We are about to be screwed...again 2

[Rubberhead*]

The DNR is trying to turn two tidally influenced creeks into WMA property setting a very bad precedence. These creeks represent navigable waters that would be hijacked by the State. With this precedence, much of the intercoastal water way, Winyah Bay, North and South Santee Rivers, Cooper River and ACE basin could become WMA property and regulated to duck hunting.

I will dig up all necessary information including phone number, addresses, and e-mails and provide sample letters to anyone interested in trying to stop this before it starts.

If you want a good example of how these things get out of hand just look at what happened in NC with the "Safe Hunter" law. This law is in place so no one can hunt within 300 yards of private property. We are headed in this same direction if we are not careful and vocal.

http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/cec/news/news.html#wma-adds

[tradorion]

I don't know about the end of the earth as we know it... but the logic behind it would be that it is next to impossible to manage a waterfowl area for ducks when people can pull up to its banks and shoot into it- too much fringe pressure- sort of like the Santee Gun Club- some great shooting all around but the edges of it where it bumps against public water are poor at best- the birds all stay further in away from the pressure- public water works OK there butted against WMA b/c of the size of the WMA...

now the other side of that argument comes in with what/who is being benefited more? The WMA (which means public hunters when they are drawn)or the various private plantations in that same area???

but hey- when it comes to duck hunting everyone has an answer and few people agree with each other...

T

[Rubberhead*]

The lower Santee has wintered ducks since before the white man arrived. Now, a few areas are impounded and all the public hunters are expected to quit hunting so the hunting on the private or managed properties can be improved?

Truth is that average to good duck hunters can generally kill a nice mess of birds from any of SCDNR's draw hunts. If the DNR wants to improve the ducks/gun ratio they should have an entrance exam requirement before someone can be drawn.

The proposed closing of the two creeks is simply a way to try to improve the opportunities for joe "draw hunt" rubberheads at the expense of opportunities for joe public rubberheads. This is a very ineffective trade-off.

[Crazy Horse]

That law in NC has been there since the early 80's. During that time it was needed. There were too many people stepping on each others toes.

The fact that they want a blind occupied 1 hour before shooting time is absurd. I can get to our blinds in less than a 10 minute walk and even faster by boat. Alot of decoys aren't needed. So being in the blind 1 hour before.....well stupid in my opinion, but that is my opinion and where I hunt.

These blinds are not the two stick in the mud and a piece of spartina. They are well constructed and very noticable.

That being said, I to also feel that the private lands are a bit out of control in some instances. Though I also feel that too many newbies to duck hunting are out of control....It's kinda like saltwater fishing, the new fad for all.

[Catdaddy]

Originally posted by Rubberhead*:
The proposed closing of the two creeks is simply a way to try to improve the opportunities for joe "draw hunt" rubberheads at the expense of opportunities for joe public rubberheads. This is a very ineffective trade-off.

<font size="-1" face="verdana,arial,helv">You are correct, but I think it's a good thing. Samworth can't take all the skybusting that takes place from the edge of the dike. I know, my buddy does that 3 times a week. After the first week, nobody in or on the edge of Samworth can kill a duck.

It's kind of like the right of eminant domain. They are closing those two creeks off for the greater good of sc hunters....not just a place for the locals to skybust from and run all the ducks off like they have done for the last 15 years.

[Aging Baby Boomer]

If I read DNR's proposal correctly, Big and Little Carr Creeks will not be "closed." They would still be open to Joe Public on Wednesdays and Saturdays as long as Joe Public buys a WMA permit. The proposal would simply ease some of the gunning pressure on Samworth, a concept that is widely supported on this web site.

I've hunted the Carr Creeks many times. A reduction in hunting pressure is badly needed. The WMA concept seems sound to me.

[Rubberhead*]

Originally posted by Aging Baby Boomer:
A reduction in hunting pressure is badly needed. The WMA concept seems sound to me.

<font size="-1" face="verdana,arial,helv">I don't disagree. However, where are all these rubberheads going on the days the creeks are not open?

The answer is that they are not going to stay home - they are going to the edge of some other property and skybust there. Now, we need another WMA.

Making these creeks WMA only makes the problem worse everywhere else.

The best solution is to leave things alone. Very quickly duck will learn to avoid the creeks or at least fly high over the creeks. If the hunting in the creeks gets bad. People will quit hunting there.

Maybe I'm too anal about this but it really worries me when the state takes navigable waters out of the public hunting domain especially when they do it for our own good. Eventually everything will be managed. We will be herded into our blinds by the DNR, told what, where, where, how to hunt. We will loose the freedom to hunt wild ducks in wild places unless we get premission from the State.

[tradorion]

The Sky is Falling The Sky is Falling...

OK Chicken Little - now that everyone is looking around going "Holy Shee-ite- is the sky really falling?" think about this- the state and the feds have put navigable waters and other areas under various forms of management FOR YEARS!!!

Refuges, WMA's etc... exist in every state that i can think of- and in noe of these states has "all the water or all the land" ended up being sucked into this black hole...

So what is the difficulty of having some areas that are protected to some degree? I haven't heard you raise hell yet that the Coastal Reserve or Santee Delta need to be open to general hunting... but hey- the state closed public land down there for draw hunts- did this end all duck hunting as we know it in SC? nooo- and I have yet to see DNR herding us into our blind anywhere BUT on a draw hunt and there it is limited to "hey this is your area- have fun!"

Your management issues regarding what has been done on some of the WMA's as being poor- I accept that argument, I also recognize that some of the problem lies in funding... but the thought that the whole state will be one big WMA if this happens is a stretch...

My only issue with it as a public water duck hunter would lie in whether the fact that the creeks are being closed is to benefit the WMA there or to benefit people with private property/personal interests...


thoughts?

T

[Claimer]

Where are these creeks atd?

[Claimer]

Nevermind

[Rubberhead*]

Originally posted by tradorion:
The Sky is Falling The Sky is Falling...

So what is the difficulty of having some areas that are protected to some degree? I haven't heard you raise hell yet that the Coastal Reserve or Santee Delta need to be open to general hunting... but hey- the state closed public land down there for draw hunts- did this end all duck hunting as we know it in SC? nooo- and I have yet to see DNR herding us into our blind anywhere BUT on a draw hunt and there it is limited to "hey this is your area- have fun!"

My only issue with it as a public water duck hunter would lie in whether the fact that the creeks are being closed is to benefit the WMA there or to benefit people with private property/personal interests...


thoughts?

T

<font size="-1" face="verdana,arial,helv">I've got a few calls to make so I can better understand the issue and (more importantly) who is driving this. So I may somewhat retract what I say in this post.

However, my problem lies in the fact that public, navigable waters, now open to hunting, are being taken away to better manage what amounts to private land. Yeah, yeah, I know that I can spend $50 dollars every other year and hunt one of these places, but I can also find some pay-as-you-go private places too.

I don't complain about the old Gun Club because it is completely impounded. In like manner, maybe the DNR should apply to the Corps of Engineers to impound these creeks. They can put a trunk dock and extend the dikes a little and have a closed system. I wouldn't complain a bit about this.

I agree that something of a precedence already exists. Sampson Island creek and the area around Sandy Beach come to mind. They bother me too but I didn't see a chance to comment publicly on these. If so, I certainly would have screamed loudly.

The folks that know me, know I've been a staunch supporter of our DNR. I know and trust many of it's employees. However, I disagree strongly with this so far but I reserve the right to change my mind.

Remember, Just because I'm parnoid doesn't mean that someone's not out to get me. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Ghetto]

Rubberhead*, I'm stealing your last sentence...

[Rubberhead*]

Originally posted by Ghetto:
Rubberhead*, I'm stealing your last sentence...

<font size="-1" face="verdana,arial,helv">No problem - join the club!!!