controlled waterfowl hunts...

[snag]

to all interested,the deadline for the controlled hunts is coming up on july 31. i,ll be trying for the mosquito creek draw,went there two yrs. ago and saw more mallards in the air than geese,managed a few mallards and one was banded.good luck on the drawing to all...

[Darron]

All ready got mine in.

[mulf]

I'm in!.......along with my wife, my kid, my dog.....

Just kiddin' but if you look at the draw results you know it's being done. At the blind draws you have to show proof of a stamp. Why don't they just have you make a copy of your stamp and mail it with the check. I always hear about the ODNR greed thing and usually dismiss it but this is one area that seems to be $$$ driven all the way. $3x4x???=Snowballs chance to get drawn.

[Darron]

Yep you got it mulf. Last year I just put in my name and then found out everyone was putting in their family. Needless to say I didn't get drawn. This year I put in my entire family, girlfriend, etc. If you can't beat them might as well join them. It does get pricey though putting in several names. I've put in 6 names and I refuse to put in anymore. I can't afford anymore than that. But I don't check all the boxes. The only ones on there IMO worth the money is magee and ottowa.

[The_Duck_Hunter]

Another ditto on my end mulf,
I live at Grand Lake St. Marys, and after 14 years of trying for a blind I still have yet to be drawn(talk about unlucky). The most I've ever teamed up with was 2 other guys.
Its always about 20- 30 guys from Dayton area that team up and bring there whole families up. People up here get tired of it, but what are ya supposed to do? Its legal. I'll never stoop that low to buy a ticket for every member in my household so I can get a blind. Too many other places to hunt.
Thats why I hunt smaller water around feeding grounds, and thats where knowing local farmers comes into play. I can hunt my friends fields for free. Alot of strangers or "clubs" are asked to pay.
But no real malice involved here boys. Good luck at the drawings for both the controlled hunts and the State blinds!

Just remember guys, keep the public lands clean. Dont leave empty shell boxes and sandwich wrappers lay around.
Cya on the water!

[Darron]

We'll be at the Ceasars Creek draw to help my buddy get a blind. Everyone that goes there brings a group so we're bringing 5. We've been drawn in the top 5 now for 3 years in a row doing this, doesn't matter though, CC sucks! One group last year had 12 people in it and only 300 people show for the CC draw.

[mulf]

TDH,
The blind draws are always a fiasco. You can always count on at least 2 dogs fights, 10 guys without tags, and at least 1 guy screamin' "DRAKE... GIT BACK OVER HERE".

I don't have a problem with the way the blind draws are done. There's just not enough blinds to go around. At least you have to show up IN PERSON and have PROOF (Current or last years license and stamps) that you are a hunter. Not too many folks are going buy extra tags for non hunters at $19+$15.

The way the controlled hunts (Magee, Ottawa, etc)are drawn is completely different. Send the DNR 3 bucks per area. You can send in any name you want to as long as you put 3 bucks with it. You don't have to be a hunter. You could send in the name of your dead Great grandmother or your 1 year old kid and still get drawn. For 3 bucks a chance, why not.

You have to mail in your app to the State, it wouldn't be that much trouble to require a copy of your previous years tags to be eligible to draw. The only reason I can see that it's not done is the extra $$$ that the state gets for all these bogus names.

[Darron]

What I don't like is how you have to put in your SS # for the controlled hunts. It's none of their business. Giving out your SS# nowadays isn't the smartest thing to do. Just some food for thought. IMO the state can get rid of that column because some people are picky about giving that out.