kayak/canoe hunters

[mjcurry]

hi thier

anyone out their use a canoe or kayak for waterfowl hunting? i live near alot of streams and smaller rivers that go inbetween swamps and brush and i was thinking that a canoe or kayak would be perfect. but i realise they are tippy and unstable and was wondering what would happen with recoil. anyone care to share some advice with a waterfowl newbie.

thanx

 

[david doyle]

I have shot ducks from both canoe and kayak. My Kayak was a bit sketchy to shoot from. It also had no keel so you had to lead the birds and compensate for a turning boat! Worked great though in terms of getting in range of the birds. I never dumped while shooting but I once went over casting a spinning rod.
I would definetley encourage the use of a canoe. If you are with another hunter only the guy in front should be shooting! Solo is the way to go You will want to get a piece of foam to kneel on. Makes avery stable safe way to shoot.
Once you hunt out of a canoe for ducks then you will probabley discover that the best deer hunting also comes through the use of a canoe.
Make sure you have the proper cold water gear. Those mustang floater jackets with the neoprene diaper are great and will give you a bit more chance if you end up in the water. If you plan on doing some marginally non safe stuff get a cheap wet suit shirt to put on as a base layer.

 

[dave_t73]

I had an old inflatable raft in my basement that I dusted off for waterfowl this past fall. It's a 4 person model so it was decently wide. I spray painted it black and green (originally yellow) and put a piece of plywood on the floor and layed some towels on top to kneel on.

End result: hard to shoot from, but with practice its not so bad. I got closer to the ducks than I've ever been and had no problems retrieving. (I don't have a dog so normally I bring a fishing rod and net)

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

A fellow I hunted with many times talked about canoeing for ducks, and watching another hunter get pinched by the fish cops. The second fellow had his trolling motor on when he fired. Something in the regs about the combination of boat/motor/water/firearms made the act firing from a motorized conveyance (and I'm trying to remember the story). So, my friend's lesson was raise the motor before firing.

I'd be worried about tipping and losing my shotgun in the slough. Maybe worthwhile tying a string to the gun and the thwart before shoving off.

 

[dingus]

I had a fiberglass canoe on the trapline on the west coast B.C
i used to cover it with old fish net that washed up on the beach all along both sides hanging into the water then stuff fresh brush! ferns! shalle! ect into the netting and drift up river with the tide! looked like a big log covered in brush.

It worked ex for getting up close to all kinds of stuff thats good to eat

 

[cjcocn]

If you hunt from a canoe and hide in the marsh, then take some small rope with you and grab a handfull of reeds, bunch them up, and tie them to the thwart (or carrying yoke). Do this on each side of the canoe and your shooting stability will be greatly increased.

If you want to change things up a little, go to sirmailorder . ca and look up Otter Stealth Duck Boat. Those suckers are very steady!

That tying the string to the gun is not a bad idea .... even if you only do so while paddling to and from your hunting spot(s).

 

[Tikka300]

We use them for duck hunting but rarely shoot from them and on the occasions when we do they are jammed into cattails so tightly that they are very stable. We primarily use canoes to get to and from hunting spots, setting out/picking up decoys, and retreiving downed birds when not hunting with a dog. As for dumping with your favorite shotgun, use a floating gun case. Most CDN retailers sell them for <$50 and are worth every penny.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

Look for a larger canoe with a fairly flat bottom if you want stability. The Grummans are incredibly stable. Not the fastest, the lightest, or the prettiest, but they take a pounding. You'll need to paint away the aluminum sheen though.

 

[Jamie]

I just got a Heritage Featherweight Angler its awesome!!!!!!!!



Jamie Barkwell

 

[Threemorewishes]

Sportspal canoes are great for duck hunting. They are flat bottomed, wide bodies and cannot sink. The come foam lined so the noise level is low and the insulation value is high. They have foam sponsons all around the edge that allows you to stuff reeds and twigs into and take off when finished hunting.
There are two for sale in the EE right now.

 

[geologist]

I had a 14' aluminum solo canoe when I lived in Terrace, BC.

It was ugly, slow, noisy and stuck on every rock I scraped it on.

But on a positive note, it floated very high with lots of freeboard even when loaded with me, my gear, my German Shepherd and lots of samples from my prospecting trips.

Paint a fluoresent orange strip down the keel so that the canoe is visible when beached.

Aluminum is great for hunting as it is durable and can be repaired easily in the field.

I wish I still had it.

 

[black_bear]

my cannoe has built in stabilizers right from the factory and is excellent for duck hunting. you should look into them. i think u can buy stabilizers at cabelas or maybe SIR

 

[John Y Cannuck]

You can make any aluminum canoe quieter, and more comfortable by using spray glue to attach this sleeping pad foams to the inside bottom to kneel on. I've done it, makes the miles paddled much easier.