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Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting #2991363
12/22/19 05:13 PM
12/22/19 05:13 PM
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,938
Over Yonder
C
Clem Offline OP
Mildly Quirky
Clem  Offline OP
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Over Yonder

Learned yesterday that waterfowl hunters can have only one box of shells on Swan Creek WMAs and Jackson County WMAs. I did not know this had been instituted. What a crock of chit.


Also, the second sentence in this regulation that begins "All activity ..." indicates that ANY activity on Swan Creek WMA is prohibited in the three days listed (below). Anything? No small game hunting or nada? Is this true?

If so, any activity is prohibited for a third of the year - 156 days - on the WMA along with the shooting range closed during waterfowl season?


(h) It shall be unlawful to hunt waterfowl in Swan Creek WMA Dewatering Unit on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, except for the last two weeks of waterfowl season. All activity in the Swan Creek WMA dewatering unit is prohibited on those days unless authorized by WFF personnel. During the dates between the youth season and regular season gates to West Dike Road and the Main Launch Road will be locked. All activity in and around the dewatering unit during this time is prohibited.


"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter

"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013

"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991376
12/22/19 05:27 PM
12/22/19 05:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 576
Waverly, Ala
F
Festus Offline
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Festus  Offline
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Waverly, Ala
Originally Posted by Clem

Learned yesterday that waterfowl hunters can have only one box of shells on Swan Creek WMAs and Jackson County WMAs. I did not know this had been instituted. What a crock of chit.


Also, the second sentence in this regulation that begins "All activity ..." indicates that ANY activity on Swan Creek WMA is prohibited in the three days listed (below). Anything? No small game hunting or nada? Is this true?

If so, any activity is prohibited for a third of the year - 156 days - on the WMA along with the shooting range closed during waterfowl season?


(h) It shall be unlawful to hunt waterfowl in Swan Creek WMA Dewatering Unit on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, except for the last two weeks of waterfowl season. All activity in the Swan Creek WMA dewatering unit is prohibited on those days unless authorized by WFF personnel. During the dates between the youth season and regular season gates to West Dike Road and the Main Launch Road will be locked. All activity in and around the dewatering unit during this time is prohibited.

Dang MAN....the limit is 6 ducks.....A Dozen shells should get that done.....Unless One is a Skybuster.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991417
12/22/19 06:24 PM
12/22/19 06:24 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,703
Winfield
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rst87 Offline
8 point
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Winfield
Swan creek dewatering unit
I may be wrong but doesn’t that only mean the part they flood where the blinds are?


"Life is hard; It's harder if you're stupid" John Wayne
Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991453
12/22/19 07:17 PM
12/22/19 07:17 PM
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 17
cullman
3
3shotscott Offline
spike
3shotscott  Offline
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3
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cullman
It also says that you can have more shells in your truck.. and the birds need a few days of rest after a weekend of pressure like they get there. We have to remember that if we kill all the game there is nothing left. Conservation is more important than killing 6 ducks every day and blowing through 100 shells.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991487
12/22/19 07:48 PM
12/22/19 07:48 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 15,504
Montgomery
bamaeyedoc Online content
Old Mossy Horns
bamaeyedoc  Online Content
Old Mossy Horns
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Posts: 15,504
Montgomery
they do that to prevent what Festus said. If you have only 25 shells, you're gonna be mighty careful about your shots and not skyblast every duck that flies within 100 yards of the blind. Good luck with your hunt!

Dr. B


AKA: “Dr. B”
Aldeer #121
8-3-2000
Proud alum of AUM, UAB, and UA
Member of Team 10 Point
2023-2024 ALdeer Deer Contest Winners

Glennis Jerome "Jerry" Harris
1938-2017
UGA Class of 1960
BS/MS Forestry
LTJG, USNR



Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: 3shotscott] #2991502
12/22/19 08:09 PM
12/22/19 08:09 PM
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,938
Over Yonder
C
Clem Offline OP
Mildly Quirky
Clem  Offline OP
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Over Yonder
Originally Posted by 3shotscott
It also says that you can have more shells in your truck.. and the birds need a few days of rest after a weekend of pressure like they get there. We have to remember that if we kill all the game there is nothing left. Conservation is more important than killing 6 ducks every day and blowing through 100 shells.


Perhaps we should take of 2-3 days of deer hunting every week to "give them some rest" as well. And squirrels, rabbits and all game. Maybe have Monday through Wednesday off limits on the state lakes to help the fish recover from tournaments in summer.

Duck hunters have about 60-70 days of the year to hunt. Those who cannot hunt except on public land like Swan Creek have their opportunities cut significantly. That's hooey. Wheeler Refuge has plenty of places for them to rest.

But yeah, let's give the ducks some days to rest.



Last edited by Clem; 12/22/19 08:13 PM.

"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter

"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013

"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991511
12/22/19 08:26 PM
12/22/19 08:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,150
Black Belt
fourfive45 Offline
6 point
fourfive45  Offline
6 point
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,150
Black Belt
They’re migratory birds. Letting them rest can help establish historic habitat that can be used from generation to generation. If you opened the flood gates to hunters, they’d burn the place down and in 5 years there’d be no ducks to hunt. Alabama just doesn’t sit in a flyway, so all help is needed to attract AND keep ducks. The state just wants to maintain some quality, waterfowl oriented and managed, public hunting land. I don’t see what the big deal is.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: fourfive45] #2991525
12/22/19 08:40 PM
12/22/19 08:40 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 379
North AL
DoeMaster Offline
4 point
DoeMaster  Offline
4 point
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 379
North AL
Originally Posted by fourfive45
They’re migratory birds. Letting them rest can help establish historic habitat that can be used from generation to generation. If you opened the flood gates to hunters, they’d burn the place down and in 5 years there’d be no ducks to hunt. Alabama just doesn’t sit in a flyway, so all help is needed to attract AND keep ducks. The state just wants to maintain some quality, waterfowl oriented and managed, public hunting land. I don’t see what the big deal is.


Have you ever hunted Swan Creek? It has been established for a long time. Birds have been coming for years before they started the weekday closure. Closing it during the week has done absolutely nothing for the place except inhibiting people from hunting on good weather days that fall during the week, and causing extreme over crowding on the few days it is now open.

In response to the OP, only the dewatering Unit is closed to access on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday during the regular waterfowl season, except for the last two weeks of season.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991542
12/22/19 09:01 PM
12/22/19 09:01 PM
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,938
Over Yonder
C
Clem Offline OP
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Clem  Offline OP
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Over Yonder
LOL ... setting up "historic habitat."

Ducks and geese have migrating here to north Alabama from Canada for hundreds of years. Hundreds. You know why they come here to Swan Creek and Jackson County and the land around the refuge and Blackwell Swamp and other small pothole tupelo swamps that dot north Alabama?

Because they've been coming here for hundreds of years. Just like they have been in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi on down to Louisiana, and along the other flyways. Swan Creek has been public land for decades. The refuge was created in 1938 as part of over-winter grounds for migratory birds.

Establishing "rest days" doesn't do squat for creating "historic habitat." All it does is give reduce work for a few days and help some folks feel good about being "conservationists."


Thanks, DoeMaster, for clarity on the dewatering unit.

Last edited by Clem; 12/22/19 09:02 PM.

"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter

"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013

"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991548
12/22/19 09:08 PM
12/22/19 09:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,150
Black Belt
fourfive45 Offline
6 point
fourfive45  Offline
6 point
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Black Belt
No I’ve never hunted Swan Creek. Nor do I ever plan on hunting it if I have to share it with someone with a 3.5” blackcloud up their a$$. Thanks for the history lesson. I’ll tell my grandkids about it one day.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991554
12/22/19 09:19 PM
12/22/19 09:19 PM
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 51,938
Over Yonder
C
Clem Offline OP
Mildly Quirky
Clem  Offline OP
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Over Yonder

I'm a fan of the 3-inch, to be honest.


"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter

"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013

"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991581
12/22/19 09:54 PM
12/22/19 09:54 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,262
North AL
just_an_illusion Offline
10 point
just_an_illusion  Offline
10 point
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Posts: 4,262
North AL
Was some mighty fine duck hunting at Swann Creek back in the late 90s early 2000s. It was one of our favorite places to hunt but the mild winters and all of the duck commanders made it not worth going anymore. I truly miss those days. I bet its a chit show on a Saturday morning with decent weather now with the new regs. As for the range, it has always been closed during duck season.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991648
12/22/19 11:00 PM
12/22/19 11:00 PM
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 8,387
A
Atoler Offline
14 point
Atoler  Offline
14 point
A
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Posts: 8,387
Clem,

I’ve hunted a lot of different places, in different states, that reduced the days you could hunt. They all improved drastically after it was implemented. Same with a box of shells or less regulations.

Swan creek used to be a lot of fun, but had turned into a complete chit show by the time I quit duck hunting. I’m sure the locals bitch about the new regulations, but it’s a good thing.

I’ll give you a prime example. Swan creek vs. eufaula Nwr. Swan is in about as good of a location as you can have in Alabama. Eufaula is in a marginal area of the state for birds. Swan was normally good opening day, a handful of really good weather days through the season, and during the youth hunt. Eufaula was good 80% of the days I hunted it over the years. The difference? Swan had better habitat and way more birds in the area, but it was a free for all and got hammered every day of the season which pushed all the birds onto wheeler. Eufaula limited hunter numbers, limited you to a box of shells, and only hunted each side one day a week. Night and day better than swan.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991717
12/23/19 02:27 AM
12/23/19 02:27 AM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 11,635
Longwood, FL
J
jlbuc10 Online content
Booner
jlbuc10  Online Content
Booner
J
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Longwood, FL
Could only tote 15 shells in Bayou Meto.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991731
12/23/19 05:42 AM
12/23/19 05:42 AM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 18,765
colbert county
cartervj Offline
Old Mossy Horns
cartervj  Offline
Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 18,765
colbert county


Competition hunting has changed things.


“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991903
12/23/19 10:03 AM
12/23/19 10:03 AM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,019
Central AL
O
Overland Offline
6 point
Overland  Offline
6 point
O
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,019
Central AL
They do the same thing on public land in Arkansas. Goal is to keep a group of hunters from setting up and sky blasting all day long and harassing the ducks and other hunters. Encourages folks to THINK about their shots. Its public land and they are trying to make the best experience for all and also help manage the resource. Great concept to keep it a free for all and to open it up to everything for everyone all the time, but the reality of that type of situation creates chaos and a degraded experience for most. The locals I have talked to in Arkansas like the box or shells or less on public land rule.

Side note - Heading north across the TN river on 65 on Sat AM about 7:30, I saw a flight of about 25 Sandhill Cranes.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: bamaeyedoc] #2991907
12/23/19 10:10 AM
12/23/19 10:10 AM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,464
Madison County
bobwallace Offline
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Originally Posted by bamaeyedoc
they do that to prevent what Festus said. If you have only 25 shells, you're gonna be mighty careful about your shots and not skyblast every duck that flies within 100 yards of the blind. Good luck with your hunt!

Dr. B


Kind of defeats the purpose though when you can have a case of shells in your truck. 5 minute boat ride each time and you can sky bust for hours.


Yeah, well, I always heard there were three kinds of suns in Kansas: sunshine, sunflowers, and sons-of-bitches.
Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2991920
12/23/19 10:25 AM
12/23/19 10:25 AM
Joined: Dec 2002
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Clem Offline OP
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Clem  Offline OP
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I began hunting at Swan in the late 1970s. I know about the skybusting, calling other birds over someone else's blind, all the stuff good and bad. My father hunted there for 20ish years prior.

Regulating ammo is a slippery slope no matter how anyone wants to couch it. "You don't need but ..." comes into play. But it's the DCNR's call on the lands it manages, and it's done a good job of brainwashing some of y'all into thinking that limiting your ammo is a good thing. Perhaps it should limit deer hunters to one arrow or two rifle cartridges on WMAs, too. Because if you have to really think about your shot, and are proficient, you shouldn't need more than one arrow or a couple of cartridges.



As for Arkansas, the AGFC did that because Bayou Meto is THE place every duck hunter wants to hunt. It's like getting a chance to take batting practice at Yankee Stadium or play football with your pals on Tuberville Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, or play hoops with friends at The Forum or Madison Square Garden.

Y'all know about all the chit at Bayou Meto - fights, sleeping in trucks, leaning against a tree 150 yards from someone. It got stupid - pretty much like what was going on in Jackson County's WMAs. The only difference in Swan Creek WMA and Jackson County, and Arkansas, is no one travels from Arizona or Ohio or south Florida to Decatur to hunt at Swan Creek. But they go to Bayou Meto and elsewhere in Arkansas because it's "the" destination. The pressure there was unreal.

Credit to DCNR, I guess, for creating yet another great experience. That's what today's young hunters and the mid-age Millennials want - the "experience." If it was about conservation they'd whack off another day, further limit the number of hunters, plant more food for migratory birds and perhaps even have a stricter state limit than the feds allow. Who needs six ducks? Four would be fine. Maybe even three. Because that would be good for the birds.

In reality, it's more regulations, more restrictions and fewer days of hunting opportunities.


"Hunting Politics are stupid!" - Farm Hunter

"Bible says you shouldn't put sugar in your cornbread." Dustin, 2013

"Best I can figure 97.365% of the general public is a paint chip eating, mouth breathing, certified dumbass." BCLC, 2020
Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2992071
12/23/19 02:21 PM
12/23/19 02:21 PM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,019
Central AL
O
Overland Offline
6 point
Overland  Offline
6 point
O
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,019
Central AL
Clem - Comparing duck hunting to deer hunting is, well, like comparing duck hunting to deer hunting. As you well know, two totally different things with their own unique sets of difficulties and challenges. In my mind, setting reasonable limits on the number of shells in certain situations does not equate to brainwashing. It might just be the appropriate response to addressing an issue and creating the best hunting experience for all. After all, that's why we all go, whether public or private hunting, is a good experience and the chance to take a few ducks or a deer.

As for 'experience', as public landowners, all of us should expect some sort of decent user experience. Maybe that is places to hunt, days to hunt, types of game, appropriate regulations that give everyone a relatively even playing field and managed and available game. I get the Libertarian take, since most people I hunt with fall into that category to some extent, even myself. I have no doubt that if everyone were like Clem or Overland or 75% of the people on this site, there would be no need for limits on shells or game or other such regulations. Times change. A lot of folks aren't like the aldeer crew, the skies and fields are not limitless and regs/rules have to adjust to make sure its here and accessible for all who want to take part in it.

Re: Question about Swan Creek WMA hunting [Re: Clem] #2992119
12/23/19 03:37 PM
12/23/19 03:37 PM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 18,765
colbert county
cartervj Offline
Old Mossy Horns
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colbert county
I’d guess that as limits and number of days have increased from 3/30 to 6/60 overall hunter satisfaction has probably gone downward.


“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
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