# What is proper party distance?



## oldfireguy (Jun 23, 2005)

Did not want to hijack any other threads.
What do you consider proper distance between your party and another?
How close would you set up next to someone?
I have hunted states with managed blinds and found them anywhere from 100 yards to 1/4 mile.
Field layout distance?
Water blind?


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Well I would say a quarter section.... which is people don't know is 160 acres or a roughly 1/2 - 1/4 mile depending on where people are set up on each field.

Now water hunting I think you could be a little closer. But 200 yards is what I would say. that way you shouldn't be getting "rained" on by pellets. This is if you are hunting the same body of water. Now if you are hunting a pothole with some cover and someone else could be hunting a different pothole 100 yards away. Is plenty distance.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I think North Dakota people have a different perspective. I eould say a half mile in fields and one quarter mile over water. I know other states are more crowded, but I would give up hunting if I had to hunt like they do in some states.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

When I started hunting ND in the mid 70s it was pretty common to have 2 parties hunting a water hole and be 100 yards or less apart. Of course field hunting (for ducks) was almost unheard of back then and even goose hunting in the fields didn't have nearly the popularity. Now in ND you generally won't encounter another party on the same body of water unless it is the only one in the area. Separation in field hunting can really vary. Size and cover between the fields can make a difference. I've seen birds shot at on one end of a quarter section just move to the other end of the quarter and land. Or geese shot at one side of a shelter belt move one or two over and land.... It also can depend on the direction the birds are coming from. If they have to pass over one party to get to the next, the second party is going to want to be 1/2 mile or more away or they generally won't get much action. If I arrive at a field late I never put myself between the first party and incoming birds but if the field has a secondary X upwind of the 1st party, if I can stay 1/4 mile away I will set up. You will generally get some singles that scatter when they start shooting or birds that simply steer around their spread.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

A lot of Michigan's Deer hunting is done in a woods most of the terrain is up and down hills too. On my dads farm wood lot we hunted 5 persons in a 80 acre section of the farm. Back then we were not allowed raised blinds like today but felt the trees and hills were good protection from others shots. Today with raised blinds shooting down hill is much safer I feel. We hunt deer one person per ten acre of woods at my deer camp.
Water fowl hunting we try to maintain 100 yards distance. That is some times hard to do when a party on a neighboring property insist on setting up in a fence line to hunt a corn field that they do not have permission to hunt but go after the low flyers coming over their blind.

 Al


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## oldfireguy (Jun 23, 2005)

Got to camp Tuesday. Scouting for the NR opener. So far I have seen no hunters. Heard no shots.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

awesome..... enjoy the good weather and get some good wing shooting in. I am jealous. :beer:


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

1/2 would be close in my book.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

I have been hunting waterfowl 45 years this fall. Went from slough hunting over decoys to field hunting as my primary choice. Have had many encounters over the years with this issue. First off, unless land is posted and you have exclusive use, don't *****. Be glad the land is open. Yes there is such things as courtesy etc.. but society as a whole has lost most of that.

Example today I was at the grocery store, parking lot is full and a vehicle up by the door was backing out, I saw a vehicle with Handicapped plates driving around and they where looking for a closer place to park. I waited until they got close and then drove on. They parked and I went and parked in the far part of the lot. As I walked in the couple thanked me, she was in a wheel chair and he had oxygen tank.

So for those complaining about being crowded how many of you would have done this or even thought about assessing the situation as I did. Not patting myself on the back simply pointing out that this was how I was raised and most today if they where ignore those teachings and are offended when similar behavior they exhibit is done to them. I just want people to think period. Use common sense and courtesy, sometimes sharing is better than winning!!!!


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

If someone beat me to a field, I will first see if they would want to join up. If they have more then two people, I will move on to either a back up field, run traffic, or I will go home.

I had people down wind me, sit in a fence line, bust the roost, and what not. That ****** me off when stuff like that happens, and I would prefer to be the bigger man and walk away. Yes it sucks, but hopefully those people will show the same respect to the next group that beats them to a field.


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## taykem (Nov 28, 2013)

blhunter, You said it perfectly. if you beat me out there you have earned it because I allow plenty of time for setup/setbacks. In my book if you get there first the field is yours. I am find with offers to join but I refuse to allow a big group to join, four in the spread is plenty. I don't see the same kind of mentality with others though which is very frustrating. I was set up in a wheat field last year early honk season waiting for shooting hours and seen a truck drive into the bean field and drop off three hunters that hid in the corn. Which was between the birds and me of course sky busting like crazy. They screwed me quite effectively I must add. I went over too raise some hell and then the truck comes back and picks them up. HULK SMASH!!!!!!


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## walleyecandy (Aug 6, 2012)

I keep rereading this trying to come up with some other way of saying: this is why public hunting is for the birds! Too many people are never going to be courteous to the 'first come, first served' theory.

One the other hand, some people will camp out all night to get the prime spot...

The biggest problem with public land is the public... Democracy at work-everything has to be fair. Life isn't fair.

I usually ask the owner of private land if anyone else has asked -saves a lot of hassle. But owning land has huge benefits, I know that if I want to hunt- I will be the only one hunting there.

And I know that there will be people making genius comments of 'i can't afford that' or 'we pay taxes so we should be able to hunt anywhere we want'....exc,exc.... Help a farmer-trade for hunting permission instead of pay.

Or just go to the crowded public area and dodge shrapnel. You think it's bad in the Dakotas- come to Minnesota during deer or pheasant opener.... It literally looks and sounds like the beginning of Bambi!


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