dizzyizzy

spook them out of the water then shoot, seems like the sportmans way to me.

beachhunter

It's really a matter of personal preference whether you shoot them on the water or not. I prefer to shoot them about three feet off the water when they are coming in but if they happen to land and I'm not gonna damage my decoys by shooting them on the water than I'll usually let them have it.

Save the sport. Take a kid hunting twice and hook them for life!!!

Bud Light

If you get one in the water, just jump up and yell FLY. It will follow your command and then stroke em. When they are in the water, they are very hard to kill anyhow, the most vital parts of their body are under water. But the best part of the deal is getting them to commit to your dekes exactly where you want them. 20 yards locked and cocked with your eyeballs meeting. That's the real thrill of the hunt.

CGOlson

Being kind of a difficult question without a specific answer, there are a couple of different ways to look at it. How many hunters out there are shooting to support a family or put meat on the table? I believe that if you know or see one of these people you shouldn't question their logic when they shoot a duck on the water. Especially if they kill the duck. But if you are just out to hunt ducks or geese for the sport of it or you really don't need the meat but are planning on saving it for a special meal or what have you , then why would you need to shoot one while on the water. I personally have shot ducks on the water for my own reasons and truthfully haven't wounded as many as I have on the wing. Maybe it's just a ratio thing or poor shooting on my part... but either way you can't judge a duck hunter just because they take a bird on the water there a just too many variables. good hunting everybody!

rbduck

I have done it, but only to stop cripples from getting away.

Ron<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

lhonda

Sure, I've shot ducks on the water. Mostly to sluice cripples, but there have been times where I've shot them on the water.

The negative connotations associated with expression 'shooting sitting ducks' comes from back in the days where market gunners wpould get out their punt guns and the like and hose down massive numbers of birds; birds that could not fly, as they were in the molting stage. Clearly not to be confused with any sporting endeavor. The negative connotations stuck, but was bastardized somewhat.

If I find that a duck has slipped into my spread, and I see it at 15 yards, I'll pop it in the water and add it to my bag. I'm not going to miss at that range. To jump it up is only risking a cripple, and as I hunt teh New England coast, you dump a bird too far offshore, you got a lost bird or a cold swim (I often hunt alone in waders--no boat)

This is an ethical questionm, and ethics are personal. I love most seeing locked up birds rocking their way on the wing into my blocks, and that's what keeps me going. But now and then, yeah, I shoot a bird on the water. That make me a slob? Not by a long shot.

But then, I speak for me. Only.

Leighton

ADIDASVT

Hunting is a sport. I believe shooting ducks on the water takes the sport out of it. Killing a cripple is the only excuse in my book.

Hornzilla

I only shoot ducks on the water if they are crippled, then they better be faster than my dog, most time he takes care of them.

PaintballB4Girl

If youre going for meat, and its legal, shoot them however you please. Same with any other of your birds. Just make sure you use a slighter lighter load, dont want to blast the hell out of it.

If youre going to sport, ethics come to play. It's completely up to you. Dont let anyone else ever tell you right from wrong. If I'm in the mood for teal, I'll shoot me a teal any way I please so long as its legal. If I'm in the mood to hunt and have a duck dinner, I'm more sportsman and only shoot the fliers.

I am certainly not against shooting geese on the ground at all though. Those are tough bastards, take them out however you can. Better to kill it then for it to fly off and die.

Curtis

I just gotta hunt

Huntin Fool

I have ben huntin since I was 8. I was always told,(& I agree), to never shoot a bird on the water. (Sportsmsns Ethics). My father was a market gunner, back in the 30's & 40's, then again after WW2. They did a lot of things that wernt exactly kosher, but at the time, it seemed ok.
My son has just terned 9. Took him huntin the last two days of waterfowl season, (it goes out during deer{gun} season then comes back in) He shot a lot and was getting discoragde. We had a singel come in, We let him shoot, befor he could get on the bird, it was on the water. I told him to take him. He did. You've never seen a happier boy.
I have taught him proper hunting ethics. And he knowes them. In my opinion, in some cases, it's ok.
Sorry if some people don't agree.