Home Forums Birds & Dogs Waterfowl Pot shooting (sitting ducks)

A YouTuber recently posted a video of a wood duck hunt where they shot most, if not all of them after they landed among the decoys. I objected, but it seems I’m in the minority, based on the thumb-count. Not a waterfowler, so I decided to ask here.

Is it unethical to shoot birds on the water? Are the ethics any different for woodies than other birds?

Thanks for your input.

Growing up, we never knew what “real” duck hunting was in our area of NW TX.
Our “method” was to sneak up on farm stock tank, creap over the edge of the dam, and shoot the ducks as they took off in flight or as they were taking off.

Fun stuff. 🤠

It's legal, and we will get the "If it is legal, I have no problem" crowd chime in for sure....however, an 8 year old could do the same easily....

About the same as an adult beating a pre-schooler at X and O and thinking they did something. Then again, if you can't shoot it's all you have left.

These things vary. What I saw coming up was different than what was printed in magazines. I suspected it had to with means and how many ducks were about versus the limit.

If you're covered up in ducks with a six bird limit you're stupid to shoot sitting unless you can't afford shells.

99% of my local duck shooting is public creek woodies. Very few birds. I shoot the first one sitting. Second on the rise or return flight. Whether that is sporting has nothing to do with it.

I like the Duck Commander videos of their hunts, call them in to sit , bust the first shot into the decoys and shoot the rest as the rise. I did shoot as they circled if one or two are needed for limits but I seenothing wrong with busting them in the decoys....

A lot of guys will shoot a bedded buck from a few hundred yards away and consider that sporting too...

Most of my duck hunting is jump shooting in very small water. They are easier to kill in the air, and that's my preference, but I wouldn't personally look down on anyone who shot them on the water

I shoot ducks on the water and kill elk and deer in their beds. 😀

TR
Sounds like you eat pretty well too then!
Continued success to you
Dan

I have seen YouTube videos of ducks being shot on the water and I immediately hit the stop button and go on to something else. I can't believe somebody would post something like that and act proud of it. I understand everybody has their own idea of what "sporting" is but I would not hunt with someone who shot ducks on the water.

RS

Shooting ducks on the water is kid stuff.

Who wants a duck anyway? The best way to shoot them is flying and real far away. That way you can keep shooting and you don’t have to deal with any stinking ducks.

Only reason in my book to shoot a duck on the water is the ducks been crippled and getting away. Having a good retriever eliminates most of that need. Just how I see it. Mb

Yes agreed, cripples must be swatted.

+1. Labs rule!

RS

Duck hunting isn't a sport for me.

We like to talk them down into the flooded timber and get em close. Wait until their heads line up and shoot once.

In these times of shell shortages, it's very efficient.

I guess the consensus is there ain’t a consensus. I looked up a bunch of waterfowl clubs and checked their rules, and only one mentioned it, but many had rules about Sky Busting, apparently because it educates the birds, not because it they are wounded and lost. Now perhaps that’s because they simply assume that nice people don’t do it, or maybe it’s done and not spoken of.

Used to have a neighbor that was always bragging on all the pheasants his family killed in PA, and was surprised that my brother and I said we missed them sometimes. We took him with us on a hunt and he ground-sluiced the first one he saw, which explained a lot. I would shoot one on the sit if I was carrying a .22 for rabbits or squirrels (never happened) , but if carrying a shotgun I’d charge in to make it flush (which happened quite a bit).

Thanks all.

AKA.....Water Swatter

The high fence hunters need to duck hunt too.

NV, I saw what you did there, and I liked it. Clever.

For me, calling ducks in range, cupped wings feet down or backpedaling over the X and shooting them in the face is half of duck hunting. Watching the dog work is the second half.

Kids, first time hunters, go ahead water swat one. But I try to get them to love the sport not the easy kill. After they “get” one , then let them only shoot rising birds , then get them shooting them in the face .02 YMMV

But if water swatting is your game It doesn’t affect my day....