TheDuckSlayer

So I was talking to some people this weekend while duck hunting..and we were talking about getting out in the marsh with dekes and a blind before Midnight..

So my question to you guys is that if its opening day can you technically be out in the water before midnight simply because it is NOT hunting season until midnight? I mean how could anyone argue that..


These are the Regulations.. So I guess the next question is do these rules apply year round?
Blinds
A blind is a constructed place of concealment for hunting, observing
or photographing wildlife. You may construct a blind on a game
management area using only the natural vegetation found on the area,
except that no trees or parts of trees other than willows can be cut for
that purpose. The use of such blinds is on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served
basis whether or not you constructed the blind. You cannot drive or
otherwise place any nail, spike, pin or any other object, metal or otherwise, into any tree on a game management area to construct a blind
or to make access to a blind or to a hunting location above the ground.
Portable blinds are prohibited on game management areas from one
hour after sunset until midnight of each day. Portable blinds which are built on, or are part of, a boat shall be considered as removed from
an area when the boat and blind are tied up or moored at an approved
access site. No boat may be anchored away from shore and left unattended unless it is attached to a legal buoy. Special regulations regarding the use and construction of blinds on parts of the Mississippi
River are described below.

Decoys
A “decoy� is a likeness of a bird or animal used to lure game within
shooting range. Decoys are prohibited on all game management
areas from one hour after sunset until midnight of each day. Decoys
are considered removed from an area if they are in a boat or other
container at an approved access site. Waterfowl decoys cannot be left unattended for more than 30 minutes between midnight and one-half
our after sunset. Special regulations regarding the use of decoys on parts of the Mississippi River are described below.

iowasteve64

ok here is how we do opener... And it is what the DNR officer said we could do someone stands in place of where we wanna hunt until mid night then we the ones on shore take out dekes and guns and boat at 12:01. the stander has every right to be in the marsh as long as he doesnt have a gun or dekes or a blind. just a light.

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NWIOWA_DUCKHUNTER

The way I interpret the law is you can be on the lake, just no decoys out until midnight. Once the decoys are in the water, they must be tended.

TheDuckSlayer

Well thats wrong according to your friend King..cause thats what he reamed our ass for..

riley1868

Portable blinds are prohibited on game management areas from one
hour after sunset until midnight of each day. Portable blinds which are built on, or are part of, a boat shall be considered as removed from
an area when the boat and blind are tied up or moored at an approved
access site.

Had this discussion a few times with people at the boat ramp. I think the thing people tend to over look is the fact that nothing is mentioned in the regulations about it being hunting season. The signs at the boat ramp say the same thing as the regulations. Also the rule is not for hunters only. If you read the regs. they say a blind for any purpose can not be on the water from 1/2 hour past sunset until midnight. Too many people try to read into the regs. what isn't there. I know there have been several times when we have wanted to hunt a particular spot but didn't have enough motor to get there first. Sucks but that's just the way it is.

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EntropyFx

We were told the Same thing Duckslayer. We were told we were not allowed to hike in before midnight, whether the guy had decoys or no. Because we wanted to do the same thing since we had a half mile in hike in compared to a 1/2 mile boating across the water from the ramp.

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IAtaxidermist

Openers are gay, about 15yrs ago I remember blocking a ramp(first ones there) one opener. When some guys approached us and said rules state you can put your boat in but not leave till midnight. After we had 15 big dudes pretty pissed that we weren't putting in we finally decided to at about 11 and then everyone left the ramp in their boats at 11:30 we stuck around till midnight like the law states and were about the 8th boat out. F the midnight game, won't do it anymore. And when I did do it someone would always come and set right next to us. Not worth the stress or loss of sleep for stupid teal anyway.

tealteazer

I agree with IAtaxidermist, not worth the stress on opening day. I never do the midnight thing. I try to find out of the way spots to hunt the opener. I do a lot of scouting to find spots where ducks are using or if they fly over I can work them into the decoys (set up in a flight pattern).

I have always been under the assumption that the regs. are to be followed all year round. Similiar to what riley1868 said.

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AJB

sweets and big marsh don't even think of trying to leave the boat ramp before midnight or you will be cited. You can have the boat in the water but it has to be attached to the dock or on shore by the ramp.

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mudhungry

its always a joke hunted rice opener this year and there were already people at their spots by 11. hunted Big a couple years prior, at midnight everyone left, we cut the channle on the west side and got to our spot to have two boats full of angry guys wanting to fight us cause they were drinkin beer there since 5. told um tough luck and to buy a bigger motor! they didnt like that and wanted to fight. ended up the co got called and beings i had some "nice guy" friend i reluctently left our spot and hunted else ware. either way it was a joke and we did it the right way, they were just mad causes we made it to the spot first.... it was an ordeal but still ended up shooting ducks. ever sense that spot which is one of the best on the west has held the guys last name as the spot and all thats how all of us recognize the spot now.