[Riverrat77]

Ok, I keep hearing guys talking about scouting in their boats......I have to be honest. I read this stuff and just laugh. Maybe I just don't get it or something. Do you really "scout" or are you going out to make sure the boat runs, look at water levels and things like that? I would think scouting would be watching bird flight paths, learning new areas like some guys hunting WMA's for the first time or whatever but I would imagine that you'd be pretty limited as far as what you could accomplish from a boat.... Is there more to it or is it just a way to burn off anxious energy and old gas before the season gets here? I'd imagine any birds sitting on the water won't be there when there are boats racing all over when the season actually starts right?? Are you guys just marking points and cuts in the marsh on GPS or something? Enlighten me..... 8)

 

[dkhntrdstn]

there a couple thing there. we are making shure the boats run good and cheacking water leaves and finding new areas like pot holes and other back water holes.Some people will park there boats and put the blind up and watch where the birds fly and the way there working the pond and when you see them landing in the cattail you try to find was back in there to that spot. You can do a lot of scouting,learn and fine stuff out of your boats.that you cant out walking around. But yes some people do just run and make shur every thing it working right. If you go to a new area and you try find spot that you want to hunt. like brbr it a big place and you can get away from the dikes and teh only way you can scout them is by a boat. i hope this helps you out and awsner your questions for you.O yea pluse you can cheack out the cover for the boats up and close instead with binos.There a couple ponds im going try to get on and look around for some new spots for spots.

 

[Riverrat77]

Yep, thats kinda what I thought... its more figuring out the boat and checking the new year's layout of the marsh than it is scouting birds..... makes sense.

 

[dkhntrdstn]

it hard to scout for the birds when they will change after the opening day but it does give you some kind of ideas to where the birds want to be and what there liking. it not like big game.im glad i could help you out.

 

[Riverrat77]

it does give you some kind of ideas to where the birds want to be and what there liking. it not like big game.im glad i could help you out.

:lol: I do a lot of that sitting in a blind on the ground. Its amazing what you see when you just sit and watch. I guess I could see doing that at night in a boat, just to see where the birds cross on their way back to the roost. Sitting and just looking has helped me be a lot more effective later in the year.... Guess thats what I'll be doing again this year... watching, walking, and hopefully getting into some really out of the way spots by busting cattails. :wink: I just see the dudes screaming around in their boats while I sit and watch and wonder just how much they're missing... it just looks awful hectic.... but I don't have a boat so maybe I won't ever really understand it. :|

 

[Mallardpin]

Missing? Yea all us boat owners just like to go fast and not kill birds. :?

It is like everyone else said you take your boat out to check water level, how the marsh grew in or didn't grow in. Of course it is to also scout to see where the birds are sitting and to check out there flight pattern.

If you are anti boat just come out and say it instead of hiding behind this question. :roll:

I was a foot soldier for a long time and can tell you it is a lot more efective to scout out of a boat then on feet. Although I still do both. Most of my scouting is done during the season not before. Right now the birds will change there patterns to much after the season starts.

Unless of coure you are hunting a less pressuered area you can get to with a boat. :twisted:

 

[Riverrat77]

Missing? Yea all us boat owners just like to go fast and not kill birds. :? It is like everyone else said you take your boat out to check water level, how the marsh grew in or didn't grow in. Of course it is to also scout to see where the birds are sitting and to check out there flight pattern. If you are anti boat just come out and say it instead of hiding behind this question. :roll: I was a foot soldier for a long time and can tell you it is a lot more efective to scout out of a boat then on feet. Although I still do both. Most of my scouting is done during the season not before. Right now the birds will change there patterns to much after the season starts.

Unless of coure you are hunting a less pressuered area you can get to with a boat. :twisted:

Hmmm ruffle some feathers MP?? :roll: I'm certainly not anti-boat, otherwise I doubt I would have hunted out of one so much last year. I just don't get the whole scouting thing from the boat. I could see that on somewhere like the Salt, where its such a vast area that people will be really spread out.... obviously most of the airboaters go out and find little out of the way holding spots here and there.... but when everyone gets all excited to go "scout" in their boats, it seems to me all that traffic is just going to push birds and what you see during this initial rush isn't going to be anything like what happens during the season. Thats also why I made the comment about watching what happens at night or early in the morning so that you can see where birds roost, where they cross the water to get there and things like that. Like I said, I guess I wouldn't understand until I got a boat and felt like I had to join the party and go "scout". Thanks for the responses... it pretty much confirmed what I had in mind when I heard the term anyway.... you guys have a good time at the races. :wink:

 

[wileywapati]

Heck with all the other stuff I just can't wait to get back in the mud.

I do however have some serious issues to work out with the boat before the youth hunt begins though. CAN YOU SAY TRIM PROBLEMS???

Ya put my fat behind in the 12 ft v hull I own add to that a 10hp evinrude short shaft
and you get a bow straight up in the air. I did have it set perfectly one time last year
and I made it all the way across unit one at FB. In fact I had to shut it down before I hit Phrag. If any of you more experienced boat guys have any ideas please feel free to lend a hand.

The one time I did manage to get the trim right was by accident.

Thanks in advance
Gordy

 

[hairy1]

RR77,
I get the same feeling that MP does when I read your posts. I get the impression you have something in your craw about boats.

Boating is a way for me to better control my hunts!

As is your willingness to hike a long ways.

I guarantee I am not missing anything by taking my boat... on the contrary I see more.

 

[Riverrat77]

Sorry you guys think I have a burr under my saddle about boats.... I just don't get the "scouting bit". Of course, I've only seen the scouting manuever at Farmington... so maybe its just a spinoff of the regular circus down there. :lol: I figured scouting was what you guys have said... .just cruising around to see what the water, weed growth and things like that are doing in the marsh that would make it different from the year before. My thought on it actually was well.... WMA's are only so big..... so once you've seen one... thats about it right?? Especially if you hunt the same ones all the time.... Maybe thats an odd way of thinking..... :| oh well.... I'm sure somebody will always think I'm anti something because I question a lot of things that people just take for granted but that doesn't hurt my feelings any. :?

 

[dkhntrdstn]

every year they change a tone. the weed get thicker and or they get thiner. dont know what you mean by people take things granted? Like last year the water was better at one place then a nother place.

 

[RJ-Max4]

Dustin, let's go run every WMA we can on the 29th.

Just to go run around in our boats.

*()*

 

[dkhntrdstn]

well i plan on runing some. got to find a couple spots to try this year and the curosity is geting to me on some of these other ponds. To see what they are like and see if they might worth hiting a couple times.

 

[Riverrat77]

Dustin, let's go run every WMA we can on the 29th.

Just to go run around in our boats.

*()*

I'm sure you two will have a swell time..... you and everyone else that needs to get the birds pinned down for the opener.... It would be par for the course however. :lol: Good luck with that. Not that you could ever accomplish anything by being still and using binoculars from the top of one of the walkway bridges or anything like that.... what a silly idea. I'm such a foolish person to ever think that might be successful. That would be too easy I suppose... but again, what do I know? 8)

 

[RJ-Max4]

Awesome.

 

[hairy1]

Dustin, let's go run every WMA we can on the 29th.

Just to go run around in our boats.

*()*

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Mallardpin]

That would be too easy I suppose... but again, what do I know? 8)

Not much about Waterfowl hunting from what I have read on this and other forums. :shock:

If the boats scare all the birds, then why do people with boats kill more ducks. :?

A lot of your logic makes no sense and your anti boat but not man enough to just come out and say it. :roll: :roll: :twisted:

Now lets all get ready for the season. *()* With lots of GREEN

 

[Riverrat77]

Dustin, let's go run every WMA we can on the 29th.

Just to go run around in our boats.

*()*

Somehow, I think this is the kind of attitude that gets so many closures and regulations enforced... and if these are the kind of people expected to change things for the better with regard to waterfowlers... we're all in some serious trouble. They'll also be the ones that scream the loudest and get the most angry when things don't go their way. I'm certainly glad they don't represent me and I'd hope they don't represent what most of the responsible waterfowlers think.... if so... maybe the public opinion of those in our ranks isn't so far off. :?

 

[wingmanck]

Honestly I could care less about who does what or how as long as it's within the law and ethical behavior expected of us. If it's not, I have no problem turning ya in. What that has to do with anything, I'm not quite sure - sorry! That being said, I have a boat. I bought it several years ago when injuries from a bad accident limited my choices to use a boat, hunt the dike or don't hun't. Since the last two were unacceptable, I bought a boat. Still have it and find it useful sometimes, but for some to suggest that you're going to be more successful with it is ridiculous! Hell, now that I'm healthy again and the majority of hunters (at least it seems that way) have boats, I find it easier to get away from everyone by walking. As far as scouting goes, everything changes so much so fast that I won't bother for a couple more weeks. I may explore a little with the boat, but the majority of my scouting will be done from a good vantage point where I just sit.

 

[Riverrat77]

That would be too easy I suppose... but again, what do I know? 8)

Not much about Waterfowl hunting from what I have read on this and other forums. :shock:
If the boats scare all the birds, then why do people with boats kill more ducks. :?
A lot of your logic makes no sense and your anti boat but not man enough to just come out and say it. :roll: :roll: :twisted:

Sorry MallardPin... I'd run my duck totals and the birds I see all winter long against anything you'll see in a public marsh area.... and most of my year isn't even spent in a WMA. :wink: I may not kill a lot (only because I'm the only one that eats them), but I see areas and birds in those areas that most guys don't even know exist and wouldn't make the effort to get to if they did know about them. I'm not antiboat at all... for you to suggest this after I put up pics of myself hunting a northern area and OB with Dustin last year is laugable at best. If I remember correctly, oh yes, of course, I was leaning on a boat or in a picture with a boat hitched up to a pickup. Certainly an anti.... boaters better watch out for guys like me. :roll: If you'd like a reminder, I can certainly throw some pictures on to refresh your memory. You really think that if I was anti boat I'd be afraid to say it? I certainly haven't run from any other controversial subjects that are brought up for discussion, but again, because I question what the "group" accepts as proper and apparently, the only, way to do things, I'm all of a sudden anti whatever. I won't ever just be the sheep that follows common belief without some validation. Sorry I stepped on your toes but your reaction to me questioning the validity of boat scouting only enhances my belief that I hit pretty close to home. Sorry to rain on the parade of a few, but maybe all that extra water will help hold the ducks a little longer. :lol: