Duck/Goose Scull Boats!

[MikeE]

I'm so new I really do not know where to go to find the hunters of today that continue to Scull on a dying breed. So, I took a shot and landed back here.
What I would like to do is find the scullers of different parts of the US. See what they do and how they do it.
Myself a sculler for well over 60 years.
It is a dying way killing Ducks that the old timers started and Marketed from the east coast to the west coast.
Every Scull is different, and I would love to see some of these east coast scull and be able to chat hunting with some of these guys and how, why!
Sculling is an art that takes time to learn but no better way to limit out on ducks and geese. It is an art that is dying, and I hate to see her go.
There are so many hunters today that when you mention scull boats, they don't even have a clue of what I'm asking.
Along the west coast in many areas sculling was a way of life back in the day when dollars were to be made, and many fell into sculling to live their lively hood and continue to make sculling one of the most positive if not the most positive way to kill limits of ducks and geese.
It is not for the duck hunter who wants to sit over decoys and relax and drink coffee on cold winter days waiting for those flights of ducks to emerge from the open water to feed.
We as scullers are on the open water looking for the exact birds we want to kill for the day. It seems not realistic to say yes when I leave home, I will be home with a limit of nice fat green heads. We don't brag about those realistic seems it just a way of life we have learned and endured over a lot of time.
My scull is my life and has been for many, many decades and a way I live on the open water when chasing ducks and geese.
WE can sit back glass the birds we want to scull after and more times than not he is in the boat and chasing another bird.
Hear on thew west coat of OR we have a great variety of ducks everything from Mallard, Sprig, Widgeon, Gadwall, Green winged Teal, Bluebill, Ring necks, Ring bill. Canadian Honkers, Specs, a few others I won't list.
At this age of the game, I know when I leave what I want to shoot and where I will find them. Scullers in most cases hunt large bodies of open water when most duck and goose hunter don't venture to go.
Simply once the birds leave the fields or Clubs, they hit the open water to rest for the day. most of the bays and estuaries and river systems hold birds and certain times of the year many birds come to the coast and stay thru out the season.
I wish more young Duck hunters continued this tradition that started the early times of duck and goose hunting. It has been an art from a very early age, and I have met some very old and respected scullers in my life. Some that had the privilege of hunting those market days others who like me seen a way of duck hunting in a positive way.
Starting I quit many times and said this is just too hard to figure out. But like most things we push on and finally it starts to come together. LOL just getting the boat to go in a foreword direction. Then learning all that comes with it.
Those that know sculling know exactly what I'm saying and what I mean while other who know nothing about sculling shut it off. This is why I write about the art that anyone who wants to kill ducks and geese and in a manner that only your able to do and kill those big green heads on a Dailey basis.
I hope to hear from scullers around the US and hope I wrote this in the right place and a very positive way.
Happy Thanks Day to all. Be safe good luck hunting 2024.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Mike

Why do you think scullers are a dying breed. It may make you feel better but on the lake close to my home there were no scullers until about twenty years ago. Now there are a handful. Maybe the numbers are dropping but perhaps they are also more widely distributed. I don't know. Your thoughts? Others?

 

[greg setter]

There are a few scullers in my area(southern NJ) but not many. The Delaware River probably has a few people doing it still. But it is a rare thing to find out this way. But keep telling about it Mike, there are also a few scullers on here and I'm sure people will enjoy it.

 

[Steve Sanford]

I'm so new I really do not know where to go to find the hunters of today that continue to Scull on a dying breed. So, I took a shot and landed back here.
What I would like to do is find the scullers of different parts of the US. See what they do and how they do it.
Myself a sculler for well over 60 years.
It is a dying way killing Ducks that the old timers started and Marketed from the east coast to the west coast.
Every Scull is different, and I would love to see some of these east coast scull and be able to chat hunting with some of these guys and how, why!
Sculling is an art that takes time to learn but no better way to limit out on ducks and geese. It is an art that is dying, and I hate to see her go.
There are so many hunters today that when you mention scull boats, they don't even have a clue of what I'm asking.
Along the west coast in many areas sculling was a way of life back in the day when dollars were to be made, and many fell into sculling to live their lively hood and continue to make sculling one of the most positive if not the most positive way to kill limits of ducks and geese.
It is not for the duck hunter who wants to sit over decoys and relax and drink coffee on cold winter days waiting for those flights of ducks to emerge from the open water to feed.
We as scullers are on the open water looking for the exact birds we want to kill for the day. It seems not realistic to say yes when I leave home, I will be home with a limit of nice fat green heads. We don't brag about those realistic seems it just a way of life we have learned and endured over a lot of time.
My scull is my life and has been for many, many decades and a way I live on the open water when chasing ducks and geese.
WE can sit back glass the birds we want to scull after and more times than not he is in the boat and chasing another bird.
Hear on thew west coat of OR we have a great variety of ducks everything from Mallard, Sprig, Widgeon, Gadwall, Green winged Teal, Bluebill, Ring necks, Ring bill. Canadian Honkers, Specs, a few others I won't list.
At this age of the game, I know when I leave what I want to shoot and where I will find them. Scullers in most cases hunt large bodies of open water when most duck and goose hunter don't venture to go.
Simply once the birds leave the fields or Clubs, they hit the open water to rest for the day. most of the bays and estuaries and river systems hold birds and certain times of the year many birds come to the coast and stay thru out the season.
I wish more young Duck hunters continued this tradition that started the early times of duck and goose hunting. It has been an art from a very early age, and I have met some very old and respected scullers in my life. Some that had the privilege of hunting those market days others who like me seen a way of duck hunting in a positive way.
Starting I quit many times and said this is just too hard to figure out. But like most things we push on and finally it starts to come together. LOL just getting the boat to go in a foreword direction. Then learning all that comes with it.
Those that know sculling know exactly what I'm saying and what I mean while other who know nothing about sculling shut it off. This is why I write about the art that anyone who wants to kill ducks and geese and in a manner that only your able to do and kill those big green heads on a Dailey basis.
I hope to hear from scullers around the US and hope I wrote this in the right place and a very positive way.
Happy Thanks Day to all. Be safe good luck hunting 2024.

Mike et al~

First, thanks very much for sharing your experience. My "arcane waterfowling art" was using a Great South Bay Scooter over the ice. I still hope to get the conditions to use it before I hang up my gun.....

I have never used a sculling vessel - but I have restored one. This is a Joppa Flats (Massachusetts) Gunning Float - built by Pert Lowell, pre-WW II (probably earlier in the century).

Restoration just about complete. I added flattening agent to the Steel Grey topcoat - but it was still wet in this photo.



It is now used in the Lower Hudson Valley - by a good friend and his grandson - who recently snuck a nice drake Broadie-Beak!



All the best,

SJS

 

[MikeE]

Mike

Why do you think scullers are a dying breed. It may make you feel better but on the lake close to my home there were no scullers until about twenty years ago. Now there are a handful. Maybe the numbers are dropping but perhaps they are also more widely distributed. I don't know. Your thoughts? Others?

good evening eric

Mike

Why do you think scullers are a dying breed. It may make you feel better but on the lake close to my home there were no scullers until about twenty years ago. Now there are a handful. Maybe the numbers are dropping but perhaps they are also more widely distributed. I don't know. Your thoughts? Others?

Evening Eric
Question on scullers a lost breed?
Well sir here on the West Coast of Oregon, California, and Washington, State there were many scullers back growing up in the 60's.
Seemed that everyone wanted a scull boat and learn to scull. When I say it's a lost art well in my own personal opinion, I have seen it to where there were 20-30 boats sculling the bays, lagoons, and river systems today your lucky to see 1 or 2 on the water and those 1 or 2 are old hunters who have been sculling for some time.
Boats are much easier to come by and many just sitting in garages and long side homes doing nothing but fading away.
Very few of us old timers still on the water but what few of us it's the love of the scull.
Growing up on Humboldt Bay where a lot of the market hunting went on and the old market hunters at that time were around and still on the bay.
To a youngster getting his start at sculling was not only a challenge but to watch these guys work the Birds was an art to say the least.
My first scull was on what I thought were a pair of sprigs passed out on the water. when they jumped, I killed one of those birds and it was a big old spoon bill and the only duck I shot that day, but boy did I try a number of times.
Yes, the birds were a little wild as the old timers were busting right and left.
That day there had to be a dozen boats all great scullers then there was I lost among the best of Humboldt.
I just got back from a trip to Humboldt to Brant hunt in CA they can only shoot from a scull boat Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays I did not see on scullers the 4 days I was there and during scull days.
What the few of us around have come to the conclusion that it's just a lot of work and time on the water to get the job done. I have seen some come and not long ago.
You have to be dedicated like most things to get the best from what you learn, and sculling is a learning process
You don't just get a scull boat and immediately start killing birds there is a lot to the scull. Once you figure out how to lay back and scull the boat in a forward drive then without rocking the boat for a smooth scull, then there are the tides the wind the sun the chop on the water or smooth water.
Then Learning the Birds and they are all different. The one thing they all have is great sight they hear pretty dan well also.
I have sculled on Mallard completely a sleep on a hot sunny day. one little click and they are awake spun and in the air that quick.
It's an art that most don't want to take the time to learn.
As mentioned, I have asked hunters to give it a try but no takers. Yest when I come in sit pick my limit of nice big green heads is always man where did you get those birds. same bay you are hunting with Deeks just out of my scull. they will always sit and ask questions and I'm very good to want to help but it only goes to questions.
For the young hunters it money to purchase a boat then the learning either you get it, or you don't.
I learned from a couple of the beast and fortunate to be under a couple wings on the things I should and should not do.
Those certain times of the day when even someone learning can kill a few ducks but it's a learning process.
Overall, in the US I'd be willing to bet there are not 30 scullers left. 1or 2 here 1or 2 there and a lot of scull boats sitting. there were many manufactured back in the 60's 70s and 80's now 1 or 2 it has gone from a bonified hunting boat to few and far.
If you ever have the chance to go for a ride, take it and enjoy the day.
All these open waters that the birds stack up on after a morning of the clubs busting birds and no one can get to them. Oh yes you can!
I just picked up this boat on the right in the picture for a little or nothing. a single scull at my age I need something lite and easier to get around in. These boats are out there just no one to use them. Thanks for getting back to me.. MikeE

 

[MLBob Furia]

Mike,
As you say, it certainly is a learning process, but then pretty much every thing associated with waterfowling is and fortunately the process is enjoyable as well as challenging.
Good to hear that you're still getting out to scull. It may take an "old timers wisdom & technique," but I can say with authority that it's a younger man's game. That was a hard truth I had to deal with when I made the decision to sell off my sculler.

 

[BobThompson]

Mike,
I’m new here as well but I’m really enjoying this thread! As far as I remember (which isn’t very far anymore) I have never seen a scull, let alone someone hunting from one. It looks like a very interesting sport. Thank you for sharing your story and experience. If we were closer together you would probably have to run me off.

 

[MikeE]

Mike,
As you say, it certainly is a learning process, but then pretty much everything associated with water fowling is and fortunately the process is enjoyable as well as challenging.
Good to hear that you're still getting out to scull. It may take an "old timers' wisdom & technique," but I can say with authority that it's a younger man's game. That was a hard truth I had to deal with when I made the decision to sell off my sculler.

MLBob Nice to hear from you and your reply about the scullers.
Your so right about it being a younger man's sports and that everything about hunting is a learning process. I do agree 100 % But! with sculling there is as you know being a sculler the learning process is quite a bit more to the extreme. Quite different than putting out a spread of decoys in an out of the way pond or on a river system that the birds are using.
As mentioned, a few times Hoping in a scull that sits 6 inches out of the water the first thing you think is oh no not me. I have taken both young and old in my double scull and the first thing out of their mouth is this thing safe.
The west coast scull boats which I mentioned in another post are quite different than the east coast sculls and mentioned was that the larger bodies of water the east coast scullers must be in or that those boats were derived from the old market days and copied in a sense from them.
The same was derived on the west coast but these boats are very much lower that what I have seen on the east coast.
As mentioned back quite some years ago like decades when there were a number of Boats all around these boats were made from the design of the older boats but then molds were made measurements taken and female molds were made to make these boats much lower and yet very safe.
Besides that, made it somewhat easier for the beginner to kill a few more ducks while learning the art of sculling.
Bob I'm 77 years young and can still get out and do my thing in these sculls BUT! what I had to do was hang my double up and sold the sister boat to my Nellist originals. Boy was that hard after having these boats for 60 years. In my last post I showed the little single I just purchased and had to do a little work on it and some glassing yesterday but setting it up the way I wanted it.
With these many years behind an oar i had to continue what i think is the ultimate in duck/goose hunting. Simply because your able to pick the birds you want to shoot plus the beauty of that sunrise over the water and Birds everywhere after a morning shoot from the decoy hunters looking for a place to sit for the day.
We all have our should and should not's when it's time that you think it is time to quit as it is a long hard decision.
One decision I can't quite yet do. Thank You for the time! MikeE

 

[MikeE]

Mike,
I’m new here as well but I’m really enjoying this thread! As far as I remember (which isn’t very far anymore) I have never seen a scull, let alone someone hunting from one. It looks like a very interesting sport. Thank you for sharing your story and experience. If we were closer together you would probably have to run me off.

 

[MikeE]

Bob always good to hear from hunters and Thank You and No I would not run you off but more than likely ask you if you'd like to try a scull.
The wife and I just finished some work on a single scull I just got a couple days ago. My apprentice (wife) hates when I work on my sculls as she is running and getting me things I need. She is a trooper let me tell you. February 60 years. I burned her out in our younger years and now days its sitting by the fire and leaves all the hunts to me. She is a hell of a shot and hell on pheasant.
Always a little upkeep on a boat and setting it up the way you like it.
Bob if you have open water, I'm sure many birds set on it during the day. Look around ask questions about a scull in your area you might be surprised one might show up.
Good luck on your hunts be safe and most of all enjoy the time you have. MikeE

 

[MikeE]

Mike et al~

First, thanks very much for sharing your experience. My "arcane waterfowling art" was using a Great South Bay Scooter over the ice. I still hope to get the conditions to use it before I hang up my gun.....

I have never used a sculling vessel - but I have restored one. This is a Joppa Flats (Massachusetts) Gunning Float - built by Pert Lowell, pre-WW II (probably earlier in the century).

Restoration just about complete. I added flattening agent to the Steel Grey topcoat - but it was still wet in this photo.

View attachment 61566

It is now used in the Lower Hudson Valley - by a good friend and his grandson - who recently snuck a nice drake Broadie-Beak!

View attachment 61567

All the best,

SJS

Hi there Steve
I like the lines of the scull. It is amazing to me how much bigger the east coast sculls are as compared to the west coast. I'm lucky to have 6 inches of free board at the transom. even with that our boats are very seaworthy as long as you're quartering those breakers. But! you're not hunting in those days anyway it when you get caught in one. very seldom but it happens.
keep it going Steve let us know how you're doing.
What part of the country are you in? Thanks Steve MikeE