Jumping blinds

[Small Bore Hunter]

You are probably correct. I just went to check the regs,and it only talks removal of decoys within 10 days of season close.

So it may be one of those tales passed down thru the years, that has ”become the rule” even though not true.

I was told we had to leave them out by the Ol’timers, many years ago. Just assumed it was true and have done it for years.

Over the years, we have had some issues with things being “borrowed from the blind” and never returned.
Propane stove, heaters, snacks in the gang box, etc…..

Seems every year for the past 7-8 years, we lose 1-3 dozen decoys. This year, it seems 7 dozen picked up and migrated somewhere else.

I agree but some others claim there is never any problems. They are naive in their thinking. At Reelfoot buying decoys for the old timer was unthinkable, why buy when you could borrow and never return the decoys. I did find several decoys in grass this year at a blind site while I was fishing in April. I did pick them up.

 

[bill cooksey]

I agree but some others claim there is never any problems. They are naive in their thinking. At Reelfoot buying decoys for the old timer was unthinkable, why buy when you could borrow and never return the decoys. I did find several decoys in grass this year at a blind site while I was fishing in April. I did pick them up.

Plenty of problems. And all due to people who break the rules. I’m sure more public money and more rules will fix everything.

 

[smashdn]

For the most part, decoys are only left out at season long draw blinds that benefit from the huge spreads. Never seen it on OH or Cheatham but there may be a blind at either that has/does.
Living out of state, I am a hopper or guest only now. The tier 2 and quotas are the only thing they'll let me draw for now.

 

[adirondack46r]

I have seen it done at Cheatham as well.

 

[GUNNERX2]

Back in the 70s & 80s it was common practice to leave decoys out all season in a large number of blinds on Old Hickory & Cheatham. I know I did it but wasn't comfortable doing it and cost me some decoys in the long run. From what I hear, decoy thieves don't gather up a bunch and take off...they cherry pick the spread and come away with the best of the best.

 

[15thTN]

I've had several dozen stolen over the years. One year lost half my spread over the season. Another time idiots cut the strings tied the brush on the blind, and made a jerk string. When they were done, they shot the dozen decoys they used. They also stole 2dz superman's. We found them because they were still tied to the blind, and the string got wrapped in the prop.

As far as I'm concerned they should ban blind hopping on private blinds, and seasonal draws. People jumping a blind, looking at unguarded decoys start getting ideas. Not everyone mind you, but enough it turned me against it. Only jumped one blind in my life, but it was a walk in state built, and brushed blind, and no decoys left out. I left it as I found it.

 

[adirondack46r]

Back in the 70s & 80s it was common practice to leave decoys out all season in a large number of blinds on Old Hickory & Cheatham. I know I did it but wasn't comfortable doing it and cost me some decoys in the long run. From what I hear, decoy thieves don't gather up a bunch and take off...they cherry pick the spread and come away with the best of the best.

Even on our 2 day draw hunts, we don't leave spinners or some of our newer flocked decoys. And sadly, we don't leave much gear in the blind so we end up carting a lot of stuff in and out. If/when we draw a season long blind I suspect we will just assume that somebody along the way is going to be tempted so we will just try to minimize our risks. I still support the policy to be able to jump season long blinds, and I strongly support not allowing the jumping of tier 2 blinds. The 2 of those together provide me with good opportunities to hunt the WMAs in my back yard.

And I think I am going to start a new practice of leaving a pair of nice new Higdon dekes every time I jump a blind, with a note thanking the card holder for the hard work on the blind and spread.

 

[riverrat47]

I've had several dozen stolen over the years. One year lost half my spread over the season. Another time idiots cut the strings tied the brush on the blind, and made a jerk string. When they were done, they shot the dozen decoys they used. They also stole 2dz superman's. We found them because they were still tied to the blind, and the string got wrapped in the prop.

As far as I'm concerned they should ban blind hopping on private blinds, and seasonal draws. People jumping a blind, looking at unguarded decoys start getting ideas. Not everyone mind you, but enough it turned me against it. Only jumped one blind in my life, but it was a walk in state built, and brushed blind, and no decoys left out. I left it as I found it.

I've hunted for 50+ years on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, in Illinois. We've lost decoys and gear, on occasion. At least from what I've experienced, thieves rarely hunt blinds, they come late in the afternoon or after dark and usually launch from secluded ramps a fair distance from their crime.
I was lucky for a time, in that several blinds I had, a nearby blind was occupied 24/7 throughout the season. Yea, it was technically against the rules but nothing was said as it added security to the half-dozen blinds in view. Another area I hunted, there was a family of three brothers who camped at the closest ramp for the season. If they heard suspicious activity on the river, they'd investigate. Still, we had a spread stolen, figuring they drifted down, then rowed or used a trolling motor to pick up the 10 dozen dekes.
At one state site I hunted, with an on-site manager, we had to pull our good decoys a week or so before the end of the season, or they'd be gone. Thieves came in from the river, drug a boat over the levee, raiding all the blinds on the lake.
IMHO, it's dyed-in-the-wool thieves, not blind jumpers are responsible for 90%+ of the problems. Everything considered, even losing equipment and decoys on occasion, I sure can't justify limiting hunting opportunities for those without blinds because of a few azzwipes.

 

[bill cooksey]

Even on our 2 day draw hunts, we don't leave spinners or some of our newer flocked decoys. And sadly, we don't leave much gear in the blind so we end up carting a lot of stuff in and out. If/when we draw a season long blind I suspect we will just assume that somebody along the way is going to be tempted so we will just try to minimize our risks. I still support the policy to be able to jump season long blinds, and I strongly support not allowing the jumping of tier 2 blinds. The 2 of those together provide me with good opportunities to hunt the WMAs in my back yard.

And I think I am going to start a new practice of leaving a pair of nice new Higdon dekes every time I jump a blind, with a note thanking the card holder for the hard work on the blind and spread.

I’m strongly opposed to Tier 2 blinds being off limits for jumping. They are the only blinds totally paid for by the public, they are usually the very best blinds on the WMA and many are left unoccupied due to the system encouraging people to enter the draw who aren’t really committed to hunting the area.

If anything, the season draw blinds should be off limits since they were paid for with private funds.

 

[adirondack46r]

... they are usually the very best blinds on the WMA and many are left unoccupied due to the system encouraging people to enter the draw who aren’t really committed to hunting the area.

This is not at all my experience on the WMAs where I hunt. I am sure it is the case in some places. Part of what is difficult is to paint all WMAs with the same broad brush. They are all somewhat unique and trying to make one size fits all policies and regulations is a challenge.