# Local "roost" hunter



## Winchesterguy (Nov 14, 2007)

Can someone tell me when this whole roost busting thing started?
I started hunting in 5th grade while attending school in Devils Lake.
I grew up hunting with my Dad and Grandpa on our farm over water at our favorite slough's and everyone I know who hunts grew up this same way including about a dozen local North Dakota guides.
I also know many lake region locals who still own waders, duck boats and Mallard (water) decoys (robo ducks work even better in water!) and will hunt like that until the day they die.
Myself ,I hunt over water and also Field hunt....which I prefer since I am disabled and it is much eaiser to field hunt....but to those of you who want to hunt only over water...go get em and good luck! 
I have been reading all this "roost busting" crap on this site for a couple years and it seems like the same few "Gods gift to hunters" are stuck on this topic and want everyone to think North Dakotans are the best hunters ever.
Were not any better then our out of state neighbors. 
If you really believe your non "roost busting" is the only way to hunt then 
Please do not JUST blame "blue platers" and Non residents for this type of hunting. Blame us locals and our grandfathers for teaching us how to hunt ducks the same way Duck hunters have been hunting since the sport began.
Could someone please sell me some 100 year old mallard field decoys.....they are a rare thing......all my grandpa had were water decoys....those old hunters back then must have been idiots.....I wonder how they shot millions of ducks hunting just over water?
For those of you who think you are the greatest hunters ever because you spend hours and hours scouting to field hunt and who hate non resident "roost busters"....spend a little more time and find out where the ducks you are going to hunt are roosting , then find out if it is posted and if anyone is going to hunt the "roost" so you have no one to blame the next day for your poor hunting skills.
For those of you who field hunt......make sure you thank the next water hunter you see for kicking those birds into your field and your own privite "roost"
Thanks to all you Non residents for visiting our state and please come back soon!


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## Booster (Sep 8, 2003)

are you saying thanks because you just got your check from a NR for hunting your land? if you haven't noticed times have changed a little bit. There are a lot more hunters, less water, ect.... I am guessing since you have been reading on here for two years now and this is your first post you must have a lot of anger issues or something to make a topic such as this your first post.

with that said, have a good day!

:beer:


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## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

I understand what you are saying. Sometimes I get sick of the BS on this site regarding this subject as well. People try to make it seem as if every true hunter in the state is a field hunter.

I grew up in the Jamestown area and all we ever did was hunt ducks on the water and later in the day jump sloughs. That was how I learned to hunt and I never did it any other way. I didn't know any differently.

When I came to this site a few years ago the idea of field hunting was totally new to me. But the more I heard about it and read about it, I would say it is one of the better options for keeping waterfowl in the area longer.

At the same time, however, I don't have any negative feelings towards those who want to hunt legally on the water. Perhaps they don't know any other way.


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## averyghg (Oct 16, 2006)

I have a feelin this thread is gonna get locked relatively quick.

I hate roostbusters Period!

What do i consider a roost being busted? Oh lets say when there's thousands of geese sitting on a small body of water as they're migrating through the state and someone who wants to shoot a few ducks goes and kicks them off at 6 in the morning. Say good bye to all the birds. Nebraska should get some good shooting though.


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## Winchesterguy (Nov 14, 2007)

Your repley was wrong on every point "booster" guy
try again 

I do not and never have recieved a nickel for letting any hunters on my land ....resident or non resident.....although I have recieved gifts such as ham's and shotgun shells from hunters as a thank you after their hunt.......too bad that after 30 years ...all but one of them that came back after their hunt with a thank you and or a gift were Non Residents.

I am not angry Booster guy....I do not want to hit anyone....I just shake my head and laugh everytime "Gods gift to hunters" guys think they have the only way to hunt and then blame N R's for a bad day.

Things have not changed that much... 
The sun still comes up and the ducks still fly and feed the same as 100 years ago.

What are you talking about when you say "less water to hunt" have ever been to Devils lake or watched the news in the past 15 years? those 20 foot high mounds of dirt and rock around the city of Devils Lake are called dikes.......they are not holding back air!
Drive around and see all the sloughs.....all the farmers I know have more water today then ever.
By the way non residents were scarce in the Lake Region this year compared with the past years, ask anyone who has a business in town.

I am sure that all this negitive talk from a few bitter residents has nothing to do with it......hunters are hunters.....welcome them all and get along!


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## Winchesterguy (Nov 14, 2007)

averyghg
You are one of those "gods gift to hunters" I am refering to that always has too much to say and we are all sick of it.
If you are such a good hunter you would know that those geese only take off as far as Nebraska if the weather and wind is right....otherwise they will just move a little ways and keep on feeding.
By the way I like Nebraska folks .....good luck hunting down there!


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## Booster (Sep 8, 2003)

have I ever been to DL, lets see, I only live there! I was talking about the sloughs around the area. I can remember growing up and jumping sloughs in the afternoon just like any other NR or Res hunter did but now a days there isn't any sloughs like that around. I don't know why you are so worked up over this NR roost busting thing anyway? I think it is just stupid plain and simple to come to ND with a boat other then to fish out of. That is just my 2cents. With that said, I think that this subject has been drilled to death this year. This is the last time I talk about something this stupid.

have a pleasant day!


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

drjongy said:


> I understand what you are saying. Sometimes I get sick of the BS on this site regarding this subject as well. People try to make it seem as if every true hunter in the state is a field hunter.
> 
> I grew up in the Jamestown area and all we ever did was hunt ducks on the water and later in the day jump sloughs. That was how I learned to hunt and I never did it any other way. I didn't know any differently.
> 
> ...


I too grew up in Jamestown. We used to hunt all kinds of different ways, and only resorted to slough w/ wader hunting as a last resort. Growing up we actually sat between sloughs more often and pass shot birds going between them.

One thing that is much different that isn't being considered is how the birds are staging differently now as compared to 15 + years ago... THAT is why roost busting has become such a hot topic!

Years ago the birds were much more spread apart, the migration happened in a slower staggered fashion, they got a chance to "rest" in the afternoon as MANY guys packed up around noon and hit the cafe/bar/cabin, and the crops planted were mainly harvested by Mid October.

_*Nowadays*_ you have concentrated mass migrations, birds grouping together in large flocks for protection, and a much more condensed season. This is all the result of

1. A higher percentage of crops standing unharvested much MUCH later into the season (RE: see all the standing corn STILL unharvested today) This is concentrating the birds to certain feeding areas that are located next to certain roosts, further condensing the birds. Before you'd have smaller flocks (50-200 birds) who would find a cut barley field and setup on the nearest slough. Now with all the corn having a delayed harvest etc.. there are fewer temporary fields (like cut barley/wheat stubble) for the birds to be in...

2. All day and ALL WEEK hunting by an extremely sophisticated hunter possessing all the modern conveniences of computers for internet scouting, cell phones to coordinate plans, decoys that look better than fully mounted birds, decoy spreads into the thousands, robo spinning ducks and guiding operations pushing birds all over.

3. Smarter, more wary birds getting an education early with the early goose season (including ducks seeing the hunters in their feeding buffet), and birds that get pounded every day.

4. Geese, ducks, and crane working together and feeding in larger groups for safety, and utilizing much fewer water locations in which to stage from.

You really can't compare the "Way it Used to Be" anymore... times, tactics, bird behaviors have all evolved into a whole new different entity...

THAT is why it is soooo much more important nowadays for guys to understand the roost concept. Noone is saying you HAVE to hunt fields,... rather JUST DON't blow them off the water when they are staging en masse!

It really not that hard a concept.

Ryan


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## Booster (Sep 8, 2003)

Winchesterguy said:


> averyghg
> You are one of those "gods gift to hunters" I am refering to that always has too much to say and we are all sick of it.
> If you are such a good hunter you would know that those geese only take off as far as Nebraska if the weather and wind is right....otherwise they will just move a little ways and keep on feeding.
> By the way I like Nebraska folks .....good luck hunting down there!


 :eyeroll: WTF relax would ya


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Winchesterguy said:


> averyghg
> You are one of those "gods gift to hunters" I am refering to that always has too much to say and we are all sick of it.


Nice new username.... you do realize we can tell via IP addresses who you are?

Why not use the same username for all these posts?

Just curious...

Ryan


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## Booster (Sep 8, 2003)

IP addresses

IP address...aaahhh... does that stand for international post??? :wink:


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

I will agree and disagree Avery..
I agree..I hate roostbusters
But, theres a difference between roostbusting and hunting water.

Sneaking into gun range and firing multiple shots on a flock of resting birds..Roostbusting.

Waiting for some birds to leave or bumping a group (without shooting),Setting a few dekes..shooting a few birds while they return, or while they trade spots on the body of water....Hunting water.

I will say its a fine line, though...


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

when a "new" or "better" invention or idea comes along that may improve the quality in any aspect of life, we as humans are the first to drop the our old ways and get with the improved ways. this is the case with water vs. field hunting. water hunting is a blast and can be very rewarding i agree, but alot of experience and knowledge has been put to the test in regards to field hunting. it's a "new" and improved way of hunting, that has found a way to keep birds in an area longer and ultimately may potentially produce more hunts. let me ask this. how many people in ND or MN for that matter used tree stands as a mean of harvesting deer in the 1960's? 1990's? not nearly as many as we see today. why is this? because it is a better means for many to obtain a deer without pushing all the deer out of an area, which can be the case when a deer "drive" takes place. this idea may be applied to "roost busting" or water hunting also. is everybody going to conform to these new ideaologies? no, but with more people practicing these strategies the quality of hunting may continue to thrive or improve in ND.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Booster said:


> IP addresses
> 
> IP address...aaahhh... does that stand for international post??? :wink:


Let's just say it's a way of tracking our new friend Winchester via his computer's internet addresses that he connects with.

The internet is much less private than most people believe. I can crawl right onto your computer if you'd like me to... 

ya gotta love this wired world...


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## Winchesterguy (Nov 14, 2007)

Crawl on over....I will get you a beer.
By the way last week I shot a nice Buck right off his roost


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## Booster (Sep 8, 2003)

wow, you can crawl onto my computer from where you are right now. that would be cool to see if you were a 21 yr old stripper with huge.....eyes that point, I mean look right at me! :beer:


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

R y a n said:


> drjongy said:
> 
> 
> > I understand what you are saying. Sometimes I get sick of the BS on this site regarding this subject as well. People try to make it seem as if every true hunter in the state is a field hunter.
> ...


good post ryan :beer: this basically sums it up. the birds of today are not the birds we hunted in the last century. they are adapting, becoming wiser and changing their behaviors. so, we must change our ways to stay one step ahead of them. I don't think alot of people on here really give enough credit to these animals. somedays i wonder how an animal with a brain a hundreth the size of mine just made me look like a fool. :lol:


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## Booster (Sep 8, 2003)

Winchesterguy said:


> Crawl on over....I will get you a beer.
> By the way last week I shot a nice Buck right off his roost


 :withstupid:

what does that have to do with anything we are talking about on here....have another why don't ya


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Triple B said:


> good post ryan :beer: this basically sums it up. the birds of today are not the birds we hunted in the last century. they are adapting, becoming wiser and changing their behaviors.


Thanks man.. It's nice to know when I take my lunch break to type up something so long that it is read and appreciated...

Now let's hope some new hunters to ND and new folks just joining this site can read and learn the WHY of this logic...

Ryan


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

I've said it before and I'll say it again. What pushes birds out more now than say 10-20 years ago is the non stop 7 days of week pressure. 24-7. I agree with the roostbusting concept in theory, but the constant pressure is what I believe pushes out birds more than somebody jumping a roost!
Variety is the spice of life. I'm glad I'm not limited to just hunting what flys in a field. (Although, I enjoy that as well) I love shooting different types of ducks and there is a lot of tradition with water hunting that I enjoy.


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## Winchesterguy (Nov 14, 2007)

Triple B
I was wondering how long it would take you to have something to say triple B.
Notice how so many of the "roost buster" and NR haters have pictures of themselves on this site .


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

Rick Acker said:


> I've said it before and I'll say it again. What pushes birds out more now than say 10-20 years ago is the non stop 7 days of week pressure. 24-7. I agree with the roostbusting concept in theory, but the constant pressure is what I believe pushes out birds more than somebody jumping a roost!
> Variety is the spice of life. I'm glad I'm not limited to just hunting what flys in a field. (Although, I enjoy that as well) I love shooting different types of ducks and there is a lot of tradition with water hunting that I enjoy.


I'll agree with that to a point. another thing i've noticed where I hunt that may influence this is recent fall farm practices. it seems that many if not most farmers in Northern ND are working their fields sooner in the fall, 5-10 years ago tyou could find plenty of stubble fields. nowadays you'd be hardpressed to find one that isn't turned over at least once, even alot of recently harvested corn gets put under the next day.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

So ryan, whats his other username?

Nobody is saying not to hunt water, get over it.


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

Winchesterguy said:


> Triple B
> I was wondering how long it would take you to have something to say triple B.
> Notice how so many of the "roost buster" and NR haters have pictures of themselves on this site .


haha, i can't help but chuckle and shake my head at this comment. i'm not even going to throw any more fuel on this one. you have yourself a great day winchester. hope your season has gone well


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Winchesterguy said:


> Triple B
> I was wondering how long it would take you to have something to say triple B.
> Notice how so many of the "roost buster" and NR haters have pictures of themselves on this site .


All right Winchesterguy...

If you are going to join here and create topics to discuss... then please keep it related to the subject.

You have read and agreed to the Terms of Service on this site. Do not attack anyone personally, and keep the debates directed at the subject matter and not the person.

You are crossing the line at stirring the pot instead of asking a question. I will start removing all of your posts that take shots at people going forward.

The line is pretty easy to understand.


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## Winchesterguy (Nov 14, 2007)

Thanks Ryan but I thought these web sites were for stirring the pot?
Make sure that you have the same rule for everyone that stirs the pot with there anti Non Resident crap that makes North Dakotans look like pricks.

This is my last reply today
You all take care and happy hunting


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Rick Acker said:


> I've said it before and I'll say it again. What pushes birds out more now than say 10-20 years ago is the non stop 7 days of week pressure. 24-7. I agree with the roostbusting concept in theory, but the constant pressure is what I believe pushes out birds more than somebody jumping a roost!
> Variety is the spice of life. I'm glad I'm not limited to just hunting what flys in a field. (Although, I enjoy that as well) I love shooting different types of ducks and there is a lot of tradition with water hunting that I enjoy.


I think that is exactly right. Put yourself in the place of a flock. They can't get a good feed because of jump shooters or guys set up in their field, they go back to their water and get popped, they head for another slough and get shot at on the way. I don't think a duck or goose to be overly intelligent but a couple of days of that and they at best, nerved up like cats on hot tin. At worst they are leaving town.

I use to hunt a lake in Ohio that was 13,000 acres. That's big water, and when the mallards and blacks came, in the fall, they stayed out in the middle, away from the blind lined shoreline, away from the pressure. I've seen them sit out there in three foot waves and ride it out until eveing when they'd climb to altitude and head inland for corn. These were moving birds that didn't hang around long. Couple days of minimal pressure and they were gone. Or...was it just the age old cycle of migration that pushed them on?

Everyone complains about what the next guy is doing and how he is hunting. What woudl we do if all of the "roosting" areas dried up and we had to depend on lakes and refuges for our birds? Would the hunting get easier, as the birds let their guard down a bit? Or, would it get tougher as there is only so many birds and only so many fields that they are going to use. Competition for those choice would be razor edge keen then. Would that be better? Maybe...oh never mind.

I guess we'd all like to have our own private roosting pond full of mallards and pintails and honkers and snows. A few specks would be nice too. Then we could have our big kill hunts and take our pictures and thump our chest and tell all what great hunters we are. But, things don't work that way and, like the jump shooting snow gooser, water hunting is waterfowling tradition and here to stay. I guess, we'll all just have to become more cunning than our wily adversary, both other hunters and birds, and stay on the cutting edge.

My personal opinion? I guess I think of roost busting as stalking a flock with the intent of shooting into them and killing them either on the water or while flushing. No fun there! On the other hand, I don't think that waiting for the birds to leave for a feed, or walking them off without shooting, hurts much.

Good luck,
Dan


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## averyghg (Oct 16, 2006)

> averyghg
> You are one of those "gods gift to hunters" I am refering to that always has too much to say and we are all sick of it.
> If you are such a good hunter you would know that those geese only take off as far as Nebraska if the weather and wind is right....otherwise they will just move a little ways and keep on feeding.


I don't, by any means, think im "gods gift to hunters," I think im "gods gift to the world!" and don't you forget it.

I have no problem with people that hunt water. Its actually pretty fun to do once or so a year. It's also awesome watching dogs work in the water. The thing that gets me is that people don't understand that they're better off waiting for the birds to naturally get off the water. The chances that they're gonna come back are highly more likely than if you scare em all out of there. Whats the point of scaring em off??? you'll be able to pull birds in all morning anyway. If birds get shot at in a field there's a 90% chance they're gonna end up going back to the same water they roosted on anyway. How do i know this? Because i've watched it happen for the last 10 years of my life.

and you're right, i don't know much about what it takes for birds to migrate. It's not like my dads a waterfowl biologist or anything.......oh wait, he is....


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

R y a n said:


> Booster said:
> 
> 
> > IP addresses
> ...


Now I'm scared. Are you the government?

:lol:


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## Winchesterguy (Nov 14, 2007)

I don't, by any means, think im "gods gift to hunters," I think im "gods gift to the world!" and don't you forget it.

How did I guess that? Maybe it was yer perdy picture.....you sure look like you know how to blow 

I have no problem with people that hunt water. Its actually pretty fun to do once or so a year. It's also awesome watching dogs work in the water. The thing that gets me is that people don't understand that they're better off waiting for the birds to naturally get off the water. The chances that they're gonna come back are highly more likely than if you scare em all out of there. Whats the point of scaring em off??? you'll be able to pull birds in all morning anyway. If birds get shot at in a field there's a 90% chance they're gonna end up going back to the same water they roosted on anyway. How do i know this? Because i've watched it happen for the last 10 years of my life. 

You been huntin a whole ten years....man you must be awsome....can you take me huntin

and you're right, i don't know much about what it takes for birds to migrate. It's not like my dads a waterfowl biologist or anything.......oh wait, he is....

Sounds like yer dad has got lots of schooling while I was hunting[/color]


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

usmarine0352 said:


> R y a n said:
> 
> 
> > Booster said:
> ...


Worse. Look at my profile 

Even the government comes to my team for network questions


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## averyghg (Oct 16, 2006)

winchesterdoushe:

i don't want to bring chris's great site down anymore than it has been lately by people like you......

Have a good one


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Relax, and "Enjoy the Season"! The best hunting of the season is going on right now. Get off the net!


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