New draw procedures at Unnamed Public spot

[Smoke68]

Applications for the Waterfowl Hunt will be available through our website at ABC. Permits may be purchased on line by credit card, entering an account withdrawal, or mailing a money order. Applications must be submitted by October 25. Only one application per hunter. Unsuccessful applicants’ deposits will NOT be returned. Successful applicants will be notified by email or mail. Successful applications will allow the permit holder and up to two companions to hunt until 12 noon on the specified hunt day.

A stand-by drawing will be held the morning of each hunt for all vacancies. Prior to the drawing, and similar to that stated above, all applicants for the stand-by slots will need to pay the non-refundable application fee the morning of the drawing by credit card or money order. All stand-by hunters must be present and application fee paid before 5:45 a.m. the morning of the hunt in order to participate in the drawing. Stand-by hunters who pay prior to arrival must provide receipt of payment prior to being including in the drawing. Available dates are each Wednesday and Saturday of the State waterfowl seasons, excluding Federal Holidays. The check station will be open at 5:00 a.m. the morning of each hunt. As a reminder, hunters should ensure they have nontoxic shot, a Federal waterfowl stamp, and all necessary ABC state licenses.

Oh well. So much for standby hunting.

Last year, there was no application fee for the draw. All fees were paid at the hunt. Stand-by hunters were allowed to enter a stand-by draw and paid the fee only if they were selected to hunt. I guess somebody figured out they weren't squeezing every possible penny out this gig that they could. Now all standbys have to bring a receipt of where they've paid online and pay before they're allowed to enter the draw. If they're sent home, tough luck, we're keepin yo $$$. Has it come to this?

[Anatidae]

Sounds like a true lottery to me

[420 racin]

I've completely given up on the Draw system entirely. It is a scam. They don't really want you to hunt, they say this is all WMA and public land and all that jazz, but they have soooo many damn rules and now it cost you at every turn to even attempt to gain access to the "public land" for certain times and dates which they tell you you are allowed to use the "public land". It is all about the damn money and it represents the greed in our gov. all the way from Washington down to MDWFP. It is whats wrong with the country. (I'm not saying the draw is whats wrong with the country, but the reason the draws are being done the way they are and the way they re allowing you to use the "Public Land", greedy folks in a position of "power" over others. Padding pockets and chasing the dollar

[deltadukman]

...

[Smoke68]

Hey fellas, I'm not saying the state's WMA draw system ain't broken, but this ain't being run by MDWFP.

Matter of fact, all the WMA draws are free to enter this year. Go figure.

[Denduke]

The fees were deemed unconstitutional? Correct? The fees weren't for revenue but to prevent spammers and frivolous applicants. Something like only serious inquires should apply... Either way. Pretty much ended my public field hunting. The yahoos aren't rigged for it and ain't got a clue, but they deserve the opportunity. Look like fence posts.. Their hunt is over after daylite....killin pinnies at 10:30, never happen.

"In field hunting they can see everything you got and every move you make..." Wingman

Hope I haven't crossed da line; if so delete dis please...

[Anatidae]

You mean you can't just drag your layout behind your quad, leave the quad on the levee 60 yds away, and put 2 dozen spinners out and kill a duck? Anything else would be too much work.

[Wingman]

Oh I've seen groups hunting 50 yards from each other on wide open levees, 100 yards down from the UTVs. Lots of shovelers in the bag.

[Anatidae]

Like a 'Blindside' or 'Black Cloud' sponsored duck hunting tournament?

[Smoke68]

I don't push this, but 80% of the hunting I do on public land draw hunts is on standby, not with a permit. Therefore I actually prefer rules which encourage high application submissions and draws which give no preference to permit holders. I get that my motivations are selfish, as they do not benefit the guy who hunts 3 times per year at draw hunts only when he's selected.

The rules I posted, however, seem to incorporate the worst of both models as far as hunter participation goes while attempting to maximize income. I hope it backfires like a dirt dobber infested 10 gauge.....

I do think it will result in a lower participation rate, mostly from the standby hunters. We shall see.

[Anatidae]

I feel your pain. Doesn't seem fair that the people that get hurt the most are the locals. If it weren't for the out of town tourists flocking to what has become widely regarded as 'sporting opportunitites', you might still have a place to hunt. But because history has proven folks can't be civil in simple cases of mutual consideration for fellow hunters, it has become 'about' managing the madding crowd. That's the shame in all this. What we need is more 'sportsmen' and 'sportswomen'...........and internet forums that adopt 'don't talk' policies about public hunting lands in fewer than 10 years of inception, KNOWING that publicity can't be good for anything related to these places that local residents seek solitude 'IN'. (how's that for ending a sentence with a preposition, 'Crow'? reminds me of a joke about the Mississippi boy's first day on campus at Harvard U............)

OK, did I leave anything out in that rant?

[deltadukman]

Besides all the bs paperwork and fees and permits....it's not hunting! Johnny duck hunter gets told what day and square he can hunt, taking a day and heading to square B7 at xyz WMA to check in a shed and head to your "block" regardless of what the conditions are. And that's what people call "hunting" these days and while my $5 here and there may not matter, I'll be dammmedd if that's what I have to look forward to as "hunting". I'll sit on the couch before I pre signup on getting 3 days at WMA x and square y where the log book say hunter mo and joe have 3.75637 bird average. That's not hunting and never will be....but that's what the state is selling and they are eating it up.

[Smoke68]

Besides all the bs paperwork and fees and permits....it's not hunting! Johnny duck hunter gets told what day and square he can hunt, taking a day and heading to square B7 at xyz WMA to check in a shed and head to your "block" regardless of what the conditions are. And that's what people call "hunting" these days and while my $5 here and there may not matter, I'll be dammmedd if that's what I have to look forward to as "hunting". I'll sit on the couch before I pre signup on getting 3 days at WMA x and square y where the log book say hunter mo and joe have 3.75637 bird average. That's not hunting and never will be....but that's what the state is selling and they are eating it up.

I see your point, kinda. But how is it any different than the guy who gets a lease with 2 pits and a timber hole? It's not like he spends his late mornings finding a slough 8 miles off the beaten path where no one has stepped foot in decades.

I do both freelance and draw, just stirring the pot a little.

[LODI QUACKER]

Because he can hunt those leases on the days where conditions are right and when the birds are using his lease. Not when some computer spit out his name for a specific date.

Just more BS! I have all but quit hunting where I have hunted for YEARS because of this mess. I will not be part of it I dont care if I dont get to hunt at all. Its not hunting and its not worth it.

So horahhh MSWF&P thats 2 of us you have run oft!!!!!! But they really dont give a crap!!!!!! At least they got their chitholes to run like MO does.

What a bunch of IDIOTS!!!!!!!!

[Barq's]

Personally, I don't have a problem with them charging a small fee for even standby opportunities as long as the money is directly put back into the pot to maintain, upgrade, and buy more duck hunting areas. The point is that if you can't afford 5/10/15 for a chance to use that wma...then you really can't afford to duck hunt anyway. I have been to numerous spots and I see the same guys with their kids at some of em all the time....almost like they hunt every single day on these places like it's "their place"....It's not. Matter of fact, these people probably never hunted these places prior to the State buying them, because they were private property and probably leased for big money.

Now, it doesn't matter to me....I have a boat and I do travel. Been hunting public now for some 28 years....I know how and where to go to kill ducks. It takes alot more effort....alot more time.....and a lot more money to do so. Anyone that hunts/truly hunts ducks on public land can verify that....

With that being said, Thank God and the State of Mississippi for giving us a truly exceptional place to go....for a very small fee. What the State is doing is offering an opportunity....

what you do, when drawn in your "xyz" spot is your business....How about just being glad that you even have a "xyz" place to go, as that not many years ago, there wasn't a spot such as these.

As far as yahoo's sitting on the levee's.....good for them...good for me......personally, as long as they aren't sky bustin' and they leave early, it's all good. What they flair gives me an opportunity....one I will try to make the most of.