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Shooting ducks on the water..

12K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  JFord56 
#1 ·
I have never and will never shoot a duck on the water, but is it actually illegal in SC to do this? I was raised to never shoot a dove on a powerpole, ducks on the water etc. but now I wonder if it is actually illegal. I looked around on DNR but couldn't find anything.
 
#2 ·
As far as I know it is nit illegal in any state. I know it's not in any states I hunt. And I will kill em on the water if they make it that far. Less chance for
A cripple, and a guaranteed bird in hand.
 
#3 ·
Not illegal anywhere that I know of either. Nor extremely sporting, but neither is baiting deer and then shooting them with an apple in their mouth.
 
#4 ·
Smackaduck said:
As far as I know it is nit illegal in any state. I know it's not in any states I hunt. And I will kill em on the water if they make it that far. Less chance for
A cripple, and a guaranteed bird in hand.
very very wrong. water swatting results in way more cripples due to over half the birds vitals being under water. Its not illegal anywhere and as bigsprig said its not sporting either. to each their own tho.
 
#8 ·
Because a 2 year old could do it.. It makes it no fun, why not shoot it when it is flying and actually challenging to do? I've just been raised on those kind of hunting ethics but I guess people around here really haven't been raised on the same kind of ethics. Saying your family has to eat... you can't honestly tell me that you rely on eating game meat 12 months out of the year. And if you can't shoot a duck flying and have to wait until they land, then your family honestly might starve.
 
#9 ·
I will for one will shoot em off the water every time if they make it in that far without me seeing them. Lets set a scenario, one hunter has decoys out and calling then shoots the birds circling around and checking out the decoys and kills his limit, another hunter has his dekes out and calling in birds, hes good enough to make them come all the way in and light on the water in his spread without detecting the hunters presence. Which hunter is a better DUCK hunter, of course the guy with the skills to make them fully commit and land. Sure anybody can shoot a duck off the water and anybody with shooting experience can shoot them out the air, however only a very good duck hunter can make them come all the way in. Its called duck hunting not duck shooting, its not about who is a better wing shot, thats for the dove field and thats why its called a dove shoot. Duck hunting is about being able to manipulate ducks to do what you want to do. In my opinion it takes a better duck hunter to get the chance to shoot a greenhead off the water rather than the air. Anybody can get one to come in range, but not everybody can make them to come all the way down. Not saying i try to shoot ducks off the water, i call the shot right before they hit the water, but if one sneaks in then i see no reason why anybody wouldnt water blast em. Its about calling ducks not shooting them, dead duck is a dead duck
 
#10 ·
CSS said:
What makes shooting a duck that you decoy off the water not "sporting" I'll take them flying or swimming cause this ol boy and his family's got to eat '
If anyone wants to shoot ducks off the water that is their choice and i dont judge them for it. However saying you do it cause you family needs to eat is a lame excuse. If you total up the cost of shells, gas, licenses, stamps, calls, decoys, ect then it is WAY cheaper to buy meat.
scdc said:
Because a 2 year old could do it.. It makes it no fun, why not shoot it when it is flying and actually challenging to do? I've just been raised on those kind of hunting ethics but I guess people around here really haven't been raised on the same kind of ethics.
good post, you are 100 correct and this is the reason there are some many retards on the water these days. if i had ever shot a duck on the water when I was i kid i woulda got my butt kicked. These days guys just wanna kill as many ducks as they can and dont care how its done.
callumcuffumkillum said:
I will for one will shoot em off the water every time if they make it in that far without me seeing them. Lets set a scenario, one hunter has decoys out and calling then shoots the birds circling around and checking out the decoys and kills his limit, another hunter has his dekes out and calling in birds, hes good enough to make them come all the way in and light on the water in his spread without detecting the hunters presence. Which hunter is a better DUCK hunter, of course the guy with the skills to make them fully commit and land. Sure anybody can shoot a duck off the water and anybody with shooting experience can shoot them out the air, however only a very good duck hunter can make them come all the way in. Its called duck hunting not duck shooting, its not about who is a better wing shot, thats for the dove field and thats why its called a dove shoot. Duck hunting is about being able to manipulate ducks to do what you want to do. In my opinion it takes a better duck hunter to get the chance to shoot a greenhead off the water rather than the air. Anybody can get one to come in range, but not everybody can make them to come all the way down. Not saying i try to shoot ducks off the water, i call the shot right before they hit the water, but if one sneaks in then i see no reason why anybody wouldnt water blast em. Its about calling ducks not shooting them, dead duck is a dead duck
so when you FAIL to notice a duck before it lands in your decoys and then you water blast it you're now a better hunter the the guy that notices it, calls them in and shoots them out of the air. You say your self you call the shot before they land if you notice them and call them in but if one sneeks in you water bust it.

With that said I am 100% fine with you shooting ducks on the water. Its fully legal and it is well within every hunters rights to do so. But if you choose to do so dont make up BS excuses for why. just flat out say "i water shoot ducks" It seems like everyone has a reason for doing it because they feel its wrong and need to justify it, when in reality there isn't anything wrong with it if thats how you enjoy hunting.
 
#12 ·
scdc said:
Because a 2 year old could do it.. It makes it no fun, why not shoot it when it is flying and actually challenging to do? I've just been raised on those kind of hunting ethics but I guess people around here really haven't been raised on the same kind of ethics. Saying your family has to eat... you can't honestly tell me that you rely on eating game meat 12 months out of the year. And if you can't shoot a duck flying and have to wait until they land, then your family honestly might starve.
Honestly I can say that we eat game meat twelve months ut of the year and I never said I had to wait il they land
 
#13 ·
sorry bout that post, my roommate loves to play with my ****, wasnt me :fingerpt: . But i have no problem shooting ducks on the water if they get there, not that i intentionally let ducks land, but wood ducks can be sneaky at first light haha. To every man his own, there is no right answer. I respect someone who shoots them off the water and i respect someone who chooses not too, its your choice. Nothing to get mad about :grooving:
 
#18 ·
throwing ducks away is on a whole other level than shooting one off the water but im sure there are plenty of hunters that do it, this morning i went to one of my best holes for the first time this season, it is on private land and NO one else is allowed to hunt it. An hour after legal we had seen 2 woodies and a goose, couldnt figure out what the hell was going on till i found a mound of empty shells and then old corn rotting on the bank, goes to show some people just have no respect these days. But im pretty sure i know who it is and i hope the get #%*%#*. Already talked to the game warden :hammer:
 
#19 ·
callumcuffumkillum said:
throwing ducks away is on a whole other level than shooting one off the water but im sure there are plenty of hunters that do it, this morning i went to one of my best holes for the first time this season, it is on private land and NO one else is allowed to hunt it. An hour after legal we had seen 2 woodies and a goose, couldnt figure out what the hell was going on till i found a mound of empty shells and then old corn rotting on the bank, goes to show some people just have no respect these days. But im pretty sure i know who it is and i hope the get #%*%#*. Already talked to the game warden :hammer:
Yea thats pretty ****ty theres no reason for that nonsense
 
#20 ·
CSS said:
You know from what ive gathered sounds like half of yall will just shoot a duck to keep it on your little tally and once your done you just chunk them in the woods and say the heck with theres more were that came from
Yea if i ever caught someone doing that i'd hold them there till the LEO's got there. I dont play those games. I'd just rather shoot my ducks flying or not at all. If I can't hit them flying then i'll eat steak not duck for dinner and wont lose any sleep over it.
 
#22 ·
scdc said:
Because a 2 year old could do it.. It makes it no fun, why not shoot it when it is flying and actually challenging to do? I've just been raised on those kind of hunting ethics but I guess people around here really haven't been raised on the same kind of ethics. Saying your family has to eat... you can't honestly tell me that you rely on eating game meat 12 months out of the year. And if you can't shoot a duck flying and have to wait until they land, then your family honestly might starve.
Oh yah, I TOTALLY agree with your "kind of hunting ethics." I make sure that not only are my ducks flying but that I'm using throwing knives to insure its challenging, sporting, ethical and especially, that no 2 year old could do it. It does get expensive cause I really run through the knives so this year I'm thinking to move to a casting net (hoping I can call em in close enough to just give it a toss in the air when they come by!!) Oh and also, I'm sure you follow your same ethics deer hunting as well, just like myself, I always give a good holler when that big buck steps in the clearing. That way he gets a good running start! I'm still using a rifle for this, but don't worry I leave it tied to my pull rope still at the bottom of stand, just to make sure that the shot is gonna be good and sporting. Ain't no 2 year old gonna pull that one off!
 
#24 ·
therountree said:
scdc said:
Because a 2 year old could do it.. It makes it no fun, why not shoot it when it is flying and actually challenging to do? I've just been raised on those kind of hunting ethics but I guess people around here really haven't been raised on the same kind of ethics. Saying your family has to eat... you can't honestly tell me that you rely on eating game meat 12 months out of the year. And if you can't shoot a duck flying and have to wait until they land, then your family honestly might starve.
Oh yah, I TOTALLY agree with your "kind of hunting ethics." I make sure that not only are my ducks flying but that I'm using throwing knives to insure its challenging, sporting, ethical and especially, that no 2 year old could do it. It does get expensive cause I really run through the knives so this year I'm thinking to move to a casting net (hoping I can call em in close enough to just give it a toss in the air when they come by!!) Oh and also, I'm sure you follow your same ethics deer hunting as well, just like myself, I always give a good holler when that big buck steps in the clearing. That way he gets a good running start! I'm still using a rifle for this, but don't worry I leave it tied to my pull rope still at the bottom of stand, just to make sure that the shot is gonna be good and sporting. Ain't no 2 year old gonna pull that one off!
Hahahahaha :lol3:
 
#25 ·
When ducks happen to just "appear" in my spread - if they don't get up while I"m getting up to shoot then consider them swatted. They usually get up and fly - not always. I prefer them with their landing gear down but, it's part of duck hunting. No sin.
Normally always happens we you either are cooking or taking a leak! It happens - they eat good too. :yes:
 
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