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Hey duck hunters

U can hunt the river here in a canoe but you will probably die from the under tow. A lot of friends got their limit this weekend with their power boats. All depends on where you live.


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Ckwilli said:
It's hard to cover 39 square miles in a kayak. That's the size of the body of water I hunt. We have shot lots of limits over the years and generally hunters in our area shy away from big water. No way you can hunt it without decoys either. On the other hand, I will say that I hunted it out of a canoe for several years. Using the limited capacity of the canoe, and having to break the big water down into small areas, made me a better waterfowler. The canoe made me think more about the areas I hunted and how they hold ducks because of its limitations. Now that I use a duck boat I still find myself hunting those productive areas I found with the canoe. To each his own I guess.

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Definitely multiple ways to skin the cat. I have 0 experience hunting outside of the Mobile Tensaw Delta, which is 40 miles long by about 10 miles wide. Luckily, there are a fair amount of boat ramps, plus several "bonus access points" if you have a boat you can launch without a trailer. I can cover probably 60% of it with less than an hour of paddling. Practically anything can be reached if you have 2 hours. Most of my favorite spots take about 30 minutes to get to (less than 2 miles).

I set up on a lot of spots and listen to boats roar by in the hour before legal light. People will blow past a lot of spots trying to get out on the middle of the swamp. Most guys don't wanna load up a boat to put-put 10 minutes away from the launch. They wanna burn some gas. What's interesting is that here, the edges of the swamp produce more birds than the deep interior. The transitional forests and feeder creeks have incredibly biological diversity, providing more food and cover.

I started duck hunting with deer camo and a single shot 20 gauge. Got into it just because I was seeing ducks every time I went deer and pig hunting. I read 0 literature and talked to 0 veterans, just sat on the edge of the water where I shot ducks. I've gradually gotten more "into it" and am now a firm believer in a jerk rig and drake whistles for woodies, but I still keep it super simple.

I fully understand open water and marsh ducks are different, and probably require different strategies. But I come very close to batting 1000 with woodies in my kayak and canoe. I also have modest success with the teal and gadwall we get down here. Never even seen a mallard around my parts, with the exception of the domesticated ones that hang out around the boat ramp next door to me.

Dang it, I wanna shoot a bird now!
 
Nutterbuster said:
Definitely multiple ways to skin the cat. I have 0 experience hunting outside of the Mobile Tensaw Delta, which is 40 miles long by about 10 miles wide. Luckily, there are a fair amount of boat ramps, plus several "bonus access points" if you have a boat you can launch without a trailer. I can cover probably 60% of it with less than an hour of paddling. Practically anything can be reached if you have 2 hours. Most of my favorite spots take about 30 minutes to get to (less than 2 miles).

I set up on a lot of spots and listen to boats roar by in the hour before legal light. People will blow past a lot of spots trying to get out on the middle of the swamp. Most guys don't wanna load up a boat to put-put 10 minutes away from the launch. They wanna burn some gas. What's interesting is that here, the edges of the swamp produce more birds than the deep interior. The transitional forests and feeder creeks have incredibly biological diversity, providing more food and cover.

I started duck hunting with deer camo and a single shot 20 gauge. Got into it just because I was seeing ducks every time I went deer and pig hunting. I read 0 literature and talked to 0 veterans, just sat on the edge of the water where I shot ducks. I've gradually gotten more "into it" and am now a firm believer in a jerk rig and drake whistles for woodies, but I still keep it super simple.

I fully understand open water and marsh ducks are different, and probably require different strategies. But I come very close to batting 1000 with woodies in my kayak and canoe. I also have modest success with the teal and gadwall we get down here. Never even seen a mallard around my parts, with the exception of the domesticated ones that hang out around the boat ramp next door to me.

Dang it, I wanna shoot a bird now!
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I get it. We shot a lot of Woodies back in SC in some wooly remote places. We get a lot of mallards, gadwall and teal in SW MO. The great thing about big water is you get cans and redheads too. A few Goldeneye from time to time. Most of my friends from SC want to shoot a hooded merganser for some reason. Lol.

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Mengle said:
I like the thought process on this a lot as far as staying away from other hunters. However, it is very convenient to cover some water with a bigger boat, and then toss the kayak out for the drag / very skinny water.
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Transferring from a boat into a kayak was the last time I fell in completely. Was in our nasty muck trying to twist around to move stuff from boat into the kayak and got stuck and just fell straight backwards, filled up my waders and then damn near froze. I think paddling kay was a big savor to warm up after getting soaking wet in 29 degree morning. Guessing that's probably why I never did that again...Haha, that was a horrible hunt plus a long very cold boat ride back once we finally gave up on the birds.
 
I've killed a lot of mallards in my time, more than any other variety. I've done it walking it in waders or knee boots, out of a pearow, jon boats that were not swimming pool worthy, and 22' boat with a 100hp on it. Killing puddle ducks in the Mississippi Flyway requires different approaches to each situation if you are following the ducks and where they are going. For me, around my parts, it would sort of like being a mechanic with only a ratchet and a socket if all I had was a kayak. I'd be in business if that's all I needed that day, otherwise I'd be screwed. If all your hunting is woodies a kayak/canoe would probably suffice. Chasing big ducks is a different animal.
 
Nutterbuster said:
Definitely multiple ways to skin the cat. I have 0 experience hunting outside of the Mobile Tensaw Delta, which is 40 miles long by about 10 miles wide. Luckily, there are a fair amount of boat ramps, plus several "bonus access points" if you have a boat you can launch without a trailer. I can cover probably 60% of it with less than an hour of paddling. Practically anything can be reached if you have 2 hours. Most of my favorite spots take about 30 minutes to get to (less than 2 miles).

I set up on a lot of spots and listen to boats roar by in the hour before legal light. People will blow past a lot of spots trying to get out on the middle of the swamp. Most guys don't wanna load up a boat to put-put 10 minutes away from the launch. They wanna burn some gas. What's interesting is that here, the edges of the swamp produce more birds than the deep interior. The transitional forests and feeder creeks have incredibly biological diversity, providing more food and cover.

I started duck hunting with deer camo and a single shot 20 gauge. Got into it just because I was seeing ducks every time I went deer and pig hunting. I read 0 literature and talked to 0 veterans, just sat on the edge of the water where I shot ducks. I've gradually gotten more "into it" and am now a firm believer in a jerk rig and drake whistles for woodies, but I still keep it super simple.

I fully understand open water and marsh ducks are different, and probably require different strategies. But I come very close to batting 1000 with woodies in my kayak and canoe. I also have modest success with the teal and gadwall we get down here. Never even seen a mallard around my parts, with the exception of the domesticated ones that hang out around the boat ramp next door to me.

Dang it, I wanna shoot a bird now!
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Hey @Nutterbuster, you should get a GoPro and wear it and film all of your hunts. Get you some extra batteries
 
Nutterbuster said:
Yep. Nobody wants to see me get the canoe stuck on a log and water-swat woodies after missing the first 7 that come burning through the tree tops.
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LOL....I hear ya
On second hand does anyone know of any good YouTube channels that show the acutal blunders of waterfowl hunting? Many hunts have resulted in broken/lost gear and soaked equipment and persons. I remember a trip to slough we frequented on a regular basis. I was walking in front in knee deep water and told the guys behind me not to forget the beaver run coming up. Didn't much more than get it out of my mouth and a slid off in it. Half soaked body and 25 degrees is FUN!!!!!!!
 
Gator said:
Duck hunting in my part of the US is basically entirely too much work for very little reward, especially now that we have a 2 mallard limit per day. But I'll be out there now that my deer season is winding down. Chest waders are mandatory, most of our mud will kill a normal man, we have new guys lose waders often in this muck. Be prepared, I've fallen and went completely under twice in below freezing temps and it isn't fun but I managed to stay and hunt a few hours both times. Kayaks have changed the way we get around a lot in the last decade for sure.

Good luck out there and stay safe!
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Interesting about the kayak. He has one. Hadn’t thought about using that - for setting decoys / retrieving birds and general access?


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This is a great discussion. I’m learning a decent bit and never thought twice about this crap before.


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kelly.jayp said:
What about a sit on top fishing yak? Too dangerous / stupid or ok if you are not being a jackass?




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I would hunt out of one in my area if that is what I had. How much does he use it? Comfortable with it?

No matter what boat you use, the danger factor goes up in the dark and the cold. I trust myself in my canoes and kayaks. I also will pack up and go home if I don't like what I see at the ramp. I've hunted whitecapping bays and pretty quick and flooded rivers, but I've also shook my head and gone to Waffle House. Discretion is key to safety.

Nice thing about a kayak is you can't hit anything fast enough to hurt yourself. 2 boats capsized last year and resulted in fatalities after hitting debris on a flooded river. One happened about 5 miles from my house as the crow flies. Guy and his fiance hit a log and were ejected from the boat. She had her jacket on at his insistence, he didn't. They found him 20 miles south the next day.

This hasn't been mentioned yet that I've seen. Get the kid a damn life jacket that he will actually wear if he doesn't have one already. I'm a huge fan of the inflatables, especially the waist models. They don't get in the way of my mount.
 
My wife says I have more pictures of my dog than I do my kids. I tell her my dog behaves better than my kids! Here's my canoe and duck boat.
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kelly.jayp said:
Interesting about the kayak. He has one. Hadn’t thought about using that - for setting decoys / retrieving birds and general access?


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Yep all of those as well as just a crutch to help stay upright, again we have some of the nastiest mud I've ever seen. I need a mud motor for my waders!
 
Nutterbuster said:
I would hunt out of one in my area if that is what I had. How much does he use it? Comfortable with it?

No matter what boat you use, the danger factor goes up in the dark and the cold. I trust myself in my canoes and kayaks. I also will pack up and go home if I don't like what I see at the ramp. I've hunted whitecapping bays and pretty quick and flooded rivers, but I've also shook my head and gone to Waffle House. Discretion is key to safety.

Nice thing about a kayak is you can't hit anything fast enough to hurt yourself. 2 boats capsized last year and resulted in fatalities after hitting debris on a flooded river. One happened about 5 miles from my house as the crow flies. Guy and his fiance hit a log and were ejected from the boat. She had her jacket on at his insistence, he didn't. They found him 20 miles south the next day.

This hasn't been mentioned yet that I've seen. Get the kid a damn life jacket that he will actually wear if he doesn't have one already. I'm a huge fan of the inflatables, especially the waist models. They don't get in the way of my mount.
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He’s pretty versed in wading from fly fishing but he’s not spent a ton of time on the kayak. He’s plenty confident and level headed but doesn’t have the depth of experience. What time he has on the kayak has been summer months not cold water seasons. Good to know it’s a methodology but will need to make sure he’s taking it slow and cautiously to start once he tries going solo. He’s got some friends who will take him out and some folks here have offered as well. Damn cool thing about this forum. May be talking duck hunting at SaddlePalooza haha


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kelly.jayp said:
He’s pretty versed in wading from fly fishing but he’s not spent a ton of time on the kayak. He’s plenty confident and level headed but doesn’t have the depth of experience. What time he has on the kayak has been summer months not cold water seasons. Good to know it’s a methodology but will need to make sure he’s taking it slow and cautiously to start once he tries going solo. He’s got some friends who will take him out and some folks here have offered as well. Damn cool thing about this forum. May be talking duck hunting at SaddlePalooza haha


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I am not an old hand with years of experience, maybe 8 years tops. But I have logged a lot of miles. I've gone several months straight where I was out in a kayak every day. Several overnighters a year.

My advice would be to take that boat out into a shallow body of water or a swimming pool when it's warm. Put your waders on. Flip it. Get back on it. Don't just do it once. Do it again and again. Get tired. Figure out what you can and cant do. If you cant get in it, swim it to shore. By the way, where's your paddle? Practice getting in and out in knee and waist deep water. Find some thick mud and steep banks.

My brother in law flipped my kayak last year. The river was good and flooded, and he had never been in a yak. Late january, so as cold as its gonna get down here. But he's young and fairly fit, and we were just going on a quick paddle on a backwater lake. Not much current.

He was having trouble steering and ended up in a limb. It flipped him. I was in the canoe with my wife and her sister. I heard a splash and looked back to see an upside down kayak. Sister freaks out and screams. Wife is a little more level headed, but concerned. First thing I did was tell at the sister to shut the F up and don't effin' move. Shocked her into being still, which was the intent. It took him a rather long second to bob back up. I had made him wear a jacket, and he instinctively clung to the boat. Good and good.

We were able to tow him to the bank and get the water out. We paddled back, and got him in a hot shower and dry clothes (launched in backyard, so that was fortunate). It was a non-issue because we followed some very basic rules. Had he been out by himself, it could have been bad. He was convinced beforehand that he 1) wouldn't flip and 2) could flip the boat and reenter if he did. Wrong on both counts. It was definitely cold enough to put him at risk of hypothermia. The whole time we were out we encountered 0 people. So no good samaritans.

A kayak or canoe is really in my mind no more dangerous than a boat. Probably less so because it can't break down and leave you stranded or hit something doing 40mph. Everybody needs a "get wet" plan.
 
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