Duck Hunting?

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

SeaFaring

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2017
Messages
247
Reaction score
0
Location
Maryland
So, having moved to Maryland relatively recently, I’ve got it in my head that I want to try duck hunting.

One thing that gives me a bit of pause is that duck hunting boats seem even more specialized than fishing boats. I can whip up a diy blind without too much drama, but I’m wondering what else might be necessary beyond a modest spread of decoys and a secure spot for a shotgun.

Most of the boats I’ve seen that are used for duck hunting and fishing seem to veer towards the duck end of the specialization spectrum.

Does anyone have any thoughts on using a fishing boat (14’ Seafarer) to go for ducks? My hunting dog is a beagle, so I won’t be sending him into icy water after birds and won’t need a dog ladder or anything like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
SeaFaring said:
So, having moved to Maryland relatively recently, I’ve got it in my head that I want to try duck hunting.

One thing that gives me a bit of pause is that duck hunting boats seem even more specialized than fishing boats. I can whip up a diy blind without too much drama, but I’m wondering what else might be necessary beyond a modest spread of decoys and a secure spot for a shotgun.

Most of the boats I’ve seen that are used for duck hunting and fishing seem to veer towards the duck end of the specialization spectrum.

Does anyone have any thoughts on using a fishing boat (14’ Seafarer) to go for ducks? My hunting dog is a beagle, so I won’t be sending him into icy water after birds and won’t need a dog ladder or anything like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've got a house in south Jersey and see a bunch of different boats used for the hunt, As long as you don't mind making the larger blind required to mask your appearance the boat doesn't matter much. I see people using 8' long sneak boxes and one guy even uses a 16' pontoon boat at times, anchors up in a big creek and relaxes in style.
 
An_old_time_big_gunner_in_his_one_man_punt.jpg
You need one of these....
 
They have a nice set of punt and battery guns at the Chesapeake Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. Those things look bigger in person.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The biggest thing with duck boats is having a open floor. You have to have room for decoys, guns, gear and what not.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks! I have about as much open space as a 14’ semi v can have without cutting out seats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Honestly depending on if your hunting open water or flooded timber, that will dictate how many decoys you will have to be able to haul. In my opinion, I'd just use what you have and adapt to it. As long as you have a stable place to sit and have a place to set your guns so they won't fall out, go kill some ducks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Excellent, thanks! I think Maryland, especially the eastern shore, has just about any waterfowl environment you could ask for, so I’ll do some scouting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yea I live just south of you in Virginia Beach. I do a lot more hunting in the woods and creeks than open water so I mainly just hunt out of my kayak being that I only throw out about 5 decoys plus I can get into the skinny water that woodies like to hang out in


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You are absolutely right. There's not too many "do it all" tin boats anymore. Used to be that one or two brands were the go-to for both fishin' and waterfowling. Now, the duck boats are focused on (1) speed and (2) duck hunting in flooded timber. Havoc, Ambush, Edge, Excel are 4 of them right off the top of my head with the first 3 mainly focusing on duck hunting in woods. I have fished out of them and they aren't as stable nor comfortable for fishing as I'd have liked. But they're fast, and work real good in the "duck woods". I wanted something that would fish well, and if I wanted to go hunting, would hunt respectably. Picked up a war eagle in '12 and haven't looked back, but in my own defense I do not hunt much anymore, but I do fish a lake that is flooded timber year round, and there's times when I wish I had a different hull for getting back into those tight areas, but not often enough to justify buying a different boat. Not for what they cost. I make due just fine with what I have. Paid for, no debt, it does what I ask it to but I just need to remind myself from time to time that it's not a dedicated bounce-off-the-trees duck boat. And on that, it's my advice. Keep what you have and work with it if you can at least until the day comes when you've saved enough to buy something that you may like better.
 
richg99 said:
I haven't hunted in 60 years....but...

" so I won’t be sending him into icy water after birds"

How do you expect to get the ducks back after you shoot them?



That's what the boat's for.
 
richg99 said:
I haven't hunted in 60 years....but...

" so I won’t be sending him into icy water after birds"

How do you expect to get the ducks back after you shoot them?

Depending on the depth, boat, waders, or a canoe.

I have a soft spot for Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, but realistically I don’t have the time or skills to train one properly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've been hunting birds for years and my lab hasn't been with me once. I hunt out of a native slayer kayak. Super stable, plenty of room for gear and I built a folding blind for it. As for a boat, a trolling motor or a push pole should be just fine for picking up birds and decoys. Like mentioned above, use your boat for what you need. The more time you spend in it, the more you will realize what works best for you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Crazyboat said:
https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/891966-quack.html

Nice! That’s quite the rig!

It didn’t occur to me that hunting ducks from a boat might be illegal in some areas though. Glad to get that tip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Latest posts

Top