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State agency to debate 'roboducks'
Love 'em or hate 'em. When it comes to the use of motorized duck and goose decoys, there is little common ground among Washington waterfowl hunters.
And Aug. 3-4, the state Fish and Wildlife Commission enters the fray when it will consider a proposal to ban the use of battery-operated motion decoys while hunting waterfowl.
Don Kraege, state Department of Fish and Wildlife's waterfowl manager, said that while there is no conclusive evidence yet that the use of motorized decoys - such as "roboduck" and "motoduck" - are adversely effecting waterfowl populations, many states are examining their use.
However, there is little argument that mechanical decoys - which range from spinning disks to lifelike models - are gaining in popularity because many hunters believe the decoys give them an edge in attracting wary waterfowl.
Kraege said two ongoing studies in California, one by the state Department of Fish and Game and the other by the University of California at Davis, show some increases in harvests by hunters using motorized decoys.
"Although the biological evidence is not conclusive, the commission may choose to prohibit their use until it can be proven one way or the other," Kraege said.
If it were to be proved that certain duck populations are being adversely effected, hunters could see reduced hunting opportunities, he added.
Perhaps an equally important consideration for wildlife officials and sportsmen is the issue of ethics and fair chase.
"One side of the argument is that battery-operated decoys remove an element of fair chase," Kraege said.
In the past, rules have been enacted nationwide to outlaw baiting, the use of electronic calls and live decoys to give waterfowl a sporting chance and create a level playing field for hunters.
Steve Schultz, a longtime Pasco duck hunter, has mixed emotions over motorized decoys.
"They can be deadly effective on certain days - perhaps too deadly," he said.
"However, I can also see where they reduce the skills needed to be a successful duck hunter by taking away from learning how to call waterfowl well and how to properly set and use traditional decoys," he added.
Schultz said he doesn't care one way or the other if the state bans these decoys because doing so would make it fair for everybody involved in the sport.
So far, no state has banned motorized waterfowl decoys.
Pennsylvania outlaws moving decoys for all game birds, a rule prompted by battery-operated turkey decoys, Kraege said.
"It's going to be a tough decision because there are good arguments being made on both sides," he added.
If approved in August, the ban would be effective when the statewide waterfowling season opens Oct. 6.
Until the Wildlife Commission meets in Twisp, the state is seeking comments from hunters and has set up a questionnaire on the department's Web site at www.wa.gov/wdfw/wlm/surveys/decoysurvey.htm.
"We've been getting a lot of responses on this issue. We had about 300 comments the first few days the site was up, and we're still getting about 100 to 200 a day," he said.
Hunters unable to attend the meeting or without access to a computer can mail comments to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Program, 600 Capitol Way N, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 by July 25.
If you plan to attend the meeting, call the Fish and Wildlife Commission at 360-902-2267 for the time and location.
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