12ga from a canoe

I've hunted ducks from a canoe for years with no issues. I have a tip for Jay about the dropped paddle. I tie a line to the paddle where it's not in the way and attach it to the seat of my canoe. After I shoot the ducks (or miss them as happens more often than I like) I just pull in the paddle.
 
Ontario Hillbilly said:
I am thinking of using my canoe for duck hunting this year, my canoe is fairly narrow and tippy. Does anyone have experience firing a shotgun from a canoe? Will it upset the balance enough to possibly flip? I was thinking of experimenting with a cheap beater shotgun first, with a tether so I don't lose it in the event of capsizing.
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C'mon out west. I can show you where my fathers old goose gun is he lent me :). Well approximately where it is, im sure it hasn't gone far in 30 some years. Me and my cousin, decided to both discharge off the port side at once, plus he let both barrels go at once. Apparently his grip was better then mine as he still has his shotgun. On the plus side I did get the opportunity to purchase my father a nice new shotgun
 
I shoot 3.5" out of a 12' sportspal all the time - no tippiness to speak of associated with the shooting (recoil) itself, but you gotta keep your swing and other vigorous movements to a reasonable level of course. We usually shoot straight over the bow, taking turns in the "shooting seat" with the other guy paddling (legal here in Nova Scotia because no motor). Very effective and loads of fun, especially when we're between dogs or the dog is on the injured list etc...
 
I've been hunting and shooting from canoes for over 40 years... shotguns, rifles and bows... I have dragged and paddled through some God-awful swamps... up creeks, over beaver dams... through flooded timber, moving water, rapids and every conceivable place you can get a canoe... I have NEVER tipped while hunting or shooting. I have tipped canoes dozens of times when whitewater canoeing, but that's a different story...
 
hoytcanon said:
I've been hunting and shooting from canoes for over 40 years... shotguns, rifles and bows... I have dragged and paddled through some God-awful swamps... up creeks, over beaver dams... through flooded timber, moving water, rapids and every conceivable place you can get a canoe... I have NEVER tipped while hunting or shooting. I have tipped canoes dozens of times when whitewater canoeing, but that's a different story...
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That is what I love about canoes, they will take you places that most other vehicles will not. I have a few hidden camping spots that have the potential to be great for hunting, as not many people ever get to them. That said; I wouldn't want to portage a deer out from my favourite camp site.
 
Check out this Cree hunter from his canoe. As a long-time canoeist, I nearly #### when I first saw this, conducted in late fall conditions, since a dump in that water could be fatal. Scene starts at minute 13:25 of film. (Be patient, may take a long time to load.).

Cree Hunters of Mistassini http://www.nfb.ca/film/cree_hunters/
 
Ontario Hillbilly said:
That is what I love about canoes, they will take you places that most other vehicles will not. I have a few hidden camping spots that have the potential to be great for hunting, as not many people ever get to them. That said; I wouldn't want to portage a deer out from my favourite camp site.
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I have hauled out deer, moose and bear by canoe dozens of times... I can only remember a hand full of times that DIDN'T include two or three portages... A few bulls we have taken out in one piece... Hooves, horns, hide and all...The areas we hunt are remote... The reason I love canoeing so much is that it allows me to access areas where I won't see people... There is nothing that I like less than bumping into people when hunting or having to pattern game around the unknown movements of other forest users...
 
peterf said:
I've hunted ducks from a canoe for years with no issues. I have a tip for Jay about the dropped paddle. I tie a line to the paddle where it's not in the way and attach it to the seat of my canoe. After I shoot the ducks (or miss them as happens more often than I like) I just pull in the paddle.
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I have thought of exactly this, but didn't want to drag the paddle behind the canoe & slow my forward momentum towards the ducks...

Cheers
Jay
 
if you're not using your gun (rifle shotgun ...) put or tie a small life jacket on it ....

lesson learnt when I was guiding for caribou and it wasn't me if you re asking lol .... waves are in love with guns not tied with a small PFD ...
 
Like many others here, I hunted waterfowl from a canoe for many years. The only upset was when a hunting buddy's defective SxS let both barrels go on a single trigger pull. He was shooting to the side, and the resulting recoil put him sufficiently off balance to send us into the drink. Fortunately, the water was just a little less than nipples deep. Unfortunately, the weatherman had dealt us wind and snow (a perfect day for bird hunting), so we had to retreat to the truck and listen to a World Series game.
 
ya - same as many others. Been shooting ducks from a canoe for decades without incident. If you do feel tippy or unstable, kneel in the bottom of the canoe (use some padding for your knees) and keep your back against the seat. That lowers your centre of gravity and makes the canoe more stable.
 
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