Get duck boat or quit?

[lokidog]

Look on craigslist for duck boats. If you cant find one then quit 

I don't want to die.  So far only have seen beer cans for duck boats since surfing craigslist the past few months.

Nothing wrong with a tin can.  I haven't waterfowl hunted for two years since the logistics are sucky for me and a couple sea ducks a year aren't worth the cost of stamps.  But, when I did hunt a lot more, my 12' Starcraft with a `15 hp on it got me wherever I needed to go, and back, including the Chehalis river from low water to flood and even out here between the islands in the Sound.

[goober]

[quote author=Stilly bay link=topic=91923.msg1171986#msg1171986 I have been thinking freelance sask this fall.  But thinking a truck bed full of ducks and geese in a few days just doesn't seen all that cracked up.  Thats if I can even find them.

If you can't find a truckload of birds up in Sask, then you should give up.

That place will ruin you for hunting down here. Besides, you don't have to shoot all that they allow, just enough to have fun!

[TwoSixFourWins]

When duck hunting with a buddy back in MN we built our own duck boat out of a row boat. We painted it almost every season to keep it painted but it worked. When we got to out hunting spot we would just use whatever type of dead vegetation, usually cattails, was laying around to camouflage us. We would put a bunch in the bottom of the boat as well to deaden any noise from the aluminum hull as well as soak up water from the leaky old boat. It was not the greatest boat ever made but we hunted 3 people in it fairly comfortably and two people could hand launch it even full of gear.  Our typical spread was half a dozen geese, 3 dozen mallards, 2 dozen divers, and a dozen woodies. Plus usually two guys a dog, guns, ammo, all the other randoms stuff you need (TP, coffee, chew, spare clothes, etc).

[hdshot]

Hey guys thanks for all your opinions and methods, not trying to keep a post alive but did some window shopping.  Went to check out Colville boats.  Nice and can stay well under 10k with 15 hp 12 foot.  That would limit me to the calm days but if my walk in spots can work in the strong wind might be OK.  They also had river hawk pro-v's.  Very nice for not much more. They are welded and wider witch would work for a floating blind if I get that far.

15 horse can work, 25 hp works good, and 30 hp seems perfect.  Been a long time since I tillered a 25 hp outboard and seemed to really slow down with 2 people.  Looked at youtube on 25 hp might have come a long ways?  I don't remember them looking that good. 

[270Shooter]

My buddies boat is a 12 ft flat bottom boat, 4 ft wide, and i think it was 24 inch sides. With a new 2011 mercury 20 horse it really moves out with 2 guys, decoys and gear. pushing 25-30 mph i would guess

[lokidog]

Hey guys thanks for all your opinions and methods, not trying to keep a post alive but did some window shopping.  Went to check out Colville boats.  Nice and can stay well under 10k with 15 hp 12 foot.  That would limit me to the calm days but if my walk in spots can work in the strong wind might be OK.  They also had river hawk pro-v's.  Very nice for not much more. They are welded and wider witch would work for a floating blind if I get that far.

15 horse can work, 25 hp works good, and 30 hp seems perfect.  Been a long time since I tillered a 25 hp outboard and seemed to really slow down with 2 people.  Looked at youtube on 25 hp might have come a long ways?  I don't remember them looking that good.

I have a 14' Sylvan aluminum boat and 15hp.  Two people, a dog and fishing gear, up on plane no problem, same occupants and a weekend worth of camping gear, plow city.  A 25hp should fly that thing out of the hole with no problem.

Something to consider would be an inflatable.  I had a 13' Achilles that handled a couple people and gear just fine as well as being no problem on big water with the 15hp.  You can stand up and shoot out of it, jump up and down on the sides or whatever you want to do.  In fact, before getting my Trophy, my ex and I would go out of Westport salmon fishing with it.  Got some great looks on that!  They are a bit bouncier than a V-hull aluminum boat but would be no more so than a johnboat.

Also, with the smaller boats, be sure to get a planing fin like the doelfin.  It helps pop the stern up at the hole shot and really eliminates any porpoising happening due to a light bow and heavy transom.

Here's a sweet ride but probably plenty spendy - http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bod/2845219211.html

Hang some camo on this baby and you can go just about anywhere you want to go.  Even having to buy an engine, a lot less than $10k.  - http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/2839368968.html

Some food for thought.

[kegati]

dont quit man, you can find little inlfatables for fairly cheap, yes there might be a  whole new group of hunters to deal with but theres also worlds of new opportunities

[hdshot]

Hi guy been reading and taking up every thing in!

But right now I am so effing p.o'ed right now.  Over the last few years my hunting Friend has hunted some private land and is friends with the farmer.  It's 200 miles one way for me and last season finally joined up with him for a hunt on this private dirt and didn't harvest a bird that day and no shots fired.  I have only hunted one day and no birds is my score card at my friend's spot.

Today I get a text from my friend asking, whats my wild id number farmer needs it.  I text back what?!
Next text response,  the farmer needs it to give to the state.
I text, why? I didn't harvest any birds there.  No response back.

Now why would the farmer need my WILD ID NUMBER? To steal my id and use it to buy elk tags and sh@% under my name or use my number for other possible activity?!  I will never hunt that land again. 

 

 

[Special T]

Could be for providing hunter access? you hunted there, maybe he was proving to the state he provided access...

[hdshot]

There is zero public access. No hunt with written permission, register, or feel free to hunt access.  My friend calls and has to ask each time for permission for every hunt. 

Just seems to smell like a skunk with all the id theft going around.

[Madison]

obviously your heart isnt in the hunt if you are even thinking of quitting.  I have 3 duck boats, and spend 90% of my days hiking into my spots. There is tons of opportunity in this state without a boat.  Sounds to me like you should quit.

[Seatown5]

Sounds like what you really like to do is complain.  I have never met or heard of a hunter who was so concerned with their harvest.  Just enjoy it.  You sound like my buddy who quits hunting every single year.  If you love it, you love it.  Personally I could never give hunting up, it runs to thick in this blood.

[hdshot]

Sounds like what you really like to do is complain.  I have never met or heard of a hunter who was so concerned with their harvest.  Just enjoy it.  You sound like my buddy who quits hunting every single year.  If you love it, you love it.  Personally I could never give hunting up, it runs to thick in this blood.

I hear you, no one likes a complainer, when I got injured out hunting I am glad I was able to get myself out and get to the doctor so I didn't have to hear others complain.  Just hope no one out in the field ends up flopping like a fish out of water hunting because instead of help there will be complaining or where is the game questions. 

[Ellensburg]

Sounds like what you really like to do is complain.  I have never met or heard of a hunter who was so concerned with their harvest.  Just enjoy it.  You sound like my buddy who quits hunting every single year.  If you love it, you love it.  Personally I could never give hunting up, it runs to thick in this blood.

I hear you, no one like a complainer, when I got injured out hunting I am glad I was able to get myself out and get to the doctor so I didn't have to hear others complain.  Just hope no one out in the field ends up flopping like a fish out of water hunting because instead of help there will be complaining or where is the game questions.

Wut?

[270Shooter]

Sounds like what you really like to do is complain.  I have never met or heard of a hunter who was so concerned with their harvest.  Just enjoy it.  You sound like my buddy who quits hunting every single year.  If you love it, you love it.  Personally I could never give hunting up, it runs to thick in this blood.

I hear you, no one like a complainer, when I got injured out hunting I am glad I was able to get myself out and get to the doctor so I didn't have to hear others complain.  Just hope no one out in the field ends up flopping like a fish out of water hunting because instead of help there will be complaining or where is the game questions.

Wut?

you understand don't he was what saying?