# Unattended Decoys



## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

I was out trudging through the mud with my three dozen decoys on my back, get to where I was a ways away from other people, come over a point and there was a whole spread set up with not a soul in sight. Over two hours passed before a boat came cruising back out to the spread. Is this normal to leave a whole spread to reserve a spot til you are ready to hunt again?


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## Tealboy (Sep 20, 2007)

It is illegal if it is on a state wma if its on private ground then yes u can leave your dekes out unattended to save your spot. This happened to me on the opener. Very frustrating!!!!

TB


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

It was definitely on a public wma. Just kinda sucks when you hike out there and you can't hunt where you walk to even when no one is there


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

just use those ducks and hunt there. If they come back and give you crap call the co and report them.


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## Crow (Sep 15, 2007)

All boats are required to have numbers on them. Next time get that number and report it.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

my dad and I were hunting and someone left 2 dozen dekes out there setup, not a soul around. lets just say it was a long haul back with all those extra dekes.


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## BlackCloud (Oct 12, 2012)

utahgolf said:


> my dad and I were hunting and someone left 2 dozen dekes out there setup, not a soul around. lets just say it was a long haul back with all those extra dekes.


Hahaha Thats awesome i would have done the same thing


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Kwalk3, were you there early or late? Do you think they left their spread overnight or just took a lunch break? I think it makes a difference.

I was out yesterday and across the bay from me there was what had to be a bag of decoys sitting in the cattails. I wasn't going to paddle over to check them out, figuring they were probably some cheap dekes. I don't think too many guys would leave the good stuff out there.


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## Holeinmywaders (Sep 28, 2011)

I have found bags of goose decoys that were obviously hidden. I just leave them alone cause I know how hard it is to get my gear to some of these spots. 

Saving a spot with dekes is obnoxious. I have left my decoys for no longer than 15 minuets to go and pick someone up but that is rare.


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## BlackCloud (Oct 12, 2012)

Leaving your decoys out hidden is one thing but leaving them to secure a spot is another. If someone is gonna be a jackass and leave them unattended to save "their" spot they will either lose there decoys to a hunter or dwr. However if I were to find decoys that were hidden in the phrag then obviously they didn't want to pack them out time after time. Those would stay in my opinion.


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## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

Man that sucks, I hope you were able to have a good hunt anyway. If like Paddler said they just went to lunch or something and coming right back maybe I could see it. But to leave decoys out overnight to save a spot is inexcusable. 
However there is not much lower, and there is never an excuse for being a **** thief regardless of the situation...


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

BlackCloud said:


> utahgolf said:
> 
> 
> > my dad and I were hunting and someone left 2 dozen dekes out there setup, not a soul around. lets just say it was a long haul back with all those extra dekes.
> ...


yeah the worst thing was it was on a freeze hunt and that guy whoever left them out there completely screwed up the day for us. Limited area and he thought he was going to save a spot. I would've loved to have seen his face when he hiked out there and his dekes were gone the next day. Bugs me when people try and save areas on public land. I can bet he never did that again, lesson learned!


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

utahgolf said:


> BlackCloud said:
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> > utahgolf said:
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WOW.... I think is its wrong to leave your deeks out in the marsh but even worse to pack them up and take them home..... that is just wrong.. you could have picked them up and left them in a pile, or packed them out and called a CO.. but to just call them your's is stealing in my mind... Do you take peoples tree stands when they are left on public ground? or their trail cams? do they instenty become yours because they are left behind?... I know a guy that had problems at home and had to up and leave his stuff in the marsh.... called me to go out the next day and get it.. good thing he didnt run into you and it came up missing... I went out the next day and found his gear packed it up and took it to him... I know that is a extream and a rare case but I would suspect that before I was to walk off with someones deeks...


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

paddler213 said:


> Kwalk3, were you there early or late? Do you think they left their spread overnight or just took a lunch break? I think it makes a difference.
> 
> I was out yesterday and across the bay from me there was what had to be a bag of decoys sitting in the cattails. I wasn't going to paddle over to check them out, figuring they were probably some cheap dekes. I don't think too many guys would leave the good stuff out there.


I was out there around 1:30, and there was nobody at the decoys for about two hours. Probably a good reason for them to leave them for those two hours. I know spreads aren't necessarily easy to take down and put up. I was a little annoyed that no one was there for a couple hours, but more than anything I was just curious if it was common to leave a spread unattended. Didn't really affect my hunt much. Birds didn't fly over me or them :x


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

stuckduck said:


> utahgolf said:
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> > BlackCloud said:
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+1


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

stuckduck said:


> utahgolf said:
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> > BlackCloud said:
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don't get your panties in a twist. I have no problem with what my dad did years ago when I was younger, well I did have a problem with the load being doubled for the hike back. We busted our butts out there hiking only to have the hunt ruined by a guy saving a spot and judging from the area, and the limited holes that stay open during freeze time, it was pretty clear we knew what he was doing, and good luck getting a CO to get all the way out there. If I come across decoys left out in the marsh, I would personally probably just pick them up and toss them out of the way for some of the same reasons you stated and I've seen where guys have to leave their gear out there in an emergency. But I won't shed a tear or cry foul or play ethics police if some guy decides to pick up another guys decoys who's clearly trying to SAVE a spot cause it's that guys own dang fault and the one who's breaking the rules.


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## silversurfer (Oct 30, 2011)

Here is what I would have done!! I would have set up and shot over them, if the guy came out I bet he wouldn't said a dam thing. At the end of the Hunt I would have left them just as they were. I would let it raise my Blood pressure 1 degree.  I know what I am talking about on this one.


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## Dave B (Oct 1, 2007)

I can't say what golf did was wrong. I don't agree with steeling but seriously if you are going to leave all your gear out in the wild to me it's the same a littering. Just because it's gear does not make it any different... I don't care if it's tree stands, cameras, decoys whatever. I have never personally taken gear and never would but pack it in pack it out period!


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## dark_cloud (Oct 18, 2010)

Decoys and tree stands are completely different. When you sneak in to hunt deer, you dont want to make any noise setting up a tree stand. When your hunting ducks and setting up for them, the ducks your setting up for, are comeing from miles and cant hear you. If I found a spread in the marsh, I would take it down, try to find the right owner, and then add it to my spread. I found some decoys at utah lake over 10 years ago, hunted the same place for 6 straight weekends, asking everybody about them, the spread had a very special decoy in it, and nobody claimed them. I still hunt over them to this day :mrgreen:


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## silversurfer (Oct 30, 2011)

Dave B said:


> I can't say what golf did was wrong. I don't agree with steeling but seriously if you are going to leave all your gear out in the wild to me it's the same a littering. Just because it's gear does not make it any different... I don't care if it's tree stands, cameras, decoys whatever. I have never personally taken gear and never would but pack it in pack it out period!


 Boy your pretty hard case on this. :shock: I don't think it smart to leave Decoy out in the Marsh in a bag, but I see nothing wrong in it if at the end of the season you pick them up. It seems to me this hunting thing has gotten way out of hand with alot of the younger bunch. If you don't have at least 12 calls and 50 bands on your neck and your are not a pro straffer for someone's calls or gear you shouldn't be in the marsh. I guess we should outlaw trail cams or maybe you have to tag them like traps and have a lic. to use them> Shoot I just gave the DWR a idea on how to make more money.  Enjoy the time in the outdoors and don't worry about the small stuff. I still want to run my airboat inside the dikes with all the mudmotors


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## silversurfer (Oct 30, 2011)

dark_cloud said:


> Decoys and tree stands are completely different. When you sneak in to hunt deer, you dont want to make any noise setting up a tree stand. When your hunting ducks and setting up for them, the ducks your setting up for, are comeing from miles and cant hear you. If I found a spread in the marsh, I would take it down, try to find the right owner, and then add it to my spread. I found some decoys at utah lake over 10 years ago, hunted the same place for 6 straight weekends, asking everybody about them, the spread had a very special decoy in it, and nobody claimed them. I still hunt over them to this day :mrgreen:


 Maybe the guy hunts during the week. All my gear has my name on it in hopes if something is lost or stolen I may get it back. If it doesn't have your name on it it must not belong to you.


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## Dave B (Oct 1, 2007)

What does littering/leaving your stuff behind have to do with duck calls, bands, pro staffs, whatever other nonsense you were rambling on about? I don't and won't mess with other peoples gear but that does not change my point of view. If you leave your stuff out in the wild and someone takes it you have no one to blame but yourself. How is this really anything different then littering other than point of view?


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## Dweeker10 (Dec 10, 2012)

Stealing is stealing if I catch a thief stealing a bike I don't get to take the bike home


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

all these apple and oranges comparisons, we aren't talking about tree stands, trail cameras, lost gear or other things. We're talking specifically about someone leaving duck decoys already set out, not stashed but set out in order to save a spot. People like that are cheating the system and cheating actual hard working sportsman. If a guy leaves his decoys out there, setup, with the intent to save a spot and comes back the next day and they're gone than I don't honestly think he'll report them stolen, he'll probably realize how big of an idiot he is. If I role up to one of the spots I hunt and I see decoys setup with no owner around, than I would just toss the dekes to the side and leave them alone but if someone else stumbles along the same situation and it looks obvious that a guy is saving a spot and someone wants to take the decoys than they are removing some litter from the marsh in my eyes and I won't shed a tear or play ethics police. I hold people who try and cheat other guys out of spots right up there with the worst of them.


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

talk about pannies in a wad.... Do I think its right to leave deeks...No but like I said to claim them as yours is just like stealing them...


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## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

I always have my eye out for an unattended airboat these days. I really want one and figure if someone leaves it on the lake for a while then clearly they no longer want it. I almost had one Saturday but as I was trying to hot wire it the owner came back. Turned out he just ditched it while he was hunting.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

Donttreadonme said:


> I always have my eye out for an unattended airboat these days. I really want one and figure if someone leaves it on the lake for a while then clearly they no longer want it. I almost had one Saturday but as I was trying to hot wire it the owner came back. Turned out he just ditched it while he was hunting.


great comparison :roll: this started as a guy talking about a specific thing, and it turns into these oddball, irrelevant comparisons on here all the time. guys comparing it to a poor, blind, deaf kid leaving his wallet on the special needs bus and someone claiming it. Would it help if at the start of this thread that the guys decoys in question worked for mossback? or members of sfw?


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## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

utahgolf said:


> Donttreadonme said:
> 
> 
> > I always have my eye out for an unattended airboat these days. I really want one and figure if someone leaves it on the lake for a while then clearly they no longer want it. I almost had one Saturday but as I was trying to hot wire it the owner came back. Turned out he just ditched it while he was hunting.
> ...


Both airboats and decoys are used in the marsh to kill ducks and should not be left unattended over night. It is practically the same thing. The only difference IMO is size. 

As for your example of the blind deaf kid leaving his wallet on the bus....clearly that is not applicable to this situation, unless the bus was actually a handicap blind on a public marsh and he had been there hunting. In that case, finders keepers. o-||


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## Dweeker10 (Dec 10, 2012)

Littering !!!!! Hahaha that's funny anyone that has enough money to just leave decoys isn't hunting public ground they are members of the millionaire duck club


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## Dweeker10 (Dec 10, 2012)

Littering !!!!! Hahaha that's funny anyone that has enough money to just leave decoys isn't hunting public ground they are members of the millionaire duck club


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

Donttreadonme said:


> utahgolf said:
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> > Donttreadonme said:
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good point on the blind deaf kid. Little timmy needs to quit leaving his crap around in the marsh!


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## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

utahgolf said:


> good point on the blind deaf kid. Little timmy needs to quit leaving his crap around in the marsh!


YES! you get it. The problem isn't taking your wallet into the marsh. It is the leaving it out there that is the problem.


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## LETTER-RIP (Sep 14, 2007)

Donttreadonme said:


> I always have my eye out for an unattended airboat these days. I really want one and figure if someone leaves it on the lake for a while then clearly they no longer want it. I almost had one Saturday but as I was trying to hot wire it the owner came back. Turned out he just ditched it while he was hunting.


You actually found an unattended airboat?? :shock: And had time to hotwire it??!! :lol:

This is way off subject, but so is using an airboat as an example in this debate.

o-||


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## Dave B (Oct 1, 2007)

Dweeker10 said:


> Littering !!!!! Hahaha that's funny anyone that has enough money to just leave decoys isn't hunting public ground they are members of the millionaire duck club


Or lazy and like to leave their trash laying around  o-|| Tweeker


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

Would I take someone's dekes? No. But why some of you would want to test peoples integrity is beyond me.
If you want to see if someone wants your decoys more than you do.......well thats your problem if someone steals them. Do you leave the keys in your car/truck? Do you leave your front door to your house open and leave for the weekend?

I don't like the idea of people leaving things lying around on public ground. If it were truly acceptable, the marsh would most likely be covered in decoys. He!! I'd leave them out there too to give me more space in my garage and sheds during the winter. I'd empty my shed and garage and leave a few dozen at each hunting spot therefore leaving me to never to pack decoys ever again.
You say it's only overnight until you come back the next day? Why not two or three days or the week, or month or the whole season???

Leaving empty hulls, wrappers, cans, whatever, including decoys sets a trashy precedents for those that are attempting to enjoy the area after you.


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## dark_cloud (Oct 18, 2010)

Donttreadonme said:


> I always have my eye out for an unattended airboat these days. I really want one and figure if someone leaves it on the lake for a while then clearly they no longer want it. I almost had one Saturday but as I was trying to hot wire it the owner came back. Turned out he just ditched it while he was hunting.


At least I know where to come looking for my boat  You dont need to hot wire it, the key is always in it.


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## dark_cloud (Oct 18, 2010)

silversurfer said:


> dark_cloud said:
> 
> 
> > Decoys and tree stands are completely different. When you sneak in to hunt deer, you dont want to make any noise setting up a tree stand. When your hunting ducks and setting up for them, the ducks your setting up for, are comeing from miles and cant hear you. If I found a spread in the marsh, I would take it down, try to find the right owner, and then add it to my spread. I found some decoys at utah lake over 10 years ago, hunted the same place for 6 straight weekends, asking everybody about them, the spread had a very special decoy in it, and nobody claimed them. I still hunt over them to this day :mrgreen:
> ...


The decoys were not there when I went out and when I came back through they were left out in the middel of the channel and it was almost dark. Nobody was even if the parking lot. And I guess I dont own anything, I dont put my name on anything.

Im not saying Im out looking for free gear, but if your dumb enough to leave it on public lands then dont cry if it comes up missing. Your either really rich or really dumb


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

how about if you take the unattended setup decoys and donate them to a new hunter? win/win...well, except for the guy learning a lesson the hard way.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

I would just sit down and hunt over them. Then if the guy came out tell him they were mine heheh whats he gonna do, call the CO and tell him I am claiming some dekes he left out to save his spot?


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## Chuck (Mar 28, 2012)

I wouldn't touch someone's decoys simply for the bad ju ju factor.


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## Dweeker10 (Dec 10, 2012)

So just a question if you walked three miles and got into a great shoot and the very next day you planned on going to the same spot you all would be opposed to leaving your decoys that night? Sorry I guess i think a lot differently about this topic than most I would be leaving them and if someone came and beat me to that spot the next day i would grab my decoys and go else where if they were packing my decoys up they would be eating mud sorry but that's the way I see it now if the decoys have been there for the past two or three hunts than I say do what you want with them but just showing up and some deeks are setting there I wouldn't feel good about packing them up


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

Dweeker10 said:


> So just a question if you walked three miles and got into a great shoot and the very next day you planned on going to the same spot you all would be opposed to leaving your decoys that night? Sorry I guess i think a lot differently about this topic than most I would be leaving them and if someone came and beat me to that spot the next day i would grab my decoys and go else where if they were packing my decoys up they would be eating mud sorry but that's the way I see it now if the decoys have been there for the past two or three hunts than I say do what you want with them but just showing up and some deeks are setting there I wouldn't feel good about packing them up


 I think people are thinking of different things dweeker, if you stashed them which means you picked them up and hid them.. Or if you left them setup, with the intent trying to save an area, and to fool people who might beat you to that area but won't setup there cause they think someone is there already setup. two completely different things in my mind and one much less severe even tho you shouldn't leave anything out there but I think I get what you're saying.


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## Dweeker10 (Dec 10, 2012)

I definitely disagree with leaving crap in the marsh 100% I hunt areas that I am walking in miles and I hunt at least twice a week so there are times I leave my decoys stashed but I agree that they shouldn't be left set up


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## duckhunter1096 (Sep 25, 2007)

BlackCloud said:


> Leaving your decoys out hidden is one thing but leaving them to secure a spot is another. If someone is gonna be a jackass and leave them unattended to save "their" spot they will either lose there decoys to a hunter or dwr. However if I were to find decoys that were hidden in the phrag then obviously they didn't want to pack them out time after time. Those would stay in my opinion.


It's still illegal!!!

I love it on here... legality & ethics only matter in certain instances. Whether they are set out, or packed up & hidden... DOESN'T MATTER!!! Both are illegal... Both are UNETHICAL. Why would your opinion change, based on whether they're packed up or not?


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

duckhunter1096 said:


> BlackCloud said:
> 
> 
> > Leaving your decoys out hidden is one thing but leaving them to secure a spot is another. If someone is gonna be a jackass and leave them unattended to save "their" spot they will either lose there decoys to a hunter or dwr. However if I were to find decoys that were hidden in the phrag then obviously they didn't want to pack them out time after time. Those would stay in my opinion.
> ...


 Yes, both are illegal but one is much less severe than the other, just like with any other legal/ethical thing, there's always varying degrees... Stashing dekes is far less of an offense in my mind than leaving them SETUP with the intent to take that spot and block people out who get there before you.....


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## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

duckhunter1096 said:


> BlackCloud said:
> 
> 
> > Leaving your decoys out hidden is one thing but leaving them to secure a spot is another. If someone is gonna be a jackass and leave them unattended to save "their" spot they will either lose there decoys to a hunter or dwr. However if I were to find decoys that were hidden in the phrag then obviously they didn't want to pack them out time after time. Those would stay in my opinion.
> ...


+1 I only drive 25 in a 25 mh zone. Not 26 or 24, 25! If someone leaves their airboat unattended in the marsh over night, it is mine. We live in a world of black and white, there is no grey. If you leave your decoys out over night, no matter the circumstance you are a criminal and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. I am sure glad I am 100% ethical and legal 100% of the time. :O•-:


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Donttreadonme said:


> +1 I only drive 25 in a 25 mh zone. Not 26 or 24, 25! If someone leaves their airboat unattended in the marsh over night, it is mine. We live in a world of black and white, there is no grey. If you leave your decoys out over night, no matter the circumstance you are a criminal and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. I am sure glad I am 100% ethical and legal 100% of the time. :O•-:


Ummm I hate to burst your soap box bubble here...but, if someone leaves an air boat and you take it you are a criminal. More specifically, a thief. If you take unattended decoys that are not yours, you are a thief. I agree one shouldn't leave ANYTHING in the marsh, however that doesn't make anyone entitled to steal. If they leave it on your private property, then have at it. On public property you need to report it to the authorities.

If you REALLY need to have it removed, call the authorities. Don't steal.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

I don't believe it's illegal to leave decoys stashed in the marsh. The rule is you cannot leave decoys unattended in an attempt to reserve a spot. Stashed decoys don't really do that. Leaving decoys set up is illegal. Leaving stashed decoys is risky, though, they may walk away. 

I once left a wood burning stove stashed in some trees up in the Uintas. It was nice, I designed and fabricated it myself. Somebody else really liked it, too.

bwhntr, he was being facetious.


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

I know he was being facetious...however, that was my way of responding to many other posts indicating they were entitled to take anything left in the marsh.


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## WTRFWLN (Dec 12, 2012)

You guys are missing the whole point here?? He said he got out to the spot at 1:30 I dont think that was 1:30 AM. So here is how I look at it! If I show up for an afternoon hunt and see decoys set out at 1:30 PM the last thing Im going to do is go start investigating if there is people not siting in their boat or on buckets in the PHRAG?? I would respect somebodys else's space which nobody does any more?? "Hey look at those decoys lets set up 25 yards on them cause the ducks are going to fly by them cause they look so good" Now if KWALK walks 3 miles at 5am and gets to this spot and the people show up 10 mins before shooting time to keep there spot that would be and issue?? There are many reasons to go back to the truck after 11ish or so? Bathroom, shells, equipment, picking up Tommy the handicap walet less kid cause he cant walk that far and can only hunt the afternoon, ect, ect, ect. Did you go ask the guy his reasoning for leaving his spread for 2 hours?? Or did we just assume he left them out there for a week? Just my 2 cents. The last thing I want to see is some dude's full moon hanging over his boat cause he was afraid of some people on this forum was going stealing his decoys?????


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## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

WTRFWLN said:


> You guys are missing the whole point here?? He said he got out to the spot at 1:30 I dont think that was 1:30 AM. So here is how I look at it! If I show up for an afternoon hunt and see decoys set out at 1:30 PM the last thing Im going to do is go start investigating if there is people not siting in their boat or on buckets in the PHRAG?? I would respect somebodys else's space which nobody does any more?? "Hey look at those decoys lets set up 25 yards on them cause the ducks are going to fly by them cause they look so good" Now if KWALK walks 3 miles at 5am and gets to this spot and the people show up 10 mins before shooting time to keep there spot that would be and issue?? There are many reasons to go back to the truck after 11ish or so? Bathroom, shells, equipment, picking up Tommy the handicap walet less kid cause he cant walk that far and can only hunt the afternoon, ect, ect, ect. Did you go ask the guy his reasoning for leaving his spread for 2 hours?? Or did we just assume he left them out there for a week? Just my 2 cents. The last thing I want to see is some dude's full moon hanging over his boat cause he was afraid of some people on this forum was going stealing his decoys?????


Whoa, whoa, whoa!! This is not a thread for reading entire posts and speaking logic. This is a thread dedicated to half truths and "what if's". Take your fine reading and comprehension skills elsewhere. :lol:

PS at least you mentioned "Tommy" :O||:


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## Cam_C (Dec 8, 2012)

Donttreadonme said:


> WTRFWLN said:
> 
> 
> > You guys are missing the whole point here?? He said he got out to the spot at 1:30 I dont think that was 1:30 AM. So here is how I look at it! If I show up for an afternoon hunt and see decoys set out at 1:30 PM the last thing Im going to do is go start investigating if there is people not siting in their boat or on buckets in the PHRAG?? I would respect somebodys else's space which nobody does any more?? "Hey look at those decoys lets set up 25 yards on them cause the ducks are going to fly by them cause they look so good" Now if KWALK walks 3 miles at 5am and gets to this spot and the people show up 10 mins before shooting time to keep there spot that would be and issue?? There are many reasons to go back to the truck after 11ish or so? Bathroom, shells, equipment, picking up Tommy the handicap walet less kid cause he cant walk that far and can only hunt the afternoon, ect, ect, ect. Did you go ask the guy his reasoning for leaving his spread for 2 hours?? Or did we just assume he left them out there for a week? Just my 2 cents. The last thing I want to see is some dude's full moon hanging over his boat cause he was afraid of some people on this forum was going stealing his decoys?????
> ...


LOL
I thought WTRFWLN was going to include that STEALING as defined in the dictionary,
"To take without right or permission, To get or effect secretly, To move stealthily"
If it aint yours leave it alone, call and report it. NO EXCUSES FOR THEIFT.
If it was litter you would have no use for it and you would throw it away not use it.

OK, back to the half truthes and what ifs, carry on


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## bennyboy72 (Nov 4, 2011)

I'm just shocked that some of you are brave enough to leave them out there or even stash them on public land. Last year I left 2 dozen full body goose decoys on MY private farm out overnight and the next morning they were gone. I was setup about 1 mile away from any public roads and they still were taken. Its just too tempting for some people.


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

bwhntr said:


> Donttreadonme said:
> 
> 
> > +1 I only drive 25 in a 25 mh zone. Not 26 or 24, 25! If someone leaves their airboat unattended in the marsh over night, it is mine. We live in a world of black and white, there is no grey. If you leave your decoys out over night, no matter the circumstance you are a criminal and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. I am sure glad I am 100% ethical and legal 100% of the time. :O•-:
> ...


You actually expect me to buy dekes? You turn tour back on your spread and they are fair game. Now I know how some guys have so many dekes. They're free 99 in the marsh. Sweet.


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## Cam_C (Dec 8, 2012)

utahgolf said:


> duckhunter1096 said:
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> > BlackCloud said:
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OK, I think I got it! LOL
Stealing dekes is far less of an offense than stealing an airboat, Both are illegal but one is much less severe than the other?


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

Cam_C said:


> utahgolf said:
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> 
> > duckhunter1096 said:
> ...


BINGO  But ya missed the point, I was more making the point that according to the law, leaving anything out in the marsh overnight is illegal, but I believe leaving dekes setup to try and save a spot is much worse than a guy stashing his dekes in the cattails. I was talking about the severity of the act itself.


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Cam_C said:


> utahgolf said:
> 
> 
> > duckhunter1096 said:
> ...


Yes. Killing someone =bad, beating someone almost to death =not so bad.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

WTRFWLN said:


> You guys are missing the whole point here?? He said he got out to the spot at 1:30 I dont think that was 1:30 AM. So here is how I look at it! If I show up for an afternoon hunt and see decoys set out at 1:30 PM the last thing Im going to do is go start investigating if there is people not siting in their boat or on buckets in the PHRAG?? I would respect somebodys else's space which nobody does any more?? "Hey look at those decoys lets set up 25 yards on them cause the ducks are going to fly by them cause they look so good" Now if KWALK walks 3 miles at 5am and gets to this spot and the people show up 10 mins before shooting time to keep there spot that would be and issue?? There are many reasons to go back to the truck after 11ish or so? Bathroom, shells, equipment, picking up Tommy the handicap walet less kid cause he cant walk that far and can only hunt the afternoon, ect, ect, ect. Did you go ask the guy his reasoning for leaving his spread for 2 hours?? Or did we just assume he left them out there for a week? Just my 2 cents. The last thing I want to see is some dude's full moon hanging over his boat cause he was afraid of some people on this forum was going stealing his decoys?????


Never said or assumed the dekes were out there more than that day.There was definitely no one there. I was close enough to see that very clearly......and I absolutely did respect the space and turned around and hunted elsewhere. Was I thrilled about walking there and seeing a full spread unattended for two hours, no. However it wasn't worth it to me to wander clear back out to their spread once the boat rolled up to ask them why they left. If you read my first post, I was just wondering if this was common practice. I wouldn't do it, but then again there are a lot of things people do in public marsh that I wouldn't do. If I'm not actively hunting a spot, I take my decoys with me, even if I am going to be back later in the afternoon. Someone who comes out from the time that I leave to when I get back is every bit as entitled to that spot as I am. Just my thoughts


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## Cam_C (Dec 8, 2012)

BINGO But ya missed the point,
I'm not sure who missed the point! LOL

Hope some new birds get here soon!
Enjoy whats left of the season.


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## WTRFWLN (Dec 12, 2012)

""Unattended blinds
In addition to the rules above, two other
important rules apply to waterfowl blinds on
WMAs and other state lands that are open to
public hunting:
• Any person may use any unoccupied, permanent
waterfowl blind. Waterfowl blinds
on state lands are open on a first-come,
first-served basis to everyone, not just to
the person who built the blind.
• You cannot leave waterfowl blinds or decoys
unattended overnight to reserve a spot.""

So if I read the proclamation right on the last bullet here it clearly states that you cannot leave you blind or decoys *OVERNIGHT TO RESERVE A SPOT*! So in this person's eyes he is doing nothing illegal. I personally have only left them unattended once to go back to pick up a 12 year old cause he had a football game in the morning?? Sounds like your just venting a little frustration about some guy was in you not so seceret spot and just cause your standards are different than some others there all the reason in the world to come on a forum and COMPLAIN? It was a good read for a slow day at work though! Ive seen some of those left unatended decoy's and I bet the person leaving them was praying that somebody would save them the hassel of picking them up so they didnt have to??


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

WTRFWLN said:


> ""Unattended blinds
> In addition to the rules above, two other
> important rules apply to waterfowl blinds on
> WMAs and other state lands that are open to
> ...


Once again, not really trying to complain or gripe. I wouldn't do it, but I respected that they were there and hunted elsewhere. He didn't think he was doing anything wrong, and I wasn't necessarily insinuating that he was doing anything illegal. I was simply wondering if it was common to leave a spread for any amount of time. That's all.

I didn't steal his decoys, or even hunt over them, or even near them. I had never encountered this before and I had a legitimate question as it seemed a little strange that no one was there.

As far as venting frustration, I wouldn't have been frustrated at all if someone had been hunting over the decoys, that's just the joy of hunting on public land. I figured a forum about waterfowl was a great place to ask this question, and I don't think I was irrational in doing so.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Cam_C said:


> BINGO But ya missed the point,
> I'm not sure who missed the point! LOL
> 
> Hope some new birds get here soon!
> Enjoy whats left of the season.


+1 Should be a great end to the season


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## WTRFWLN (Dec 12, 2012)

"I had never encountered this before and I had a legitimate question as it seemed a little strange that no one was there". 

So I guess out of all the the 7 pages of RIFF RAFF you answered your own question? If you have only seen this once than it cant be that common? 

I aslo hope it picks up out there cause it can only get better the later it gets? 

Have a fun, and SAFE rest of the season, Hope every bird is banded and and every shot is true. 

Happy Holidays Everybody!!


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## silversurfer (Oct 30, 2011)

WTRFWLN said:


> ""Unattended blinds
> In addition to the rules above, two other
> important rules apply to waterfowl blinds on
> WMAs and other state lands that are open to
> ...


He not reserving a spot ,he is just wanting to help out the next guys that want to hunt there.


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