Arkansas SWD Petition

[Catdaddy]

It's a fact that the SWD has increased the harvest on mallards.


Why haven't we seen the results translate into lower mallard numbers?

Could it be that at the same time, we have had perfect nesting conditions in the northern praries?


Wonder what we will see after a bad nesting season or two(aka drought)?

[BOGSTER]

Our forefathers used live decoys, I would love to use live ducks in my spread. They also used lead shot and no plugged guns so quit acting like the old days hunters were so much better sportsman...

Your grandfather nor mine were market gunners son. However, our fathers and grandfathers had enough sense to realize what they were doing was wrong and acted to benefit waterfowl above themselves. Thank God for them.

I have no doubt that you would love to use live decoys. I on the other hand prefer to use skill and experience, and convince the birds that I am not a charade. You'll have to excuse the hunter in me.
For the sake of waterfowl and future generations, I can only pray that folks like you don't pass on your mentality to your children.

[surfcock]

We have much bigger problems in the waterfowl hunting community than the SWD issue. I've hunted over a SWD three times in my life. When used right it provides an advantage, but no where near the advantage that providing food (be it planting or baiting) does. Whether they are banned or not I could care less, but I'm weary of governmental intrusion into mundane issues when there is no effort whatsoever to address major issues like the folks who were jump shooting ducks at full speed in a 16' Jon boat 15 minutes after sunset Sunday night.

[Buckin Bronco]

?????? You ever hunted public in AR?
Professor

Yes quite often. Maybe I don't go to the popular landings. I don't see them driving through town either though except in Brinkley where an office is.

[MorningWoody]

They also heat with wood burning stoves and rode horses. As much as I hate the damn things I'm afraid there here to stay. After the first couple years everyone was saying that there was a high percentage of juviniles being killed over swd. 15 years later they seem to have had no affect on ducks.

I just want be able to use a punt gun!

[LabLuvR]

How can you be so sure Labluvr?

I'm not 100 percent sure, but there could only be about two reasons duck acted like they did, either one hell of a spinner or corn. Those ducks locked up like you rarely see that high up.

[Relentlous]

Mojo Life!

[Relentlous]

I use 1

[BigBrother]

Where our fathers and grandfathers before us just used decoys, natural surroundings, knowledge of waterfowl and weather, and the skill of a call, we use mallard machines, robotic ducks, vortexes, and any other electronic device we can to give ourselves a one up on our game.

Dont forget the corn.

[Sparkleberry Ridge Runner]

Here are some results of one of the WMA SWD bans in Michigan - from 2011 - after two years of the ban:

Among hunters that hunted all three years and did not use
SWDs in 2009, they devoted 0.97 ± 0.17 days of effort per duck harvested in 2009,
0.90 ± 0.13 days of effort per duck in 2010, and 0.96 ± 0.13 days of effort per duck in 2011
(Figure 2). These estimates were not significantly different between years. Among hunters
that hunted ducks all three years and had used SWDs in 2009, they devoted 0.68 ± 0.03 days
of effort per duck harvested in 2009, 0.87 ± 0.05 days of effort per duck in 2010, and
0.82 ± 0.05 days of effort per duck in 2011 (Figure 2). Estimates of efficiency were
significantly different among years; it required significantly less effort for the same hunter to
harvest a duck using SWDs in 2009 than without SWDs in both 2010 and 2011.

It is interesting to note, but not unexpected - that the spinner users experienced a little more difficulty killing a duck after the ban, but the non-spinner users saw no difference. While the overall hunting experience was rated to be better - that is, the hunters indicated the ducks worked and finished better.
Hunting experience was better. That in and of itself should make people want to get rid of them.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/b...ll-wma-land-in

[mudeagle]

Why don't we all go to high fence deer hunts too? The op here seems to be too young to know or can't kill a bird without them.

[Griffin]

It's a tool like anything else. I have seen days when they flaired ducks and days when it made them commit suicide. Only issue I see with the ban is where does it end?
Lets get off the our fore fathers kick. They baited the shit out of ducks

[Murray]

It's a tool like anything else. I have seen days when they flaired ducks and days when it made them commit suicide. Only issue I see with the ban is where does it end?
Lets get off the our fore fathers kick. They baited the shit out of ducks

I pretty much agree.

But look at all the new gadgets from the last 5 years.

I'm certain more are on the way. Where do you draw the line?

Will it be ok to use a RC plane that looks like a duck to fly around your decoys?

I would be ok with a ban on all battery/power operated decoys.

[Sportin' Woodies]

I'd be ok with not telling others how to hunt.

[BOGSTER]

It's a tool like anything else. I have seen days when they flaired ducks and days when it made them commit suicide. Only issue I see with the ban is where does it end?
Lets get off the our fore fathers kick. They baited the shit out of ducks

We bait the shit out of ducks now. It just happens to be called "waterfowl management" these days.

I pretty much agree.

But look at all the new gadgets from the last 5 years.

I'm certain more are on the way. Where do you draw the line?

Will it be ok to use a RC plane that looks like a duck to fly around your decoys?


I would be ok with a ban on all battery/power operated decoys.

As would I. The line has to be drawn at some point.

[BOGSTER]

I'd be ok with not telling others how to hunt.

If how others hunt affects the resource and other hunters, then it has to be addressed.

[Sparkleberry Ridge Runner]

I'd be ok with not telling others how to hunt.

So what about live decoys? Or baiting? Or electronic calls? None fall under "fair chase" and neither should flipping a switch on a motorized crutch.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/b...ll-wma-land-in

[Sportin' Woodies]

I'm not saying legalize anything currently outlawed. Mojos aren't ruining the resource. If they are ruining Arkansas why the hell do so many people from sc still go? People love writing new laws after getting their feelings hurt. Outlaw shotguns too. They kill the shit out of ducks.

[Relentlous]

There was a time when mojos were unfair. That was a little over a decade ago. Now they are just part of everyones spread just about. By the time the birds get here, they have figured them out. I use one and kill ducks. I've left it at the house and killed ducks too. It's the people that shoot at every bird in the sky that hurts us. I bet if you could legally hunt over a corn pile you would, and can't convince me otherwise. I know I would make sure my hole was glowing yellow! To short of time on this planet to bitch about the small things. Oh and fuck Arkansas timber. I live in SC.

[Sparkleberry Ridge Runner]

I'm not saying legalize anything currently outlawed.

And I'm saying - So what about live decoys? Or baiting? Or electronic calls? None fall under "fair chase" and neither should flipping a switch on a motorized crutch. These were all outlawed in the past for various reason to include but not limited to not falling under fair chase, too detrimental, unfair advantage, etc. If a motorized decoys falls into the same category, why not outlaw it?

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/b...ll-wma-land-in