Will - From personal experience in 3 flyways is why I feel that way. I do not own any spin/robot decoys, but have hunted with those that do. They toll "Dark Ducks" very well and hunters can get some great shooting well before they can ID the birds. The one Pintail limit this season could be a issue for such gunning.
I agree mentoring has a major role and also the NY Waterfowl ID course. Well worth it even for us old timers. The learning curve never ends.
What does concern me is the killem at all cost mind set and that waterfowl are the enemy. Hunters geared up like a Swat team to kill limits, and ads that contribute to that.
Do I believe it is all young and not so young hunters? Absolutely not, but a segment of our community are. Our enforcement officers are already stretched to their limits, and thank goodness for facebook braggers.
The public area that I mentioned in my post was in the Mississippi Flyway. Of all the boats in our group only our boat did not have spin wing, robot decoys. We had baskets of my hand carved decoys.
Most of the other hunters came over to our boat and asked if we were really gonna hunt over those decoys, and that without spinners we would get squat. They were correct, as the first 10min. was the spin wing barrage for the day, and no birds returned until after we had to leave.
The correlation is, that when Dark Ducks are pouring in (and folks know it's their best or only chance) $hit happens and it's let God, or the law sort em out.
Patience is key to good sportsmanship, and is in short supply in some folks today.
We have ALL made duck ID mistakes. With some of today's methods of hunting it is easier than ever. Those that make and enforce the laws are well aware of that.