skyblasters are nearly always inexperienced hunters who think it is a legitimate shot in their own mind. they normally don't last but a season or two, soon to be replaced by the next batch. nothing you can do to stop them other than hunt where they arent willing to go

Last year was my first year to hunt and I hate to admit it but I shot many times at birds I know now where too high. So I think a lot of it is exspirence and people getting too excited

Some people think that they just have to get a bird and they will do whatever it might take (shooting early, skyblasting, shooting late) to do it. Got to get that street cred.

What some call skybusting others might not. I grew up where waterfowling is best in stormy weather, horizontal rain and 45mph winds. 45-50 yard shots with the wind behind them was the norm and the most sporting and entertaining shooting.
If I want to shoot things sitting still over 50 decoys, 20 yards out, I'll set up targets in my back yard.
Now in your eyes it might make you a good "hunter" if you can pull birds into your decoys, I can too. But the shooting is boring.

Welcome to Texas... where stormy, horizontal rain and 45mph wind with 50 yard shots is not how it is here as it was wherever you grew up. What you just described IS SKYBUSTING. 98% of duck hunters nationwide could not make the shot in the hunting scenario you just described. That makes it skybusting.

That's understandable. I know skybusters, we just used to call them marsh cowboys!
Enough seasons here under my belt and I'll be complaining like the rest of them. I'm certainly not advocating skybusting, nor am I saying those that are expert with a call, concealment and decoys spreads are crappy shots. Different things fit different people. I prefer challenging shooting. If that doesn't fit down here, then I'll fit with shooting them feet down. Getting like minded people into waterfowling that understand their actions affect everyone else's hunting is the challenge.
When something becomes accessible to all, it can go one of two ways. Skybusters are proof it doesn't always go the right way.
Most of all make sure you have a productive and safe hunt. Those guys may get to you but there's always another day and another season.

What range (in yards) defines "sky-blasting"? Asking for a friend...





...who shoots an extended long range choke with 3.5" 1-1/2oz #2's and rolls them up like a window shade at 70+yds like it's cool.

Skyblasting in my opinion is anything past where you consistently kill birds, or put birds on the ground in one shot. We all know cripples are unavoidable even with the best of intentions. Also taking in to account how the birds are working. Despite my previous posts on how I find different types of shooting enjoyable, everyone should be aiming to put birds in a range where they are clearly identifiable and killed cleanly.

So just out of interest, a guy that pass shoots birds at 30yrds that aren't necessarily working his decoys, is that skyblasting?
Is it different if there is no one out there but him and that 30yrd pass shot presents itself, compared to if there is someone 120yards down from him in the direction the birds are headed?

If you can consistently drop birds at a longer range then that range is not sky blasting that makes since. Even if the shooter can put steel on bird how many yrds will the steel penetrate to the vitals? What percentage of shots do you need to drop birds to make it not sky blasting? 25% 50% 75%? I can be a bad shoot at times and sky blasting for me is passed 40 yrds. I try for 25 to 30 yds.
If I've hit one that's still flying I'm going to keep trying to finish him if I have shells.

I see sky blasting as a Hail Mary. You might connect once a season.

Crossing shots beyond 40. Overhead shots beyond 50.

I hunt private now and shoot a more open choke with smaller shot. With my current setup I'd take 10 yards off what I stated above.

Distance is relative to your capability. I shoot 3 1/2" #2"s and consistantly kill birds at 60 yards. However, If birds are working my spread and have not cupped I may not shoot them even if they are within my capable range. Depends on the situation to be considered skyblasting, in my opinion.

I've gone goose hunting where we've taken some long shots. Is it sky blasting if 10 guys empty their guns at a flock and 1 bird falls? 30+ shots to get 1 bird seems like sky blasting to me.

And think of how many birds get pelleted and fly off to die

If not a stupid question what qualifies as consistently. Maybe better ask on a separate post. Within my 30 yrd comfort zone sometimes I don't drop as many as I think I should. A guess would be 50 to 80 percent. But I know my limited modified choke and 3" number 4s are extremely capable. I like Bluesea answer. Has anyone set a duck up at 70 yrds and checked if the pellets penetrate to the vitals? Are shots pass x amount of distance only going for head and wing shots? If so throwing steel that will only lodge into a ducks muscle seems cruel.

Imo when comparing the shooting abilities of the normal hunter and keeping it ethical for the resource most people shouldn't shoot past 30yds. Sure you killed that bird at 50yds, how many have you wounded in the process?

If your not shooting ducks, most of the time , 17-25 yards out, most of the time- your not really working at it.

Changing wind, stale birds, heavy clouds etc can Make birds difficult- but I was taught to actually hunt them and fool them completely.

Yea, why I don't hunt public- especially real popular lakes

Other than your last sentence, I don't understand your reply relates to my post.

my point is anyone can sky blast @ quackers- I consider getting birds to decoy within range the art of waterfowl hunting and harvesting birds

if they work in its just a bonus.. but if I can touch it im gona shoot it.... and im a good shot... and hunt with full choke.. just sayin

[quote=Navasot]if they work in its just a bonus.. but if I can touch it im gona shoot it.... and im a good shot... and hunt with full choke.. just sayin [/

yes, but most cant shoot a decoying duck let alone at 40-50 yards w any regularity- not speaking for myself, that is

Yesterday i had the wierdest experience here in kentucky. I was hunting a small pond with cattails, flooded oak all around it, an absolute death hole. But the catch was the ducks had to leave from dry feeding a cornfield 300 yds to my west that i did not have permission to hunt. They do the same thing everyday, leave the cornfield , some go to the river and some break off to swim around on my little pond. My morning was shattered with the volley from heckfire by other hunters that i didnt even know were there. By 10 am i had my limit of mallards and gads, thing is i only shot 3 birds, the other 3 were cripples that made it to my pond and sputtered around until they died. My first thought was holy crap why dont these rookies wait until these birds are in range or just stop shooting when they get out of range. I just knew this ordeal could be attributed to inexperience and poor shooting. Boy was i wrong, it turned out to be a lifelong buddy that had obtained permission the night before and knew that i would be at my pond. Ive been duck hunting for over 40 years, this gentleman took me to mississippi for my first duck hunt so hes definitely no rookie. He rarely misses but for some reason by his own admission the birds just wouldnt fall. I hate skyblasters as much as the next guy, but i know/have known a couple of guys thatade skyblast shots look routine. Most folks just arent capable to pull it off though

There's a lot to blame when it comes to it. Lack of education, respect for the birds and more likely lack of time in the field.

"Long range" chokes probably have a lot to answer for. Poor to average shooters blaming crippled birds on choke/shell combo, not their own shortcomings. They buy an extended range choke thinking it will allow them to do just that, in fact it's more than likely helping them miss by a greater margin.

Ask a "skyblaster" when you next come across one what shells he's shooting, what choke and when did he last take the time to pattern his chosen combo... I know what the answer will be.

Even better, ask them to pace out 35 yards.

I agree and that's the point I was making, it just didn't seem like you were agreeing with me. I was saying that, several times this year, I've had people setup so close to me that birds that were circling our spread were skyblasted by idiots that setup across a small corner of the same small lake. They were 80 yards away from the guys that shot at them as they were working and contemplating our spread. We were being patient and trying to get them to decoy for a ~20 yard shot.

A lot of good points here.