Free: Contests & Raffles.
Watermasters are cool and packable for short distances at 56 pounds. https://www.bigskyinflatables.com/product/water-master-kodiak-raft/If you hit the googler and search "lightweight packable rafts" you'll come up with several options sub-10 pounds. The Alpacka boats are the bees knees.
thanks for the input guys. The ponds I am talking about hunting would only require going a few hundred yards at the most but the two main ones would be just to get me under 50 yards. I don't want to spend a ton of money but if there is something nice that I can use for multiple purposes that would be great
Quote from: vandeman17 on August 19, 2020, 08:27:17 AMthanks for the input guys. The ponds I am talking about hunting would only require going a few hundred yards at the most but the two main ones would be just to get me under 50 yards. I don't want to spend a ton of money but if there is something nice that I can use for multiple purposes that would be great What about a pontoon boat with a drop down wheel? We have wheeled 'toons into Lenice several times and that lake is a ways off the road. All the pontoons I have had have some sort of cargo rack on the back. https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accessories-Colorado-Inflatable-Transport/dp/B001MS8L4G
Whatever you decide on...don't forget the most important piece of equipment...your PDF. Even a distance of 10 yards...heck even 10 feet can cost you your life. Sounds like you have some fun adventures in front of you...have fun
use a float tube all the time - even keep it in the big boat as sometimes it's easier to fix/reset decoys and whatnot instead of bringing the boat around. Full blown hunt from it too, foggy mornings on the columbia sitting in the rocks for divers is more fun that you can shake a shotgun at, literally in your face!Couple things: get a proper float tube for hunting purposes, they're fairly inexpensive compared to a lot of gear, but dont go with a pool toy or something thats just a float. You're looking for something with multiple air chambers and a good heavy codura nylon jacket, the more pockets the betterif you're hiking in, especially in hard brushy stuff - keep it deflated to avoid punctures. Pick up a cheapo ryobi inflator as manual inflation is slow and not so much funwear your pfd have a tube of seal and roll of duct tape onboardrig up a lanyard for your shotgun (550 cord and a small carabiner to the end of your sling works well)if you're gonna be in the water for a while be mindful of the condition of your waders and clothing layersuse flippers and not a paddle and just walk backwards (or turn on your camera and post the vids here )if you're gonna go for long kicks or open water stalks make sure you're well hydrated - hamstring cramps suckkeep your butt in the seata good sized tumble weed in your lap and some reeds on the back of your tube and you are just stuff floating on the water!