Sherburne WMA

Just a little FYI... Game wardens are now waiting at the launches on this wma(especially Section 120) and handing out tickets for entering the wma before 4 AM. I was always under the impression you could not launch before 4:00. but this is not the case. There will be no more blocking the boat launches and waiting for 4:00 to launch. Just trying to help some people out before you all get tickets.

Wear green pants and flash a mall security badge and they'll let ya launch before that though.

They were stopping boats by the Mandalay refuge a few weeks ago. Mainly targeting duck hunters.

Well they are getting super strict out at sherburne and checking you for everything. I've been hunting out there seven years and we have waited at the launches until 4 and never heard a word about it. Kind of thought that was the rule. I was wrong and they game warden let me know. Not even giving us a warning for during something that has became a normality and partially their fault for not enforcing those rules in the past.

Bummer about the ticket. I got hit for the same at Big Branch, despite having been told in years past by one of the game wardens who ticketed me that waiting at the boat launch was acceptable. There are a couple things (beyond the dent in my finances) that bug me about this approach. One, they'll likely enforce it only once or twice a year. Thus, the boat launch staging likely won't change for most hunters. For those who were cited and consequently choose to follow the law, their chances of ever getting a decent hole out there are even more unlikely than they already were. Two, where the hell are we supposed to stage? Public hunting only works well when there is a merit system ('first come, first serve') in place. We need a place, presumably off the refuge, to get in line. Until they find one and make it official, the gws are opening the door to all sorts of shenanigans, many of them likely dangerous (imagine the racing to the launch). It's not enough to destroy the old system. They need to replace it.

You are exactly right. There's not area designated to lining up or staging for the 4 am race to the launch. This will just make some other area congested and cause even more problems in the future if everyone does follow the rules. And yes I was told the same in the past by wardens that we just couldn't launch before 4:00. So what are you supposed to believe?? How is it fair to the honest hunters that try and follow rules and regulations of not being at the launch until 4 when hunters that are not as responsible for checking on the regulations will be out there at 3:00 and leaving the honest hunter no where to hunt because the wardens are not enforcing the rules enough. It's just kind of aggregating.

Gotta chime in on this one as I heard about the numerous violations handed out at the non-motorized boat launch in the Big Branch NWR(justifiably so since the rules state no entry before 4:00 am and I heard from reliable sources that ticketing started at 2:45 and stopped at around 4:00).What got my goat was that me and a die-hard launched my flat around 3:45(not entering the refuge before 4:00 as the launch not part of the refuge)and we entered the refuge at 4:10 almost on the dot and we got hit with at least 3 sets of Q Beams and there is no way possible that these folks followed the same rules as we did!!If de rules state no entry before 4:00 am,deal with it and move on!!By the way,just taking a little time to adequately and thoroughly scout some of the finest public duck hunting public property around might yield some glorious hunts with about zero pressure from inconsiderate 'hunters'!!

Who ever hunts sec 120 is flat out desperate for a punishment from all sides. i'll never go back. i'm doing 100 times better away from that hell hole. At least i get my undisturbed limit every hunt now.

Ha! I'm with you albino... I used to like it there but I enjoy getting to a parking lot at 4 and being the only one there better... And still kill ducks. Quick story about Sherb tho... Was about 2:30am and we were headed down happytown rd when we saw headlights coming. Ur thought process immediately tells you this isn't good. Only one person going to be headed out of the swamp at this time in the morning.. First truck passes us pulling an empty trailer, second truck stopped us and asked we were on e management so early.. I tell me you gotta be early if you want a spot lol.. He proceeds to tell us that u can't be on the management until after 4 yada yada yada.. I ask if he'd like for us to go wait at the end of bayou Manuel.. He says no, just go wait at the launch until legal time... So we make the corner on 120 thinking we'd just gotten lucky get to the boat launch and see 3-4 green pants getting into their sd. One made his way towards us and asked why we were at the launch so early..these guys must've forgotten their radios at home.. So we tell em we'd just talked to ol boy on the road and he said we could just hang out til 4 to launch.. He goes into the whole thing about not being on the property til 4 and all that good stuff but he soon jumps in the boat too and they head on their merry way. So we wait.. Wasn't very long after that we start seeing headlights coming down the road, was other groups of hunters headed to the local duck killin hole as well.. So we proceeded to inform them that there was a green pant sting operation going on that morning and that it was in their best interest to wait to launch til 4.. By 4:00 the lot was practically full of non ticketed hunters.. lol we'd told everyone hey we're back there waiting so not a single ticket was given that morning. Was my good deed for the year. I think they were wanting to nab a buddy of mine that'd built a jam up blind on the back hole on left side but they came away empty handed. Point is, even they don't know what they want you to do.. Where could you stage at? The check station? The turn to bayou Manuel rd? The launch? No matter the place you'll have an unsafe race to the launch to get there first because as we all know holes are few and far between there. And if you want a halfway decent one you've got to get there early and take your chances getting a ticket. My opinion on this subject st Sherb... They should let u get there whatever time you want bc if they really start cracking down they'll end up with drag races in the woods. It's not like let's just say Pearl River, where I got a ticket for getting there early before, that has wide open marsh with a hundred different potholes to hunt in. There are literally 7 huntable holes on the right side of 120.. Story time over kids

...anyone ever 'wonder' if the 'Great State' has 'Schemes and Scams'...cheers

Y'all are hitting the nail on the head!!! The new staging area turned in to the intersection of bayou Manuel Rd and whiskey bay highway. They blocked Manuel and it seemed like the drive back there was okay but once the boats launched people were trying to pass each other in the runs and if you ever been out there that extremely dangerous. If this keeps up you will see some people get hurt. What made me mad the most is the agent let some people go with no ticket thy morning and after I questioned him he tells me he was going to their homes to write citations after. Are you kidding me? I'm not a moron!!! If you are giving out tickets everyone deserves one that is there or no one gets one. I just asked for equality. #hunterslivesmatter

A buddy and I hunted the south farm Yestetday morning and I asked a warden there what the deal was with 120 and he said you can not turn off of 975 onto any road in the wma before 4am, which I agree is a horrible rule I hunt in section 120 out of my kayak I always wait for 4 am to launch but boat races back there and me in a kayak probably won't turn out in my favor.... We didn't fire a shot on the south farm neither did the group next to us, saw some groups real high that was it.