hmm I like it. Grew up hunting SW Iowa and then spent 5 years hunting N Central Kansas before living down here for 10 years now. I think the same duck hunter exists everywhere, with one added group around DFW. Nowhere in Salina, KS or Riverton, IA do you find a guy that went out at shops at Legacy until 2, took off his affliction shirt to drive home his tricked out BMW, then decided to show up at 6 the next morning stomping around looking for a place to hunt. DFW is such a superficial place in general that a decent amount of the population of hunters just doesn't know any different. Probably why most of the 'barneys' people encounter are identifiable by their flatbills, barrel stickers, general lack of respect and even their vehicles. They don't know any different because it's the way the rest of life in the city is. If you outwardly represent success it must be good right?

Back home we always had to watch out for the guy in the 82 chevy Silverado with the jon boat sticking out the back of it fueling up at 2am in his jeans and wader jacket. That guy was going to kill some ducks. And probably would have a coffee with you and chat for 30 minutes if you wanted.

Nice! I'm as traditional as it gets, but I do have a couple stickers on my guns. Kinda have too, but won't do a flat bill... Lol

The only sticker you will see on my guns is a piece of one cut to fit over a nickel plated bolt so I would have something that the krylon spray paint would stick to.

I'm on a poorly managed lease. One day last year, showed up, just me and the dog, and noticed a headlamp across the water. Went over there to tell the guys I was hunting single, and asked where they wanted me to set up to stay out of the way. They invited me to hunt with them, and made a great friendship out of it. Met some more folks from them, and developed a decent sized group of guys to hunt with. I really didn't think anything about it until months later, but I was just trying to be courteous and it turned out great for several people.

Pretty much said it all right there.

There are a ton of pub spots that have significant numbers of birds and the opportunity to have a hunt you'll never forget. Get out, scout, and find them. And don't get butt sore if someone isn't willing to hand over their hard work to someone that hasn't earned it.

Granted, all online communities are built on a foundation of sharing. But there are limits to what people will/should share, particularly when it comes to hunting pub. Fortunately, most folks aren't able to put in the time and effort to scout nor are they naive enough to post it online when they find a honey hole.

Hunting pub, I've seen more irresponsible hunters the past 10 years than the previous 20. Not just Texas but in other states. And I rarely saw a DU sticker until DD and Walmart started pitching DD merchandise. 10 years ago, Academy didn't even have decoys on the shelf. Now, hunting is being pitched to folks like golfing or bass fishing.

This exactly. I'm new to the states, new to Texas but seasoned to duck hunting. Knowing where, how, who and what to start off public hunting is a huge battle. I was going to post a while back and see who would show me the ropes somewhere, but after reading posts where guys get shot down, accused of trying to arm chair scout or steal someone's spot... Makes you think twice about asking for help.
Now if I head out on my own, I would be hunting legally, but there's potential I'll be getting one getting on people's nerves because no one introduced taught me the correct etiquette.

I've pondered how the state can get more land for hunters. Maybe operate a lottery/draw type system or modify the public hunting permit. Land owners could enter the system and receive property tax reductions. That would solve the problem of the state/tpwd not having the funds up front to lease from land owners.

Handling logistics and dealing with insurance companies would be the issues.

To all of you that are already taking youngsters & newbies out, hats off to ya. I try to do it as often as I can too. Here's my .02 & take it for what it's worth. From an outsiders perspective, a lot of Texans seem to be lacking that famous "southern hospitality" when it comes to hunting. I've made some great hunting buds since I moved down here, but a lot of people are just down-right ornery about this sport. A lot of guys have pretty strong opinions about how Barney should hunt, but all ya do about it is pi$$ & moan. Don't use "my" blind on public land. Don't skyblast. Don't call too much. Dont show up late to the lake & scare "my" ducks. How's about confronting them at the ramp when ya see em & just shoot the bull with em for a while? Ask how their hunt went. Compliment em on something they're doing right first. When they tell ya they only had long shots, birds werent responding to their calls, etc, share some tips with em. Don't be snarky about it. Shoot, get a name & phone number & ask if they wanna hook up some time so you can show em some tricks. Most people will respond really well to positive criticsm, but they're gonna dig their heels in if you get in their face.

One other thing and I'll be done. It sounds like a lot of you have tried to be nice & got burned, so you just said screw it, I'm gonna be a jerk now. Apparently y'all haven't learned by now that some people are jerks. I'm still learning that too I guess. I'll usually get real mad for a day or two then chill out, but we gotta learn to not let this stuff bother us or we're just letting these people ruin something we're all passionate about. There's no changing that. Shake it off, enjoy the sunrise & start fresh the next day. Life could be worse

I can't stand the term barnie either. I'm no expert duck hunter but I enjoy it just the same as anyone else. I'm 100 percent self taught by either trial and error or reading about it. Ive been hunting strictly public at least 3 to 4 times a week for the last five to Six years and have yet to have a hunt ruined by anyone. I hunt mostly alone or wih my dad. I know I have not ruined anyone else's hunt in the short time I've been a duck hunter. If someone sets up near me I just make the best of it and enjoy my hunt. I have just as much fun if I shoot any birds or not. It's all about being outside.

One thing I've noticed is that duck hunters seem to be the rudest, self centered, inconsiderate group of hunters I've met. Minus a few of course. I've run into a number of really nice guys at trail heads and boat ramps that were very friendly and even told where they hunted and how they did. Odly enough many of these nice hunters tend to be the guys y'all refer to as barnies......Go figure. Just yesterday while out scouting I ran I to a guy at the ramp with his fancy mud boat and his ducks unlimited jacket. He told me he had already scouted the area I was going to check and he saw very few birds there. I knew better than to trust him so I went and checked myself and found an excellent number of birds. On opening morning a had a group in ther fancy boat blind pitch a fit because I was in the spot they had already scouted. It prob never I occurred to them that I did my scouting too. I arrived in the spot around 3:30 and they waited til it was already getting light. In my opinion people like that are every much a Barney as a brand new hunter, a sky buster, etc.

It bothers me that so many bird hunters here in tx..most prob think of themselves as experts, leave their shotgun shells and trash all over their public spots. They leave their blinds on public areas who's rules state they must be removed, and they cut live vegetation when the rules say you can't.

So many on this forum gripe and complain about everyone else but themselves. People get bashed for naming lakes, asking for help, making comments, etc. it's really been kind of sad to see over the past six years I've been lurking on here with occasional posts how many of the self proclaimed duck experts bash the barnies as you call them. In my opinion those who do the barnie bashing are in fact the barnies themselves. And many of them have been the same ones year after year on here. They are just showing their true colors.

There are indeed a good group of guys on here, who have on occasion messaged me with good advice and helpful tips. Thanks for those of you who have done this. If you are one that don't do the things I mentioned above then thanks to you as well.

Duck hunting is a great sport but there really is no room for for idiotic selfish behavior in my opinion. It's public land for everyone to enjoy. Not just you!

The chickens have come home to roost and ya'll are surprised? For years all you Topwaters have advocated welcoming new Topwaters into the sport with open arms. Well, here ya go....now you gotta live with the results.

I read all this garbage and laugh my azz off at reports of boat ramps and walk in areas covered in vehicles at midnight before the openers. Ya'll can thank each other and Duck Dynasty.

I don't hunt public anymore cause I saw the handwriting on the wall years ago. I'm wealthy enough to own my own flooded bottomlands and kill Piles-O-Mallards.

All you poor dum Topwaters have fun now ya hear. Ya'll made your bed, now lay in it.

Wonder how you would have faired if the person who first introduced you to this great activity would have felt like you do?

When did duck hunters get so sensitive?

i think you pretty much reinforce my point!

Happy to help spacemonkey. Good job making the Internet a kinder gentler place.

This is my first year to duck hunt. I don't watch DD or the DC videos, but I work around alot of guys that have duck hunted for years. Hearing them talk about it really got me excited about going. I have gotten alot of help from them and on here also. Due to my work schedule I am able to go out during the week when all the rest of the hunters are at work. So worrying about jacking things up for someone else is not really a concern for me.

What I have seen is a bunch of rookie hazing and then the worst of it is what all of these same guys complain about.. a sense of entitlement. That attitude of "I have been doing this for years and I shouldn't have to deal with the new guys." From the posts about have a guy go to the flashing strobe on Ray Roberts to waiting until 30 minutes AFTER sunrise to shoot, some of this is good-natured ribbing, but alot of guys are so scared that someone will get "their" honey hole that they will intentionally sabotage others to protect what they feel is their hunting grounds.

Growing up we all helped each other. We would pass on what we saw and where we saw it in order to help others have a good hunt. I have alot of guys tell me, "yeah this is a good spot, set up this way" or "no this won't won't, because of this or that".

I venture to say that alot of this comes down to pure bad sportsmanship. These folks were raised to look out for themselves. By acting like a bunch of idiots, they are going to make it harder on everyone and not allow duck hunting to get the support and backing that it needs to continue to be enjoyable and promote proper conservation to allow future generations to hunt.

And to all these guys that bash the new guys. I hope that in the course of badmouthing them and treating them poorly, you motivate them to get out earlier every day and you travel to "YOUR SPOT" and find a Barney already setup.


As Dennis Miller said, "Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong"



Another Barney signing off...

It seems there are more hunters out during the week now than on weekends.

When I spend countless hours and hundreds if not thousands of bucks in gas finding ducks, I prefer not to invite everyone I DON'T know to go there. Maybe I'm crazy like that. You know, not wanting it to get shot out.

There's a difference between keeping your mouth shut and being an ahole to people. Just cuz I ain't handing out the places I hunt doesn't mean I hate anyone. If somebody gets my plan A spot, good on them. I'm not gonna setup on them or cuss them, just move on the plan B or C.

Post up a full strap and where you hunt on here, you'll learn.

If it's a hostile environment, go somewhere else. I mean if you absolutely cannot talk sense into people, move on. I am seeing a lot of lakes in the DFW area named and argued over, but I assure you that there is better public places within an hour south and/or east of DFW.

Jut a bunch or guys from rural Texas out there enjoying the time spent on the water. I'll gladly share some good spots with those of you that have had it in the metroplex.

I have hunted almost every lake from Conroe to the Red River. DFW lakes are not even in my top 5.

Why do you have to?

Told certain companies I would for certain deals that I get. I take a lot of people hunting every year and it is advertising. I got stickers on different equipment that I have. Don't get huge deals, but anything helps when the tab is in the thousands every year...

They would have to give me the gun and $50000 a season to put some sticker on my muskit

I bet you see some good ones on clients guns throughout the season. My favorite that I saw last year at the ramp was "$ stackin' bills $" in lime green with a matching sticker across the entire back windshield of his truck.