If hunters are there first, move on. I've had fisherman come up and cast into my decoys on lake Fork. Just like if another boat is on your spot, give them room.

I dont get it how you would think that. I never said i was against duck hunting. I would probably enjoy it as i have dove hunted before and loved it. I would just rather fish. I have no problem with eating fish that i catch and believe me i have no problem with eating animals. I grew up on a farm where we pinned up the young bull calves after they grew a little to confine them and feed them sweet feed every day so they could fatten up a little. Then we would load them up in the trailer and take them to Cleburne to the slaughter house and fill out a form ordering how many T-Bones, Rump roasts, Steaks, and hamburger meat that we wanted to fill our freezer up with. Believe me im a animal eating dude. I just know some people that duck hunt and i dont think i would feel comfortable about those folks shooting a shot gun in a public place. It just worries me.

It all depends on the person and how responsible they are. Don't let it worry you most hunters that I know are very aware of their surroundings and sometime won't hunt in an area because of someone house being just a little too close.

First of all i am a man and you would know this if you knew me and i would move to another part of the lake if i heard gun shots, who wouldnt. But i think i would have a problem if i got an eye put out from a shot, from a duck hunter on a public lake that i didnt see. As i said above, i have no problem with the sport of duck hunting i just know if i got pelted unexpectedly while fishing a public lake i would be pissed. Duck hunters with your mentality that call people "Nancy's" for being conserned with gun shots in close proximity to an area that they are fishing, are the duck hunters that the general public on the lake need to worry about their saftey around.
My point is that their are irresponsible people everywhere in the general public. Not saying you are one, but they are everywhere. And i would imagine there are some that duck hunt that are generally irresponsible and some fisherman that are generally irresponsible. Irresponsible people shooting guns lawfully in a public area would make me change lakes to fish until the season was over. Thats all im saying. Im not trusting anyone with a gun in a public area that has the ability to shoot that gun in a public area lawfully and rightfully.

I dont mind the duck hunters a bit ,but I tell you what I sure get worried when I am on my boat an gun shots are going off all around.
Man I sure do hate that feeling.LOL

We visit this topic every year and it�s good to raise awareness.
Everyone has a right to the water. No matter where the hunter is hunting, if the hunter is there first, I head the other way and don�t give it another thought. I did not know that the �unwritten rule� is 600 yards but it makes sense to give a hunter plenty of room.



The thread was started with a concern about hunting in high-traffic areas. You are not liable to find us fishing in the backs of the major creeks on a weekend during duck season. I know the hunters will be there.

Exactly!

It's public water open to anglers and hunters. Looks to me like you were the one who was out of line by harassing the hunters.

Using that logic, the guy that got there Wednesday to fish all week gets dibs on any spot you are on since you there Saturday.

They were there first, so what if they don't get any ducks after 10AM? Maybe they will figure it out sooner or later. There is nothing in the law that says they can't hunt deep water, or have to move because the locals or tourney guys showed up.

I believe its first come first serve.

By the way, how far will shot go through the air before landing on the water if shooting at a 45 degree angle or less? Just want to know how much space i need to give a duck hunter if i see some on the lake. Im sure its a further distance than the space you would give another fisherman.

It is a simple matter of respect. The hunters deserve respect as much as fishermen. Shooting someone should never come into play over a spot on any lake whether it be for hunting or fishing. Should you kill an individual, that is something you would have to live with every day for the rest of your life. Like it or not the hunters were there first. Surely this is not the only point on the lake that holds fish.

Just like I said, please look at the whole post and circumstances! For 15 yrs I have been fishing this lake without any problem untill this year. I stay out of duck hunting areas and stick to the fishing areas during duck season. I think it is the hunters responsibility to check a lake map and hunt a spot more suitable to their needs.

Name the most known deep water point on your home lake, then imagine having duck hunters there all of a sudden one year telling you you cant fish. Like I said, I was 100 yds away from them fishing in 20 ft of water! They were standing in about chest deep water.

Also, this is a public lake, but like I said,they were the ones asking me not to fish. I never told them not to hunt! Please try to look at things from another point of view! Since the write ups and TV shows this year we have a lot of yahoos out here now and they arent acting responsibly. Trying to hunt were these guys were is like hunting at the BOAT RAMP!

Not every situation is cut and dry and you must use judgement on a public lake! When picking a hunting spot on the "Hotest" fishing lake in the state you might try to avoid the most popular fishing areas, or not get upset when fisherman start showing up.

Like I said, I wasnt the only one fishing that point that day and we all thought these duck hunters were out of their minds!

I wasn't aware that choke had duck hunting and fishing only areas, I've fished it for 10 years and never seen one. I must need a new map.

My judgment would be to stay clear of the duck hunters that were there first. Period. Nothing else matters if they are 100% legal.

Why do you keep trying to argue that you have some right that forces them to have to leave when you get there?

Flippin,
As an avid fisherman and duck hunter I think you have it a bit wrong. It doesnt matter that you have been fishing the lake for 15 years nor does it matter that they are set up on a main lake point in deep water.
The simple truth is the duck hunters got there before you did and if you didnt give them a real wide berth then you are in the wrong.
Ducks come in on the main lake as well as the back waters same as fish do. From the articles it sounds like Choke is getting hammered with duck hunters which would make it possibly worthwhile to hunt the main lake.

Give the hunters some respect same as you should do for other fishermen even if they are on YOUR spot.

The first time this happened to me on Fork I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on until I saw some hunters on shore gesturing wildly to us. We moved on post haste.