Whats the Perfect deer hunting boat?

[buttonbuck]

Boat ramps are 2-4 miles from the deepest pieces. Hunting alone, looking for something very easy to get in and out of the water quickly. Something I can slip into spots in the dark and throw a big net over. While still having room for deer and equipment.

[ThePreBanMan]

I was going to get a kevlar canoe until I saw the price tag... But IMHO - that would be it. But an 11' canoe that weighs less than your average stand is pretty darn sweet... Or a 13' canoe that weighs 19 pounds and can carry 600 pounds.... Hard to beat that man... But 2+ G's is hard to swallow..

[jwilkstn]

For me, I'm looking to get a 14' to 16' flat bottom with a 4 stroke and a trolling motor. I've had a 20' bass boat and killed deer using it to access public land on lakes, but I couldn't get into super skinny water without worry, and it was hard to navigate up narrow creeks. I now have a 14' long, wide, stable canoe. It's way better for skinny water and smallish creeks, but no good for going a long way against current and not ideal for the lakes. Your mileage may vary.

[Jonny]

A kayak and a jon boat combo. My kayak can get me in spots I can’t get a boat, but after an hour 1 way going down current, it sucks.

I’d love to have a boat but it doesn’t offer me the flexibility a kayak does. And by kayak, I mean a real kayak with a 550-600lb rating that you can stand up in and not tip over. Not the cheap $180 Walmart ones.
But man would I like to get a jon boat for hunting. Issue is I can’t pull a trailer with the company truck, don’t really want to buy my own truck, so kayak it is. A nucanoe would be slick but not in my budget. Need other stuff first.

A kayak you could put a 2 horse imported outboard on

[thwack16]

I’ve got a Nucanoe frontier 12 ft. With 40# thrust trolling motor I’m getting 4 mph. Easy to launch, easy to throw into the back of the truck and go. Have it for running bayous, creeks, slow moving ditches, and sloughs.

Also a 1648 Jon boat with a 25 hp motor for running rivers and lakes.

I don’t think there is a “best”. Hard to find something that meets all applications.

[Hatchet Jack]

I’ve got a 1232 riveted Jon boat with a 6.5hp predator long tail mud motor that’s modified to around 25 hp. It’s light enough that I can load and unload by myself and pull across small land crossings. Gets a lil hairy on the rivers in the dark but that’s half the fun lol. When I get close to my spot I switch to the 50lb trolling motor.

[buttonbuck]

I bought a 14' Jon boat from Academy and got a 8HP tohatsu outboard. Its gonna be awesome.

[moondoondude]

I think a canoe would be it - with a run over 2 miles, i would go with a trolling motor.

I fish a few times a week from about march to september in my canoe. I spend over 80% of my time standing up. Most of what i am doing is sightfishing, but i use a paddle and use my whole body as a tool to get that thing moving. I spend a lot of time on a paddleboard also so the balance thing isn't an issue.

We have sika deer here in a giant marsh system that is miles and miles wide, you couldn't explore it all in 10 lifetimes. There are a ton of tidal creeks that you can use as highways to get you around them to get into some good ground. Walking in waist high water for a mile at a time can majorly suck.

That being said, for me personally, a canoe is best and easiest. I pick it up, throw it in the back of the truck, and go. Literally less than 2 minutes. No trailer shenanigans and whatever else and i use it so much it is thoughtless now, like walking. I have never used a trolling motor, but i know guys who have and i have seen guys use them and you can definitely scoot around pretty well.

[Boogieman1]

I had the best hunting bout ever made until someone jacked it out of the back of my truck about 8 years ago. Was called a water wagon I believe. They quit making em years ago. Was completely styrofoam covered with some kind of bondo stuff to keep it from flaking off. It didn't weigh nothing and about half the size of one of those lil pond 2 man boats. Had mine registered and used a cheap trolling motor and the thing wood flat scoodley doo. Even with just a paddle it was so light you could cover water in a hurry. I just used the trolling motor cause it was much easier to get deer out. Wasn't room in the boat for em so I strapped 2 of those cheap orange life vest to em and pulled them behind me. I'm sure I looked like redneck trash but it worked great. Most the places I need a lil boat for have some what of a steep bank and make getting in a kayak a real pita in frigid water. To far of a walk to the water with a John boat or canoe for me rolling solo. Last few years been using waders with dive fins and a fishing inner tube. Best method that suits my needs I can think of. But I sure do miss that water wagon.

[DhD]

I wouldn't spend the money on one if I was only hunting, but I have a 2019 Hobie Outback. It's even quieter than a paddle driven boat, no paddle slapping the water, it uses foot pedals. I can do 5 mph without much issue and maintain speed for quite a while. Price tag is definitely an issue. Also I wish I had gotten a different color than bright orange, but when you are fishing big water it sure helps boats see you. Has a fairly high capacity @ 425 lbs, and can be hauled in the back of the truck. Might be the best option, I really like it.

[hambone]

Around here, one boat ain't going to do it. I use an old Coleman canoe for still water trips upstream. With much current I prefer to use two vehicles or be dropped off upstream and picked up downstream. The 4 miles you mention would be on the upper end of what I do, paddling upstream in little current. On larger waters like the Mississippi River a wide 14' semi-v, preferably all welded aluminum boat would be as small as I would use. On smaller rivers like the Salt, a 10-12' John boat, you can drag down the riverbank will suffice. The most versatile for me is a canoe, but I still ain't huntin the Mississippi River out of it.

[Ashreve93]

I just got a 12' Jon boat that is light enough to load into the bed of my truck. Put some outdoor carpeting in it, a trolling motor and a 9.9 on it and the sky's the limit. Keep the oars oiled so you don't squeek and can sneak quietly into position. kinda hard to beat for hunting. Mine was given to me. But they sell for 400 without a trailer, 900 or so with them if you want to put a little work into it. Flat bottom would be a step up I suppose, but I couldn't pass up free. Go for a shallow V if you get a jon.

[PK_]

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.

[Wetfoot]

As seen the posts, all boats are conpromises. Benefits and drawbacks to each design. I have a semi vee, canoe and just added a kayak. Will probably be additional boats in the future.

[Bonehead]

I use a canoe as well as a 16 welded flat bottom