Scull Boat Hunting

Fred McIntire

Fred McIntire

Active member
Who has actually hunted from a scull boat ? I'd like to get some feedback on the experience from people who have actually hunted out of a scull boat.... How do they handle weather and rough water ? How successful is scull boat hunting compared to layout boat hunting ?

Thanks !
Fred
 
my float is massive and was made to hunt the ocean, the west coast boats not so much. my boat is a beast to move but I have very good success with her.

i have said too much.....
you shouldn't buy one , lol.
 
I hunt out of my Merrymeeting Bay Scull most of the time. It works great. Most of the time I use it like a lay out. I think it hides better, as it looks more like a log with vegetation, which is more common than small islands of rat mounds in my area. It also pushes through the rice much easier than a Barneget style, and does not leave a 4 foot wide path of flattened rice behind it. So I can retrieve with it easier and re-hind it much much easier. My son and I sit back to back in it so duck can not sneak in from behind.
These were commonly poled through rice flats jump shooting ducks. I have not been very successful at this. I hope to learn to scull this year while taking my son fishing.
 
Wow, where to start. Sculling is a simplistic way of hunting that trades sweat equity for success. As "normally" practiced there are no dogs, decoys, spinners or otherwise. No fighting for spots, or 2 hour before sunrise launches. It's an intimate way to hunt, you and the ducks, maybe shared with a close buddy. It requires as much open water as it takes to locate and stalk birds where they have chosen to be. There is no luring them in, you will need to find them. My favorite was to ride the tide and/ river currents on a big river/estuary, scoping the water ahead and hopefully getting a chance to line up on the ducks before I'm swept by, just another piece of river flotsam. After a couple of miles power back up to take a different line. I'm lazy what can I say? Stalks too are intimate, you've spotted your quarry and you get on the oar, watching the ducks, looking for signs of concern. Trying to determine how hard you can push them, how close you can get. It takes time, it's you and the birds. You watch them you try to come in from up wind so they need to take off towards you. And the whole time the thrill is building. Will you be able to pull it off?

I've participated in layout hunts a couple of times and it's the opposite, it's a production. Tons of gear, a large tender, the layout or two, a couple of trailers to get both rigs down. Decoys by the tub on long lines. 3-4 guys working as a team to rig, set and tender, it's a team effort. The set up is stationary so you have to pull the birds to you. Location is everything so get there early. Set up takes a while, so get there early. The ducks fly in quickly and the flurry is over quickly, successful or not. It's social, when your not in the layout your watching and socializing. Depending on the group, you may be in the layout less than half the time.

Successful? Scull Vs. Layout? I wouldn't know how to answer that. Gross number of ducks killed? Or the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the hunt? Are you a team sport guy or do you like to compete as an individual? Do you like fast furious and in your face or do like like anticipation of pulling off the perfect stalk?

Safety. Scull boats come in different sizes and shapes. Designed for big water or small. You will need to decide if you want to trade stealth for seaworthiness. My Merrymeeting float is a lot more seaworthy than my Great Bay. While they are both 16-ft one is a car-topper the other a heavy trailered boat. 2 man Vs one man.

I will warn you most of us that take up sculling burn out after a few years. Hunting with the dog and staying closer to home kind of won out over the long run.

Scott
 
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Fred,
Yup, hard to know where to start. I've been sculling for a good 30 years and the Brant II sculler (Merrymeeting Bay Style)/sculling is the reason I bought Lock Stock & Barrell, Inc. ( www.lockstockbarrell.com )
You can click on Brant II & Brant II-X for some info. Holler with specific questions and that'll be easier to answer than...."tell me about sculling".
If I could only own ONE boat, it would be our 2-man sculler...hands down. We've used it for sculling (obviously), layout shooting, marsh shooting, sneaking down rivers, through lakes and flooded timber. We've also fly fished for bass N gills with it often.
Lou
 
Tons of work with little reward...

Super hard to get close enough to kill birds...

You always end up soaked to the bone after a float...

Controlled forward movement is frustrating beyond all imagination...

Floats are expensive and high maintenance...

Don't even bother.... you will absolutely hate it!! :) hehehe
 
Fred, I cannot speak about layout boats. I've never been introduced to that type of hunting. On the contrary I have been introduced to sculling and like David and Scott I also have a merry meeting bay gunning float. There are plenty of other types of sculling boats out there, some made of wood others of fiberglass. I find sculling a very fun and challenging way to hunt. I mix it in with hunting out of the boat over decoys as well. I unless I absolutely know I will not have the time, always carry a few decoys. Sculling can be a great way to scout for a hunt as well as take birds. And the decoys can be deployed while eating a snack or having coffee during the hunt or enjoying first or last light when sculling is less effective.
I will mention seeing that you are inland something about tides and current. We have tides here on the coast which can help or hurt, depending on how much water is coming against or is underneath you, but I also hunt lakes and streams. And still water provides more of a challenge in my opinion as the water/ tide movement changes the ducks perspective as the geometry of their surroundings is changing constantly as the are swept along or are moving and so the slowly approaching craft is more blended into that ever changing geometry.. I could go on and on about strategies and successes and failures, but suffice it to say I love sculling. There is a small irony there as I love to carve decoys. They keep me company as I scull them around.
Good luck with your decision.
 
I appreciate everyone's input. I'll probably watch for a used scull boat locally and give it a try. Sounds like a trip back to days gone by.... There seems to be a lot of those for me as I age.....

Thanks !
 
Hi Fred, Do you know anyone that owns a sculler that you can try? Sculling takes a while to figure out. I see many people that get all excited, and buy a sculler, just to take it out a couple times and get frustrated, and give it up. It is a fair amount of work, but not as physical as you might think. The key for me is once you have spotted a bird that you want to try for, is to go very slow with as minimal amount of movement as possible. Let the bird get used to seeing you. Try to gain their confidence that you are no threat. Then ease in ever so slowly. I have had very limited success, trying to power in to them, going fast. Also, the birds are going to see you EVERY time. It doesn’t matter what type of scull boat, or what color the boat is painted. The only time they won’t see you, is if they are dead asleep, or feeding on something awfully yummy. I also try my best to pick out singles, or pairs to scull on. the more eyes on you, the odds are in their favor. The hardest sculls will be out in open water. By far, for me, the most effective is when I can get between them and the shore line. I use a camo cover most of the time. So when I’m between them and the shore, I blend in with the shore. I think they are used to seeing floating debris along the shore, and that is what you are trying to resemble. Once you gain a little confidence in your ability, and just go out and relax and have a good time, even if you only get one or two. You will improve with every scull. Sculling for me, is good for the head. I have gotten so close, to many different animals, and seen things, that I never would have seen otherwise. Also you can go out with your sculler on those days where there is not a bird in the sky. And have the best day hunting ever. You just float around and glass for birds. Find a pair loafing along the shore, ease in on them with your heart racing. Get in real close. Then just stop and watch them, interacting with each other, maybe take a couple pictures. Really enjoy the moment. Then sit up and take your shot, only to realize that you’re to close, and miss............ Dale
 
For me sculling is the best way to get on some birds but the challenge is trying to get as close as possible, I don't need a full limit. Then at 10 yards when they start getting antsy I decide it is time to sit up. it is very hard to hit a duck with a pattern the size of a baseball. but if you connect they aren't going anywhere.

now early season geese are my favorite, being 5 yards away from 60 sleeping geese is just breath taking.

but you shouldn't get into sculling, lol
 
Lou Tisch said:
Fred,
Yup, hard to know where to start. I've been sculling for a good 30 years and the Brant II sculler (Merrymeeting Bay Style)/sculling is the reason I bought Lock Stock & Barrell, Inc. ( www.lockstockbarrell.com )
You can click on Brant II & Brant II-X for some info. Holler with specific questions and that'll be easier to answer than...."tell me about sculling".
If I could only own ONE boat, it would be our 2-man sculler...hands down. We've used it for sculling (obviously), layout shooting, marsh shooting, sneaking down rivers, through lakes and flooded timber. We've also fly fished for bass N gills with it often.
Lou
Click to expand...
I know I am very late to the party but I’m hoping you are still active on here. I’ve recently acquired a Brant II and while it took me a long time to even figure out what the boat was called, I am curious about using it to hunt divers and puddlers in the bay since I can conceal myself overhead and use it as a layout. I’m not sure if it is better to have the front man be the shooter or if anchoring perpendicular to the decoys is the idea for both to be able to shoot?
 
Lou is not very active on the site but he might be lurking. You may wish to just give him a call at this shop or reach out via his website.
You may also get a better response by posting a new thread.
And please review the rules pertaining to the use of real names.
 
Fred,
I am in Elkhart Indiana about 3 hours north of you. I have a LSB scull boat I purchased from Lou in 1985. I no longer use it and can make you a great deal. It got many years of use as a sculler, layout boat in open water and as a marsh boat. My first scull in this boat I shot a banded Canada Goose in Cass County Michigan. It is an incredibly stable vesssel

RVZ
 
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