Early Season Dove WMA Sunday Hunting Options?

[Beagle Stace]

Who would be interested in public WMA fields being open for Sun. Hunting during first season? If not all at least a few in each different region. I am sure reason for not being open is to limit pressure on birds but does it really make that big of a difference? I am sure alot of people have to work on Sat. Sometimes so this cuts out their options. Seems silly for season to be open for most of Sept. But only Sat. Hunting allowed on WMA fields. I can understand to a point but why not open Sun. That gives the field still 5 days to be undisturbed and settle back down. What are others thoughts on this issue?

 

[ucfireman]

I would like t see them open during the week. I work every 3rd and would be nice to be able to get out when the field isn't crowded and folks raining shot on each other.

 

[Beagler]

I’d settle for either one.

 

[Long Cut]

Quality over quantity.

Swap a shift, take a day off, call in sick. These hunt dates are set to better the quality of hunting and preserve our wildlife.

 

[Dustin Pate]

Quality over quantity.

Swap a shift, take a day off, call in sick. These hunt dates are set to better the quality of hunting and preserve our wildlife.

I agree. I hunted a public field the last two Saturday's. There was a huge drop in bird numbers in that 5 day span. Hunting back to back days would do no favors.

 

[basstrkr]

Quality over quantity.

Swap a shift, take a day off, call in sick. These hunt dates are set to better the quality of hunting and preserve our wildlife.

LOL. Instead of vertigo my friend used to get Birdigo and call in sick.

 

[ucfireman]

OK but how does a shoot on Saturday make it better than say a Wednesday shoot? Or say Monday and Thursday? Other than giving the "normal" 9-5 weekday crowd the day to hunt. Some folks don't want to out on a field with 100 other people.

 

[Long Cut]

Some folks don't want to out on a field with 100 other people.

Lol then hunt private land. It’s literally called public land for a reason, embrace it or move elsewhere.

 

[ucfireman]

I got the public land thing and that it is open to everyone. I have no problem with that.
My point is. from above "These hunt dates are set to better the quality of hunting and preserve our wildlife."
How is a Saturday hunt with 100 people on a field better for wildlife than a weekday hunt with 20-30 people on the field?
The quota hunts are different, they are usually to reduce numbers and allow only a few days of hunting. But an open hunt, it shouldn't matter what day f the week it occurs.
My point for the weekday vs weekend is, just because "most people" work M-F they cater to those folks for the hunts. There are a lot of folks that work weekends and would really like to take advantage of OUR PUBLIC LAND and hunt during the week.

 

[spring]

My guess is simply that they put together an effort that will accommodate the most hunters. Clearly a weekday hunt won’t do that.
I’ve never been on a public dove hunt at a WMA, but out of curiosity, are there state employees that have to be there to put it on? If so, would their needs factor into the decision to skip Sundays? It’s also a tradition in some rural areas not to have shoots on Sundays. That probably not as much of a factor as a generation ago, but it could still be an issue.

 

[across the river]

I got the public land thing and that it is open to everyone. I have no problem with that.
My point is. from above "These hunt dates are set to better the quality of hunting and preserve our wildlife."
How is a Saturday hunt with 100 people on a field better for wildlife than a weekday hunt with 20-30 people on the field?
The quota hunts are different, they are usually to reduce numbers and allow only a few days of hunting. But an open hunt, it shouldn't matter what day f the week it occurs.
My point for the weekday vs weekend is, just because "most people" work M-F they cater to those folks for the hunts. There are a lot of folks that work weekends and would really like to take advantage of OUR PUBLIC LAND and hunt during the week.

It is called supply and demand. There are more people out there who want a free state supplied dove, quail, or duck hunt than the DNR can reasonably accommodate.
Quota hunts will be on Saturday, period. That is when the most people have the day off and are available to hunt, and they want to provide an opportunity to as many people as they can accommodate. There is a reason opening day is always on Saturday and it is the same reason the quota hunts are on Saturday.

If you want to go down the "best for the wildlife" rabbit hole, then a tree hugger could say 0 hunters hunting is "better for wildlife" than 20, 30, or 100 hunters. The truth of the matter for both of you is dove hunters don't kill enough doves to really impact populations, so 20 or 30 verses 100 is a moot point. Like I said, they want as many people to hunt as they can have hunt.

Also, you arguing that they should hold the dove hunt on Tuesday because you work on Saturday is like me arguing that the tax office should be open on Saturday because I'm always at work during their 8-4:30 hours during the week. If I need to go to the tax office, I take time off and go.

 

[spring]

Who would be interested in public WMA fields being open for Sun. Hunting during first season? If not all at least a few in each different region. I am sure reason for not being open is to limit pressure on birds but does it really make that big of a difference? I am sure alot of people have to work on Sat. Sometimes so this cuts out their options. Seems silly for season to be open for most of Sept. But only Sat. Hunting allowed on WMA fields. I can understand to a point but why not open Sun. That gives the field still 5 days to be undisturbed and settle back down. What are others thoughts on this issue?

Have you experienced many fields that can handle weekly shooting? I've generally seen bird numbers significantly diminish after hunting them. The only exception to that that in my experience is when it's an unexpectedly drizzly day, which causes birds to feed early, if not throughout the day, and someone tries to have a previously scheduled shoot during the normal afternoon hours. Most birds will have already fed by the time the hunters arrive, causing the afternoon shoot to have little impact. Hunting the next day, if the field has birds, is usually very good.

 

[jimboc]

I remember when Albany Nursery WMA had Wednesday shoots and I had some good shoots there. It was a great experience. I would like to see that happen again.