Float in on something for waterfowl hunting
A LOT MORE CHOICES THESE DAYS
By Sheila Ascroft
KAYAKS AND CANOES have been the traditional way to get out there to hunt waterfowl . But specialized boats have come to market – duck skiff , layout boat , sculling boat , creek boat , sneak boat , the list goes on – that are more comfortable , stable and possibly more effective . They all require muscle on oars , paddles or poles , unless you have a motor . Whatever the brand , type or price , they all put a hunter in the right spot for a good shot . Here are a few options :
KAYAKS
The family ’ s bright yellow kayak is probably useless unless you throw camouflage netting over it ( or hide it with a blind ). Add a shotgun or bow mount to your craft and you are good to go . With shallow hulls , kayaks can move about in a scant few inches of open water or marsh . In short , you can go where the ducks are and most other hunters aren ’ t . Sit-in models with a large open cockpit allow for easy ins and outs . Kayaks are generally cramped , but you can jam in a few decoys , gun and ammo , and they sure make retrieving fallen birds quick and quiet .
CANOES Although hunters have used canoes for decades , recently they ’ ve been mostly overtaken by duck boats . Still some hunters prefer canoes for their mobility , manoeuvrability , and generous space for gear and a dog . Bob Owens of Lone Duck Outfitters suggests pounding wooden stakes into the mud on each side of both ends of the canoe once you reach your chosen position . This creates a solid shooting platform ( and a balanced place for a retriever to sit ). spray shield for comfort and durability . Shelves on each side hold shells , radio , lunch , and whatever else you may need . It is rated for a 300-pound person-plus-gear load with buoyancy foam not just in bow and stern , but also along the sides .
Bankes Boats also offers a one-man 14-foot Hercules layout boat for tall hunters , and the two-person Revolution , with a dual cockpit design .
SNEAK BOATS The 12-foot Intruder sneak boat is a versatile craft that can be used as a sneak box , motorized layout boat , or marsh boat . It is 100 per cent hand-laid fibreglass , with a molded interior liner like larger boats . Standard features include nylon grassing rails running its full length , anti-glare finish on all surfaces , moulded-in motor well , shelves running the full length of the cockpit , and a transom designed to take the added weight of a new four-stroke motor , with no wood to rot or maintain . The Intruder is built on a planing hull specifically designed to be run with a motor .
LAYOUT BOATS
This extremely low profile boat has become the go-to watercraft for hunters looking to slip through shallow wetlands and still retain the stability to hunt . When thoroughly concealed with grass or other camouflage material , they are lethal for close-range gunning . Hunters looking to haul a lot of gear may want to include a small mud motor .
Layout boats allow you to lie down , get out of the wind and be nearly invisible on the water . They can be used in marshes , flooded fields , backwater sloughs and creeks . But they are not recommended for rough water .
Ron Bankes of Bankes Boats in Port Rowan , Ont ., started making the 10-foot Pumpkinseed layout boat more than 20 years ago . They have been tried , tested and are in use all across North America . Their low profile and unique design ensure that the ducks will never know you are there . The colour – a proprietary battleship grey camo – makes the boat nearly invisible on the water . Its wide 56-inch beam and exclusive “ suction cup ” hull design ensures a stable shooting platform in all kinds of conditions . The boat has a moulded fibreglass backrest and
Various models of Bankes Boat custom-designed for waterfowl hunters .
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