Hit the lake this am. What a joke this place has become. Decent shoot but had to work for them. Could've got more but hitting green wing on passing shots is not easy. Overall a fun day but the favoritism towards certain individuals really screws the rest of us. Today was a no boat day due to wind.....except for a group of regulars who had a boat and we're spooking the Ducks toward their buddy's blinds. Total bs . I'm having somebody's a $$ tomorrow. Not only was this total favoritism but by fish and game regs I'm pretty sure what I saw today was harassing wildlife. Will things ever be the same without joel
Henshaw today
- Thread starter wackums back
- Start date
this morning on my way to the Palomar area to scout for deer, I stopped off 76 by the parked hunters trucks to use my 15x binocs/tripod. Water was calm, spotted some lay down blinds on the south end then Watched the boat chase ducks to the eastern shore blinds.
Being new here to Scal, I was quite surprised as it's very illegal to do this in WA.
That stuff will get you a quick $1K fine by WDFW and some court time up there.
Then I moved up the hwy to the viewpoint on S1. Use binocs & spotting scope to watch some action below. Heard a few shots the 30 min I spent before heading up the mountain.
PS: very strange to scout in Jan in 60-70 degree temps and sunshine!
Being new here to Scal, I was quite surprised as it's very illegal to do this in WA.
That stuff will get you a quick $1K fine by WDFW and some court time up there.
Then I moved up the hwy to the viewpoint on S1. Use binocs & spotting scope to watch some action below. Heard a few shots the 30 min I spent before heading up the mountain.
PS: very strange to scout in Jan in 60-70 degree temps and sunshine!
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8SteelTown
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8SteelTown
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8SteelTown
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Hey Wackums,
I don't know who you are. But you called me out by name when you called the office to complain......That's my boat that Ruben was using to shuttle guys across the lake because it was a no boat day for the public.......AND HE WAS DOING IT FOR ANYONE THAT ASKED......I didn't even hunt ducks yesterday. No, I gave up my day setting up the county youth hunt at Santa Ysabel Preserve for guys like you that have kids!........And you call me out by name?
So next time you start crying........Get your stories straight!
I don't know who you are. But you called me out by name when you called the office to complain......That's my boat that Ruben was using to shuttle guys across the lake because it was a no boat day for the public.......AND HE WAS DOING IT FOR ANYONE THAT ASKED......I didn't even hunt ducks yesterday. No, I gave up my day setting up the county youth hunt at Santa Ysabel Preserve for guys like you that have kids!........And you call me out by name?
So next time you start crying........Get your stories straight!
I'll send you a pm sir but don't come on here starting bs when you obviously don't know my whole story.
Ilovesprig, sorry your first visit here wasn't a positive experience. I know you are a person of good character. Thanks for organizing those youth hunts. My kids are almost old enough... 
wackums back said:
Sounds like he knows you called and complained just like you said in your first post... :
Yeah I did breacher and obviously snake charmer was right way too many politics there and favoritism. I thought Wister was bad but wow. You call a place to complain about something and was told to call back tomorrow and speak to management. Now Mr sprigs first post ever is bashing me personally. So basically I paid hard earned money to hunt, got the only decent flock heading my way spooked by a lake employee in a boat on a no boat day and when I complained they obviously contacted Mr sprig because the boat I complained about is the boat I've always seen him in. Then to boot rather than contacting me personally as I left my number with the lake he comes on here and bashes. Hey Mr sprig aren't you support to be a leader in our local hunting community. Taking hearsay and starting a publicly known controversy over it is not very leader like. I guess my money is better off somewhere else. And oh Mr sprig don't act like your the only one involved in Jr recreation hunts . It's your job your the commissioner you signed up for it don't use it as a ploy. I'm very disappointed to say the least
wackums back said:
Sorry you didn't enjoy your outing at the lake wackums. Here are a few facts that you should know. The boat in question is currently being used because the lake's patrol boat is down (blown engine) and that said boat is a stable boat when the winds are high to shuttle hunters who set up their gear the day before when the lake allowed boats to go out. Yes that boat is ilovesprigs boat and he offered to allow them to use it whenever they needed it. If for some reason birds get kicked up off of the lake because the boat is shuttling hunters or counting hunters per VID requirements, those said birds have their free will to land where ever they like (wild birds). When NOAA forcasts for winds over 15mph, there is a no boat rule and no one (MCC club members included) can bend the rule to take a boat out. This was because of the deaths on the lake from overturned boats from high winds.
Lastly... Lets leave Joel out of this. He was a good friend of mine and is dearly missed by many people. This same rule was in place before his death and nothing has changed after his death.
Well matagi the why when I ask for a ride I get laughed at an told to put on my hiking boots. I know what I saw and so did the other poster who watched it from the view point. You can state policies and politics all you want. The brown boat was out early before us and came in at 200. The boat jumping ducks was a rental boat and not support to be out and did a big circle and went in. It was obvious he was herding the Ducks to the back where a few individuals have Permanently built blinds and also the same cove the alleged loaner boat of Mr sprigs was. Lake employee told me Ruben was jumping ducks for the hunters so that's out. I know when you get public officials and clubs involved things always get complicated but making rules around individuals is flat Un American and to do so and use for justification of one's actions is also corrupt. Sorry if I feel things are different since joel passing but he took care of us. He went above and beyond for me and obviously you have to know somebody and now I dont. There was no negativity meant by that comment in any way just things are different and I wish they werent.
Wow I been hunting that lake almost every weekend and most Wednesdays and I would love to see permanent blinds. I'm a paying member of MCC and when I cant take my boat out, I have to walk. I can throw money at it but its not going to change the fact that I have to hump the dirt road from east grade with waders on to get to the north end of the lake where I like to hunt. Some days when the wind is higher then what sprigs boat can handle, no boats can go out period. Unfortunately I wasn't there Saturday so I cant comment on what was said to you and what happened with the boat situation. But the rules I posted are the rules. Its been so since I started hunting that lake in the early 2000s.
I'm really having a hard time understanding how wild birds get herded towards a specific location by a small boat with a small outboard. When I drive my boat across the lake those dang birds scatter everywhere. These birds have specific areas they like to go. They go to the places with food and when the wind is up they go to the protected coves and marshes. I listed some great info on another's post about henshaw hunting. Its not the only way to hunt but it works for me.
I'm glad you had a great experience with Joel, he was a outstanding person and yes, was fair with everyone regardless of if he knew the person or not. Things are definitely not the same now that he has passed.
If you would like, I am more then happy to help you with the ins and outs of hunting henshaw. The best way to hunt that lake is to have a enjoyable hunt even without a limit of ducks.
I'm really having a hard time understanding how wild birds get herded towards a specific location by a small boat with a small outboard. When I drive my boat across the lake those dang birds scatter everywhere. These birds have specific areas they like to go. They go to the places with food and when the wind is up they go to the protected coves and marshes. I listed some great info on another's post about henshaw hunting. Its not the only way to hunt but it works for me.
I'm glad you had a great experience with Joel, he was a outstanding person and yes, was fair with everyone regardless of if he knew the person or not. Things are definitely not the same now that he has passed.
If you would like, I am more then happy to help you with the ins and outs of hunting henshaw. The best way to hunt that lake is to have a enjoyable hunt even without a limit of ducks.
Well matagi there are layout blinds in the bullish right by monkey fully equipped Decoys and all been there every day since the opener. There's a blind on the point on the north shore right before the big cove . There's 2 blinds in the big cove and 1 back in the swamp. All permanent Or semi permanent. Definitely not a one or two day blind way too elaborate. So the Ducks are at free will huh well when it's blowing 15 plus and you jump them where do they fly ... downwind it's what ducks do. Combine that with the only calm water being in the big cove and 2 permanently built blinds right there and go drive the lake and tell me what happens. 90% of the free will birds go right to the calm water on free will right to the waiting hunters. It's real simple not rocket science. If your where they want to be your good. If they don't want to be there make them want to be. I have waterfowl hunted all over north America as it is one of my biggest passions. I know how to kill ducks and rarely have to manipulate my original thought on setups to determine bird behavior or to cause better shots in the decoys. I appreciate you willing to help out With hunting methods at henshaw but figuring it out is half the fun.i love hunting. Not killing. I enjoy the preperation the kids the dogs the whole experience. The comradery between me and my partners is what makes it all worth it. It's what I wake up for every day. Well I guess we'll see how everybody likes other people in there blinds or how about I setup right smack dab in the middle in our boat blind. I can come up with 20 different scenarios of manipulating the rules but that's not what it's about. I guess I'll just have to play the game.
Hey matagi are you sure you weren't there Saturday the picture all over the Web of you and Steve and Josh kettle with turkeys sure looks just like the guy I was behind on Saturday in line in the store. I'm pretty sure it was you and you had a friend and a woman with you. I'm pretty sure you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about on saturday. Maybe wrong though. You just have a familiar face in that pic. The other funny thing is how did sprig know I frequented this forum . Huh must be coincidence.... I think not. Funny two coincidences in 1 day. I think not. I have respect for you sir based on what I've heard in the local community about your Profession and how you conduct yourself as a hunter. But you can't bs a bs r sir . You guys are buddy's and after my post and call suddenly sprig appears to call me out. Come on sir that ain't no way to conduct yourself especially giving the circumstances. I will speak to Frank tomorrow about my frustrations and hopefully be resolved. I'm willing to bet he already knows everything I have to say but if not I'm willing to bet he does before I call. The bottom line sir is hunters should not conduct themselves in the manner in which I have witnessed and I will not sit back and just be a sheep. I will speak up for what's right No matter what. Obviously there are clicks in everything but I'm not clicked and don't want to be.
fine line between shuttling guys and pushing birds... I agree with whackum that you can figure out where to be on windy days and if you shove the birds they will go to some spots more than other. I phone video of the boat doing loops out in the middle should be enough to bring the dfg hammer down hard.
So this is a club you guys are all members of? sounds like a fun club.
ilovesprig call HATCHET he lives for this kind of thread.
So this is a club you guys are all members of? sounds like a fun club.
ilovesprig call HATCHET he lives for this kind of thread.
Whackum, I can assure you that I was not there on Saturday. My two boys were down with the flu and I mostly hunt on Sundays right now because of the insane crowd. I usually hunt with my son or on my own and haven't hunted with a women since I took my wife turkey hunting 3 years ago. But even if I was there I'm really not sure what that proves, other then I probably would have done worse then you.
Again I can only state the facts of what the current rules are at the lake. I wasn't there so cant say what went down there. I agree with you that the birds will fly down wind but there hasn't been a stiff north wind in some time up there so the birds should fly towards the dam or in to one of the big coves on the north shore. Maybe the there was a north wind Saturday, I dunno. I don't even know where you were set up.
I'm sorry that you think there's some sort of conspiracy here. I am good friends with Steve, yes (not sure what that will prove) and I have hunted with Steve and Josh in the past (wish I could have hunted with them this year). I wont write a novel to try and explain my self here but I frequent this forum and saw the post after a long day of duck hunting (got only two). I had no clue that Steve was a member here. You can read back on my posts but I'm only stating the facts I know, maybe there's a conspiracy to only cater to certain hunters. I dunno, maybe I need to pay more money or something so I can be part of that in crowd.
Again I can only state the facts of what the current rules are at the lake. I wasn't there so cant say what went down there. I agree with you that the birds will fly down wind but there hasn't been a stiff north wind in some time up there so the birds should fly towards the dam or in to one of the big coves on the north shore. Maybe the there was a north wind Saturday, I dunno. I don't even know where you were set up.
I'm sorry that you think there's some sort of conspiracy here. I am good friends with Steve, yes (not sure what that will prove) and I have hunted with Steve and Josh in the past (wish I could have hunted with them this year). I wont write a novel to try and explain my self here but I frequent this forum and saw the post after a long day of duck hunting (got only two). I had no clue that Steve was a member here. You can read back on my posts but I'm only stating the facts I know, maybe there's a conspiracy to only cater to certain hunters. I dunno, maybe I need to pay more money or something so I can be part of that in crowd.