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Slugman
01-05-2009, 09:58 AM
Everyone just loves questions from newbs right? In looking to extend the hunting season I've been doing my homework on waterfowlin' and seeing as I love dem tasty ducks its a natural progression. Seems on Vancouver island you are limited where you can go, I guess what I need to know that if I plan on trying out Cow Bay whats acceptable and whats not. Is it first come first serve as far as set up? Is there general rules as to how close in proximity you can be to other hunters? Does a packed field full of hunters all trying to call in ducks/geese mess up a successful hunt? I just don't want to head out there only to ruin a fellow hunters day by not knowing these things!
Last question can you hunt the bay successfully without a boat or dog? Thanks for your input!

Marc
01-05-2009, 11:01 PM
OK I'll bite since I hunt the bay a fair amount.

Personally I like to have a minimum of at least some means of retrieving downed birds especially when hunting over water. Chest waders are good, a small boat is great, and having a trained retriever is even better. Having a boat and a dog is about as good as it gets for the ones that sail way out there before they drop out of the sky 200-300 yards away.

You'd be amazed how fast a wounded duck can move and hide in the marsh grass let alone on water, a trained dog is definitely a nice to have. Since I started hunting over dogs 12 years ago I just don’t feel the same hunting without one. To me it’s part of my waterfowling gear right next to my shotgun.

Cow bay is a large area. If someone is set closer than 200 yards from me and is sky busting at birds (higher or further than 40 yards, any further then this without a dog is looking for trouble) that have their wings cupped and headed straight for my decoys then yes I'd be a bit pissed off. There is nothing more frustrating them arriving before sunrise, placing out the decoys, getting yourself concealed and having someone show up at daylight with only a shotgun and a box of shells in hand and is leaching off your rig 50-100 yards away.

Last fall we witnessed a guy walking up the terminal road in jeans and sneakers shooting from the side of the road. He shot a nice drake bufflehead on the water and had no means of retrieving it. This doesn’t look good no matter who’s watching. Slob hunting at its finest.

The majority of the bay is public land (some of it is Indian Reserve and Private) and it's first come first serve. So if you walk in and find a brush blind on the side of the water then it's yours to use. Be respectful and pick up your garbage/hulls before you leave and don't wreck the cover around the blind.

Johnnybear
01-05-2009, 11:07 PM
and don't wreck the cover around the blind.


Great advice Marc.

I've seen some homemade blinds with chicken wire out at the Nanaimo Estuary and I always left more cover on them when I left for the next guy.

The 'Hummer'
01-05-2009, 11:48 PM
Side issue Marc, but have you ever hunted in the Chemainus River estuary? It's been a few years since I have but while I was shovelling the 'white stuff' today I could hear 'them' pounding pretty good in that area.

The Hermit
01-05-2009, 11:48 PM
I've ambushed Canadas along the dyke taking them as they come off the water, up and over the dyke and bam... they land beside you on the road or in the bushes/field behind you. Its a Ducks Unlimited area too. Everyone that uses the dyke will have different feelings about more people going there but its public and good to get more guys out. I'd stay a good 100m from anyone along the dyke.

Marc
01-05-2009, 11:52 PM
Side issue Marc, but have you ever hunted in the Chemainus River estuary? It's been a few years since I have but while I was shovelling the 'white stuff' today I could hear 'them' pounding pretty good in that area.

Nope not me, I haven't ventured far from Cowichan Bay this fall with the recent knee surgery this summer.

Slugman
01-06-2009, 09:04 AM
Thanks Marc, I figured you were the go to guy for advice on hunting the bay. I couldn't agree with you more about the huge benefits of having a good dog to help you out. Good thing is I do have a decent quality inflatable I can use, however it does sound that with the proper set up in the area and keeping the shots close I'd have a chance of at least keeping them close to land. Alot of the good manners you mentioned really are just common sense but I'm glad I asked just the same, I will definatley be checking it out soon!!

kyleklassen
01-06-2009, 12:30 PM
was down on the dike this mornin and shot nearly a box of shells and brought home 2 1/2 boxes of empties. must've been some kind of miracle. Nearly every year i have to write a rebuttal letter to the editor in the local newspaper defending our hunting in the bay after somebody that lives down there tries to use misinformation about hunters and hunting to further there cause of stopping the hunting due to the noise factor. lets not give them any "ammunition" by leaving our empty ones around.When i was younger i used to be a hardass down there, shooting where i was allowed, even if it wasn't that neighbour friendly. or setting up facing the houses. for the 1/2 hour before sunrise wake up call. but i now realize its easier to co-habitat than fight at every turn.

Ron.C
01-06-2009, 12:33 PM
its easier to co-habitat than fight at every turn.


Very good point

longshot
01-06-2009, 05:48 PM
Side issue Marc, but have you ever hunted in the Chemainus River estuary? It's been a few years since I have but while I was shovelling the 'white stuff' today I could hear 'them' pounding pretty good in that area.

I heard that in order to access that area you need to cross through a native reserve and they don't allow non-natives to drive through. Is there any bypass?

Longshot jr.

longshot
01-06-2009, 06:02 PM
was down on the dike this mornin and shot nearly a box of shells and brought home 2 1/2 boxes of empties.

Good for you pickin' up the mess.

We were down there last weekend and couldn't pick up anymore empties as our bag was full of everyone elses mess. It's mainly the afternoon hunters. A couple weeks ago we saw two hunters on a dyke absolutley blasting everything at any range. These guys think they own the place and only wounded ducks and had no way of retrieving. Next day we ran into a nice hunter and his dog found five dead ducks that wern't his.

So if you hunt at cow bay, PLEEEASE shoot them in range!!

Have fun and be safe.

Longshot Jr.

The 'Hummer'
01-06-2009, 06:28 PM
Nope not me, I haven't ventured far from Cowichan Bay this fall with the recent knee surgery this summer.

I've been out of the waterfowl aspect of hunting for a few years but another spot we used to hit was Pastula's. Ever hunted there? I was thinking with your leg situation, it may be a spot worth considering, if access is still possible that is.

The 'Hummer'
01-06-2009, 06:37 PM
I heard that in order to access that area you need to cross through a native reserve and they don't allow non-natives to drive through. Is there any bypass?

Longshot jr.

It's been a few years but we used to go by canoe from the bridge on the old road, or, on occasion, we've also walked in along the river to the 'flats'. Quite a number of times we went in by boat or canoe, from an old log dump between Chemainus and the mouth of the river.
Some of our best shooting there took place between Christmas & New Years, especially when the weather was on the cool side, as it's been this year, and a lot of the smaller local water spots were frozen over.

longshot
01-06-2009, 07:35 PM
Thanks 'Hummer'!

porcupine
01-06-2009, 10:41 PM
The Chemainus Estuary used to belong to Dennis St. Denis who sold it to the mill. It was the main hunting area for the Hidden Valley Conservation Club until he left. The mill then stopped access to the general public but some locals sneak down there and do some shooting. Recently, Ducks Unlimited "bought" the property, put a covenent on it so that it could not be developed, and "sold" it back to the original owners. Unlike most areas, the original farmers got title to the land out into the estuary and below the tide line. I used to love hunting that area and it used to be good hunting and fishing at the mouth of the river.
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The 'Hummer'
01-06-2009, 11:04 PM
I appreciate the info porcupine. I wasn't aware of a lot of the details you've made mention of. Normally we went down the river in a canoe, walked the river bank or came into the mud flats from the old log dump. I was employed at the mill when they owned Swallowfield farm but that's pretty well the east side of the river. This doesn't include the west side as well does it as that isn't part of the farm??
We used to go and disperse ourselves among the stumps & roots washed down to the mud flats and had a lot of great shoots in that area.
Sorry guys, didn't mean to steal the thread.