Is this true and why?

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Boll Weevil

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Let me first say, I've never waterfowl hunted so have exactly zero exposure in these circles. I did however read the Field & Stream and was genuinely curious at the author's assertion:

"Through all of this, I have never encountered any contingent of sportsmen more consistently and openly hostile to one another than public-water duck hunters."

Here's a man who appears to have been an avid waterfowler for quite some time, so for him to characterize duck hunters in this manner seems harsh but is it even remotely valid? Having no basis or opinion, figured I'd inquire of my TnDeer bretheren. Is this true (to any degree) and why do you think it's so?
 
Yes it is true.
In my humble opinion, which means very little here are some reasons I think so.

1) I have the right to be first in the water and first out of the ramp and towards my blind.
2) I shouldn't have to wait on anyone to get out of my way.
3) I and my group are the best duck hunters out here and we are the only ones that really know what we are doing.
4) I have the best boat and motor combination so that means I am better than you.
5) I have the best blind simply because I know what I am doing and you don't.
6) I deserve to work all the ducks and I have no problem calling ducks off of you or shooting one single time in the air to get them back in the air so I can work them into my hole.
7) I have hunted here all my life so I shouldn't have any competition from anyone else.
8) I kill more ducks than anyone else in this bottom, look at my #socialmediamedia account if you doubt it.
9) I have hunted this spot all my life, even though you got here first you have to go.
10) I am a jerk, spoiled brat that spends daddy's money without a care in the world.

Pretty much to sum it up, read the first word in every reason I gave.
That's pretty much the problem.


With that being said, not ALL duck hunters are like that but from my experience they outnumber the good guys.
 
Boll Weevil said:
Let me first say, I've never waterfowl hunted so have exactly zero exposure in these circles. I did however read the Field & Stream and was genuinely curious at the author's assertion:

"Through all of this, I have never encountered any contingent of sportsmen more consistently and openly hostile to one another than public-water duck hunters."

Here's a man who appears to have been an avid waterfowler for quite some time, so for him to characterize duck hunters in this manner seems harsh but is it even remotely valid? Having no basis or opinion, figured I'd inquire of my TnDeer bretheren. Is this true (to any degree) and why do you think it's so?
Click to expand...
Myself being an avid sportsman who has pursued a variety of game in a variety of places, including ducking hunting on Reelfoot, I find the statement about public-water duck hunters to be more true than not.

However, I find it incorrect to say it's far worse at Reelfoot than other public-water duck hunting waters, which here in Tennessee would include the Camden bottoms, Springville bottoms, etc.

The main reason Reelfoot gets more attention is more because that area alone may have more public duck hunting than all the other public areas in TN combined.

Reelfoot does have some unique factors like no others, but I continue to believe the negatives about Reelfoot have been exploited ---- you will see many the same problems on all the other public areas.
 
LBL, that's why I quoted the author just as he wrote it so as not to imply Reelfoot was any worse than another. For one to say that about their own with such certainty is what piqued my curiosity.

Ruger, hear you loud'n clear on the "me, me, me" but why is it not as much this way with public land deer or turkey hunters? There are most certainly encounters there as well, but outright hostility?
 
I'm guessing part of it has to do with a more limited resource and limited quality hunting opportunities/good places to hunt. I'm not talking number of game to hunt but places. Very limited compared to other game species. I used to hunt waterfowl a lot 15-20 years ago and it was true back then that duck hunters were everything Ruger said, but I think because there are even fewer places to duck hunt it's worse now. DU has sown up millions of acres of prime hunting for their own and then farmers have taken advantage of the lease boom. That leaves the regular guys fighting for fewer spots...sometimes literally.
 
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As my good friend from west TN has said numerous times over the years, some duck hunters would rather you sleep with their wife, than kill "their ducks". His opinion was formed based on his experiences hunting ducks in west TN and eastern AR.
 
Watch this video of Big Slough AR few years back. Talk about wanting to race and beat the other guy to a certain hole to kill a duck. I think this explains some of the fascination and the lengths some will go to be first in line and first to the hole. Watch the guy swing his arm/fist and hit the console at the 5 second mark. As RUGER eluded to, he's likely frustrated he's having to wait on other boats and hunters to get out of his way before he can hammer down on her and race to his preferred spot. Notice the boat allision/collision at the 25 second mark. The h*ll with safety.

 
Not a duck hunter. But this story is horrid. I can't believe people get so jealous about this.

I do however know how hard it is to find good spots to duck hunt. There is a lot more woods, pasture, and ag land to deer hunt than their id swamps and wetlands to duck hunt.

My friends that duck hunt and have done it their whole life say that it didn't get bad until duck dynasty got popular.

I like the duck dynasty folks, but their show I believe has caused a lot of grief for old duck hunters. The rich people like them, and other folks can buy and lease all the land and not worry about it. While the rest of us common folks are left fighting for what public land is left.
 
Duck hunting public ground in West Tennessee has become completely ridiculous but I would venture to bet that turkey hunting on some of the public places in Middle Tennessee since the YouTube craze is far more dangerous.
 
Andy S. said:
Watch this video of Big Slough AR few years back. Talk about wanting to race and beat the other guy to a certain hole to kill a duck. I think this explains some of the fascination and the lengths some will go to be first in line and first to the hole. Watch the guy swing his arm/fist and hit the console at the 5 second mark. As RUGER eluded to, he's likely frustrated he's having to wait on other boats and hunters to get out of his way before he can hammer down on her and race to his preferred spot. Notice the boat allision/collision at the 25 second mark. The h*ll with safety.

Click to expand...


I want no part of that Andy.
About 10 years ago, I hunted Reelfoot right near where Monday's tragedy took place. It was a zoo.
I swore I'd never go back and I won't. That type of behavior makes my hunt unenjoyable. My time is precious to me and I won't waste it doing things that make me wish I was elsewhere.
 
Andy S. said:
Watch this video of Big Slough AR few years back. Talk about wanting to race and beat the other guy to a certain hole to kill a duck. I think this explains some of the fascination and the lengths some will go to be first in line and first to the hole. Watch the guy swing his arm/fist and hit the console at the 5 second mark. As RUGER eluded to, he's likely frustrated he's having to wait on other boats and hunters to get out of his way before he can hammer down on her and race to his preferred spot. Notice the boat allision/collision at the 25 second mark. The h*ll with safety.

Click to expand...

Shew. I've never duck hunted and only been on a boat a handful of time. They can have all that. I want to no part of it.
 
I've been on a few sketchy boat rides to the duck blind before.....but NOTHING like that!! That's insanity.....no way would I participate in that madness.
 
I haven't hunted ducks in several years. I grew up hunting ducks in the Hatchie bottoms and have hunted Reelfoot before. I stoped because it was not much fun. People fighting over holes, blinds, etc. I started deer hunting and turkey hunting more. Now deer hunting in West TN is very enjoyable when duck season starts because everyone stops deer hunting and I have the woods to my self. I am actually taking my daughter on the juvenile hunt in the Camden bottoms with some friends here soon. I hope we have an enjoyable experience.
 
RUGER said:
Yes it is true.
In my humble opinion, which means very little here are some reasons I think so.

1) I have the right to be first in the water and first out of the ramp and towards my blind.
2) I shouldn't have to wait on anyone to get out of my way.
3) I and my group are the best duck hunters out here and we are the only ones that really know what we are doing.
4) I have the best boat and motor combination so that means I am better than you.
5) I have the best blind simply because I know what I am doing and you don't.
6) I deserve to work all the ducks and I have no problem calling ducks off of you or shooting one single time in the air to get them back in the air so I can work them into my hole.
7) I have hunted here all my life so I shouldn't have any competition from anyone else.
8) I kill more ducks than anyone else in this bottom, look at my #socialmediamedia account if you doubt it.
9) I have hunted this spot all my life, even though you got here first you have to go.
10) I am a jerk, spoiled brat that spends daddy's money without a care in the world.

Pretty much to sum it up, read the first word in every reason I gave.
That's pretty much the problem.


With that being said, not ALL duck hunters are like that but from my experience they outnumber the good guys.
Click to expand...
Sums it up quite well.
 
My two cents, which ain't worth a lot...

Within the broad brotherhood of hunting, there are some very distinct cultures. TN hunting culture is IMO, one of the worst overall for a broad range of reasons.

Duck hunting requires some specific habitat in some specific wildlife migration patterns to be effective. Those acres are few, and becoming fewer each year. Pursuit of happiness regarding limited resources requires a great deal of other resources. People want/need a tangible ROI.

Combine the human nature of such pursuits with the very real circumstances that within hunting cultures there are more social variables(groups of hunters), at a time of year around habitat that is inherently dangerous (winter water), with mostly men of a certain age and disposition that are armed...well, there will be some confrontations.

And although TN hunting culture is the focus of my post, the same scenarios play out in AR, MS, KY, MO, CA, ID, SD, TX, OK, SC, MD, etc. wherever such limited resources draw the attention due to a lack of private resources or a lack of access to private landholdings of the proper habitat.

I really think the psyche of duck hunting in a "group" plays into the pressure to act out in a testosterone fueled outburst more often than not over some perceived insult or dismissal.

I've stated it before where the best fist fights I've ever seen were on the boat ramp at Tunica during duck season than anywhere else. I personally have not witnessed (but have heard of only one) such incident in a walk in public area. Seems to happen more with boat hunters IMO or attacks on property such as trucks and trailer tires than people.

Deer and turkey hunting are much more individual pursuits, but know of many incidents in MS between dog hunters and still hunters. Turkey hunters tend to just pass words more than actions in my experience. I really think that most issues are prompted through perceived peer pressure.
 
There is some truth to the claim that public duck hunters are worse than other groups. But IMO, the Field and Stream article is recklessly written. According to the district attorney (who has all available information) this was not a heated territorial dispute that escalated into a shooting. It seems more like a mental health breakdown with a tragic ending.
 
Andy S. said:
Watch this video of Big Slough AR few years back. Talk about wanting to race and beat the other guy to a certain hole to kill a duck. I think this explains some of the fascination and the lengths some will go to be first in line and first to the hole. Watch the guy swing his arm/fist and hit the console at the 5 second mark. As RUGER eluded to, he's likely frustrated he's having to wait on other boats and hunters to get out of his way before he can hammer down on her and race to his preferred spot. Notice the boat allision/collision at the 25 second mark. The h*ll with safety.

Click to expand...

I must be duck hunting with the wrong crowed I know I am not much of a duck hunter and wouldn't make a good pimple on a duck hunter behind, but all the years I have been going duck hunting with people I have never seen anything like what is in that video.
 
It's very true unfortunately. I hunted 40 days this year but if I lose the ability to hunt or lease private land I'll quit duck hunting.

In my opinion, the best solution is to convert all wmas to fixed blinds, 1000 yards apart minimum. Charge something similar to what it costs to kill an elk in colorado for a waterfowl wma permit, use the funds to buy more land for more wmas.

Another option is opening up refuges to some extent. I'm not a biologist but millions of ducks eating and pooping in the same field seems like a very unnatural way to practice conservation.

TLDR, basically the problem is way too many people on top of each other creating a toxic environment that serves to attract toxic people (I'm convinced many of these "hunters" are just drama queens there for boat ramp drama). Let everyone spread out by increasing costs and acreage and public duck hunting might become something decent people could get excited about.
 
Ruger summed it up.

I would add:

If I jump your blind I can absolutely trash it and take anything not bolted down.
 
RUGER said:
Yes it is true.
In my humble opinion, which means very little here are some reasons I think so.

1) I have the right to be first in the water and first out of the ramp and towards my blind.
2) I shouldn't have to wait on anyone to get out of my way.
3) I and my group are the best duck hunters out here and we are the only ones that really know what we are doing.
4) I have the best boat and motor combination so that means I am better than you.
5) I have the best blind simply because I know what I am doing and you don't.
6) I deserve to work all the ducks and I have no problem calling ducks off of you or shooting one single time in the air to get them back in the air so I can work them into my hole.
7) I have hunted here all my life so I shouldn't have any competition from anyone else.
8) I kill more ducks than anyone else in this bottom, look at my #socialmediamedia account if you doubt it.
9) I have hunted this spot all my life, even though you got here first you have to go.
10) I am a jerk, spoiled brat that spends daddy's money without a care in the world.

Pretty much to sum it up, read the first word in every reason I gave.
That's pretty much the problem.


With that being said, not ALL duck hunters are like that but from my experience they outnumber the good guys.
Click to expand...
You been hunting with me man : )
You're spot on Ruger! 1. Not all duck hunters are like that. I've hunted with some great, great guys who mentored me and have passed that same knowledge down to the newbies I hunt with. I've also hunted with some complete jack wagons and if I don't know who is in the blind, I don't go anymore. I'm very selective of who I'll spend time in a blind with. I've had guys who brought guests before and had to tell them...don't bring them back. Never over religion, politics or any such but attitudes such as what you described.
I grew up hunting in Camden Bottoms and hunted Reelfoot two years. I've been fortunate to hunt private the second half of my life.
 

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