We all need to spread the word!

[CaptAmana]

I just came back from the most unsuccessful dove hunt I've ever had. Three shells no birds, I couldn't have got a limit if I'd of hit all the birds I saw.

That's not the important part. Here's the important thing. I arrived at Wister at about 4 pm on Friday, signed in, grabbed an updated map and headed out to take a look. There seemed to be a fair amount of shooting going on but not many birds flying. I watched for a while and after everyone was done shooting I drove up and down the dirt roads and found that for every shot I heard I could find 10 empty shells laying on the ground. Doesn't anyone pick up their shells? I guess not, and it really ticks me off. I learned to leave the outdoors cleaner that when I found it. It's not hard to pick up the cases from your auto or pump after a bird passes. There should not be any more than three for crisssake. Bend over and pick them up, drop them in your bird vest and throw them in the trash later.

When I settled into a spot early this morning there were easily 300-400 spent shells on the ground and FIVE dead birds of which only one was a morning dove the other four were common ground doves. I can't imagine why anyone would leave a bird laying and can only imagine that someone realize they had one too many and four that were illegal.

With all the anti's out there trying to take our hunting away we all need to be responsible stewards and follow the regulations. NO EXCUSES.

If we start by picking up our own, maybe others will follow suit. Thanks for reading my rant.

Chris
atiotic-wavin-flag:skeered:

 

[slanttop357]

I did leave some emptys down in Niland and i will pick them up next Friday when my son and i go hunting.

 

[twacker]

CaptAmana,

You nailed it. It was the same thing in Yuma. Shells everywhere. I was checked by a US Fish & Wildlife agent and he said "You dove hunters better start picking up your shells and birds or you won't have a sport."

 

[taxcollector]

I with you my brother! I've always made it a habit, and brought my son up the same way, to not just PU my casing but any garbage that I run into in the field. When I was approached by the Wildlife Officer(?) at Wister opening morning I also gave him my cell #. I told him my son and I would be happy to come back and do some labor when the time comes. We hunters need to exceed what is expected of us.
BTW, we limited real quick. Be happy to hook up with you. PM me.

 

[jls456]

Please pick up your trash. Like they say,"If you haul it in...Haul it out.." As for the shells,send them to me,I reload.(if u dont reload,pick em' up and discard.

 

[twacker]

I with you my brother! I've always made it a habit, and brought my son up the same way, to not just PU my casing but any garbage that I run into in the field. When I was approached by the Wildlife Officer(?) at Wister opening morning I also gave him my cell #. I told him my son and I would be happy to come back and do some labor when the time comes. We hunters need to exceed what is expected of us.
BTW, we limited real quick. Be happy to hook up with you. PM me.

Here here!!!

 

[Bowhunter_619]

Please pick up your trash. Like they say,"If you haul it in...Haul it out.." As for the shells,send them to me,I reload.(if u dont reload,pick em' up and discard.

this + 1 and haul out even more if you see it, pick it up

 

[7mallards]

I could not agree with many of these statements more. I always find empties, water bottles or others people trash including where hunters have cleaned their birds too. How about if you clean them bury the feathers and guts so that it isn't a nasty looking pile of "stuff" left behind.

Pick up your trash and shells everytime you hunt wether it is doves, quail, ducks because if you don't then I know where you were when you shot your ducks or doves and now your "spot" might become my "spot" and I know there was good shooting because of the amount of empties laying on the ground...

We all need to police ourselves as we seem to be our worst enemy by leaving trash, shooting up other peoples property and not respecting it... Leave the property in better shape then when you found it. Close all gates, fences and the like behind you...

GREAT THREAD

 

[CaptAmana]

It's nice to know there others who agree with me. At least I know I'm not alone.

 

[Nickman]

This is kinda funny in a sick sort of way.

I have a magnet on a long stick and it will pick up 8 or 10 empties at a time. I haven't left a shell in the field for 50 years......intentionally, and I pick old ones up all the time.

Anyway, we had about 300 empties in the bed of my huntin' buddy's truck and were stopped by the warden. He tore up the entire truck looking for "all the birds we must have shot". I explained to him that all but about 20 of them were trash I picked up but he wasn't going for it. We had 13 birds between us. Kind of ......"no good deed goes unpunished"....

 

[WildlifeBranch]

sorry to hear about the suspicion-- good for you though.

 

[rdhunter]

I feel really bad to be one of those who left their shells on the ground. It won't happen again. We limited both days and we also found people left dead birds sitting in the field. NOT GOOD. I agree we need to keep our sport clean.

 

[7mallards]

If you see someone else left trash or empties take it upon yourself to pick it up to we all have to police areas even if we dont create the mess it is better then the alternative of having the area closed...

 

[cjack]

Leave it better than you found it. Leave no trace.

 

[Phil80]

Great thread! I also pick up after my fellow outdoorsmen when I am in the field. I do find a lot of oddities that dont fit with the hunter stareo type so at times I question who left what but we will always be the first to catch the blame.

 

[dukhuntingdad]

Unfortunately, it's part of hunting on public land. Not a lot of people have respect for the land and other hunters anymore.

 

[Bubblehide]

This is kinda funny in a sick sort of way.

I have a magnet on a long stick and it will pick up 8 or 10 empties at a time. I haven't left a shell in the field for 50 years......intentionally, and I pick old ones up all the time.

Anyway, we had about 300 empties in the bed of my huntin' buddy's truck and were stopped by the warden. He tore up the entire truck looking for "all the birds we must have shot". I explained to him that all but about 20 of them were trash I picked up but he wasn't going for it. We had 13 birds between us. Kind of ......"no good deed goes unpunished"....

I went camping a couple years ago a few weeks after the Labor day holiday and completely filled the back of my truck with bagged trash from a campground (not the one I stayed at), all the way to the top of the camper shell. Once I reached town I stopped and dumped one bag in each dumpster as I went by a business section of town. The local deputy saw me and pulled up, questioned me about my illegal trash dumpster dumping, looked in the back of my truck, and get this, he thanked me and drove away. Granted, I didn't look like I put a dint in all the trash that was in the campground, but I did try to do my part. I guess my point here is that there are some LEO's that are appreciative.