From: The Guy That Lives on top of the Hill Above the River
Some advice…
When you put your boat in the river at 4 a.m. at the boat ramp six blocks away…
When you start up you’re noisy little outboard motor…
I can hear you like you’re right outside my bedroom window.
The river has some pretty decent current through here.
It’s also not that deep.
So don’t be surprised if you hear a crunching noise come from the underside of your boat.
If you miss that shallow spot, turn around and try to come up stream…
Now you sound like you’re driving your boat through my living room.
I’ve been out on my front porch at that hour listening to you go through this.
There’s something you probably don’t notice because of all the noise you’re making.
Every duck and goose within a mile of you is now flying away from the river, squawking and honking like crazy.
Must have been hundreds of them down there.
Quite a few are flying over my house.
Try this, put your boat in at the ramp near Route 47.
Let your boat drift down the river to the blind you want to use.
DON’T START YOUR MOTOR. FIGHT THE URGE.
You have plenty of time and when you get there and shooting time arrives, you might actually have something to shoot at, instead of sitting there listening to all the gun shots coming from either side of the river.
Those are all the birds you normally would have sent their way.
When you’re done, DON’T START YOUR MOTOR. FIGHT THE URGE.
Just let your boat drift down stream and get out at the boat ramp at Silver Springs State Park.
The other hunters in the other blinds up and down the river will thank you for this…
…and then they don’t have to fight the urge to shoot the motor off the back of your boat as you go by.
Sincerely,
Ken G
Ken G
28 Oct 2012Addendum:
The same thing happens further north around Orchard Road and Saw Wee Kee Park. Figure out a drift route. There’s a put in point in Oswego and another at Saw Wee Kee, use a canoe instead of a motorized boat or just don’t use the motor. There’s a take out point just above the kayak chute in Yorkville. Latest map shows six blinds from Orchard to Yorkville.
Seems like the attitude is… if the boat doesn’t have a motor on it, it’s not waterfowl hunting.
For the more adventurous, last I heard you can drift shoot downstream of Fox River Drive. I figured it all out around 10 years ago, but never did it. I know Travis Brasfield did this years ago, but I can’t find the info anymore.
You’ll have to figure that one out for yourself though. I’m not going to do it any time soon and I’m too lazy to figure it out for you.
And so you know, it you do it quietly, there’s birds all over these stretches of the river. I walk up on them all the time while out wading. Too bad I can’t wade with a shotgun. I’d limit out in no time. Too bad I can’t wade with a bow, I’d be able to limit out on deer too.
The Impractical Fisherman
28 Oct 2012But what is being an outdoors man without making a ton of noise and leaving trash everywhere?
Ken G
28 Oct 2012I have run into both of those often this year. Something has changed. Was talking to one of the workers at Silver Springs yesterday about how something has changed with the hunting so far this year. It’s like courtesy and property rights have gone out the window. No, you can’t use that blind, it’s private. No, you can’t just park along this tree line and go hunting here. It doesn’t work that way. Get an argument every time. These jerks are ruining it for everyone.
walt franklin
28 Oct 2012This reminds me of local deer hunters put-ting by the house in pre-dawn darkness to their tree-stands on the hill. These guys don’t walk anymore. They’ll even leave emptied beer cans on the ground. They don’t all fit this mold, but enough of them do to make a rank impression.
Ken G
29 Oct 2012Walt, I’ve met a few land owners nearby that have to constantly shag guys off their property. The hunting doesn’t bother them so much, there’s plenty of deer, it’s the not asking and the slobs you mention. I’ve found out that the quickest way to get permission to hunt or fish on property around here is to not ask. Just talk and if they like you, you get invited. Takes a bit longer, but I’m in no hurry.