I am curious to find out the general opinion of which boats are acceptable to use and which ones aren't acceptable to use for waterfowl hunting. I have a little Dem-Craft boat that I just bought for a litle family time on the water, but got to thinking that maybe it would be okay to use for waterfowl hunting with the proper cover of some sort. I think that most people use a little john boat but I'd like to just use my current boat if so. Thoughts, opinions, if it's an okay idea then I'm open to suggestions on what to do to make waterfowl hunting more successful. This will be my first year/time ever trying to get into waterfowl hunting, so any advice at all would be helpful, even if it doesn't pertain to using a boat.

If it gets you there its acceptable imo

What about getting you back. Somehow someway or another I factored that in as an important part. Brands and gimmicks ect not a big factor. Getting back is I would say pretty high up the list.

I love poking a little fun in the off season. Really nobody should care about what your riding to and from for duck hunting. Young guns will tell you a specific brand and fashion. I say take what you have, have fun and be safe. I don't care if you are fashionable while your duck hunting. I am not much on trendy.

getting back? thats what buddies with boats are for, one call and you can catch a ride back

The best advice you can get would be not to hunt in a boat, does not really matter how you get there and get back.
When I go to the grocery store I prefer to drive a big truck with power steering and an automatic transmission, some people like to save money and ride a bike, some want an electric car, some want a basic car with no power steering our automatic transmission.

Same applies to boats/toys, all depends on where your going and how comfortable you want to be getting there, some people like outboards, some like surface drive mudmotors, some want neutral, some don't, some want power tilt/trim, some want reverse.

It all boils to down to preference but I know I am not driving a car without power steering or an automatic transmission just because it is cheaper and easier to maintain but each person has to make there own choices.

I love boat posts, BTW.

Probably the best advice and best analogy I've seen on a boat topic! Or maybe a close second to the whole don't get one thing

You could buy the one I am selling in the classifieds and it will get you anywhere. Haha. Really though whatever gets you out there and hunting works great.

Yeah you prolly wana be able to get back too lol... you can always walk though HA

In my opinion any boat will work. It Just depends on what you have. My advice would be to fully understand the limits of the boat I was in. Don’t put your self in a position where you need more boat than what you have.

Well were is the fun in that... lol

Im getting to old for that kind of fun

That's why you just bring young ones with you and make them do the work

I've seen someone using an old '85 ranger bass boat to get from point a to point b. Fiber glass duck boats in some texas lakes may not be a bad idea however many of the more wooded lakes could result in pretty pricy repairs. In the long run though all that matters is being in the outdoors and getting back safely to tell about the memories you've made.

I still think a durn 19ft center console alumacraft is the best universal Tx boat there is.... except for my bank account

Even more so if it has a tunnel and jack plate, which helps it cover the coast also

If your looking for a boat to buy to go duck hunting, go with some form of flat bottom with a mud motor of your choice...my choice is a 1648 welded slick bottom boat with a surface drive of whatever brand, gatortail if it was up to me. You will get 100 diff answers, and whichever way you choose will probably get the job done, some just a little better and faster than others. There are places that are really hard if not impossible to get to without the right setup.

As far as converting your boat into a duck hunting boat there are things to consider

- Everywhere I have ever hunted in a boat had some sort of stump field to navigate to get there. With a deeper drafting boat, you are gonna hit stumps. This means either going fast and screwing your boat up, or going slow, getting stuck on stumps, and probably still screwing a boat up if u do it enough
- duck hunting is muddy, are you ok with getting ur boat muddy most times you go out?
-stuff breaks in the duck marsh...transducers, lights, rails, seats, etc
-know your limitations! Don't do stupid stuff on a boat in 40 degree water...it's not that hard to drown and there is a big diff in swimming in the summer and swimming in 30-40 degree weather

My beat advice would be to find places that hold ducks that aren't in the thick of stumps unless your boat is equipped to handle stumps. There are probably coves off the main lake that has less stump fields. If u do hunt with the boat, I would highly suggest not hunting out of the boat. Buy burlap camo material and cover the boat. Park 2-300 yds away at least and walk the shore to a spot that has good cover.

Rob said it best....hunting out of your boat is cool if you like watching someone else have a better hunt than you
Good luck

Just don't use a jet ski.