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Do you?
Please don't shoot my decoys.

This is not the Blind. Please stay on topic.

Once in a while, I try not to though. Sometimes a diver will land in the decoys or in the LZ when we are screwing around and not paying attention and we might reward it for our stupidity by unloading on it, sometimes 9 to 15 shots.

Not very often but it has been done. Usually try and flush them up first before shooting.

A couple years after moving down here, I went to work for the camp I'm still with and made a September teal hunt with the then head guide, Harvey, a character who probably came as close to literally living off the land as anyone in the lower 48. When the first little flight of bluewings swooped into the gap in his "Cajun rig" of decoys, I started to stand to shoot, but was stopped by a hand on my arm while they lit. "Not yet," said Harvey. "First we're going to make them nervous and bunch up."

Which his quiet speech and more low talk did, in fact, do. The little ducks eased toward each other with heads high and looking for its source.

"Now we shoot them," Harvey said, taking a shot that hit several on the water and following with a pair from the air, while this then-young hillbilly little doubt sat open-mouthed without firing a shot.

My early mentors in the North wouldn't have dreamed of shooting a sitting duck, but I've found the practice common as rain here in Cajun country. True to my upbringing, I'll not shoot a stationary bird other than turkey. Can't see the fun in it and certainly don't need a bird badly enough to kill it in a manner I don't enjoy. ("Chicken choppin's" being the exception - and something my little grandkids think more fun than a trip to the playground.)

But I don't mind others swatting birds on my pond, if they've of a mind to, as long as they let them clear the decoys. Have, in fact, encouraged my grandsons to take water shots early on and enjoy the success they help ensure. And if the shooters are very young or old, I don't mind repairing a few decoys, either. The gentlemen seated in the front of this boat hold the current record for the most of my decoys shot in a single morning with 13:


And if those two partners were still alive and able, I'd be happy to help them break their record.

Water swatting is a requirement when hunting on the barge. Along with the old 1...2...3...Bang as everyone on board shoots at a single bird in preflight position.
I also encourage young shooters to take water shots as it really helps build confidence. They will have plenty of flying opportunities to miss. One of the first kids I took out was shooting a single 20. He managed 3 greenwings with his first shot. Must have shot a box of shells after that and only got one more bird.

Water swat? Whats that?

Tomkat wrote:Water swat? Whats that?

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1399301518.233647.jpg

Something quite different than flock shooting in my book. I'd not encourage anyone, much less my grandchildren, to intentionally do something likely to cripple more animals than it kills.

So Rick heres the funny thing-
I never jump or water swat ducks.

But I do love a good snow jump.

The only time I'm hesitant to water is if I'm going to hit a decoy or, like Rick mentioned above, waiting on them bunching up.

rebelp74 wrote:The only time I'm hesitant to water is if I'm going to hit a decoy or, like Rick mentioned above, waiting on them bunching up.

Used to give them a warning yell or shot until it became legal to swat them. Not sure why the law was changed or exactly which year. I was hesitant at first but it didn't take me long to start swatting wood ducks that land a little too close.

aunt betty wrote:

rebelp74 wrote:The only time I'm hesitant to water is if I'm going to hit a decoy or, like Rick mentioned above, waiting on them bunching up.

Used to give them a warning yell or shot until it became legal to swat them. Not sure why the law was changed or exactly which year. I was hesitant at first but it didn't take me long to start swatting wood ducks that land a little too close.

I'll also hesitate if there are more birds coming in.

I don't, but don't have an issue if others want to.

IMO, they're way easier to kill on the wing than sitting on the water.

The Duck Hammer wrote:Not very often but it has been done. Usually try and flush them up first before shooting.

^This

JGUN wrote:Water swatting is a requirement when hunting on the barge. Along with the old 1...2...3...Bang as everyone on board shoots at a single bird in preflight position.
I also encourage young shooters to take water shots as it really helps build confidence. They will have plenty of flying opportunities to miss. One of the first kids I took out was shooting a single 20. He managed 3 greenwings with his first shot. Must have shot a box of shells after that and only got one more bird.

It is quite the spectacle from across the bay.

JGUN wrote:I also encourage young shooters to take water shots as it really helps build confidence. They will have plenty of flying opportunities to miss. One of the first kids I took out was shooting a single 20. He managed 3 greenwings with his first shot. Must have shot a box of shells after that and only got one more bird.

x2

I'm not opposed to it, but would personally rather drop em in flight.

However my attitude changes when
sculling. Bout half jump when I do. The other half are resting or looking the other for too when I sit up. But the satisfaction I get from putting a good sneak on em is good enough for me

I will water swat if I have to, or if the birds are moving slower than normal. I of course enjoy hitting them in flight more for the sport of it.

I usually don't but the guys I hunt with don't hesitate if one slips in on us. Seems they do it just so they can have their picture with a limit of ducks. I enjoy it more to take them on the wing and don't want them that bad. Seems it usually results in more work for the dog chasing a cripple as well.

<- water swatter

It depends on the situation, I do what I want! I learned at a young age a bird in flight is way easier to kill then a bird on the water so if they are at a marginal range I scare them up first.

Bootlipkiller wrote:It depends on the situation, I do what I want! I learned at a young age a bird in flight is way easier to kill then a bird on the water so if they are at a marginal range I scare them up first.

This. I try and get em right as they open their wings up to take off. Unless they are inside 25yds, then I put the bead a little high and turkey shoot em.

Nuff's response made me think of grandson Gauge's first "flying" kill. He was lining up to split the wig on a sitting gray when it jumped, Gauge jumped, the gun went off and the duck fell. Pure serendipity.

The only birds worth water swatting are coots...

If they land on the water, I'm going to swat them.

WisconsinWaterfowler wrote:If they land on the water, I'm going to swat them.

It depends. You have to look up because sometime there's a tornado forming because all the ducks in the sky saw some safely land. If it's mallards, it pays to take a deep breath, scan the sky, then decide if you want to swat or jump the ones on the water. Wood ducks...I'm slamming on them little bitches.

aunt betty wrote:

WisconsinWaterfowler wrote:If they land on the water, I'm going to swat them.

It depends. You have to look up because sometime there's a tornado forming because all the ducks in the sky saw some safely land. If it's mallards, it pays to take a deep breath, scan the sky, then decide if you want to swat or jump the ones on the water. Wood ducks...I'm slamming on them little bitches.

I hunt in Wisconsin, not Arkansas. That scenario doesn't happen.

WisconsinWaterfowler wrote:

aunt betty wrote:

WisconsinWaterfowler wrote:If they land on the water, I'm going to swat them.

It depends. You have to look up because sometime there's a tornado forming because all the ducks in the sky saw some safely land. If it's mallards, it pays to take a deep breath, scan the sky, then decide if you want to swat or jump the ones on the water. Wood ducks...I'm slamming on them little bitches.

I hunt in Wisconsin, not Arkansas. That scenario doesn't happen.

What kind of rice do y'all grow up dere eh?

The wild kind.

I've done it plenty if times, but that was mostly in my first year of hunting. I can't remember water swatting any in the last 2 years but I did shoot a few on the ground last season

NuffDaddy wrote:

Bootlipkiller wrote:It depends on the situation, I do what I want! I learned at a young age a bird in flight is way easier to kill then a bird on the water so if they are at a marginal range I scare them up first.

This. I try and get em right as they open their wings up to take off. Unless they are inside 25yds, then I put the bead a little high and turkey shoot em.

This.

The most effective jumps are done when someone is designated to fire the first shot. As soon as the first shot is fired, open up.

I still enjoy a good jump every now and then, but now I kick up birds and pick out my 3. Unless it's snow geese, then there are no holds barred.