Posted By:
Mike M.
Guest
Sunday hunting legislation 12-05-2005 09:17
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I know this is not a field report but so few people view the discussion forum that I thought it would be ok to post this here.
A proposal before the Massachusetts legislature would allow Sunday hunting statewide.
House Bill 4517, sponsored by Rep. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, would repeal the state’s Sunday hunting prohibition. The bill was introduced on Nov. 17 and awaits action in the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Currently, 39 states permit Sunday hunting while 11 states prohibit or heavily restrict it. Sunday hunting provides an additional day in the field, which can be a great opportunity for sportsmen and sportswomen who work during the week.
Several states, including Maryland and Ohio, have recently eased restrictions on Sunday hunting. Ohio has found that it is the day with the fewest hunting complaints.
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Now that the legislation has been assigned to commitee, it cannot hurt to speak up again. Seeing that the bill was assigned to the Public safety commitee, I really do not think it stands a snow balls chance in hell. Not that it would anyway, but especially with this commitee. Generally, bills with sportsmen’s interest are assigned to the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Commitee. I think this bill is going to die in committee. Still, I applaud Rep. Gobi’s effort and it cannot hurt to let your State Rep. know that there are constituents out there that want this bill to pass.
[Edited By Mike M. on 2005-12-05 13:33]
Posted By:
Mike M.
Guest
North Shore 12-04-2005 12:45
Cloudy, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
I hunted last Tuesday (11/29) with my Dad. We saw a lot of puddlers and enough divers to keep things interesting. Had some good shooting and a mixed bag with a mallard, by far the most beautiful green wing teal drake I have ever killed, goldeneye, and a couple of bufflehads.
Posted By:
Mike F.
Guest
NE MA 12-04-2005 08:50
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Lots of geese around, also good numbers black ducks. While there are deffenetly still some mallards around, it seems like a bunch of them left with the last push of GW’s last week. Haven’t seen any gaddies or widgion around, but I never do anyways. One thing we are missing is divers, I haven’t seen a GE or any decent numbers of buffies anywhere besides one flock in the channel of the Mac a week ago. This doesn’t surprise me too much since I shot two teal the day after Thanksgiving. I wonder if we will get one massive push of them over the next week with the predidted sup freezing temps.
Mike
Posted By:
CDUNCAN
Guest
merrimack 12-01-2005 10:24
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
went for a ride early this morning and found the ducks hugging close to the bank of the back river and to the marshes due to the low tide. also saw a raft of divers out by the toothpick a little out of the norm, must be a front pushing them in close to shore…. also saw my first brant this morning down by umass boston.. good sign of things to come i hope… cd
Posted By:
bflather
Guest
North & South Shore 11-28-2005 10:32
Cloudy, Snow Flurries – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
I was able to get out for a very quick hunt on T-day on the north shore. The weather was perfect. And the birds decoyed well. Had my black in hand by 6:45. And then completely fanned on a group of about 10-12 greenheads. Ugghh.. Then on Saturday I went down to the south shore near Westport Ma. and hunted with my dad. Again a quick hunt but we both got our blacks and the birds again decoyed very well. In all it’s been a great start to what I hope is a great year.. Good luck to all and be safe..
Posted By:
Dean Smith
Supporting Member
Conn Valley 11-27-2005 16:07
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
Finished out 1st half yesterday attempting to decoy mallards on a local small river. Four mallards showed up just after legal and was able to get one shot off and dump a drake. That was it for the next 4 hours. Didn’t see another duck. Several groups of geese flew by going to local corn fields which are of course posted. Too high for any shot. Over all not a bad 1st half even though were real thin the last 2 weeks. Up a tree stand tomorrow for deer.
Posted By:
Mike F.
Guest
NE Costal 11-24-2005 14:52
Cloudy, Snow & Rain Mix – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
What a way to kick off the second half! Dad and I made it out early this morning and were rewarded with 8 mallards. The geese were another story, we got busted from every imaginable angle, and the ones that didn’t see us just didn’t want anything to do with us. Any day you get to shoot 2 limits of mallards with your Dad is a good time.
Mike
Posted By:
Baymen Moe
Web Member
south shore 11-24-2005 08:25
Cloudy, High Winds – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Plan A this morning was to canoe the marsh and set up some dekes for coastal. After noting how high the winds were we made the smart decision not to launch.
Initiate plan B. Went to a different marsh for a jump shoot. We were’nt five minutes into our walk when the birds went up right where we expected them to.
A thanksgiving black duck for each of us.
Hope others were able to get out today.
Bill
Posted By:
Dean Smith
Supporting Member
Conn Valley 11-21-2005 15:36
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
Still a void of ducks, did extended scouting of major rivers in area and did not see one duck on the rivers. Alot of ponds and backwashes have some degree of skim ice. Geese on the other hand are extremely heavy. Hunted corn fields today and last Friday. Friday birds were spooky and although would check the decoys out, would not commit. Calling would bring the birds back but range was 65-70 yds and beyond what we would attempt with steel bb. Back this morning with 11/2oz hevi-shot #2 hand loads, and sitting on fence row between fields. Even though we saw about 250 geese in groups of 5-25, they still did not want to commit to a now empty field. Slowly about 30 birds total finally did put down. We were able to pass shoot our birds on a couple of flocks. Range was probably 60-70 yards. All clean one shot kills with multiple hits in breast area. Good thing we had the hevi-shot and patternmaster tubes.
Hopefully the expected incoming rough weather will push some ducks down.
Posted By:
pworkman
Guest
south shore 11-21-2005 11:43
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Hunted Sat and Mon. finally saw some eider. Shot very poorly, but still got a few. Nice to see the population has not completely crashed or moved to a totally different spot.
