Is a belly boat legal?

J

Jon Zuccolo

Active member
Howdy, just wondered if a belly boat is legal for duck hunting in the USA?

I know sink boxes are out (but not where I am headed soon :) ) but belly boats seem to be a bit of a grey area.
 
Jon, I think this is indeed a gray area as far as legality but not as far as how well they work. Several of us got float tubes back in the pre-dog days and would walk back through the woods to some beaver ponds. Dress like a muskrat house and those ducks had never been shot at back in the woods. I kinda miss hunting oout of the tube but wouldn't trade for having a dog along. I even tried to get my ol Jack to ride on one but that was not to be.:-). I think the wording is something like " concealed below the surface of the water" and the float tube does not completely hide you below the water. Best check with your local friendly game warden. Good Luck and if you do -enjoy.

View attachment Stanny Too.jpg
 
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Belly boat as in a float tube, like for fishing?
If so, yes, definately legal.
 
I have used them for many years.(one reason they come in camo) They are great for sneaking through the ditches in the salt marshes. Id just hop in the ditch and go with the tide , hug the edges on the bends. You can peek around and catch the ducks by surprise and close. When Id pop around the corner the ducks would look at you like what the heck is that. Would have to yell at them to get them to move. LOL.
Give it a try you'll love it. Makes jump shooting a breeze.
Its also great for duck and decoy retrieval in those walk in places.
 
Belly boat as in a float tube, like for fishing?
If so, yes, definately legal.
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Unless you are dealing with stupid concealment laws like in Wisconsin...then it is really a question of weather it is a PFD or a watercraft?

In most places, I'd say legal, but likely best to run it past your local CO (or a CO of where you plan to hunt)
 
I don't know what this is, but it sounds interesting could anyone post a picture. I am in WI so that might make it more complicated.
 
Jake, Wisc does make it more "interesting" , I would ask your local C.O.and then post what you find out. I have found our C.O.s more than willing to clear up points BEFORE the season opens. I will try to post a pic for you if I can get it resized. Check attachment to earlier post, edited wriong one
 
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do you paddle it around some how? If so I don't see how it would be different than jumpshooting out of a canoe or skiff, which is legal.
 
Jake, There are two ways to move a belly boat. One, regular swim fins will move you backwards very nicely. Two, there are fins that hook to the side of your feet and when you swing your legs they push you foreward. This has gotten me thinking about digging mine out again.
 
Jake,

be careful, we have the stupid rule about being anchored to the bottom, or standing and the minimum distance from shore bs here in WI. Rapiarian rights issues are also at play on waters. you can float a stream no problem. but then go on a lake at say 200 feet and you are in trouble.

goofy.....

if you read the new amendment that was put into discussion amending the new open water/concealment rules IF it passes, issues like this should be clearer in the future.
 
Jake,

be careful, we have the stupid rule about being anchored to the bottom, or standing and the minimum distance from shore bs here in WI. Rapiarian rights issues are also at play on waters. you can float a stream no problem. but then go on a lake at say 200 feet and you are in trouble.

goofy.....

if you read the new amendment that was put into discussion amending the new open water/concealment rules IF it passes, issues like this should be clearer in the future.
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Hey Eric -

Can you point me to the new proposed regs on conceal ment? Would love to read what is being proposed. Anything to clear up last year's rules would be helpful. I think everytime I hunted last year could be interpreted as being illegal.

Mark W
 
last year wisconsin stated you had to have half the boat 50 percent in the grass or rice
you could also paddle a lake if you followed this rule

on the green bay or lake michigan no blinds on shore feet have to be tuching bottom our you have to be 500 feet off the high water line not the shore line
if you are on the bay make sure you go out a little further because if the tide goes out you will be check or sitted

we had one talking to but not a big deal tide went out and we were twenty feet off started the morning about 60 feet past were we needed to be
good luck to all this year
 
Mike, the rules intent are
1. keep the rich landowners/club owners on Lake Koshkognog (southern WI) happy.
2. allow ducks a refuge (meaning you can't hunt the open waters of most lakes)

Mark,

I will take some time during lunch and look for it. On the Refuge WI page, guy by the name of Moosetrot is on the Conservation Congress along with Ruff, these guys have a new proposal. I will try to dig it up. Wording is MUCH better than what Joe posted and for the most part dumps the concealment rules all together, it has a bunch of support.

either way, CHECK the regs at the time of printing...goofy stupid DNR in WI changed rules last year AFTER the booklet was printed....
 
this type of rule has always kept me from wanting to hunt WI. hopefully the new rules will be easier to understand
 
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