To the kayaker in Christmas Bay today

[Coastal Country]

If those jackwagons on the point of the islands on the north end peppered you and you'd like to pass the word too TPWD shoot me a PM, I took a pic of the "Sportsmen" when they got back to the ramp. We were in the Big blind further back along the shoreline, I was hoping more ducks would come to them just so I could of ruined they're hunt

[frankie14]

Other than the a-holes, how were the birds today?

[Pescadorin]

Sorry you had to deal with said "jackwagons." It's unfortunate, but it's ill advised decisions like this that can give hunters a bad name. Good for you for getting a snapshot

[Coastal Country]

Other than the a-holes, how were the birds today?

Pretty slow that's what disappointed me about this other groups actions. Like I said I didn't confront them because I was in a buddy's blind and didnt want them to retaliate on his blind. Also if the kayaker does not want to push the issue that's fine, just wanted to let him know some hunters are also kayakers

[Coachsmills]

Good looking out Russ.

[Tombo]

Wrong is wrong, we don't need "sportsman" like them.

[Lilbradford]

So should I not go to Christmas bay tomorrow? What area are the blinds in that I should avoid?

[dwilliams35]

So should I not go to Christmas bay tomorrow? What area are the blinds in that I should avoid?

Any of them with decoys in front of them ought to be a good start..

[Lilbradford]

So should I not go to Christmas bay tomorrow? What area are the blinds in that I should avoid?

Any of them with decoys in front of them ought to be a good start..

....thanks....I know better than to go paddle through a decoy spread...

[Coastal Country]

That's the deal the kayaker did not paddle thru the spread, he was in my estimation about 75-100yds outside them. instead of flashing a flashlight at him (You can see the shine in the daytime) they pop off a round. This happened up in the marsh area of Tilum tatum bayou

[karstopo]

Duck hunters can't be firing on kayakers. That is chicken*hit and maybe even criminal. Like Russ said, there are other ways to get someone's attention. I know if it were me and that shot came anywhere close to me, I'd make the call to one of the four game wardens in Brazoria County.

[Coastal Country]

Duck hunters can't be firing on kayakers. That is chicken*hit and maybe even criminal. Like Russ said, there are other ways to get someone's attention. I know if it were me and that shot came anywhere close to me, I'd make the call to one of the four game wardens in Brazoria County.

That's why I posted, all I know is we saw him paddling out towards Christmas point and when he was passing them heard the shot. To far to see if it was towards him or what, took my buddy doing some fast talking to keep me from peppering they're asses or walking over and talk about sharing the resource.

[NamVetSwiftie]

Duck hunters can't be firing on kayakers. That is chicken*hit and maybe even criminal. Like Russ said, there are other ways to get someone's attention. I know if it were me and that shot came anywhere close to me, I'd make the call to one of the four game wardens in Brazoria County.

That's why I posted, all I know is we saw him paddling out towards Christmas point and when he was passing them heard the shot. To far to see if it was towards him or what, took my buddy doing some fast talking to keep me from peppering they're asses or walking over and talk about sharing the resource.

That's the way to cover a kayader's 'six' Russ....good man!

Swiftie

[dwilliams35]

That's the deal the kayaker did not paddle thru the spread, he was in my estimation about 75-100yds outside them. instead of flashing a flashlight at him (You can see the shine in the daytime) they pop off a round. This happened up in the marsh area of Tilum tatum bayou

Well, if they're actually firing at him or simply a "warning shot", that's certainly inexcusable.. That being said, 75-100 yards is too close IMHO.. If they were hunting a main channel or something that's one thing, but beyond that if I can see a decoy I'm close enough.. I guess that's just from six years being a yakker and five plus times that being a duck hunter.. Furthermore, it's quite possible they were actually shooting at a duck... I've gone many times asking what the heck somebody in another blind is shooting at, to find out that it was a screaming low teal buzzing the blind..

[karstopo]

That's the deal the kayaker did not paddle thru the spread, he was in my estimation about 75-100yds outside them. instead of flashing a flashlight at him (You can see the shine in the daytime) they pop off a round. This happened up in the marsh area of Tilum tatum bayou

Well, if they're actually firing at him or simply a "warning shot", that's certainly inexcusable.. That being said, 75-100 yards is too close IMHO.. If they were hunting a main channel or something that's one thing, but beyond that if I can see a decoy I'm close enough.. I guess that's just from six years being a yakker and five plus times that being a duck hunter.. Furthermore, it's quite possible they were actually shooting at a duck... I've gone many times asking what the heck somebody in another blind is shooting at, to find out that it was a screaming low teal buzzing the blind..

Yes, 75-100 yards is too close. I've been out on Christmas bay fishing during duck season and stay several hundred yards from decoys if at all possible. It is pretty obvious from not too great a distance what is a decoy set and what is a raft of ducks.

[Coastal Country]

We were on the southern shoreline and could see them pretty well. May of been a bufflehead coming but from our seat we could of seen it. As too being too close I think the paddler was not intruding, if they had ducks on them maybe but they shot two ducks all day.

Other thing is the kid in our group overheard them make the comment about a warning shot... If that's true then I hope whoever it was speaks up and I'll send our Info his way.

[thrasher]

Duck hunters can't be firing on kayakers. That is chicken*hit and maybe even criminal. Like Russ said, there are other ways to get someone's attention. I know if it were me and that shot came anywhere close to me, I'd make the call to one of the four game wardens in Brazoria County.

Not sure what happened in this instance in Christmas Bay, but more to the point of what you have said: if someone points a firearm at you and fires, that is most certainly a criminal act. Call 911 and get the Brazoria Country Sheriff.

[this side up]

Obviously rookies.....in PO, the airboats are the bane of your duck hunting existance.....until we learned that they put roosted ducks up and when they go looking to settle back down....there are your new shooting opportunities. they gotta develop a more Zen like, kayak centered appreciation of nature......ooohhhhhhmmmmmmm

[karstopo]

Obviously rookies.....in PO, the airboats are the bane of your duck hunting existance.....until we learned that they put roosted ducks up and when they go looking to settle back down....there are your new shooting opportunities. they gotta develop a more Zen like, kayak centered appreciation of nature......ooohhhhhhmmmmmmm

It is so true, I paddled to within no more than 60 yards of a big raft of mostly redheads in Christmas Bay just a few days after Russ posted this topic thread. The ducks got up circled around for a bit and most settled upwind a few hundred yards. While those ducks are up, the duck hunter has a chance of attracting them into his spread.

[smellyhands]

Duck hunters and bass fisherman tangle a lot here on Sam Rayburn.

Several weeks back I was fishing with my father out of a bass boat and suddenly heard someone SCREAMING at another bass boat. The guy in the other boat is a friend of my father. He didn't see the duck hunters which is pretty understandable because they don't want to be seen. My dad's friend snapped back and took his sweet time leaving the area.

In my opinion, a lound and friendly "Good morning!" would be all it would take to clear out most fisherman. A lot of fisherman, especially those who don't duck hunt, aren't going to be in tune with where duck hunters are. A friendly attention getter by the duck hunter will get better results than anger or especially a shot fired.

Most people respond to agression negatively. Most people respond to friendliness in kind.

Good on you Russ for offering up your help.