Hypothetical question:

Say you have a large finger of a lake, and at the end of the finger you have a number a small creeks leading out from the tip of the finger. You are perfectly able to navigate all the way to the end of the finger and way back up into the creeks which end up in a nice swamp full of ducks because you drive have a mud motor. If another guy running an outboard gets as far up the finger of the lake (almost to the creek entrances) as his boat will let him and sets up a metric shit ton of decoys out that you would have to pass through to get to your creeks and duck hole, are you in the wrong for passing through his spread at least 2-3 hours before shooting light and then hunting a spot 700yds away? You should be able to use whatever you can to your advantage, as long as you aren't rolling in at 10 minutes till shooting time and offer a friendly wave on the way by, no harm done, right?

Yeah your fine. Expect to see him pimping a mud motor before years end though. They key thing in this scenario to me is that your doing this hours before shooting light. Id just go slow and try to be as courteous as possible.

If anything the guy has no rite to be mad if he throws deeks in the way of the entrance of a waterway


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Alright, I agree just wanted to get perspective from someone other than myself.

As long as it's a metric shit ton of dekes it's ok. If it's a standard shit ton it may be to difficult to get through.

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Seriously though bigbend nailed it. Damn over achiever and his massive spread 2-3 hrs before shoot time.

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Yeah, hours before daylight, no decoys of his wrecked and you set up a decent distance away. All fine.

I have done it many times, as allot of people think If they can't get further, then nobody can. I am with most as to go slow, try not and hit any decoys and be as polite as possible.I will say I have been going into a slough(hard bottom) through a very narrow channel. Maybe 12 ft and had to keep my momentum up, but I missed all the decoys. Most of us use common sense, via don't setup in boat lanes, but not everyone is as considerate and/or smart. Therefore I recommend trying to be polite, if they get out of hand because there are idiots make a call. The warden will have no trouble explaining the laws

How early can you throw decoys? We have to wait until 2 hours before sunrise on all state water and anything you will be boating on is state water.

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We've got guys that put decoys out the afternoon/night before in some areas.

Decoys and blinds have to be removed after sunset and cannot be back out until after midnight. This is on public land.

We can't throw out until an hour before shooting time. I'd have no problem running through someone's spread if they're blocking a waterway, I don't care what time it is.

1744 Phowler Prowler, 23 Dixie

Absolutely just remember as others have said way before shooting time and be courteous I don't see anything wrong with it

It really depends; Do you have a 2015 shallow water mud motor association sticker on your boat? or the Shallow water mud motor etiquette guide for 2015? If so, see Chaper 7- sub section 34B specifically states that you must keep your speed under 7MPH (34MPH if using snapchat) when passing within a quarter mile of another hunter unless forcibly overtaking their blind on public land with fire or physical violence. Just look for the yellow flyer under your windshield wiper when you get back to the landing.

It happens, no harm no foul, just part of hunting public waterways. Some guys are fine with it, some will want to shoot you. I'd just go real slow and let him know you're continuing up a ways, apologize for getting close and wish them luck. I've been on both sides of this one and it can be a bummer or no big deal, but the way it is.

Just pick your prop up out of the water as you glide over his decoys at full speed. They'll resurface and be ok.


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I usually kill the motor and stop and have a chat with folks about what my plan is when I come across. Have met some really nice guys stopping and talking

^ If time permits Woodie has a great idea. Letting them know you aren't gonna set up 100 yards away will settle most folks.
Also, look to them and ask if they have any jerk strings out. Dragging their spread up in a ball is a sure way to start off on the right foot.


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Good point, Migrator, on the jerk strings. That would be a mess and I put them out myself and have a hard enough time not getting my boat, dog, or myself tangled up in them. But the ducks like em so they're stayin.

Most of the time I'm in a hurry but I still go out of my way to not run through the middle of their spread. But on the other hand they knew they were setting up in a run so surely they were expecting someone to run through them. If they don't leave enough room for someone to get around its their problem.


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As said if they set up in the run it's fair game. I've run through decoys several times because they try to stack the decoys in the middle of the float roads through timber holes.. But I will usually try to idle around them as best as I can but sometimes you can't help it.