# Butler Island report.



## Golden BB (Nov 17, 2012)

How was the opener at the duck meca of Georgia?  Got drawn for next weekend and just curious how today went.


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## Dupree (Nov 17, 2012)

I hunted champney. Shooting started 7 minutes before legal hours. Some of the worst sky busting and crowds I've ever seen. Shooting started way early at butler too, but there wasnt much shpoting after legal hours started. A buddy got drawn and they only killed one teal.


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## Silver Bullet (Nov 17, 2012)

Wow!  That's rough.  You think that they would curb some of that early shooting over there.  It's opening day.  Surely they could post some LE guys out there to hand out some coupons.  It won't stop until they do...


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## rdnckrbby (Nov 17, 2012)

They just flooded it last week what do they expect?


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## CootCartel (Nov 17, 2012)

Last week. I heard they started Monday...  Hope those 6 priority points weren't wasted because of poor management...


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## Golden BB (Nov 17, 2012)

Wow, that sucks. Maybe they should use the helicopter and drive the fowl out of the surrounding areas.


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## CootCartel (Nov 17, 2012)

Apparently that didn't work well either. They might want to use the airboat and nets next time


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## hootee hoo (Nov 17, 2012)

Got drawn for next weekend also, sounds like it might be a wasted trip and wasted points.You rekon!


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## CootCartel (Nov 17, 2012)

Don't worry they have all next week to figure out a management plan....


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## rdnckrbby (Nov 17, 2012)

If I had wasted my points I would be raising $$$$!


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## The Fever (Nov 17, 2012)

I hunted champney too....a pile of South Carolina boys had a good time. Shot a few mallards and a widgeon. Mets some good boys and hunted with them. I think I may be done with champney. Too many fools with loaded weapons down there. Not many birds either. I wouldn't waste my time golden. All shooting was done at 8.


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## ICU2012 (Nov 17, 2012)

I think they should just drain all the other public land on Altamaha, that'll put some birds back in the mecca. Dont know if ya'll notice, but DNR has no clue what they're doing. they dont want to lower water levels in one area to attract puddle ducks cause then they wont be in the "mecca". they dont cut/burn/flood till a week before the opener, don't have all possible public land open and accessable (snipe ponds), dont have a law enforcement presence on public land, heck it's almost like they don't want to improve anything. i've ranted on here more than a few times about laws being broken and nothing being done. I've accepted the fact that Altamaha WMA is a free-for-all and you can do whatever you want (legal or not) cause DNR isnt going to be out there to catch you. in order to catch someone shooting before legal time, you have to be out there watching before legal time. in order to catch people running without lights, you have to be in the river watching. apparently that isnt in the job description for law enforcement any more...


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## mikelew (Nov 18, 2012)

Hunted champney, like fever said terrible, watched people shot and miss coots, not ducks.  one guy did connect on a 75 yard high shoveler, pretty impressive!  We hunted champney due to boat problems, but I think I'll spend the rest of the time hiding in the rivers, I always seem to forget what a cluster butler, Rhett's and champney can be, we duck hunter have such short memories!


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## CootCartel (Nov 18, 2012)

I was hoping for a wet duck season, but so far it wont be happening

any news from butler on the opener duck harvest???


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## Felton (Nov 18, 2012)

I talked to DNR today and he said he thought there was only 55 birds killed in Butler. He said he was not postitive on that number. 

Now a couple weeks ago I talked to DNR and they said that they had planned on burning in Champney that week but it was around the time the hurricane came though and we had a lot of high winds that would have pushed it right back on 95.

Last week I talked to DNR and asked if they were going to put more water in Champney, it seemed low. Long story short theres 6 more inches in there now than when we looked a week ago. So I may have caused the higher water in Champney I apologize.


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## CootCartel (Nov 18, 2012)

55???? Wow.... Guess that's another record breaker!


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## Dupree (Nov 18, 2012)

55/30= not worth 5 years of points. 

Felton since u talk to DNR tell him water in the snipe ponds would be nice.


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## The Fever (Nov 18, 2012)

mikelew said:


> Hunted champney, like fever said terrible, watched people shot and miss coots, not ducks.  one guy did connect on a 75 yard high shoveler, pretty impressive!  We hunted champney due to boat problems, but I think I'll spend the rest of the time hiding in the rivers, I always seem to forget what a cluster butler, Rhett's and champney can be, we duck hunter have such short memories!



Hahahahaha I saw that shot too! He tried the same thing on a sky high grey and didn't have a good result.


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## Felton (Nov 18, 2012)

hey


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## Dupree (Nov 18, 2012)

Well I did the math per blind. Every blind may not have had 3 people. I drive through there every day, so I see what they have been doing. Don't know which snipe pond is which, but they mowed one of the around the first week of November but never did anything after that. The excavator sitting out there only gets run once every week or so. I'd run it for then and finish if I knew it would mean that they would put some water in there. As crowded as champney was Saturday it would be nice to have more water to spread the crowds out over a larger area.


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## Felton (Nov 18, 2012)

Yeah I was just trying to make the ratio look really bad. 

It would be nice to do a volunteer work day but I am sure there are liabilities that they are not willing to risk. It sure couldn't be any more dangerous than hunting Champney opening day.

We had some guys sneak up withing 30 yards of us right befor daylight. We went out of our way to get away from the crowd and had done a pretty good job until they showed up.


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## Dupree (Nov 18, 2012)

It's bad even at less than 2 birds per blind. Some folks wait 5 years to kill 1 duck?!?!?  I guess it's not DNR employees to blame, I'm sure they are doing all they can with the time and fuel that they can. I know that big excavator they are running will suck some diesel down, just wish they could finish whatever needs to be done so thy could flood it. I know they didn't start working on it until August. Whatever needed to be done could have been worked on periodically between February and September and not affected any duck seasons, but like most things, it seems as if it was put off until last minute then not finished in time.


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## CootCartel (Nov 18, 2012)

sounds like y'all are screwed this year.. good luck with the crowds


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## blackduck (Nov 19, 2012)

I hunted Butler and I can tell you it was awful. When we left there was only two more blinds to be picked up. At that point we had 6 birds and was high blind according to the guy doing the count. That is a far cry away from the 400 bird average from the past few years. Why would you not have the waterfowl areas ready in September and October when birds start moving down? 5 points wasted!


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## king killer delete (Nov 19, 2012)

Its the only duck place on the coast. What do you expect. Been that way since I first hunted it in 1978.


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## woodsnwater24/7 (Nov 19, 2012)

We have been hunting this place for the past 20 years and UP until about 5 years ago you could get drawn for an opening day hunt and kill 3 limits of birds with no problems. 

I personally think they have a group of people running this hunt that dont care about waterfowl or the hunters for that matter.  I got drawn this time and it just looked to me like the DNR had not planted anything and had done minimal work to get this place ready for waterfowl.


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## WTRFOWLHUNTER (Nov 19, 2012)

Hunted Butler sat. All I can say is used 5 points, drove 4 hours, drew blind 4, shot 2 times out of spite at high woodies, killed 0.


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## bowhunter835 (Nov 19, 2012)

We hunted Butler and it was SLOW! We killed 7 Ducks and had the high blind. Shooting was completely over by 7:30.


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## CootCartel (Nov 19, 2012)

blind 4 was a quota?.. good lord that was a mistake. hate it for you guys, I know the hunt wasn't worth all the time and money.The DNR down there has new management, so he may need some time to get the kinks worked out.


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## The Fever (Nov 19, 2012)

CootCartel said:


> blind 4 was a quota?.. good lord that was a mistake. hate it for you guys, I know the hunt wasn't worth all the time and money.The DNR down there has new management, so he may need some time to get the kinks worked out.



Yeah give him a little while and I bet there will be some improvements. On another note when are we going hunting cartel?


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## Skyjacker (Nov 19, 2012)

Felton said:


> I talked to DNR today and he said he thought there was only 55 birds killed in Butler. He said he was not postitive on that number.
> 
> Now a couple weeks ago I talked to DNR and they said that they had planned on burning in Champney that week but it was around the time the hurricane came though and we had a lot of high winds that would have pushed it right back on 95.
> 
> Last week I talked to DNR and asked if they were going to put more water in Champney, it seemed low. Long story short theres 6 more inches in there now than when we looked a week ago. So I may have caused the higher water in Champney I apologize.



They were burning a week before the season started.


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## CootCartel (Nov 19, 2012)

when are you not working fever??


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## The Fever (Nov 19, 2012)

CootCartel said:


> when are you not working fever??



These days hardly do I not work. I will get with you soon and let you know if I can get some time off. I was looking to run into you this week at the boat ramp. I was helping my buddy put his boat in.


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## CootCartel (Nov 19, 2012)

I am kinda sneaky during the opener...you never know when I might show up. got one of those submarine mud boats


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## The Fever (Nov 19, 2012)

CootCartel said:


> I am kinda sneaky during the opener...you never know when I might show up. got one of those submarine mud boats



I may have to take a apprenticeship under you and learn the ways of a duck jedi master....I have put off getting my boat set up but now its a top priority after this past weekend...


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## CootCartel (Nov 19, 2012)

I am no duck master, just the boat cook, a good shell waster, and a passenger ejection specialist...


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## The Fever (Nov 19, 2012)

CootCartel said:


> I am no master, just the boat cook, and a good shell waster....



ha I can eat hearty and would be more than willing to bring some shells to burn....ill get with ya soon


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## hootee hoo (Nov 19, 2012)

From reading these post on the Butler Hunt, I'm getting the impression I might want to save my 4 hr drive, hotel exspense and take my points as a loss for this coming weekend quota hunt!


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## SigEp614 (Nov 19, 2012)

hootee hoo said:


> From reading these post on the Butler Hunt, I'm getting the impression I might want to save my 4 hr drive, hotel exspense and take my points as a loss for this coming weekend quota hunt!



I would. Save that money and go west


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## Golden BB (Nov 20, 2012)

hootee hoo said:


> From reading these post on the Butler Hunt, I'm getting the impression I might want to save my 4 hr drive, hotel exspense and take my points as a loss for this coming weekend quota hunt!



As am I.


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## Golden BB (Nov 20, 2012)

CootCartel said:


> I am no duck master, just the boat cook, a good shell waster, and a passenger ejection specialist...



And a fine boat cook at that sir.


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## andyparm (Nov 20, 2012)

hootee hoo said:


> From reading these post on the Butler Hunt, I'm getting the impression I might want to save my 4 hr drive, hotel exspense and take my points as a loss for this coming weekend quota hunt!



I'm a firm believer in 'ya never know unless you go' but 55 birds on opening morning is as bad as it gets. We tried for stand-by that morning and I was thankful not to have been drawn!

4hr drive, hotel, meals, and all that other walmart money you'll spend would be better utilized on a ticket to the SEC championship game. GO DAWGS!!


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## Duck Punisher (Nov 20, 2012)

I was @ the butler island station arounf 1pm sat when all the guys were in there talking about the hunts and reports, and the final number was 67 birds killed, and 7 was the most killed in one blind. they also got a report from NC while we were talking, and they said all the birds is @ Pimlico sound in NC.


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## Duck Punisher (Nov 20, 2012)

Us carolina boys did hunt champney, and had a good time scouting and hanging out, and we didn't do bad considering there were 100 ppl in a 5 acre clearing. after all the sky busters and coot killers left the ducks worked right on in. Killed drake mallerd, widgeon, 2 shouvlers, 2 bwteal, 2 gwteal, wooduck, and a merg.


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## The Fever (Nov 20, 2012)

Duck Punisher said:


> Us carolina boys did hunt champney, and had a good time scouting and hanging out, and we didn't do bad considering there were 100 ppl in a 5 acre clearing. after all the sky busters and coot killers left the ducks worked right on in. Killed drake mallerd, widgeon, 2 shouvlers, 2 bwteal, 2 gwteal, wooduck, and a merg.



They were piling in on y'all. Tommy Shawn and I had to handle a guy that set up 50 yards behind us and set up facing our backs to shoot.


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## grunter (Nov 20, 2012)

I did good on altamaha, hunted an impoundment right across the river from the ramp. didn't have anyone within 300 yards, and killed some good ducks. 2 pintails, a drake mallard , 2 wigeon and a redhead. best part was i climbed up one of those observation towers when we were done and watched everyone else. still don't know why no one else was hunting near by, everyone else was across the river to the east


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## Dupree (Nov 20, 2012)

Duck Punisher said:


> Us carolina boys did hunt champney, and had a good time scouting and hanging out, and we didn't do bad considering there were 100 ppl in a 5 acre clearing. after all the sky busters and coot killers left the ducks worked right on in. Killed drake mallerd, widgeon, 2 shouvlers, 2 bwteal, 2 gwteal, wooduck, and a merg.



For future reference in Georgia you aren't supposed to block a closed gate on public land. It in the regulations as well as the no parking sign on the barrel between y'all's trucks and the gate.


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## ICU2012 (Nov 20, 2012)

Duck Punisher said:


> Us carolina boys did hunt champney, and had a good time scouting and hanging out, and we didn't do bad considering there were 100 ppl in a 5 acre clearing. after all the sky busters and coot killers left the ducks worked right on in. Killed drake mallerd, widgeon, 2 shouvlers, 2 bwteal, 2 gwteal, wooduck, and a merg.





know why you don't tell the world what you shoot? cause myself and every other guy within 30 miles is goin to scout champney  and be there every day its open now that we know there's ducks in there. thanks for the report


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## bowhunter835 (Nov 20, 2012)

ICU2012 said:


> know why you don't tell the world what you shoot? cause myself and every other guy within 30 miles is goin to scout champney  and be there every day its open now that we know there's ducks in there. thanks for the report[/QUOTE
> 
> 
> Aren't there always ducks in there? You don't need a report to tell you that. In fact, most reports are saying it's not good. Always gotta be someone on these forums...


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## GSURugger (Nov 20, 2012)

Golden BB said:


> And a fine boat cook at that sir.



Mmmmm...bacon


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## CootCartel (Nov 20, 2012)

It does a body good!!


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## andyparm (Nov 20, 2012)

I would definitely hunt Champney a lot. Best way to meet other hunters. Just set up in a good looking spot and you'll find plenty of conversation!! #%*&@^%$!!!


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## Dupree (Nov 20, 2012)

Anybody else hear the guy holler when someone sky busted the ducks coming toward there spread and promptly get told to "shut the explicit up!"?


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## grunter (Nov 20, 2012)

no, there arent ALWAYS mallards and wigeon in west champney. that's enough incentive for me and apparently ICU to look a little closer at it. if it just had spoonies and ringnecks in it, I wouldnt care. that's fairly normal. of course last time I looked, the water was chest deep and it was thick as heck. but that was 2 months ago.

I believe ICU was trying to say, "if you dont want the crowds to grow, then dont come on here bragging about good ducks you kill and tell everyone exactly where you were at." cause next weekend when there's 40 more guys trying to get in there and skybustin everything in sight, they have no one to blame but themselves


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## CootCartel (Nov 20, 2012)

Been there, done that... Ruined that place


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## Golden BB (Nov 20, 2012)

I will be wherever the bacon is, just saying,


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## GSURugger (Nov 20, 2012)

Golden BB said:


> I will be wherever the bacon is, just saying,



That's the best part


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## Duckman87 (Nov 29, 2012)

It has taken me a while to respond to this because it really irked me and I was going to give it time to simmer down. I hunted opening weekend at Butler and was appalled at what I witnessed. I like how everyone who shows up has a chance to get in instead of those guys who show up at 2am to take all the chips and ruin the hunt with false numbers and I like how they check all the licenses of the hunters before they are allowed to hunt. What I didn't like is how they did not fill the impoundment until 3 days before the season. I didn't like wasting 5 years of priority points to kill 2 birds. I kept an eye on Champney the weeks before opening day and it wasn't filled until the wednesday before. 2-3 days is not adequate time for the birds to pattern into the impoundments. Obviously whoever is in charge of the WATERFOWL management area cares nothing about hunters actually having success in his management area. tax dollars well spent. 

sorry for the rant
-duckman


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## The Fever (Nov 29, 2012)

Duckman87 said:


> It has taken me a while to respond to this because it really irked me and I was going to give it time to simmer down. I hunted opening weekend at Butler and was appalled at what I witnessed. I like how everyone who shows up has a chance to get in instead of those guys who show up at 2am to take all the chips and ruin the hunt with false numbers and I like how they check all the licenses of the hunters before they are allowed to hunt. What I didn't like is how they did not fill the impoundment until 3 days before the season. I didn't like wasting 5 years of priority points to kill 2 birds. I kept an eye on Champney the weeks before opening day and it wasn't filled until the wednesday before. 2-3 days is not adequate time for the birds to pattern into the impoundments. Obviously whoever is in charge of the WATERFOWL management area cares nothing about hunters actually having success in his management area. tax dollars well spent.
> 
> sorry for the rant
> -duckman



You should have been hunting with me boss man....the following wednesday that is....


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## andyparm (Nov 30, 2012)

Duckman87 said:


> It has taken me a while to respond to this because it really irked me and I was going to give it time to simmer down. I hunted opening weekend at Butler and was appalled at what I witnessed. I like how everyone who shows up has a chance to get in instead of those guys who show up at 2am to take all the chips and ruin the hunt with false numbers and I like how they check all the licenses of the hunters before they are allowed to hunt. What I didn't like is how they did not fill the impoundment until 3 days before the season. I didn't like wasting 5 years of priority points to kill 2 birds. I kept an eye on Champney the weeks before opening day and it wasn't filled until the wednesday before. 2-3 days is not adequate time for the birds to pattern into the impoundments. Obviously whoever is in charge of the WATERFOWL management area cares nothing about hunters actually having success in his management area. tax dollars well spent.
> 
> sorry for the rant
> -duckman



Totally agree with this. It is sad that they care so little about the success of the hunters. People spend all their priority points time and money to come to Butler and basically get skunked. Or you drive from where ever you live miss a chance at Butler and try to go into Champney only to find that it's overcrowded with few birds.

I went to Champney several times in the weeks leading up to the opener just to see it bone dry. I called the DNR office 3 times and called the ATL headquarters as well. No one would take my call. 

This is exactly why we need to get together and form a group that focuses on these issues and resolves them. Obviously the DNR and DU aren't going to do it for us.


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## CootCartel (Nov 30, 2012)

Hope they get it together for the second split..


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## The Fever (Nov 30, 2012)

andyparm said:


> Totally agree with this. It is sad that they care so little about the success of the hunters. People spend all their priority points time and money to come to Butler and basically get skunked. Or you drive from where ever you live miss a chance at Butler and try to go into Champney only to find that it's overcrowded with few birds.
> 
> I went to Champney several times in the weeks leading up to the opener just to see it bone dry. I called the DNR office 3 times and called the ATL headquarters as well. No one would take my call.
> 
> This is exactly why we need to get together and form a group that focuses on these issues and resolves them. Obviously the DNR and DU aren't going to do it for us.



What we need to do is take back the control as the patrons of the DNR. We pay the taxes that fund the state  government, that is our land, and they need to remember that they are blessed with a chance to serve their community and realize they are not doing that.


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## rifleroom (Nov 30, 2012)

I hunted Butler this past weekend and we limited out. 15 teal one pintail, one woody and one shoveler. Hunted near the Liqour still.


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## The Fever (Nov 30, 2012)

rifleroom said:


> I hunted Butler this past weekend and we limited out. 15 teal one pintail, one woody and one shoveler. Hunted near the Liqour still.



If I give you a couple bucks will you buy a lotto ticket for me...thats some real luck there


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## CootCartel (Dec 1, 2012)

It was all of that corn mash that made the ducks flock too ya...   Congrats on a fine butler hunt


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## PaulD (Dec 1, 2012)

I really wish this thread would get deleted. It's turned into drivel and isn't doing anyone or any area, any good. It needs to go bye bye


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## grunter (Dec 3, 2012)

This is a great thread PaulD! Heck i had a fantastic hunt on butler last weekend. killed 3 limits by 8:00. 6 pintails, 4 redheads, 3 drakes blackducks, and 5 mallards. see? awesome thread


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## CootCartel (Dec 3, 2012)

That was you doing all that shooting... I didn't see a duck to shoot at.. got to be that corn mash!!


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## Dupree (Dec 4, 2012)

Wasn't it by the liquor still where the shooting began about 10 minutes early and was non stop all morning. I saw ducks in the stratosphere getting shot at.


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## CootCartel (Dec 5, 2012)

Most likely!!


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## rifleroom (Dec 12, 2012)

yes that early shooting was near the still, and yes they were skybusting, and There were two guys from McDuffie County sitting in the exact area that all that was coming from. Not many people who shoot into the stratosphere limit out either.


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## rdnckrbby (Dec 12, 2012)

That whole area is as dead as I've ever seen it. No cold weather to speak of. Wouldn't waste my time


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