hey all- I'm going to try some duck hunting with my bow this year and have some questions.
1). What type of head would you use? I'm thinking broadhead with a stop behind it?
2). I duck Hunt by either floating or walking a river- it's very narrow but has ducks. Now is it ethical to shoot a duck sitting? The reason I ask is the river bank is pure cattails so shooting at them flying guarantees a lost arrow every time.
Thanks
In some places that may be illegal.Don't know if WI is one of them though.
Well according to with regs, it is legal to hunt with a bow and from a canoe in streams. My big question is type of point and if you consider it ethical to shoot them sitting. If not, then I just won't hunt them because I would lose every arrow I shot
In my opinion sneaking up on a duck and shooting it with a traditional bow sitting or flying is quite ethical. Have at it. :thumbsup:
Thats my opinion. Especially tryin to sneak up on the things.... Pretty hard.
Would you just use a broadhead with an adder point behind it? (similar to a sciorpio kind of-same purpose)
good luck! I shot my first trad goose last year. It was AWESOME!!!!
Native arrows for ducks had large wooden blunts and they went for head shots on swimming birds.
Ok so maybe not a broadhead???
I think a broadhead would just give a bit of insurance against wounded birds- what do you think?
Down feathers are hard to penetrate so you need a BH. If you want to stop it put something behind it. This would be a good use of a string tracker. Maybe a fish arrow type set-up of some kind. Shooting a setting bird with a bow is plenty ethical. I never understood the whole not shooting a setting bird. Somehow a chance to wound it in flight is better than a clean kill? Kind of like saying it is not ethical to shoot a deer standing still. They should be running right?
QuoteOriginally posted by Shaun:
Native arrows for ducks had large wooden blunts and they went for head shots on swimming birds.
A really big rubber blunt that would really slow the arrow down in the water and float back up would be great.
Ok well I think I'm just gonna get some broadheads from gander mountain- I don't want to use my eclipses on this where theres a bigger chance of losing arrows.
I don't think ill use a string tracker- I'm not a big fan of them but thats just me
I'm watching this post because I live on an acreage with app. 1/2 mile spring fed creek frontage, with lots of cover. Never freezes over in the winter and see a few ducks and geese, but they are skittish. I could enjoy sitting in a blind and taking a few shots as they come in. Being the banks are so high, as much as 100', I doubt I'd lose too many arras, although I may be doing a lot of climbing and walking to retrieve them. sounds like a blast to me.
Head shots!!!! Who mentioned head shots? I'll feel good about getting close enough with my shooting ability to scare them into flight!!!!!!! :bigsmyl: :banghead:
Use a broadhead, think of a duck as a small turkey. They deserve a quick kill, and don't let them fly off with a bad shot with a blunt or wire "bird head". Waterfowl are big and tougher than quail or other upland birds.
No ethical problems shooting them sitting or swimming as long as it is legal.
They become a "small game animal" and deserve the same respect.
Enjoy the shooting and the eating!
Remember, it isn't shotgunning! So as long as it is legal, ethically, you should have no problem shooting a swimming or sitting bird!
Much tougher to shoot than a running bunny or squirrel!
Broadheads are a must with lighter bows. You can kill them with other points, but why risk wounding them for no real reason. Heavier bow/arrow combinations will have better results with tips other than broadheads.
If dogs are involved, broadheads make me nervous. If they are steady or tied, I would be less concerned. Dogs are a great asset for catching/finding birds that get "clipped".
Two blade broadheads are easier to wipe off and resharpen.
Nothing wrong with shooting them on the water. The are still a tough targets. Beware, they can get airborne pretty quick.
If you want the ultimate in sporting, shoot them in the air. Just to clarify, as soon as their webbed feet leave the water, they are in the air and try to hit them fast. The more time they have in the air the harder it's going to be to hit. Once they get going, they become extremley agile. On multiple occasions, we have witnessed them literally dodge the incoming arrow. I vividly remember one duck last season. It was coming over our heads and my brother took the shot. It was perfectly timed. At the last milesecond, the drake rolled over like a fighter jet dodging a missile, and continue on unharmed.
They are a lot of fun to hunt and you can get a lot of shooting. Have fun!
Thanks for the tips. Would you use a Scorpio behind the broadhead?
Also, no dogs will be in use
Every year on the TV news I see footage of a duck or goose with a fld. pt. arrow stuck in them. We don't want that. Please use a B/H
i would use a broad head with a stop beind it. also it is not illegal to shot one sitting with a bow is what the game officer told me for my state you might just ask one of them up there and see what they say about it
Well, I have been after wood ducks for many years on the creek behind my house. Tough! I have waded down, full camo and had shots. The last time I took a shot everything was as planned! Single bird swam away from the rest and turned to swim back, pulled up, and took the shot. At what looked like impact, the bird dove under and came up in flight with the others!
I'm still trying! Good luck, Good shootin, Steve
I wouldn't worry about about using the scorpio or a stop. I just don't see the advantage. However, if you hit a bird in the tail end, it could prevent the necessary penetration. When sitting on the water or in flight, they can absorb a lot of the arrow's energy reducing penetration.
Just get some "junk" two blades and go for it.