Ethical question?

[BayBoy]

We were out on Pitt Marsh recently and witnessed some questionable behavior. Now I'm not saying what I'm about to relate is illegal but like my title states is it unethical? These guys are in the Pitt Marsh almost every 'open' day, no big deal I try to be also. They call non stop, and I mean high ball non stop, annoying but not a huge problem. Here's where it gets 'gray', they shoot at, empty their guns, on every bird with-in 100 meters, we witnessed this for two days. They actually drop allot of birds but also we saw 4 birds sail off wing tipped 100 meters or more only to drop into the marsh while these guys are still shooting at other ducks, there was no effort made to retrieve these ducks! I would probably not even mention this except it drives me nuts to see this hunter commenting on limiting out and having a great hunt. Is limiting out the most important part of a hunt or ethical hunting.
Sorry for this post I'm new to the duck hunting world, maybe I'm just jealous of a better hunter, but there are at least four ducks still out there. We actually tried to find these birds after the offenders left but without dogs we didn't have much hope.

[kastles]

leaving the bird out in the marsh is illegal, but the shooting at anything and everything w/in pellet range seems a bit unethical. my $.02
kastels

[Jimbo]

There is nothing questionable about their behaviour. It is HIGHLY unethical to shoot at birds without trying to find the cripples.

Short of having a discussion about ethics at the boat launch, I don't know how you would inform these idiots that their tactics are wrong.

[goatdancer]

Page 17 of the hunting regs states "No person shall kill, cripple or wound game without making all reasonable effort to retrieve and include it in his/her bag limit." Pretty clear those bozos haven't read the regs.

[Barracuda]

I would say they have read the regs but just dont care or think it applies to them

[Marc]

Unfortunately for some it's a numbers game, and they think "hell there are still lots to shoot at so I'm not going to walk all the ways over there to look for a bird when I can shoot another". It's sad and it's against the law. Sure the odd bird flies away without the shooter knowing it's been fatally hit, but to see a bird go down and not make an attempt to retrieve it is just wrong in so many ways.

Saturday I fired two shots at a bird and I saw it go down behind me over my right shoulder. I took the dog to where I figured it went down and spent a good hour looking for that duck passing up several other chances to shoot at other ducks until I found the one that was on the ground. I never did find it but if the dog can't find it in an hour of searching then I've pretty much done everything I could think of doing besides mowing down the marsh to try and find the bird.
i know did everything I could have to try and recover the bird and still felt bad that it was never found.

[huntwriter]

It’s legal what these hunters do, including limiting out on every hunt. That’s the reason why we have bag limits.

What’s highly questionable is not retrieving the crippled birds. It actually, as stated before, is illegal and you’re perfectly in order to call the CO on these guys.

I went out for the second time to hunt waterfowl and sadly crippled one of the ducks. Finally after an hour of looking for it,then find it only to see it swim deeper into the reds, I got within gun range and put it out of its misery. Following up any shot/wounded game animal is the law.

Here is what I would do. Next time take pictures or better still take a video, write down the license platte and then report these guys. A few days ago I spoke to a CO about the R.A.P.P. program and he told me that they appriciate when hunters see anything unlawfull, or questionable to proceed as aoutlined above and report it.

[BayBoy]

Thanks to everyone for the advice, I talked to my hunting partner and I think we'll do some video. It will be easy these guys have been using the same blind for the last to seasons and we have a perfect view of them. Also they use the same little boat launch that we all do so we can get their plate number.

[Scottish Warrior]

Thanks to everyone for the advice, I talked to my hunting partner and I think we'll do some video. It will be easy these guys have been using the same blind for the last to seasons and we have a perfect view of them. Also they use the same little boat launch that we all do so we can get their plate number.

Good for you. I hunted the Pitt Marsh last year but decided not to this year casue of all the BS.

[ianwuzhere]

i second your opinion bay boy= UN-ETHICAL...