The few times I have fished it during hunting season I have had no problems.
mike

 

this time of year you definitely hear more pops through out the day. The only incident I had was two guys had rowed across to the islands and had their deeks out in front in the open water about 15 yards off shore. Every time I tried fishing in that general area, they would get up and give you "the look". Eventually, I fished other parts on the lake, but I kind of enjoyed f$%^ing with them for a bit. Never had shot rain down on me though....

I think the hunters like the small creek connectors between the lake versus the open water on the lakes. Plus Crab Creek on the other side of the valley.

thanks-dp

 

Don't dress up like a deer.

 

Two shotgunners had decoys set out on Nunnally both Saturday and Sunday. No shots fired while I was in the area.

At Lenice, guys used to carry guns in their boat, toss down their rods when ducks came winging over, pick up the shotguns and blast away. Had shot dimpling the surface many times. Major faux pas in my book.

 

If you're fishing water that is already occupied by duck hunters, meaning they got up at 0 dark:30 and established a blind and set out decoys, it would be common courtesy to not interfere with their activity- give them a wide berth by fishing elsewhere. Do not f%#@ with them. And if there are hunters in the general area, it can't hurt to put on a blaze hat.

 

If you're fishing water that is already occupied by duck hunters, meaning they got up at 0 dark:30 and established a blind and set out decoys, it would be common courtesy to not interfere with their activity- give them a wide berth by fishing elsewhere. Do not f%#@ with them. And if there are hunters in the general area, it can't hurt to put on a blaze hat.

Seems like a simple rule to me: "Don't f**k with people who have guns!" .... as wide a berth as I can make ....

'Mac

 

I like Mac's take onthe whole thing! That makes a LOT of sense to me!

 

I just returned from duck hunting, and it all boils down to courtesy.

I wouldn't like someone dropping in on a pool that I am working, nor would I want a fly fisherman fishing near my deeks and flairing every flock that comes by.

 

It's been a few years, but I could swear that the area from the road to Lenice used to be signed "no hunting". Maybe it's changed.

 

At Lenice, guys used to carry guns in their boat, toss down their rods when ducks came winging over, pick up the shotguns and blast away. Had shot dimpling the surface many times. Major faux pas in my book.

Just curious why you consider this to be a faux pas, SC. It doesn't strike me as a particularly bad thing. They have as much right to be there as you, don't they?

 

Just curious why you consider this to be a faux pas, SC. It doesn't strike me as a particularly bad thing. They have as much right to be there as you, don't they?

Well, a duck hunter may very well have an equal right to be on a particular piece of water, but you NEVER have the right to shoot somewhere where your shot might fall on somebody.

 

Just curious why you consider this to be a faux pas, SC. It doesn't strike me as a particularly bad thing. They have as much right to be there as you, don't they?

Sorry I wasn't clear as to what I considered to be the faux pas. No issue whatsoever with hunters being where it is legal to hunt. I imagine most if not all, take great issue with any unsafe shooting practices.

 

What additional risk of shot falling on someone is there when the hunters are in a boat in the water or on the edge of the water?

Sure, the hunter needs to be aware of the presence of others and use caution, but fisherman can't expect the hunters to pack up and leave when they show up, can they?

 

Obviously the hunters have a right to be there if it is open season and open water, but part of your responsibility as a hunter is to make sure you are in a safe shooting area where you are not going to risk shooting at somebody or endangering others.

From this standpoint, it seems that there must be better places to set up your blinds, than on a popular fishing lake that is fished by multiple persons on a daily basis. I know if I were hunting, I would not want to be someplace where people would constantly be coming into my field of fire. Can't be good for attracting ducks either.

 

I know if I were hunting, I would not want to be someplace where people would constantly be coming into my field of fire.QUOTE]

Totally agree, but if it were hunting season in a popular hunting area, I wouldn't want to choose that as a fishing destination either. Who has the right of way?

It seems to me that both the hunters and fishers have every right to be there and should go in with the expectation that they will have company on the water. I believe the fisherman should give the hunter a wide berth by fishing a different part of the lake, and if pellets fall from the sky, well, it can't be totally unexpected. If that happened to me (with a legitimate shot at a duck or whatever) I wouldn't dream of confronting the hunter. I'd guess I'm in the minority on this view since we're all fishermen but many of us are probably not hunters. :hmmm:

 

Bottom Line for me is and I say this from a hunters point of view, anyone for any reason has the same rights to a public place as any one else. What they are doing is equally as important to them as what we are doing. With that said, everyone has the same responsibilities to make sure that what they are doing will not cause anyone else harm in any way. Picking up a few decoys and moving to a safer place is allot better than being sued for putting someone's eye out or worse. The same idea for fly fishing would be going down to Green Lake when the kiddy pool is full and practicing casting with a fly, just because you got there first does not give you the right to put someone in danger! My 2 cents worth!:ray1:

 

I agree on giving the hunters a wide berth, and if I were going to try and fish a secluded piece of water, but found out there were hunters there, I'd find another place or at least stay far away from them.

On a lake like Lenice though? I think the hunters have to expect there are going to be a few fishermen on any given day.

I also think the hunters have a much greater burden to ensure that they are hunting in a safe area free of non-hunters. One of the first things they teach you in hunter education classes is to make sure you are in an area free from other human beings, that is a safe environment for hunting. Overall, I think the hunters should stay out of popular, heavily used fishing areas. There are plenty of other places to hunt.

 

Bottom Line for me is and I say this from a hunters point of view, anyone for any reason has the same rights to a public place as any one else. What they are doing is equally as important to them as what we are doing. With that said, everyone has the same responsibilities to make sure that what they are doing will not cause anyone else harm in any way. Picking up a few decoys and moving to a safer place is allot better than being sued for putting someone's eye out or worse. The same idea for fly fishing would be going down to Green Lake when the kiddy pool is full and practicing casting with a fly, just because you got there first does not give you the right to put someone in danger! My 2 cents worth!:ray1:

Exactly. iagree

 

I have nothing against hunters. If I had the proper equipment and know-how, and hunting season didn't fall on some of the most spectacular fishing of the year, I'd probably be out there with the rest of them.

 

When a person picks a gun up for any reason and any place they have a tremendous amount of responsibility to assure everyone’s safety as well as their own. A duck, deer and any other game is not worth the price to pay if someone is hurt in the act of harvesting game. Sageman I fully agree with you.

 

I'm a hunter. No doubt there is a huge responsibility that comes with carrying a gun, and it's nothing to take lightly. That said, I've been on "both" sides of the fence.

As was mentioned by others above, it all boils down to courtesy and COMMON SENSE. If the hunters are set up on legally open waters first, they must receive a wide berth - not only for safety, but out of respect for their right to be there. If a fisher decides to "share" the water at that point, it is their responsibility to maintain a safe distance and not foul the hunt for the hunters. Me personally, I wouldn't even enter the water if hunters were already there. The birds will be lit no matter how far away the fisher is from the dekes.

Now, if the lake is occupied by fishers first, any hunter that would come in and set up is out of line (and pretty stupid since the hunting won't be worth a sh*t) unless the lake is REALLY BIG. Even on a big lake, if shot is "raining" the fishers their guns should be taken away. And yes, if that happened to me when I was fishing first, I would DEFINITELY say something to those d*ckheads.

Let's face it - hunters and fishers at the same body of water doesn't really work. Common sense and safety must come first. My $.02.

 

If the hunters are set up on legally open waters first, they must receive a wide berth - not only for safety, but out of respect for their right to be there. If a fisher decides to "share" the water at that point, it is their responsibility to maintain a safe distance and not foul the hunt for the hunters. Me personally, I wouldn't even enter the water if hunters were already there.

Right on the money!iagree

 

I agree within reason. Hunter's oftentimes set up earlier than fishermen, so I think they also need to consider where they are setting up and use proper judgement. If they are back in the dunes on the Potholes, by all means, fishermen stay away. However, I think they need to stay away from areas where they KNOW they are going to be encountering large numbers of fishermen. Places like Lenice. If a duck hunter decides to set up at Reiter Ponds (not that they likely would), or on the Yakima River, should they expect to have the fishermen stay away? They need to use common sense on WHERE they set up.

Same analogy as the kiddie pool. Just because you get there with your fly rod early in the morning before the kids start showing up, you shouldn't expect them to stay away. You KNOW they are going to come. It is poor judgement to be there in the first place.

The other problem is that hunters are oftentimes invisible to fishermen when they are in their blinds. A fisherman may paddle right into their field of fire without ever knowing they are there. Especially if the decoys aren't readily apparent.

 

The other problem is that hunters are oftentimes invisible to fishermen when they are in their blinds. A fisherman may paddle right into their field of fire without ever knowing they are there. Especially if the decoys aren't readily apparent.

What? You can't tell decs from real ducks?

 

Maybe if I'm looking for them, but I may be right on them before realizing what they are if I am not paying attention.:clown: