Sea Duck hunting Camouflage

Nelson Graves

Nelson Graves

Active member
Although I have been duck hunting for over 30 years, this is only my second season of sea duck hunting. We've (my boys and I) now gotten six trips worth of experience, and we are totally hooked. However, what we've learned is that all the garbage about stringing clorox bottles behind a sportfishing boat and blasting away, isn't true. At least not in the high pressure areas that are accessible to us.

We're hunting out of a 21' whaler over a 96 decoy spread (all Quack, and home made silhouette/crab float dekes...no Clorox bottles). We hunker down in camoflage clothing, and even try sitting in the floor, but the birds are just boat shy. When we motor away to pursue a cripple, the birds pile into the dekes like its a feeding frenzy. When we anchor back up within range, we get long passers and the occasional "decoy friendly" bird.

We've limited out on scoters three times, and killed a few old squaws, so I'm not complaining. However, the longer shots sometimes result in a half mile, 10 shot shell, "whack a mole" styled pursuit of the cripples that I could do without!

In short, I want to get them closer, but I refuse to paint my classic whaler and I'm not ready to put my boys in a layout boat on the Chesapeake bay. I'm contemplating grey duck cloth, painted up like a Bankes or Duckwater, and hung over the sides and console. This option seems pricey and cumbersome to me. What are some camouflaging options?
 
Nelson,

Frankly, you don't have a ton of options with a 21 ft. whaler. It's big and bulky but more than that, those ducks are educated. Wouldn't take much to try hanging canvas off the sides of the boat and it might help a bit. I would discount the visqueen that Chuck suggested. I've tried it and for that size of boat, in all but totally calm conditions, it's going to be a real PITA to set up and keep from flapping around. As far as your personal camo, I doubt that any commercial duck hunting camo is going to work just because there are no leaves, reeds, corn stalks, etc. out on the bay. You are much better off with a color that matches your boat ie. white or gray. The biggest thing beyond that is DON'T MOVE until you shoot.

Next, don't shoot at the long shots - keeps the number of cripples down. I switched to a 20 ga. a few years ago and my cripple percentage actually went down - just because I don't shoot at long birds anymore. I accomplish that by setting my furthest decoy @ 25 yards from me and the closest ones at 8-10 yards. If the birds want to decoy and you don't move you will get close shooting. If they don't feel like decoying in the first place having your decoys at 40 yards isn't going to change that.

My recommendation is to get one of the more stable layout boats - like the MLB Supermag. Try it out in calm conditions until you get used to it. It's a blast to hunt out of and you will get the birds in your face more times than not. Sure only one person shoots at a time but the person in the layout will have the best shooting possible. You will soon realize the days that are layout days and those that aren't and would be more suitable for just the whaler.

Good Luck,
 
Scott, Nice step up on the Lund.

I ran a similiar set up but with camo netting. Had (2) 5'x20' sections, one down each side, they were attached to a rail system and I simply dropped them when on anchor and pulled them up while under way. For the console I just used camo burlap or a brown or black fleece blacket. The floor I covered in cheap outdoor carpet, charcoal grey, I custom cut it and it worked well, didn't catch under foot and kept the boat cleaner too.

Good Luck though, educated birds are tough to bring to a full size boat, especially with as many people going to layouts.

An ol' timer told me to forget the camo, get a big white boat and put on the brightest rain gear you can find, you'll shoot all you want, LOL. I'm about ready to try his suggestion.

Here are a couple pictures of what I had.


Basically in the down position

SANY0452.jpg


And then tied up for road travel

SANY0003.jpg


Thinking you might be able to achieve the same by attaching to your rail system???
 
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Troy,

At one time we had a couple guys on here from Denmark. All their open water boats were totally white - apparently worked just fine. I don't know, maybe the ducks think they're ice flows?
 
But if I remember correctly, they were all low profile BSBB-type boats or relatively small garvey-like boats, that might make a difference.....
 
Don't mean to horn in on this thread but this info intrigues me. Would this technique work on lake hunting? I went to the link that had Lou's info/photos but the photos aren't showing. I would love to try this for some of the divers that work a nearby lake.
 
Nelson what part of the bay are you hunting? I have a feeling we hunt right across the bay from each other. We hunt out of my 22ft mako cc. We tried covering the boat and all the bright metal and had poor results. We took it all down and moved around the boat and killed birds again. The rock fishing boats are typically so thick out there that they are used to seeing fishing boats. Ive had them land within 30yds while trolling before. We do fine with our open boat, moving around, 30 painted used to be mallards and 30 painted apple juice bottles. We have had several 5 man limits of scoter and squaw. It does help to know where the larger mussel beds are.
 
I would go with a layout. they are very safe and it is quit fun hunting.
have the kids were a life jacket might make for harder shooting but worth it if you are worried about the kids
we use uniden radios that are water proof and float. this is the way to go it will be in your face hunting.
we hunt old squaw on lake michigan and diver on green bay.
we use a lake boneville boat which rides in 4 footers just fine.
some of are friends have mlb boats which dont handle the waves as well but do the job
 
Don't mean to horn in on this thread but this info intrigues me. Would this technique work on lake hunting? I went to the link that had Lou's info/photos but the photos aren't showing. I would love to try this for some of the divers that work a nearby lake.
Click to expand...

Tom,
There is a link on my website: www.lockstockbarrell.com that is titled "visqueen as camo". Click on that pdf link for the tutorial on visqueen. It's highly effective.
Can it take a bit to get used to using it...sure...like anything else. The secret with any good tool is "get the tool you need and learn how to use it". Visqueen has a learning curve but it rewards well.
Lou
 
Nelson - I don't gun sea ducks now but had good luck with a big tin boat with plywood added to the sides which was painted grey and then had a row of sea ducks painted on each side..........it looked like another string of decoys and was not as cold and wet as a layout, which I have not tried.

You could take a 4 x 8 and rip to 2 x 8 and paint and clamp to your rails on each side.

I did not have any luck with the visqueen in even a slight wind but some have have banner days with it.

Someday I would like to try the layout boats because that looks like the ultimate.

sarge
 
Gentlemen, thanks so much for the responses. I'll try to speak to some of the points and address some of the questions:

A layout boat is on my list. I'm just waiting for my boys to get a little older. They are 11 & 13 now. I also have a kicker motor for my tender on the list with it. Although I take very good care of my whaler, it doesn't have twin engines. I would hate to have a problem with the tender and not be able to get one of my boys out of the layout.

We typically set the spread with 4 dozen Oldsquaws on 4 gang rigs on one side and 4 dozen Scoters on gang rigs on the other. The rig is a mix of jumbo, magnum, and lifesize dekes. We leave an open area in the middle and anchor the boat just above that gap on the up wind side with the closest decoys about 20' away. We use a laser range finder to establish our shoot/no shoot areas.

Thanks for all the camouflage options. The plastic, canvas, mesh, and painted plywood all seem like practical ideas.

We are heading back out tomorrow. I don't have time to act on any camouflage options now, but we will be ditching the marsh camouflage clothing for greys and whites. I don't believe we have any issues with movement. We like to watch them come just as much as gunning them, so we're pretty steady.

We hunt anywhere between Reedville and Poquoson. We ventured across the bay once to do a little recon. It was obvious the moment we arrived that those birds either see more boat traffic or don't see the hunting pressure ours get. On our side, sea ducks will flush before you can get within 100-150 yards of them. On the other side, you can nearly run over them. I like to stay close to the trailer in the winter, but those agreeable birds are quite a temptation.
 
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For those of you using a canvas cover draped over the gunwales, how are you keeping it from flapping in the wind? What sorts of fabrics are you using so they don't absorb water? I've been looking at some grey duck cloth that isn't supposed to absorb water, but it is a bit pricey.
 
try setting your boat to the side of the spread.
dont know how the birds are working but this might help so they dont see you so early.

with the old squaw try not to move just turning your head some days will make them flare.

for the other post layout will work good on inland lakes also
just check your rules in wisconsin we cant open water hunt on most lakes
I have used a marsh layout on some lakes by me in northern wisconsin in the rice with great results

sold that boat before spring which I should not have done but needed the room for other boats.

good luck out there
 
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