Moose Hunting from a house boat

billbmcleod

billbmcleod

CGN frequent flyer
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Back very close to Bruce County
This year on our way home from moose hunting empty handed I noticed a house boat on a river that crossed Hwy 11 somewhere between Longlac and Cochrane on Oct.-22. It occurred to me some time later that this would be an enjoyable way to spend a few days cruising the river. Assuming there were not any dams or falls to stop you. Not like getting out on a frosty morning and sitting on a swamp but just as good as hunting from a F250 or an ATV. If you wanted to shoot something you might have to slip a blaze orange vest and hat on over your PJ's and jump in a canoe that is secured to the house boat with slip knots to take your shot after pulling the slip knots but it would be a different approach.
There is nothing saying you can't tie up somewhere and hunt the swamps and just use the houseboat for a floating and moveable camp. If it was properly insulated a good propane heater and a couple of 100#'s might do you the week. If you are one of the guys on that rig post us some pics.
 
You cannot have a loaded firearm on the houseboat or shoot from the houseboat or shoot from anything attached to the houseboat. You can as you say get into a canoe and untie it from the boat to take the shot, or you can beach the boat and get off to take the shot. It would be a comfortable way to hunt, but you would need a sizeable river with a good distance between obstructions (rapids or shoals)... and in my experience, spots like that are likely to receive significant hunting pressure and you will probably run into moose camps set up periodically along the shores.
 
Most people would have winterized and stored their houseboat by late October, freezing temps are not good for plumbing,engines, and pumps.
 
hoytcanon said:
You cannot have a loaded firearm on the houseboat or shoot from the houseboat or shoot from anything attached to the houseboat. You can as you say get into a canoe and untie it from the boat to take the shot, or you can beach the boat and get off to take the shot. It would be a comfortable way to hunt, but you would need a sizeable river with a good distance between obstructions (rapids or shoals)... and in my experience, spots like that are likely to receive significant hunting pressure and you will probably run into moose camps set up periodically along the shores.
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I took my first bull moose while sitting in the front of a canoe. It was rather challenging to get a good shot with the canoe moving down stream and bobbing around but thankfully it was in a calmer section so I managed to get on target. Then the work started and we had a long trip out with a very full canoe. I might be getting to old to do that again but I do like the houseboat idea!
 
kc34 said:
I took my first bull moose while sitting in the front of a canoe. It was rather challenging to get a good shot with the canoe moving down stream and bobbing around but thankfully it was in a calmer section so I managed to get on target. Then the work started and we had a long trip out with a very full canoe. I might be getting to old to do that again but I do like the houseboat idea!
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Maybe my age has something to do with the appeal.
 
I remember reading an article in OOD magazine years ago about moose hunting from a houseboat. They were on one of the larger lakes, Lac Seul, if I recall correctly. So the idea has merit.
 
A big advantage to using the houseboat is you can rig an A frame with a winch on the deck. When you shoot something you can simply beach the houseboat on shore near your kill then winch it onto your deck.
 
There used to be an outfitter near Thunder Bay that advertised moose hunts based from houseboats. I dont think they actually hunted from the boat though.
 
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