Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

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Autiger
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby Autiger » Sun Sep 08, 2019 3:07 am

I’m running an Ascend H12 hybrid kayak from Cabelas. Added a trolling motor for this season so I had to register it.


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Uncle Lou
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:02 am

An orange 16' coleman, or at least that is what I have. Got a 14 row boat too, but use the canoe more. I painted the orange canoe marsh grass once with rattle cans but it all flaked off. Maybe the one that falls your way.
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Buckshot20
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby Buckshot20 » Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:35 am

I run a 17’ welded Jon boat with a 40 on the back. Removable trolling motor for when I feel the need to bass fish or troll for specks(crappie for you yanks). Boat runs super skinny, Can turn pretty quick, and plenty of room and stability.
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Tsom
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby Tsom » Sun Sep 08, 2019 3:08 pm

I have an older 17' indian brand canoe with a 30 lb thrust Minn kota on it. It's probably quieter than I can paddle. Plenty of room for gear and deer!
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby brkissl82 » Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:59 pm

I don't know if the guy is still on the forum but I believe his name was spyspar? He had s sweet set up if you can dig up old posts
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Jonny
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby Jonny » Mon Sep 09, 2019 12:47 am

brkissl82 wrote:I don't know if the guy is still on the forum but I believe his name was spyspar? He had s sweet set up if you can dig up old posts


The almighty zodiac with a Honda on the back. Gotta love it
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cspot
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby cspot » Mon Sep 09, 2019 1:07 am

Jonny wrote:
brkissl82 wrote:I don't know if the guy is still on the forum but I believe his name was spyspar? He had s sweet set up if you can dig up old posts


The almighty zodiac with a Honda on the back. Gotta love it



Here is the thread. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=23357&p=297492&hilit=zodiak#p297492
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby swhughes81 » Tue Sep 10, 2019 2:33 am

I use an old 1965 sears flat bottom 12’ Jon boat. I put it in the back of my truck. I use a small trolling motor, outdoor carpet I glued to 1” thick insulation board I cut to fit in the bottom of the boat to really quiet it down. I also made a boat dolly out of a treated deck board and youth bike tires to get it down and back up the boat ramp and or wheel it to wherever I need. It doesn’t leak and was stored in a barn for 30+ years and my wife’s grandpa gave it to me. This is my 4th year using it to access public land off the local lake/rivers. I’ve killed turkeys and used it but have yet to kill a deer and put in it. (The deer I ended up killing are on a small piece of private my son and I hunt over the last 3 years) but I really want to get a deer back in there off the lake and use the boat this year to haul it out. But it gets me where I want to go and has really changed the way I hunt
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby Itchy Bones » Tue Sep 10, 2019 2:43 am

Depends on the route.
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby Rich M » Tue Sep 10, 2019 2:51 am

Aluminum 14 ft modified V car topper (100#) version with a 10 or 15 hp and a 45# trolling motor. Goes fast, can handle waves, still has flat bottom, should be wider than a johnboat. I'm not sure who makes em anymore but they were popular when I was growing up.
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby buttonbuck » Thu Sep 12, 2019 1:58 pm

PK_ wrote:For the money it is hard to beat an old flat bottom Jon boat. 14’ is great for 1 guy, gear and deer if you are trailering it. If you occasionally like to buddy up I would go with a 16’. If you have to put it in the bed of the truck go 12’.

I have a 14’ with a 9.9 4 stroke or a 6.5 longtail depending on situation. I have a trolling motor, paddles and a push pole. Boat goes pretty much anywhere I want it to. Can also tow my kayak behind if I need to get up something real narrow. But haven’t had to yet.

Canoes and kayaks sound great but if you deal with ANY amount of open water with wind and a little chop, especially in cold weather, that 2-4 miles will be absolute misery.




Yeah man, I thought a canoe with a troll motor was going to be awesome but as soon as I hit big water, wake, miles and wind I knew in the first couple min this wasn't gonna do.
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mag1
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby mag1 » Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:29 pm

For me, a 10’ Jon boat with a 4hp Merc 4stroke. I’ve had it on top of my old car, but now I borrow a trailer from a buddy when I take it out. Light enough for one to haul around, big enough for 2 plus gear. A nucanoe would be neat, about the same weight. I seen one over in mich on the Facebook market place a couple weeks back for $200, would have been a steel.
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Re: Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

Unread postby Scratchman » Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:59 pm

My fleet:
The Swamp Donkey III- 10 foot John boat. It's OK but sits low and is loud to load , unload, embark and disembark.
The Swamp Donkey II- My 10 foot kayak. Round back with a keel. It tracks good and is very sneaky. If I harvest, I need something else to haul my prize home.
The Swamp Donkey I- 14 foot canoe with trolling motor. Its heavy but gives me great range in a very quiet package. I use this 75%
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