Introduction James L

[Joe Friday]

Hello, folks,

Thanks for approving my account. I wanted to make a post to explain how I got here and to thank you all for such a great resource.

I've duck and goose hunted off and on for about 10 years now and it's been a bit of a struggle to go as consistently as I'd have liked between college, job moves, generally getting a life started (proud father to a two year old princess speaking) but it's been something that either I can't let go of or it won't let go of me, one way of the other. I've not had a lot of experience with duck boats other than some time in others except for a 15' classic Gheenoe I got from my dad. I didn't appreciate that boat as much as I should while I had it but it did get me and friends/relatives on a few good duck hunts, then got sold in a move.

What has really sparked my recent interest was this past duck season. I live now in eastern NC and a friend and I had been putting in a fair amount of effort to scout and hunt public land but weren't having much luck. I'll blame part of that on probably not having a lot of birds around before it got pretty cold but also we're not the best hunters around to be honest. That said, on the last day we knew we had to try something different especially with the "snowacane" or bomb cyclone blizzard coming in so we hatched a scheme to borrow a neighbor's canoe and ended up paddling a creek off the Tar River hoping to jump shoot ducks.

We saw more ducks in the first half hour than we had all season. However it turns out there is also some skill involved in shooting from a canoe so it took us a while to figure that out. We ended up with a drake mallard each by the time we had to call it for the weather, and I would say we both had a blast.

That was not my first time ever trying to jump shoot ducks from a boat, tried a few times unsuccessfully in a kayak years ago. But this time really bit me with the bug. I have now gone deep down the rabbit hole of researching sculling boats as a means of pursuing ducks and this forum has by far been the most helpful resource to feed the knowledge search. I have no idea where I will end up in my boat journey but I look forward to learning more and hopefully getting on the water in a scull boat someday.

Again, thanks for approving my account and for the incredible resource you have here.

James L.

Welcome aboard, James.

 

[Dani]

I agree on the kayaks too. Kayaks are by far the most familiar small boat style to me and yet I just don't really like them that much for hunting out of. I've never found a great way to juggle a kayak paddle and a gun, though a one-man pirogue might have the same problem. I could see changing my mind if I had the chance to try some of the nicer pedal drive kayaks but they're pricey.

If you tie a lanyard to the paddle and the boat then you can quickly drop the paddle without worrying about losing your paddle while you shoot.

 

[Taylor Smith]

Back when I predominately hunted wood duck in a swamp or small river, I had good luck with a Native '12. It was light enough that I could easily pick it up by myself and carry it. Stable enough to stand in. Not sure how much current there really is in the Tar River, but maybe an idea.

Regarding paddles - I second the lanyard recommendation above. Also, make sure you get a long enough paddle. I had one that was fine for general usage, but just short enough that it would bump the gunnels. That was a problem for jump shooting birds and a slightly longer paddle would have alleviated it.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Back when I predominately hunted wood duck in a swamp or small river, I had good luck with a Native '12. It was light enough that I could easily pick it up by myself and carry it. Stable enough to stand in. Not sure how much current there really is in the Tar River, but maybe an idea.

Regarding paddles - I second the lanyard recommendation above. Also, make sure you get a long enough paddle. I had one that was fine for general usage, but just short enough that it would bump the gunnels. That was a problem for jump shooting birds and a slightly longer paddle would have alleviated it.

re Paddles. If by myself, I usually have a second lashed to the thwarts.

Push Pole: If I am in a beaver marsh and will be horsing the canoe over sunken logs, I bring along a short pushpole - rather than risk damage to my paddle. Whereas I like an 11-foot pole for most boat work, a 6 or 8-footer is much easier to live with in a canoe. This is a 6-footer my wife found in an antique shop (I removed the sweet Herter's orinal for use on another, longer pole.). I cannot find a photo the 7 (8?)-footer that I actually use. It lives up along the ceiling in my shop most of the year.



Happy paddlin' !

SJS