Hey I am over here!

[unimog]

I recently went to my local Marsh to do some duck hunting. As usual I
set up my blind, decoys, and coffee. it was a really quiet morning with not much movement from the ducks. I wall calling softly since the ducks seemed to be shy of loud aggressive calls. we brought in a single mallard coming into shooting range when a blast went off. looking at my hunting partner and him doing the same. We both realized that it wasn't us. We immediately Jumped to our feet and searched around. There was another hunter walking behind us in the marsh who happened to take the shot right above out blind. He didn't see us as all. I woke up this morning feeling uneasy about the whole ordeal. I got to thinking and thought. When divers go into the water they set up a flag so that when the dive boat leaves to the pick up site people know where they are. Is there such a thing for duck hunting? And if not maybe something like a thick foldable tent pole with a flag of our own pushed into the ground. Not only would this help to eliminate accidents but it would keep people from setting up there binds on the other side of the pond directly in line. It would also keep us from grouping in one spot, making it possible to have more chances for duck. Any thoughts?

[wildprotien]

Now this is a good post, asking how to solve a problem rather than crapping on the guy that shot over your head not knowing you were there.
I think you have a good idea relating to making the blind visible to other hunters with some kind of marking that does not scare the ducks.
I bet the guy who shot over your blind was also freaked out .

[yamadirt 426]

Yes no one to blame there. Good post and I think a great Idea. I would put a flag up.

[wrenchhead]

i agree with wildprotien. guy was probably as freeked as you were. your blind did a good job of hinding you. imagine if he was shooting across the pond from the other side not knowing you were there! if it was me id put some sort of marker around so other hunted know your whereabouts.

[unimog]

considering that the area does have a lot of hunting activity. Especially jump shooters I will be putting up some kind of marker. Would be an idea to make some sort of marker or symbol known to all hunters. A red duck outline on a camo backing, something like that.

[heyblast]

That's a great idea. I'm sure he didn't know you were there. I have simalar concerns as I use my punt as a layout blind with decoys spread all around me. The Green head goose decoys I got caused me some concern yesterday because they look so real . These decoys are getting so realistic that combined with a good blind it could get dangerous without some warning.

[sparkes3]

just a little bit of a camo tarp (say10" across cut in a triangle) hooked to any part of your blind /setup on a little stick would work fine.or a couple of little camo flags with active duck blind in area sprayed on it, stick them on a short tent pole 60/70 yards behind your blind.the only problem i see is people leaving them behind when not hunting hoping to keep people out of the blind.

[sparkes3]

ps i got a old camo tarp if anyone wants to help make them up.

[Dirty]

If there is a trail like that maybe post that you are hunting on a sandwich board. I have thought about this in multiple use areas such as dikes. To notify people of the presence of hunters.

[unimog]

A Camo triangle on a pole is a great idea! I Like to see people coming together to isolate a problem and then act accordingly to fix it. We shouldn't be the first ones to bitch about something and the last to act (cough.....cough.. hippies)! I will have a camo triangle by my blind the next time i am out. Which hopefully is tomorrow. The only problem i see, is now every one who read this post will know it's me. j/k

[Theo722]

There's allot of guys with Roboducks already which can't be mistaken for real ducks that it happens to consistently. I'm novice and have no trouble at all to identify areas already in use. The calling, the Robos, or decoys always give it away for me. I fully support any universally understood flagging system. Wish it'd be respected universally.

[blindman]

A black helium balloon on a string? Just kidding but you have hit on an area of concern that could use a reasonable solution. It has to be recognizable to other hunters and not bother waterfowl, be easily transported and erected, and a fine for people just placing one to save a hunting spot for the next day or putting out more than one to surround himself with more area than is plausible. The downside is that jump shooters could use these little signs as "poaching" spots, you put out the decoys and they just sit in your decoyed duck's approach path. I've seen this done and had it done to me. It will be interesting to see what the "crew" comes up with that would work.

[Theo722]

I guess there's no replacement to being a considerate decent fellow hunter.

[Marc]

If they are to lazy to buy their own decoys chances are they're to cheap or lazy to buy a boat or canoe. Set up where most can't access by foot and you'll be fine.

[wolverine]

I recently went to my local Marsh to do some duck hunting. As usual I
set up my blind, decoys, and coffee. it was a really quiet morning with not much movement from the ducks. I wall calling softly since the ducks seemed to be shy of loud aggressive calls. we brought in a single mallard coming into shooting range when a blast went off. looking at my hunting partner and him doing the same. We both realized that it wasn't us. We immediately Jumped to our feet and searched around. There was another hunter walking behind us in the marsh who happened to take the shot right above out blind. He didn't see us as all. I woke up this morning feeling uneasy about the whole ordeal. I got to thinking and thought. When divers go into the water they set up a flag so that when the dive boat leaves to the pick up site people know where they are. Is there such a thing for duck hunting? And if not maybe something like a thick foldable tent pole with a flag of our own pushed into the ground. Not only would this help to eliminate accidents but it would keep people from setting up there binds on the other side of the pond directly in line. It would also keep us from grouping in one spot, making it possible to have more chances for duck. Any thoughts?


Great idea but don't expect many to pay any attention. To use your example, when I was actively diving we used to set up dive flags all the tme only to have idiot come right to them in their boats to see what the hell they were!

[JoshCampbell]

i recently seen an orange triangle with the words "hunter in area" in one of my hunting magazines and thpought it was a great idea as where i duck hunt everyone going by can c my decoys but not me behind the logs and stumps in the skeena river and would be nice if there was something to let other people using the area know i was in there also