# Empty Hulls



## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Here's something else that sucks. The amount of spent shotgun hulls on the dikes at Farmington Bay. I went for a bike ride yesterday afternoon just to see what kind of birds were in. My ride started in the south parking lot. I traveled north and west and rode around some secondary dikes. Lots of birds are in at the moment. But it was disturbing to see the amount of spent hulls on the dikes. I thought it must make us hunters look like slobs to non hunters? Would trash cans every few hundred yards be a solution? But then who wants to see trash cans all over the Waterfowl Management Area's. 

The bottom line is it's pretty sad that some people can't pick up after themselves.


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## Stimmy (Sep 10, 2007)

Years ago we had a clean up day. I remember filling several truck loads of crap off of the dikes.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Stimmy said:


> Years ago we had a clean up day. I remember filling several truck loads of crap off of the dikes.


I remember that day. Lots of Black Cloud empties. They ought to require single shots or double guns with extractors, not ejectors, if you're hunting the dikes. That way guys would have to manually remove their empties. I have a hard time finding empties with an autoloader, and I try to be careful.


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## J_marx22 (Sep 14, 2015)

It's weird how some people wouldn't dream about littering in the mountain but they don't think twice about a marsh setting


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I try to pick up the ones I find, but shooting an autoloader makes it impossible to find them all. Until CO's start asking for empties when checking birds, license and plug, I don't see anything changing.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Stimmy said:


> Years ago we had a clean up day. I remember filling several truck loads of crap off of the dikes.


I remember the pics of you guys doing that. What a great project. I would like to do a project like that. My problem is working on Saturdays when most people can get together and do a clean up.

My hell the geese are thick out there


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

JerryH said:


> I remember the pics of you guys doing that. What a great project. I would like to do a project like that. My problem is working on Saturdays when most people can get together and do a clean up.
> 
> My hell the geese are thick out there


Should we go take some pictures?


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Yes


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Fowlmouth said:


> I try to pick up the ones I find, but shooting an autoloader makes it impossible to find them all.


+1

I do pretty well at picking up my empties while duck hunting, but hunting in phrag or thick weeds makes some very hard to find. I suck when it comes to upland hunting. I risk losing birds if I don't carefully mark where they fall, so I usually don't even think about the hull until I've retrieved my birds. By then, it's not easy to go back and find it.

I just make it my goal to leave the marsh/field cleaner than I find it. So if I can't find 5-10 of my own shells, I pick up at least that many (and usually more) on the way back. If everyone did that, we'd all be ok.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> Until CO's start asking for empties when checking birds, license and plug, I don't see anything changing.


I told you, they do ask! only when they remember. I'v been asked twice, and a guy I was with was written a ticket for it while I was standing next to him. Also, My brothers buddy rescued a guy out in the marsh that had busted his ankle. He heard yelling so, he went out looking and found this guys busted up and called the CO's and my bro's buddy packed this guy back to the dike on his back and when he got back to the dike one of the first things the CO asked was if he had his emptys for the ducks he had killed, buddy replied "no, I was to busy saving this guys life" so, the CO wrote him a ticket..

Thats why you always see me picking up as many as I can find....And its the right thing to do anyways


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

We always do a search before we leave and pick up our empties. If there are others in the area we set up in that aren't from us we pick them up too. There's trash cans at the parking lots in FB if you want to chunk em when you get out of the marsh.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

We've all lost spent hulls in the phrag. I try my best to pick up my hulls for selfish reasons. I don't want anyone knowing I shot anything. lol But what I saw on the dikes the other day was blatant disrespect. Hulls laying everywhere on the dikes. Some of the hulls had been there for years.

It reminded me of a ice hunt We did on unit one a few years ago. We hunted the day after 2 guys with the giant sled on ski's hunted. That sled is very recognizable. They must of had a good shoot judging by the spent hulls they left. How hard is it to pick up trash on ice?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

It's not only shotgun hulls that are a problem, it's the empty boxes, candy wrappers and Rockstar cans from all the flat brimmers. On a more positive note, I didn't see any toilet paper or dookie piles in the parking lot at Farmington Bay. The bathrooms they built over the summer seemed to take care of that problem.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Fowlmouth said:


> It's not only shotgun hulls that are a problem, it's the empty boxes, candy wrappers and Rockstar cans from all the flat brimmers. On a more positive note, I didn't see any toilet paper or dookie piles in the parking lot at Farmington Bay. The bathrooms they built over the summer seemed to take care of that problem.


 It used to be the beer drinkers that got the bad name. Now its the yuppie drink containers that seem show up. On the last day I found a Coors pull tab can out there. You could still read the label. How many years ago did the pull tab cans got pulled from production?

I'm really surprised the new $hiters made it through the first year. It gives me new hope for humanity.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

I was hunting from a kayak and a game warden was watching with a spotter. I had a cripple to chase down and with the wind, I ended up loosing 3 of the 9 hulls that I shot. I went in and produced 6 empties and he gave me a warning for the 3 I didn't retrieve. I have picked up thousands of other peoples hulls over the years and packed them out to the garbage and I got a warning over 3 hulls. I wish they were consistent and guys that could produce no empties with dead birds in hand would get a littering warning or fine.

My mentor taught me to stomp the empties into the mud on the first hunt. Wasn't right and I never did it again and by the 3rd or 4th hunt together we were both picking up and packing out empties. All it takes is one guy in a group to start picking up empties and everyone gets on board.


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## Stimmy (Sep 10, 2007)

I am a freak about picking my hulls up, for the same reason as Jerry.  I wonder if we could organize a clean up day, or perhaps a scout group could put something together...


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Stimmy said:


> I am a freak about picking my hulls up, for the same reason as Jerry.  I wonder if we could organize a clean up day, or perhaps a scout group could put something together...


One of my friends approached the WMA manager about bringing a youth group in to clean up shells as a fundraiser. He was told that there wasn't any money in the budget for it. If it's going to get done, it looks like someone will have to put it together as a volunteer effort. I'd be willing to attend.

Now would probably be the ideal time of year to do it, before new weeds grow or mosquitoes hatch.


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## Stimmy (Sep 10, 2007)

Clarq said:


> One of my friends approached the WMA manager about bringing a youth group in to clean up shells as a fundraiser. He was told that there wasn't any money in the budget for it. If it's going to get done, it looks like someone will have to put it together as a volunteer effort. I'd be willing to attend.
> 
> Now would probably be the ideal time of year to do it, before new weeds grow or mosquitoes hatch.


Not sure why there would be any money required by the DWR. if it is a matter of just buying garbage bags, hell, I will gladly pony up $100 to buy them.

E


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Lets do it. I'm game on any Sunday. I know Sundays are not preferred by most but it would be a great B/S & liars session. I'm sure Jason would be game. 

I went for another ride today. Hit a secondary dike on unit 2. I pushed more than I peddled. mud was horrible. I'll tell you there is not one favorite kind of shell being used out there. Hulls of many colors and combos.

Maybe Paddler will pop for some red hats that say (Lets make FB great again) lol


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

JerryH said:


> Lets do it. I'm game on any Sunday. I know Sundays are not preferred by most but it would be a great B/S & liars session. I'm sure Jason would be game.
> 
> I went for another ride today. Hit a secondary dike on unit 2. I pushed more than I peddled. mud was horrible. I'll tell you there is not one favorite kind of shell being used out there. Hulls of many colors and combos.
> 
> Maybe Paddler will pop for some red hats that say (Lets make FB great again) lol


Jerry, Democrats are true conservationists. We don't litter. Hell, I even pick up my wads on the ice.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

paddler said:


> Jerry, Democrats are true conservationists. We don't litter. Hell, I even pick up my wads on the ice.


Here we go again....//dog////dog////dog//-O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__-


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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

Dedicated hunter project! That would get a few people out picking up shells


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

brendo said:


> Dedicated hunter project! That would get a few people out picking up shells


 Its to easy for a dedicated hunter project. 1 truck shuffling - say 6 guys around 3 hours of work tops. Its a walk around the park basically. Get out see some birds, lick your chops and laydown plans for next year. Go to lunch and have a B/S session and swap lies. = good time was had by all. I'm waiting for a call back from Jason.

Who's in??


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## Stimmy (Sep 10, 2007)

I am in. again, if Jason can't come up with some bags, I will buy them....


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

LostLouisianian said:


> Here we go again....//dog////dog////dog//-O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__--O\\__-


Thought you might enjoy that.:grin:

Actually, I've lost hulls, too, despite looking hard for them. That's the one thing I don't like about my M2. I don't lose hulls when shooting my double guns.

I'm in for a cleanup, too, if not working. I'll bring a camera or two.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Well I haven't heard back from Jason. Maybe Its not a concern so scratch that idea.


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

Well, if Jason gives it the green light, we can post it on the Utah Waterfowl Association facebook page and probably get a good turnout.
R


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## sketch21 (Jul 11, 2013)

I was caught a few years back at the boat ramp with no empties at BRBR and issued a Federal littering ticket. Cost me $120 to relearn this lesson. I always pick up what i can find of mine and other hulls i find walking in and out, and even pick up around the ramp now. It's simply the right thing to do if we really care about our marshes.


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## Shadow Man (Feb 22, 2017)

Seems like OB has gotten real bad the last few years as far as empty hulls and trash goes, dispite having cans in all the parking areas. Wish the CO's were more consistent with what they ask for at check points.


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