Common sense in the marsh!

[mick]

you would think there would be one positive report here in this thread hunting the LP waterfowl unit and bagging some ducks..

Just to mention fellow member paddlemaker is an experienced and successful hunter..he shared on the forum his first deer harvest years ago..

 

[singlemalt]

the hunter safety course states
You may only hunt from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset, except as otherwise provided. If you are in an area usually inhabited by wildlife, during the period from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, you must unload and encase firearms

the title common sense in the marsh..I cant believe it
where are the seasoned waterfowlers..what happen
why would you not wear a watch and a head lamp
and carry a sealed flashlight..

That unit use to post the daily shooting times in the office..
And I remember the MNR policing the unit catching hunters shooting before legal shooting time..and thats a fact and a safety concern

 

[singlemalt]

OK so I now consider myself fortunate that I have two power boats. One is a dedicated fishing boat design, the other is a duck boat with a pop up blind and a 30 hp motor which will make it get up and go. I love them both however, this was not always my situation. About 40 years ago when I started hunting the Unit all I had, and could afford, was an old green Prospector style 16 foot canoe. At that time there were more walk-ins but they were under great demand and the canoe opened up my options significantly. Of course I did not hunt the outside shooting points but 80% of the interior blinds are only a 20-30 minute paddle from the access ramps. When I look back on my shooting logs I actually shot more ducks in a season with the canoe than I do with my duck boat. The real reason was I use to be quicker, worked harder and stayed out longer but it is quite possible to shoot limits in the Unit from a canoe.

To suggest a canoe is inherently unsafe is ludicrous. This country was all first explored and opened up by canoe. Those old boys went from Montreal to the Rocky Mountains including the North Shore of Lake Superior by canoe. Makes the trip from Howie Ave to Blind 22 seem pretty tame.

In the 40 years I have hunted the unit I have been involved with many "rescues" of guys stuck in the marsh do to cranky old motors, fuel issues, frozen gas lines etc, etc, I have never had to help someone in a canoe. Basically if you can get out you can get back. An 18 foot Alaskan is not much fun to paddle.

Of course everyone should have appropriate navigation or other lights to make you visible to other boaters but there are lots of inexpensive battery and rechargeable options for canoes. In my mind if a powerboat hits or swamps an appropriately lit canoe or kayak it is that boater who should be banned from the marsh not the canoe.

 

[anonymoose]

you would think there would be one positive report here in this thread hunting the LP waterfowl unit and bagging some ducks..

Just to mention fellow member paddlemaker is an experienced and successful hunter..he shared on the forum his first deer harvest years ago..

Here is a positive report. My first ever duck hunt was in the unit. I was alongside a good friend and avid duck hunter who took me out at my request.

Neither of us had much money at that time, but he did have a canoe. Both of us had young families and no cash for boats. We launched in black darkness. We navigated the marsh easily in the dark with the help of his expert knowledge and a big flashlight.

He set his decoys. Shortly after legal light, a flock of birds flashed in front of us and we both fired. I flock shot. I didn't see the bird go down, but he congratulated me. For all I know, he killed that bird, but he said it was my shot. He retrieved it and handed it to me.

He told me it was a drake greenwing teal. Young of the year. He showed me the characteristics that showed its age sex and species.

Later on I picked a better shot and took my second bird. I could tell I hit it but it sailed. He found it, a hen wigeon.

That was over 9 years ago. I didn't grow up a duck hunter but I've been hooked since, thanks to the generosity of a friend, a canoe and the Unit.

 

[simps88]

I hunted the unit for over 20 years in a canoe. I never once had a problem with other hunters speeding by me in power boats. I always had a big light on the front of the canoe and we both had headlights on our hats. Maybe back then there was more respect for other people. My opinion is that the inner marsh is made for canoes and maybe the big boats should stay in the bay. When you go tear assing through the marsh kicking up a wake, all you are doing is spooking the birds and making a mess. Nothing more peaceful then paddling in the pitch black through the marsh and just being able to listen to nothing but calm and the wild. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Porkpie]

First of all whoever said Fred would limit your blind choice if you had a canoe after October is incorrect. Before I had a duck boat I hunted the unit with a crappy canoe. Then I saved up and bought my first boat, a converted sailboat, an older fella that hunted the unit regularity sold it to me for a song, good guy who I heard unfortunately passed to throat cancer only a few years later. That tub opened up some doors for me mainly with extra decoy haulage and a little more safety, but I never really felt unsafe in that canoe. You just stayed to the side and kept a light handy. With today’s inexpensive LED lighting it’s much easier. I’ve nearly run down a few rigs during my fishing and hunting career due to unlit boats, canoes and kayaks. They are all still alive to talk about it because I never drive too fast in the dark and I always Use a large spotlight and have a backup, so I’ve been able to avoid their foolishness in time. Canoes aren’t the ideal marsh boat for long point but they sure do work!

 

[Tundra Swan]

Hello Mick,

I am still around but I only hunt the waterfowl unit a few times a year.

I made a point several years ago to travel to every blind and shooting point within the unit using my kayak unless the blind was only accessible by land (blind 1, blind 2 and blind 42).

I certainly have my preferred blinds all of which are easily and safely reached by my kayak within 30 minutes of a boat launch. That is the only probem since the unit opens too late in the morning to make the trip to the blind and set up before legal shooting time.

I have found that birds are often flying around at legal shooting time while I am still setting out my decoys ... so it is better for me to hunt elsewhere where there is no rush to set up.

I also had to clean up the blind and area of trash ... beer cans, pop cans, water bottles, candy wrappers and hulls ... lots of hulls. However it has been better these past few years.

I never had a problem with other hunters and their boats within the unit.

Jerome

PS I once had to direct two boats (that had passed me earlier in the morning) to their blinds since they had gotten lost in the marsh prior to sunrise.

 

[mick]

Hi Jerome
Thanks for your update...happy to hear you never had a problem at the unit..

No problem here either
My brother and I ..and my buddy and I ..hunted the unit once each early am years ago with my 12 foot boat and 7.5 outboard..we never had a problem as well...but others did one am hunt.. the MNR was there in the marsh in a boat waiting and caught hunters close to us shooting before legal shooting time..there were other early shots as well in the marsh..
the unit did post the legal shooting times in the unit that day

Just to share and might help
my one buddy hunted the rondeau unit seriously and bought a seasons park pass annually
He pre scouted the bay by boat and waypointed several shooting points exactly on his GPS and numbered them the same..each point & blind in the unit is marked with a visable sign number

That worked great in the dark before shooting time...find the sign with GPS goto with your marked waypoint shooting point # and then equiped and shine your spotlight right on it..

I think what would be helpful for new hunters in the marsh is gps tracking right to your marked waypoint identifying the blind #

I don't remember any alcohol consumption while waterfowl hunting in my past..