Duck blind etiquette

[opie]

I have been avoiding fishing my favorite duck blind since duck season started. I figure there might be a couple hunters inside, but I noticed another boat fishing blinds. Is there someway to tell if there is anyone home? I almost always catch keepers off one particular blind and I saw what might be a ten pounder under it a couple of times. Leaving it alone isn't easy.
My second related question concerns when I cut across Franks Track, even though I give the blinds a wide berth, I always scare up a bunch of ducks. Am I messing up the hunters?
I always wonder if they are sitting in their blinds cussing me out.
Thanks in advance.

[clearlakeoutdoors]

The blinds on franks tract are required to have a flashing light on them when not in use. If the lights on top its open.Most hunters dont mind the boats running around because it moves the birds around.If the hunters are using the blinds give them wide berth.The fish stack under those things on sunny days.
Dave

[bassbooger]

Franks Tract is a state park, correct?

[ash]

I tend to give the guys with guns a wide berth, I figure i get to run around that pond all year long, stay clear of the blinds and let the hunters have their use of the river.

I do remember last year i was flippin and just in a zone and i hear hey - i look around nothing so i keep flipping, hey you, im like wow voice in my head i thought we were on a first name basis, hey were shooting here - look up now with some level of observation and notice i am directly across from a blind and there are decoys setup around me - oops sorry guys.

[Andy Giannini]

I leave them alone during season.

But one morning while running Little potato, I noticed a Tule clump that I did not remember.

While rounding it like a slalom bouy by probably six feet, at near WOT I could distinctly see a blued barrel vented rib sticking straight up among those tules. Never did see the guy, only the rib.

Had not even considered it might be blind/boat and not a new clump. Never saw any decoys either.

.02

[Cooch]

I'm with Ash, I tend to give them as much space as possible. I will completely avoid running across Frank's in the mornings and also stray from areas where I know there are blinds until later in the morning after around 10:00am when they leave. Their time here and window of existance is minimal, it's too easy to avoid an accident or incidental skirmish. There are a lot of idiot bass fishermen out there who just don't give an F... when they are running round this river, who do foolish things and certainly piss em off. I fer one, am not about to be mistaken fer one of them fools.

[Oldschool]

My late brother was shot by some fool hunting from a moving boat while he sat in his duck boat near the decoy set.
There are lots of fools out there; some have been drinking to stay warm and others are hunting with 00 buck shot. Be safe, not sorry and avoid the duck blind shooting areas.
Tom

[blackcloud]

Hey guys. I am a tournament fisherman and extremely avid duck hunter....been doing both for over 40 years. I can tell you that duck hunters definitely appreciate the wide birth and understanding that we don't interfere with fishemen for much of the year in the grand scheme of things. There are idiot duck hunters just like there are idiot bass fishemen...I have seen my fair share of both...but if you understand what we are trying to do it all works out. early in the day if you can stay a couple hundred yards away at least and maybe try to run around as far away from a blind as possible, we all notice and appreciate it. If there are no decoys and no activity around the blind, I fish them too.

On the other hand, if you find some guy squatting in a boat with no decoys and no clue, maybe he's one of those idiots I was referring to so be more careful of that than somebody doing it right.

Basically, Hunters and fishemen don't need to fight with one another, we are all on the same team when it comes to the world (and state) we live in. Idiots are just idiots, no matter what they "claim" to be.

[MMoore83]

As a duck hunter and fisherman - I say fish it if no one is home. Approach the blind slowly from the open end and see if there is a boat inside of it. We don't swim out to our blinds. If there is not a boat then fish away.
As a hunter I wouldn't mind as long as you didn't disturb the decoy set or the anchors. Hell the birds are used to seeing us fishing around islands. It might even be a confidence builder.

[mark poulson]

I always thought duck blind etiquette involved watching what you eat the night before the hunt.

[MMoore83]

THAT, depends on who your hunting with and how they've treated you in the past!