65#.  I am sure he eventually died but he wasn't recoverable.  

I have had similar experinces on pheasants.  Solid hits are not nearly as good as clipping wings or necks with the bullhead.  So the bullhead will bring home birds that other tips won't, and unfortunatly you will have some good solid hits when a different tip would have put meat on the table.  

It's a tough trade off because every head has pros and cons when it comes to hunting birds with a bow.

[finkm1]

Seems like you would need a lot of line.

[boznarras]

Oxnam that sounds like fun times.

I agree about not having your arrow show up in town. There was a story on CBC about an arrowed goose in a town in Canada a while back that the police put down...not good.

I don't think I explained my idea very well earlier.
Where I live, the tides flood the flats which are crisscrossed by deep sloughs that hold water during the ebb. Tides can be over 20 feet change in 6 hours. When you creep up to the edge of a slough, you will often be looking down at the water with the ducks on it or flying just above it. A hit duck will fall on the far side of the slough or in the fast flowing water as often as not, so a dog is usually needed to retrieve.
My dog got old and died. When I had a dog, I would bring home more ducks than I shot, just from her finding the ones that others had lost.
That is why the idea of being able to pull in a duck appeals to me. I could even see doing this just for dogless retrieval while hunting with a shotgun if it worked well. I don't know that I will pursue it, but thought it an interesting idea.

Thanks to all for your input.

Also, thanks to those who are concerned about safety. It is number one, and I would hate to suggest something that got anyone hurt.
Safety issues are always worth considering, but I wonder why, if I am shooting down towards a duck, it is any more dangerous than shooting downwards towards a fish, assuming the line is not frozen on the reel?  :confused:  

Anyway, enough on this....

[loneviking]

No, not enough on this as I've been dying to ask this question. I live out by a small river in the desert.  The river is often covered by ducks, the river isn't all that far across, but it's deep enough I don't want to be swimming to get a duck.

You guys that keep hollering 'safety,safety,safety'....what's the danger? You're shooting the same way you do when you're bowfishing---except for the freezing issue. So, what's the problem?

I'm also toying with which rig to use.  There are the bowfishing rigs that look like bait casters and then there are these 'southern' rigs that don't look all that fancy. Basically, they are a spool and the thread just spins off of it without a cover like a baitcaster.  Which rig works better?

I want some duck for dinner, and there's no using firearms on this river.  So, that leaves a bow and some imagination!

[Ragnarok Forge]

Backlash or catch that string on something and the arrow is flying back at you.  Even worse with a broad head. Get an inflatable raft, a kayak, or if it is a slow river a float tube and go after them once you hit the bird.

There have been documented deaths with bow fishing equipment and back lashed arrows.  If you use light arrows you are guaranteed to get one back to you at full speed sooner or later.  It isn't if, it is when it happens.

[loneviking]

Hmm, OK Clay, I think I can see what you are saying. I'm surprised though that anybody would bowfish if the risks are that bad---or are they less if you are out on open water? I've never bowfished so I have no idea.

But the float tube or a raft is a possibility. What type of point would you use to ensure a quick kill so the duck doesn't go flying off with an arrow in 'em?   And, I guess the carbon or aluminum arrows would float if you missed--right?

[Txnrog]

Backlash with a bowfishing rig is a real risk, BUT it doesn't have to be. Safety slides help significantly. Also, you can put a weaker section of line where the arrow attaches to the line. That dacron is just about indestructable unless rotten, but a short section of mono can solve the issue. You'll loose a couple arrows, but it'll snap if the line gets caught on the way out.

[Cory Mattson]

OK safety - or possible kick back would be an issue - but for the sake of discussion here - lets go with that is unlikely - say it would be safe - or as safe as bowfishing.

Duck & Goose: Bowhunting ducks and geese does not have a problem as I see it. Difficult to hunt and diffcult to hit yes - but losing game birds is never a problem for us. So as far as hitting - killing - recovering - this works fine with tackle commonly used.

Retreival: if I understood that - ? - if that is an issue. Seperate altogether - mud or a dog that can't do it. Walk around or wait for the wind or tide to come back or move it.

And I guess a guy could use a fishing rig of some type to snag and retreive a duck - but it would not be very efficient.

those retreival lines for bears and turkeys are not popular for a reason - they halfway work about half the time and most hunts they get in the way

An actual bowfishing style rig will never work duck hunting. Promise - I don't use the word "never" all that often - but I do believe you will getmore out of your energy focused on other aspects of the hunt.

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