GA DNR DOING BUSINESS

I dont think I have ever heard of so many baiting violations. Pretty sickening.

They should be posting the photos of the people who violated the law so we can recognize who it is and keep a watch out for them.
 

mattuga

Banned
I was checking a swamp from a distance about 4-5 years ago the day before duck season and had a helicopter fly down low over the swamp clearly taking a look at the water. They only made a single pass, the pond was not baited. This is in middle of no where. As wild as it sounds I was curious if they were checking for corn. I can't think of any reason for helicopter to be flying over the swamp and the timing seemed right. We were along a creek that has lots of swamps so they could check a decent area and presumably not just a few places for that kind of effort. I think I mentioned it on this forum before but don't recall anyone with similar experience. It very well could have been happenstance as it sounds pretty far fetched effort to catch duck hunters.
 

Long Cut

Senior Member
I was checking a swamp from a distance about 4-5 years ago the day before duck season and had a helicopter fly down low over the swamp clearly taking a look at the water. They only made a single pass, the pond was not baited. This is in middle of no where. As wild as it sounds I was curious if they were checking for corn. I can't think of any reason for helicopter to be flying over the swamp and the timing seemed right. We were along a creek that has lots of swamps so they could check a decent area and presumably not just a few places for that kind of effort. I think I mentioned it on this forum before but don't recall anyone with similar experience. It very well could have been happenstance as it sounds pretty far fetched effort to catch duck hunters.

I was hunting the Flint river and had a helicopter come over low and slow over my spread. I just waved and they waved back.
No doubt in my mind they were looking for the yellow nuggets.
 

MIG

Senior Member
I was checking a swamp from a distance about 4-5 years ago the day before duck season and had a helicopter fly down low over the swamp clearly taking a look at the water. They only made a single pass, the pond was not baited. This is in middle of no where. As wild as it sounds I was curious if they were checking for corn. I can't think of any reason for helicopter to be flying over the swamp and the timing seemed right. We were along a creek that has lots of swamps so they could check a decent area and presumably not just a few places for that kind of effort. I think I mentioned it on this forum before but don't recall anyone with similar experience. It very well could have been happenstance as it sounds pretty far fetched effort to catch duck hunters.

Conscientious wardens expend a lot of effort on waterfowl, but the most successful ones burn a lot of shoe leather in the process. Lots of walking and wading, and many hours spent listening to the “wind”.
 

kmckinnie

BOT KILLER MODERATOR
Staff member
I have acorns in my river swamp.
Don’t even hunt them. Them woodies are at home.
 

krazybronco2

Senior Member
I would think alot get caught because the little old lady down the road was woken up to 120 shots ring out in 15 mins and called the game warden
 

Duckbuster82

Senior Member
They usually use a piper cub or simaler slow flying plane. They don’t burn any fuel and are pretty cheap. It’s very easy to find a baited pond. They are not looking for corn itself, they are an abnormal number of birds in a pond then they go in by foot and check. Word of mouth is also probably the best and most effective way to catch someone.
 

GLS

Classic Southern Gentleman
Couple of stories involving ducks and helicopters. Years ago some Carolina ricefield owners thought that they could legally keep hunters out of the nearby tidal creeks. Private game wardens made cases against river rats. A late friend and his river rat buddies got a National Guard Huey pilot to do a night run and spite baited one notorious landowner's pond. The feds were alerted and busted the hunters. The landowner got the message and thereafter left the river rats alone. The other incident involved a former SC game warden friend who patrolled one day in a helicopter looking for baited ponds. He couldn't see corn in one pond, but it held an unusually high number of ducks. Ground inspection revealed a pond full of acorns with no oak trees in sight. The landowner and family shot on Christmas Eve and all were busted. My friend asked the landowner if he knew there were acorns in the pond. "There better be, I paid my help to rake them up and spread them in the pond." My warden friend told him he was taking the ducks. The landowner begged him for the ducks as they were to be featured at Christmas dinner. Dick relented, let the old timer keep the ducks. The landowner wrote a check for the forfeiture bond for all the hunters.
 
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I turned in some guys for bating a field for doves and geese about 10 years ago. The GW showed up on opening morning and it was all washed under the rug. Turns out a couple of the guys who got busted where attorneys from the big city and knew people that knew people. I was disgusted. But thats how the world works.
 

WOODIE13

2023 TURKEY CHALLENGE 1st place Team
Yep, look for large numbers of birds is key.

Found a lot of birds on the kanawha river, decided to hit them the next day with my cousin. Got to the ramp and you could barely see 10 yards in front of you. A ride that would take 20 minutes took two hours with the barge traffic and fog.

Well after legal and we finally get to the spot, corn all over the bank and a guy pulling up in a sxs to hunt. Snapped some pics and called the DNR.
 
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