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Robo-ducks: Yea.... or Nea?

yooper

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Dec 12, 2000
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105
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Michigan's Upper Peninsula
I've read alot of controversy on these things lately. It seems to split the waterfowling fraternity right down the middle: Some say they're effective; others think they're a joke. I've never used one..... and probably never will, but I'd like to hear from some of you folks who may have had experience with these things.

The Fish and Wildlife Service I heard was entertaining the idea of banning these dekes..... which I think is wrong. The last thing we waterfowlers need is ANY more regulations imposed on us!

Does anyone else remember when they took our last 1/2 hour away from us? It was in the early '90's when the numbers had crashed to an all-time low, and the Feds assured us we would get that best time to be hunting BACK when the numbers stabilized.

Well........

The numbers have peaked at all-time HIGHS for the last few years, and yet we still haven't got that last 1/2 hour back yet.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
 
Yoop, I seldom come by this forum but did today. I have a quick note on the "ROBO DUCK". My boss, you might remember him from the old forum "ELK TURD" just built one. It is operated by using a fishing real to make the wings turn. He has used it twice. The first time he LOVED it and today he went and said it was Just OK. I will try to get him to come back on and give a full report after the Holidays.

-Moosie
 
Yooper,
My jury is still out on this one. Not enough time for it to prove itself, in my opinion.
My brother, who is a duck huntin fool, wants one so bad he's going crosseyed. He claims that he has personally seen ducks bypass spreads without them and go directly to a spread that was using them.

You are right that we don't need anymore devisiveness among us hunters. If it's legal to use them in one's area, they have every right to do so and I won't bad mouth them for it. I've never hunted over them, don't plan to get any and personally feel that this crosses the line that I have drawn for myself. There are alot of new gadgets that new technology is hitting the market with. I grew up hunting certain ways and as I get older, I find that I hang on to those ways more stubbornly every year. I'm sure that many of these new devices will increase a hunters success, at least at times, but the bag limit is a whole lot less important to me than it used to be. Now, the experience itself is what rewards me, and I guess I am becoming an old fart trying to live in the past, but that's the way I like it, so that's the way I will do it.
Good topic. Let's hear some more thoughts from some of you other hunters. SR
 
I used to be an ardent duck hunter. It was the only game I pursued, and my friends and I did it every weekend during the season. We took limits more often than not, and even though we were not in the best areas, I would not hesitate to say that we were amoung the best there was. I'm not bragging. Only telling the truth. It was because of dedication and persistence.

After the last few years of deer hunting exclusively, I was talked into going duck hunting again. I hadn't been in four years. My buddy had a robo duck. I cannot believe #1 these things are legal #2 anyone can call using one of these sportsmanlike.

The ducks came in like they were on a string. To me it was sickening. We used to rely on skill to lure ducks in, but now some flashing wings quickly brought in the birds. I believe that, ducks being the wise creatures that they are, they will eventually wise up to these disgusting decoys and render them useless.

If you choose to use these its your business. But in my mind duck hunting has taken a major step backwards, and fewer people are relying on the skill it should require!

Later,

DFA
 
I always enjoyed the process of duck hunting: Painting the dekes; readying the boat; getting everything loaded the night before, etc. and watching the dog whine with anticipation as I prepared for the next days hunt.

Duck hunting - for me - didn't mean shooting ducks: It meant being there.

Nothing compares to launching the jo-boat, paddling out in the dark, and setting the blocks as mallards fly overhead in the dark like bombers on a midnight run. Then you settle into the reeds, pour a cup of coffee from the old thermos, and you and the dog sit in darkness as the susies gossip to each other as the marsh slowly comes to life.

Make no mistake about it: Ol Yooper here was well-known in the area as a duck hunting nut. And I killed my share of birds over the years..... but the last 5 years I hunted found me thinking just as Shadowrider explained: I tended to resist the new magic cure-alls for duckless days. Dammit; duck hunting shouldn't be about instant gratification but it sadly seems to be heading this way.

In my book, duck-hunting is simple: Go where the birds want to be; use the calls skillfully.... and sometimes not at all; and proper block placement.... and again, sometimes no dekes are the best spread of all to have.

I laugh at some of the 'new breed' waterfowlers who have $1000 outfits in the latest camo patterns, 3 1/2" mag tungsten loads (becuse you can't kill ducks with steel shot), and 8 different calls strung around their necks. Often they have $8,000 duck boats. I'm not belittling these folks, I just think they make the sport a hell of alot more complicated than it needs to be.

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VEGETARIAN: Indian word meaning 'Bad Hunter'
 
I have to agree with shadow and yooper on this one. But added to this is most types of hunting anymore. people want just nothing but to tag an animal. I vote for the old way.

Delw
 
me too i vote for the old way! pretty sad that ya cant go hunting because your batteries died or decoy has a short in it! where will it end, i know its all about supply and demand if someone wants it someone will make it and sell it but what encourages people to want to use them!????? a duck is a duck is "robo-duck" gonna bring in mister big or just big numbers?????? i think its about being lazy!!!!!!

just think about it, first thing in the A.M. "ROBO-DUCK" brings in hundreds of ducks and you get your limit, back to the ramp by 8:00 A.M. and home by 9:00 A.M. now get out ole"ROBO-DEER" and kill a buck before dinner!!! WOW!!! What an awesome day afield!!!! and ya still ahve time to call all your friends and tell them what a great day "HUNTING" that you had! very sad!!!!!but true!

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"in the Spring we Strut and in the Fall we Rut"
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I aint a duck hunter but I would say HE11 I dont know nothing about ducks!! Maybe a little about the one in the tub!!hehehe Any of you guys want to hunt pheasants at the gathering? i have a conection for 85 bucks a day 6 pheasants! bcat He11 I might even go with if there was any intrest

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If you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes
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Now that sounds good I love to pheasant hunt. My wife april say's If I get a real job she'll give me the money to go hunting afar.


Delw
 
bcat, Iwill bring the shotgun just in case I have a little extra time.
delw, boy a real job?
That sounds real familiar to me.
I tell my wife this way,I like my not so real job just fine and if she would get a second job at one of the local conveniance stores I would be able to go on more hunting trips.Then I duck!!!Besides I like working 6 months out of the year.
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Chambo

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http://www.hunttalk.com
 
Guys ...using the latest technology gives opportunity...thats all. What you do w/ it or if abused is what makes the difference. Just cause i got super dooper ducky scooper don't mean I shoot 'em all early, or even take a full limit. Sometimes I just enjoy the challenge of calling 'em in over dekes....and NOT shooting. Maybe its a Kodak moment. I could make the same case (robo-duck and duck hunting) by comparing the thought process to semi-auto shotguns vs. single shots. Or deer scent attractants, fish finders, GPS, the latest camo patterns....All are taking advantage of the resource, putting the odds in the hunters favor...
Motion in a decoy spread has been a key to success for years. Slingshotting rocks into the water to cause ripples and string attached tip-up butt diver dekes have now been replaced by robo-dekes. Big deal. Both are, and have been highly effective. The hunter must show some restraint...period.

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Sparkman

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Well guys,
I talked to my brother on the phone today. You know, Mr. Duck fanatic. He bought a robo duck. Said it really works, and VERY well. As I listened to him, my thoughts ran to the sentiment in this thread and after he quit singing their praises, I asked him "Do you have any moral reservations about using it?"
He matter of factly replied "Hell No!"

Hey mom! Are you sure we're brothers?
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SR
 
I have hunted with a robo duck in the potholes of Saskatchewan where birds swarm like flies and I have hunted with one here in NC where the hunting runs from poor to outstanding and I personally don't have much use for them. I really don't have a big ethical problem with them, but the results I've seen were mixed at best. In fact, I hunted a public impoundment down east yesterday and saw a couple of them. I didn't have one but I shot teal and gadwalls, my buddies also shot some widgeon, and we did just as well as those other guys. They are a pain to carry in the marsh, and the batteries are always going dead.
 
I will stand and testify to the results of the robo duck or mojo-duck in my case. After hunting about half of the season pretty much unsucessfully and seeing hords of high ducks i purchased a mojo-duck. Now somewhere around 200 ducks later i belive it to be a sucess. I have never seen ducks dive in to check it out like this before. I firmly believe in it and if it wears out i will get another one.

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well seasons over here and by the last few days a robo duck seemed to be more hindrance than help. Numerous people reported ducks flaring off of them.

Ducks are not stupid animals, it was only a matter of time.

Later
DFA
 

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