# Spinning Wing Ban



## cflong (Feb 11, 2005)

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission waterfowl folks are going to propose a flyway wide ban on all spinning, flapping, etc. decoys at the Miss. Flyway Council Meeting. They have some support, but not sure how much. Thought yall might like that info.


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## scissorbill (Sep 14, 2003)

They have my support.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Ban them all!


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## qwakwhaker883 (Jan 19, 2005)

I hope they ban them!!


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## diver_sniper (Sep 6, 2004)

im in, take em down


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

Never leave home without them. They put them birds that are in heavy moult right in the lap, no mistake which a drake or a hen is at 15 yards.

Besides that, what will be next flags, decoys that are too anatomically correct, calls that sound too true to life that give hunters an unfair advantage? :bs: It just never seems to be enough once we let one thing go.

IMO it all has to with the money, ecspecially the pressure of commercialization everywhere up and down the flyway. Arkansas is known for 2 things, their native son Slick Willy and ducks, if they are not killing a kazillion ducks every year and bringing in huge amounts of money from them, they will not be satisfied until the rest of us have less also. :eyeroll:


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

I bet quite afew guys would stop field hunting if they couldnt use spinners.
Or should I say the guys who are hunting over there 2 dozen goose dekes set in a "U" with your 2 spinners right in the hole.
I cant count how many times I have read " How to hunt field duck".

:lol:


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

I couldn't care less if they were banned. 
Although how am I going to tell decoy spreads from real birds on scouting trips without that one flashing spinner in the middle of 2 dozen carrylites??? :lol:


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## duck991 (Feb 17, 2005)

Is this ban only for battery powered spinners?


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## cflong (Feb 11, 2005)

Arkansas has banned them for this year. No spinning, flapping decoys, battery or wind powered. I think they proposed the same thing for the Flyway.


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## bratlabs (Mar 11, 2005)

Heres what the AGFC website says:

Released July 15, 2005

AGFC proposes flyway-wide spinning wing decoy ban

LITTLE ROCK - The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will be proposing a flyway-wide ban on all spinning and flapping wing decoys during the Mississippi Flyway Council meeting next week in Tunica. The council will decide at that meeting whether to adopt the AGFC's ban request for the upcoming waterfowl season.

The ban would apply to all motorized, wind-powered or mechanical spinning and flapping wing decoys, according to AGFC waterfowl program coordinator Andrew James. "The council has concerns over potential increased harvest rates and potential changes in harvest age ratios of mid-continent mallards," James said. "They're also concerned about how they might relate to a loss of future hunting opportunities as caused by the increasing widespread use of these decoys," he added.

Multiple research projects on the harvest dynamics of spinning wing decoys have been conducted in North America and many states have performed surveys investigating the frequency of the decoy's use by their hunters, James explained. "There is a need for comprehensive review of these multiple research projects and surveys that summarizes these results. This is an issue that should be addressed on a nationwide basis as opposed to a single state or flyway," he said.

In Arkansas, the decoys were banned statewide for the 2005-2006 waterfowl season. The commission banned the decoys at its October 2004 meeting. Commissioners have said in the past that the spinning and flapping wing decoys helped hunters kill more young ducks that were attracted to the wing flashes.

One other state has followed Arkansas' lead in banning the decoys, James said. "Minnesota banned the decoys on their wildlife management areas for the entire season this year. They've also banned them statewide for the first portion of their duck season," he said. "Spinning wing decoys have been the topic of much discussion since their inception in 1998. As their use spread from the Central Valley of California, so did concern over their use," James explained.

The technical section of the council also has had concerns that spinners may negate the fair-chase aspect of hunting, James said. "We are becoming increasingly concerned about the technological advances of mechanical devices introduced each year. It is time for the waterfowl community to consider a prohibition of such technology in waterfowl attracting devices, but a thorough evaluation of research and surveys to date is needed," James said.

I think if they get this to pass then it opens the door to ban all motion decoys in one way or another. I wouldnt mind if they were to ban battery operated decoys, but wind operated? It seems to me that Arkansas is just being a :crybaby: cause they havent been killing the numbers in the past few years. Maybe its the weather or that there are hunters behind every tree and the birds are figuring this out and staying north or flying through. JMO.


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## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

I smell something rotten in Denmark when Arkansas is try to dictate policy for the entire Mississippi flyway???


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## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Pretty soon we will be fined when the wind comes up and causes the water decoys to bob around like real ducks. Then what will we do? Would the jerk cord setup that guys used for years count as a mechanical device? What if duck calls started sounding EXACTLY like real ducks! I only ask that last question because I have NEVER heard anyone use a duck call that actually sounded like a real duck! It's time for John Stossel to do another 60 Minutes "Give me a break!" report!


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## SJB (Jul 2, 2003)

What will this (spinning) law stop? What is the real positive intention? Again I say, follow the money. I believe that the division of wildlife departments' want to slow down the harvest of ducks. You guys just wait, there will be a liberal (bag limit) season to attract the purchase of waterfowl licenses. However, the division of wildlife departments may have to add additional laws (in future seasons) to slow down the harvest of ducks. Ask yourselves, would you purchase a license if the daily bag limit was one duck? Two ducks? Three ducks? Therefore, the spinning law may only be the first act to curtail the harvest. AND it might not curtail it. What then will it take to slow the harvest? A shorter season? No Calls? Shorter legal shooting hours? Not over water? Ten shells on any one hunter?

*Either *'they' will add laws to slow down the harvest *or *reduce the daily bag limit and I don't believe it's the latter. 
Am I wrong?


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

I've got no problem if the robo's get nixed. The tough part is to, definitionally, seperate the wheat from the chaff. As others have suggested, it's going to very difficult to ban the intended items without implicating other less intense motion items. And, tighten down the definitions, the loopholes will be endless. Obviously intended to get ahead of the potential battery-operated ban, anyone see that robo that's powered by a bait caster reel and a cable ala a plumbers's snake? Probably just need some bright line that picks up most of what's intended, like no batteries and no rotating devices - that would toss all of the really easy/effective field and water devices yet keep flags and the other "you really got to want to" motion options in play.


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## born to hunt (Mar 13, 2002)

Minnesota finally figured out why it has no ducks! It MUST be the spinners! It sure helped last year when we could not use them in the beginning of the season....

I have a big problem with any legislation that has its infancy in California and Minnesota. Two of the most liberal staes dictating more laws... Seems to me that we could do a lot more productive things than this. For instance, if harvest is a concern, why on earth are 2 hens allowed? Six ducks? Call me crazy, but the solution to the duck harvest problem has very little to do with the "twirly" decoy...

Spinners work. But I have to scout, gain permission, decoy, and shoot before they help.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I could care less either way....

If it passes, then hunting will become more of a skill again rather then pushing the ON button.

If it doesn't pass, then it's another set of batteries to keep charged, another toy I have to constantly fix, and a dozen runs to the robo's each morning to take them down when geese are coming.


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

It wouldnt bother me if they banned them.They work well the first week of the season and do more harm than good later on.


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## Jicama (Sep 8, 2004)

I have a spinning wing and have seen it's effectiveness. In early season on young ducks it's a valuable decoy to get their attention. But it doesn't take long for ducks to wise up to flashing wings. I have better luck in the third week if I just leave it at home. The fact is ducks will go where there they want to be. If you are set up in a place they don't want to be, all the spinning wings and fancy calling isn't going to change their minds.


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## Gunner (Oct 30, 2002)

Yeah, let's ban them and have everyone start roost hunting again.


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## texan68 (Nov 29, 2004)

I say get rid of the battery operated dekes....flappers, shakers etc. I don't see a problem with the wind powered flappers.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

The Arkansas request didn't get anywhere at the meetings.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

Why couldn't the DNR make their own rules over in MN and BAN all spinners in MN and drop the limits to 4-5 by them selves....The liberal seasons framework is just a max that state can set. 5000 people on the capital steps seems to me to be a good justification to drops limits and ban the spinners.

I wouldn't want to be a DNR official in MN this year if they just go along with the status quo and don't change anything.


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## Jicama (Sep 8, 2004)

I thought I read that MN has banned all motorized spinners this year on public lands only. But I cannot seem to find any mention of it on MN's DNR site. I own two and would like to see them all banned, and not just on public lands. Waterfowl regs are getting too complicated. Lower the limits, ban all motion deeks for everyone.


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## ylwlab (Sep 8, 2004)

Spinners are an easy "out" for people don't want to spend the time to learn proper calling technique or decoy placement. It seems that a full bag and instant gratification are all that matter. If we were to reduce our take here in Mn. , we in effect are giving more birds to kill to our southern neighbors.


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## Jicama (Sep 8, 2004)

Arkansas could simply give up a season....just a thought.

On second thought, then all the Texans would come up here.


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## ylwlab (Sep 8, 2004)

I didn't think that Arkansas had seasons and all the Texans I know never paid any attention to the regs. I wonder how many Canvasbacks go unreported or stomped into the ground when a limit is obtained.


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## deked (Mar 11, 2003)

MN will not change from the liberal season... I would bet my house on it. And personally, I wouldn't see the reason behind it if they did change. If the whole flyway went conservative, then yes, but not just one state.

Just my 2 cents


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## born to hunt (Mar 13, 2002)

Just think...If Minnesota shortens thier season by 80% and their harvest by 80% that would not make a big difference. Because 80% of NOTHING is still NOTHING.... :eyeroll:


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