# Leaving Decoys Out Overnight On WMA's



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Have you ever left your decoys set up overnight on a WMA because you planned on returning to the same spot in the morning? 
I got out to a spot at Farmington Bay Saturday (last day of duck season) to find a bunch of duck decoys set out and frozen in the thin ice. Someone left them set out overnight, or maybe longer. We debated about adding our spread to them and hunting that area, but then decided to move to another spot. There were a couple of guys that showed up to that spot later in the morning. I don't know if those were their decoys or not, but I assume they were since they hunted there. I would never leave my stuff set out on public land, and I never expect to get the same spot everytime. Late season is tough enough to find open water and to put claims on territory is ridiculous. I know guys that wouldn't put up with that, and those decoys either would have been added to their own collection or they would have been sinking from steel shot. We just wanted to have a nice hunt for the last day without any confrontations, so we moved on. Just curious what you guys would do?


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

Ya I don't think i'd leave decoys out on a WMA. Especially a crowded one like FB.
I think you did the right thing moving on, even though I don't think people have the right to stake their claim on public land.


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## Fish2relax (Mar 3, 2011)

I don't know their intent, but I wouldn't do it. 
Just a note out of the Utah Waterfowl Guidebook pg.15:
* 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. _
 I don't know the penalty, but it sounds like it's against the rules__


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## OKEE (Jan 3, 2008)

I would say they were lucky they still had a set decoys in the morning. I hear of people stashing them or hiding them so they don't have to carry them back to their vehicles . I think they play that game long enough they are going to lose some decoys. Someone going to take their decoys because they are to lazy to bring them in.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Since it is against the law to leave decoys unattended on public land, I'd think that they would be litter from a legal standpoint. I always try to do my part by picking up litter in the marsh. ;-)

If I really wanted the spot, I'd either hunt over them or stash them in the bushes where the original owners could easily claim them upon returning, then hunt over my own decoys. If there were a lot of places to hunt, I'd probably just move on to avoid confrontation. You never know what kind of person is going to come back to claim "their" spot.

I know someone who used to stash a pontoon boat deep in the phrags in a remote area. I can see why he wouldn't want to carry it back and forth for every hunt, but I still thought he was crazy leaving ~$500 on public land for the first person who cared to pack it out. I guess some people trust humanity more than I do.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

stashing is one thing but leaving the spread set out is another. I would've picked them up and put them on the trail or wherever they could find them so they got the hint! and left a note if possible, saying, "next time they're mine!"


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

Fowlmouth, you are a kind person by not giving those dekes a nice blast of steel pellets. I know plenty of folks that would have no problem rendering justice to the lawbreakers in this instance.
R


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

depends on what kinda of decoys. if they had some that i wanted to add to my spread. well i would have taken them and left the other ones there.lol nice job fm for leaving them.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

rjefre said:


> Fowlmouth, you are a kind person by not giving those dekes a nice blast of steel pellets. I know plenty of folks that would have no problem rendering justice to the lawbreakers in this instance.
> R


I was in full restraint mode.:mrgreen: I was sort of hoping nobody would show up to claim them. I usually find at least a dozen loose decoys throughout the season. (usually 1 at a time) I only found 6 wandering decoys this year. The funny thing is, about 4 years ago I bought a dozen GHG mallards and it's the only time I have bought them, I now have 32 of them.:?


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## K Lark (Sep 13, 2013)

sound like a couple of ladees I no, did they leeve a "patten master" two?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Dang Klark where you been hiding. I missed seeing you and pit walking the dikes this year. There were plenty of coots out and about, I hope you pounded a few of them. I heard you make the best poule d'eau in Utah. Oh, I saw a bunch of those Lexus cars you like so much by the boat ramp.


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## Utmuddguy (Aug 25, 2013)

I've left decoys out in certain places because the wind and waves didn't allow me to pick them up. I don't think anyone else would have tried to get them either. On one occasion it was 2 days before I dared go out and get them. I've never done it to save a spot. If someone were to take them or sink them just because they were on the lake and they got caught I would see to it they were prosecuted.

76-6-407. Theft of lost, mislaid, or mistakenly delivered property.
A person commits theft when:
(1) He obtains property of another which he knows to have been lost or mislaid, or to have been delivered under a mistake as to the identity of the recipient or as to the nature or amount of the property, without taking reasonable measures to return it to the owner; and
(2) He has the purpose to deprive the owner of the property when he obtains the property or at any time prior to taking the measures designated in paragraph (1).

Enacted by Chapter 196, 1973 General Session

Criminal mischief would cover shooting them as well.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

when/if i stumble across stashed decoys, i/we leave em.

That said, if we happen to come across a few _reserving_ a particular spot, they get the cords clipped and set adrift or the cords get wrapped around their necks then set adrift.... depends on what mood im in.


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