Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
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DaveT1963
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 3:28 am

Nucanoe frontier 12


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greenhorndave
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Nov 24, 2021 3:31 am

A tandem kayak often will be the best option. Lots of room and good weight capacity. Make sure it has a spot where you can switch the seat for a solo paddle. And get a sit-on-top. Makes it much easier to get in and out and they’re generally more stable as well.
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Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby Maverick1 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 3:37 am

Bay-fieldBowhunter wrote:On opening day of the Wisconsin rifle season I arrived at the landing at 4:30 am and launched my Kayak. (My Kayak is a cheap Sun Dolphin and is very tippy) I didn’t make it very far down the white river before the current pushed me into a log jam and my Kayak tipped over. I quickly grabbed my stuff and swam back to shore and took off as many wet clothes as possible and swam back out for my gun and retrieved it from the bottom of the river. I quickly drove home got a change of clothes and back up gun. I proceeded to have one of the best hunts of my life. I seen 23 deer including a very nice 10 point and 8 point who were both bumping does out of a bedding area at 200 yards. Sadly my 270s scope busted and filled with water when it fell in the river so my back up gun was a lever action 30-30 with iron sights so it was to far to shoot. Any recommendations from other hunters who use Kayaks? Something extremely stable that can handle gear.


You are fortunate the outcome was not worse. Cold air temps, wet body - hypothermia. Glad to hear you are ok
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No sponsors. No camera crew. No team. Just me and my bow. And that’s the way I prefer it.
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greenhorndave
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Nov 24, 2021 3:40 am

Well, if anyone wants to see that inflatable referenced above in action… viewtopic.php?f=287&t=60531
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Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
https://youtu.be/d4tSE2w53ts
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mobowhunter77
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby mobowhunter77 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:18 am

greenhorndave wrote:Well, if anyone wants to see that inflatable referenced above in action… viewtopic.php?f=287&t=60531



Wow! What a hunt and an adventure!

That story will surely get even sweeter with time.
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby TreeFreak » Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:34 am

I use a kayak for majority of my hunting. I use a nucanoe frontier 12. In my opinion, you couldn’t ask for a better hunting platform.

I have also used cheap life time tamaracks with zero issue. Like previously mentioned, it definitely takes some practicing and getting used to.
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby nsmith253 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:51 am

BorealBushMN wrote:What's wrong with a good old canoe? I guess I'll never understand the love for a kayak. They're shallow, heavy and you get all wet from the paddle. Get a canoe. And if you run it solo, flip it around and sit in the front seat facing the back, and learn the "J-stroke". Super stable, way easier to portage and plenty of room to haul all your gear and that big old swamp buck out.


I think most guys who aren't experienced paddlers like the primary stability of the kayak or it's just what they already have for fishing. I agree with you though, I use my 17' Old Town Penobscot in Royalex if the water is big enough. At 65lbs I can get it onto the roof rack by myself and I think total capacity is around 1300lbs, it's a great boat. A bit tough to maneuver solo on those small winding creeks, so I use my fishing kayak for that stuff. If they still made the 12' Old Town Pack in Royalex, or if could ever find one used, that would be my go-to. Around 33lbs and a 600lb capacity.
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby Bay-fieldBowhunter » Wed Nov 24, 2021 5:19 am

Rich M wrote:I would never tell anyone to get an inflatable - get a stick in it and Bob's yer uncle.

Anyway - the best advice is to practice with your kayak/canoe/whatever. Current is nothing to play with and it takes a while to learn how to use watercraft.

A beginner should make at least 6-10 runs preseason if kayaking/canoeing into unknown rivers.

Glad you had a great hunt. Hope you can seal the deal soon.

btw- what kind of scope fills up with water? What brand was that? Most scopes are nitrogen or some kind of gas purged and sealed.


The scope hit a rock when it fell into the river and cracked that’s how all the water filled in
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Nocturnal
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby Nocturnal » Wed Nov 24, 2021 5:25 am

Old Town sportsman 120 rated 500# better than any canoe you can get. Kayaks can skim shallower depths from my experience.
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby nsmith253 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 5:39 am

Nocturnal wrote: better than any canoe you can get


I'll race ya paddling upstream or across flatwater into a stiff wind, we'll see about that! :lol: Those are good some good specs though. There's always a trade-off--here it would be tracking and speed vs stability due to the hull shapes. For a strictly hunting application on moving waters that kayak would be hard to beat.
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Bowhunting Brian
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby Bowhunting Brian » Wed Nov 24, 2021 6:20 am

Canoes are much more versatile than a kayak. You just need to get the right one for your needs.
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Nocturnal
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby Nocturnal » Wed Nov 24, 2021 6:34 am

I should have been more specific as I did mean hunting related. There are some really nice solo canoes for hunting that haul alot of weight, but for getting into tight shallow places, the yak is the way to go.
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby Rich M » Wed Nov 24, 2021 12:44 pm

Bay-fieldBowhunter wrote:
Rich M wrote:I would never tell anyone to get an inflatable - get a stick in it and Bob's yer uncle.

Anyway - the best advice is to practice with your kayak/canoe/whatever. Current is nothing to play with and it takes a while to learn how to use watercraft.

A beginner should make at least 6-10 runs preseason if kayaking/canoeing into unknown rivers.

Glad you had a great hunt. Hope you can seal the deal soon.

btw- what kind of scope fills up with water? What brand was that? Most scopes are nitrogen or some kind of gas purged and sealed.


The scope hit a rock when it fell into the river and cracked that’s how all the water filled in


Sorry to hear that! Hopefully it was one of those send it back & we'll fix it brands. Leupold and Vortex should repair that.

Flipping a boat is never fun. I have a buddy who goes swimming at least once every duck season. Funny that once it was with a canoe - he pulls in to shore and holds canoe for another guy, thay guy gets out, grabs the canoe and lifts up and pulls - pretty much flips buddy out of his canoe - guns, bags, ammo, you name it - scavenger hunt in the mud at he bottom of a ditch.
Rich M
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby Rich M » Wed Nov 24, 2021 12:46 pm

mobowhunter77 wrote:
Rich M wrote:I would never tell anyone to get an inflatable - get a stick in it and Bob's yer uncle.


This inflatable has 3 chambers and low air volume. Meaning that if you do get a puncture it will not sink. You can still make it to wherever you need to go and make it back even with a hole in it.

I watch a few videos on YouTube testing it out and it seems to be able to take a beating and keeps on ticking.

https://youtu.be/NGs8PgapeM4

https://youtu.be/nfQzDpBWjEw


Thanks for the videos!

Low air volume sounds handy. Some of the inflatables have really tough skins too. Just old and set in my ways.
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Re: Kayaks Big Woods and Big Bucks

Unread postby Kraftd » Thu Nov 25, 2021 11:41 pm

Add another guy to the canoe list. I’ve used both a lot, if I can make it work I take my canoe 100%. There are a few spots that the little bit of extra draft from a kayak let’s me get into but those are rare. A canoe can be a bit trickier for losing and unloading solo but I’m 6-6 so not a problem for me to toss on top of the vehicle.

Both can be great tools but if you’re hunting water like that I think you’ll find a canoe much more useful.


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