Here in SE Oklahoma we've finally received enough rain for me to do what I've been wanting to do: take my grandfather's old canoe and float down a local creek, hunting my way to the lake.
Sadly I just changed shifts & my hunting partner & neighbor is on my old days off.
I've never hunted from a canoe, and honestly haven't used this canoe since I was about 8 (34 next week). The plan was for us to slip down the creek through a waterfowl unit, stopping every few hundred yards to sit or still hunt then continue on.
Honestly just glad Waurika Lake finally is refilled.
What are you hunting this time of year?
Canoes are good for getting you into and out of remote places, not as good to hunt/shout out of. There's usually a problem with lower limb clearance, and they're just not a stable platform.
The plan is pigs now to practice for deer season. Few if any shots would be made from the boat. Though squirrel hunting with rim fire would be plausible as well.
I would use the boat to transport down stream then disembark and work the surrounding area.
Give it a shot. I think you'll like it.
Yep they are tippy. Try this, tie an intertube with a board on each side of the canoe. Do not need really big ones. This will stabilize and allow you to stand to shoot. You will be amazed at how close you get if you stay still and use your paddle to scull around corners. No water here in Nevada!
Went to a shoot a number of years ago and we shot from canoes, it was a blast and not as hard as one would think.
There was a number of canoes and one person would paddle you around a pond and as you went by the target he/she would stop paddling to let you shoot. The easyest way was to kneel.
You would be about 10yd to 15yd or so out from shore.
I've shot carp, waterfowl hunted-with a retriever-and flyfished from a canoe many, many times. Never had a problem with stability-everything is done from the kneeling position.
Should be a blast!
When I was in BC bowhunting moose, we did some hunting from a them. We paddled up into the inlet of the lake. A cow moose walked down and into the water in front of us. We quit paddling but the waves continued to push us toward her. We were within 10-15 yards before she walked out of the water. I believe she thought we were a big log drifting in the water. Now if it had been a bull, I would have shot him. Might have wound up in the water, as they tip very easy. The lake models are more stable as they have a wider and flatter bottom. It is scary how quite you can be in a these boats. The only noise was the water dripping off the paddles. It I would have shot, we might have wound upside down and in the lake. ha
A couple of us here in NE Oklahoma use paddlejon boats instead of canoes because they are so much more stable. We have never tipped one over even when standing on the seats to get more elevation to shoot fish. They are a narrow Jon boat make to paddle and made in Missouri. I have been taking mine out to squirrel hunt and to shoot fish while the water is up. Here's a poor quality picture from my phone. If you enjoy your trip out in your grandfather's canoe, you might consider getting a paddlejon boat to have also.
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s64/GordonJabben/637c02ff-8152-4421-9196-f8d95a681c31_zpsm7sgicne.jpg) (http://s149.photobucket.com/user/GordonJabben/media/637c02ff-8152-4421-9196-f8d95a681c31_zpsm7sgicne.jpg.html)
QuoteOriginally posted by The Whittler:
Went to a shoot a number of years ago and we shot from canoes, it was a blast and not as hard as one would think.
There was a number of canoes and one person would paddle you around a pond and as you went by the target he/she would stop paddling to let you shoot. The easyest way was to kneel.
You would be about 10yd to 15yd or so out from shore.
Were you in PA by any chance? The Ski Sawmill Traditional Shoot has this and it's great practice. Definitely not easy, but it's doable. The only way you'll get it down is trial by fire!
As noted above, kneeling position is always most stable, especially for activitie where you need rotation and movement with your upper body, .e.g, shooting a bow. Royalex ( plastic) boats are tougher and quieter than fiberglass or kevlar and a LOT quieter than aluminum. Check your state game laws about shooting from a boat. Here in NC the boat has to come to a complete stop before shooting. A motorized boat has to kill the engine and come to a complete stop. But its a fantastic way to move a lot of gear easily and quietly and to get into areas where roads dont go.
We have been hunting from canoes for many years. A Miller boy from a nearby town has taken a number of deer from his canoe with longbows. Some of the rivers in Iowa have public land to the high water line. It is perfectly legal to shoot deer along them, even though the farmer may be using it like his own land, it is not and they know. We used to drift down stream and position for shots on the eddies in the bends for ducks. I would love to brag about the ones we took out of the air with our bows, however, all but one were taken on the water. It is easier to take side shots from the back seat and easier to take forward shots from the front seat, you need to cant the bow. We have never dumped a canoe when hunting or canoe tripping in Canada. It takes time to get comfortable and trust the boat and your balance, but canoes are much more seaworthy than most think. I do not like the flat bottom models. They are slow, they may feel less rocky when you move around in them, but when a big wave, rapids or a boat wake comes along, they are more work to manage and when they reach their tipping point, they go over fast. You need a canoe with good secondary stability, one that can be tilted to the gunnel and still be predictable, a shallow arch hull with a bit of rocker and large chines. My favorite river canoe is my Mad River kevlar Explorer, my favorite tripping canoe is my Seliga.
Pavan, you are right about the flat bottom boats being slower than a canoe and they are definitely not made for big water but I think the flat bottom boats you are thinking of are shorter and wider. The normal sizes for paddlejons are 17' and 19' with a bottom width of 32" and the length makes them very stable. We have canoes also but prefer the paddlejon.
QuoteOriginally posted by pavan:
....... My favorite river canoe is my Mad River kevlar Explorer...
I recently picked up a Mad River Explorer 16 for use in NC, so this thread is definitely being watched. :)
Those long narrow jon boats were originally designed for running upstream on the White River. They needed to fit them between the rocks. They get their stability from the extra length. They are a bit heavy to carry around, a trailer is a requirement.
I've done a lot of hunting from a canoe. It's a good way to get close to deer along the river. Not hard to shoot a bow from the sitting position when you cant the bow and be careful to keep the limb from hitting the gunnels.
The canoe shoot at one of the early Great Lakes Longbow Invitational shoots
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/the%20canoe%20shoot.jpg)
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Buck-in-canoe.jpg)
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Yew_canoe.jpg)
(http://***********.bowsite.com/tf/pics/00small45631889.JPG)
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Longhunter002.jpg)
(http://***********.bowsite.com/tf/pics/00small17521527.JPG)
Ron I love those pictures of you with your deer in the canoe. I am looking for a good used canoe at the moment. Got a couple places here in kansas that would work real slick to get into some untouched hunting.
Gabe
I will be hunting with a buddy in a remote spot this year, we are taking in 2 canoes with all of our gear. The plan is to use the canoes each day to go from our camp to our hunting spots.....I'm not sure if we will be actually hunting from the canoes though.
QuoteI will be hunting with a buddy in a remote spot this year, we are taking in 2 canoes with all of our gear. The plan is to use the canoes each day to go from our camp to our hunting spots.....I'm not sure if we will be actually hunting from the canoes though.
Roger, when you're in the wild whether on the ground or in the water, stay vigilant because you're ALWAYS hunting.
El Lobo
(http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/1/17172/1390738-li00006lg.jpg)
Yep..... :bigsmyl:
QuoteOriginally posted by Roger Norris:
I will be hunting with a buddy in a remote spot this year, we are taking in 2 canoes with all of our gear. The plan is to use the canoes each day to go from our camp to our hunting spots.....I'm not sure if we will be actually hunting from the canoes though.
You and Greg will have a blast. Tent camping and canoes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula hunting whitetails is about as good as it gets.
QuoteOriginally posted by Ron LaClair:
QuoteI will be hunting with a buddy in a remote spot this year, we are taking in 2 canoes with all of our gear. The plan is to use the canoes each day to go from our camp to our hunting spots.....I'm not sure if we will be actually hunting from the canoes though.
Roger, when you're in the wild whether on the ground or in the water, stay vigilant because you're ALWAYS hunting.
El Lobo
Hey El Lobo, that's one of those Hollywood 'body doubles' right? :readit:
(http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/1/17172/1390738-li00006lg.jpg) [/b]
QuoteOriginally posted by Ray Lyon:
QuoteOriginally posted by Roger Norris:
I will be hunting with a buddy in a remote spot this year, we are taking in 2 canoes with all of our gear. The plan is to use the canoes each day to go from our camp to our hunting spots.....I'm not sure if we will be actually hunting from the canoes though.
You and Greg will have a blast. Tent camping and canoes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula hunting whitetails is about as good as it gets. [/b]
I think you need to come along Raymond....
I find it interesting that in the picture of the indian in the canoe, he is a right handed shooter, shooting off of the right side of the bow rest, or his hand.
Anyone care to comment on why this would be ?
Many Indians used a oriental release. Ishi shot that way too.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTW0XE2AdntJU0zW0p1RqM_YxJJEOigMFg-qC-NHCL3jZ-PSR8F)
I love hunting out of a canoe. If you practice you can slowly paddle along without even lifting the paddle out of the water, Just turn the blade sideways and bring it forward, then a quarter turn and stroke back. I keep a second paddle in the canoe so if a deer appears while I am paddling I can just drop the paddle and get ready with the bow, making no noise. Do a lot of paddling this spring and summer to get your feel for the canoe and I think you will find them much more stable than people give them credit for.
If you have the aug/sept 2014 issue of traditional bowhunter there is a great story written by Daniel Cote. He does a float trip down a creek in the U P. I have read that story 100 times! Very cool! I havent done a float trip like that, we tent it for 8-9 days in the western U P.
QuoteOriginally posted by Ron LaClair:
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Yew_canoe.jpg)
Looks like trouble is brewing. Ron's got a spare quiver at the ready. Probably spotted a war party from the Widow tribe traveling on the Armstrong creek. :rolleyes: :eek:
I bowhunted geese from a kayak a while back and managed to sneak up for a kill. My kayak tastes have gone more primitive since then and I'm anxious to try again from my latest build, which is a semi-replica of an Arctic hunting kayak.
(http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii573/Gruxxx/Kayak/EGQ1_zpsruoxrotr.jpg) (http://s1260.photobucket.com/user/Gruxxx/media/Kayak/EGQ1_zpsruoxrotr.jpg.html)
Solo canoeing on smaller quiet waters is fun, best to get low and near the center of the boat, kneel for stability, some foam under the knees to improve comfort. J-stroke or Canadien stroke to reduce wrist strain and noise, left side gunnel (for right handers) tilted toward the waterline for better control. With bow and quiver on board and daylight breaking there's nothing more enjoyable for sneaking into otherwise hard-to-reach hunting spots. Or just for some fun on days off. Very relaxing.
My favorite way to access any hunt terrain is by canoe. Many times the animals do not expect anyone from the direction a canoe allows you to start hunting from.
I would love one but I'm afraid it wouldn't get as much use as I'd like.
Texas is a long way from The BWCA, but on our Quetico and Bdub trips we crossed paths with a good number of people from Texas. We use canoes on Iowa rivers, got a few ducks doing that and paddling upstream in day light is not so difficult if you follow the upstream side of the eddies. Going down stream in the dark is always a real thrill when the beavers come out to say hello and then wack their tails along side the canoe. It is easier to float a deer a mile back to the car than to drag it. Not real sure what Texas has to offer for huntable water ways.
This is a requirement for all who go on canoe trips with us. That first big lakeisnot the place to learn how to paddle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9ENF6IaNFQ&t=133s
As a younger guy, I spent a lot of time in a canoe, including white water. I would never consider hunting from a canoe. I think it is very dangerous practice. Most of us are not steady enough to do it, and a dunking during hunting season can be deadly. I envy you guys who are good enough to pull it off, though, because a canoe can take you into a lot of places that would be difficult to walk to.
We have gone on spring canoe trips while there was still ice in the bays, we have paddled area rivers that were icing up. One thing to remember very cold water can stop your ability to breathe even if your head is dry. also, you don't float as easy in 39 degree water as you would in 70 degree water.
This is a pretty old thread but since it's back up I wanna comment about the tippy ness some guys claimed. Certain canoes are no way no how tippy. Old town discovery is one boat I used as a young man. Think it was 168, anyhow I'd paddle with a rod between my legs standing up. Once where I wanted to cast I'd switch rod for paddle. No issues standing the whole time and no issues bowfishing from it.
I've since sold that canoe and bought a 158 discovery. Foot shorter but every bit as stable with plenty of room for gear plus a jet sled drug behind allows even more.
Now a discovery may not be tippy with plenty of room for a deer but it doesn't glide through the water as well as others with its flatter bottom so that's a trade off. If used in easy water, especially just to access a spot it's be fine imo but if it is a tippy canoe I'd pass to hunt from
My wife Nancy and I use to float rivers a lot, it's a cool way to hunt. Deer sometimes bed down close to the river offering a god shot.
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My wife wanted me to make a comment here. We have been on over 50 wilderness canoe trip with various canoes. some fast like our Wenonah MinnesotaII, others are more agile like our 16'4" Kevlar Madriver with a lot of rocker and the 'V' haul. My favorite is the Seliga 17. All of these have shallow arc bottoms. To some they would be called tippy, but in wind and waves the game changes and secondary stability is more important than initial stability. A flat bottom canoe will react more to large waves than a shallow arc canoe and thus remain more level. Flat bottom canoes react less to motion within the canoe, while the the shallow arc reacts less to motion of the water. I use the 'V' bottom Madriver for hunting and rivers in Iowa, it has a lot of secondary stability, it will lean so far and then simply stop, plus it has very good glide, considering its pay load and rocker. A canoe is not a flat bottom jon boat, you need to trust it and yourself, let the canoe do its thing and relax and sit up straight. Certainly, flat bottoms have their place with shorter distances and very shallow water, but we have never once dumped and a number of times have scooped people out of the water that were using flat bottom canoes, when a wave caught them by surprise and pitched them over board and then taking their packs and the canoe with them on the way over. I had an Old Town 17" Discovery, yep I fly casted standing and one day I water swatted three ducks from it with my Bear Magnesium takedown, but it weighed over 90 pounds. We have one major rule, the canoe is on full float before we get in or get out. We never ever dry land it when loading and unloading. On canoe trips it is called 'wet footing', when hunting it is called water proof calf high boots. I leave the rubber boots in the canoe when we get to our location and put on the lighter stalking boots while hunting.
The picture above lacks historic accuracy, my ancestors on my one great grandmother's side,Ojibwa, never built canoes with that much rocker. They liked keeping the bow and stern in contact with the water.
All this canoe stuff and hunting season so far away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq7CqhbzPUs
The canoe in the painting does not have a lot of rocker. The mans weight is raising the bow. I have built several canoes, guided many wilderness trips and grew up seeing and paddling wood canvas canoes. I have done a great deal of research on types, origins and stylistic differences.
The idea behind the painting is a mood and an idea. I do not believe the artist ever was trying for a correct anything. But here we are.
How about this painting for critique of its historic fidelity? The archer sits near center, balancing the craft.
BTW, I agree with everything you pointed out in regards to a hulls shape and secondary stability. That characteristic saved my life once a long November ago crossing a large lake at night.
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My brother has a Mad River for getting into the back areas of some old strip mining lakes. I'm impressed with it. I have a 12' kayak that works well, but the Mad River has the best of canoe and kayak.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2:
Never stand up in a tippy canoe, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk8sfEQRwY8
Ive kayaked in but it's sketchy as the water is mighty cold here so very careful.
Here's my Birch Bark canoe with a friend and I. That was a fun canoe
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That's me in my custom built 12' wood and canvas canoe next to a friends 27' North canoe replica
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A 100 mile trip down the Northside of Lake Superior in the 27' North canoe
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We used the sail when the wind was right
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For those that like to stand when fishing or shooting from a canoe. We have done the catamaran trick with rough crossings, two canoes, but float stabilizers can be real handy with late season hunting, when swimming is not an option. With a little bit of inventiveness, a couple of liter plastic bottles, Gorilla tape, and a cross bar of wood or aluminum, a couple of right angle flats and an all thread. These are easy to make work on a tight budget.
https://www.springcreek.com