I want to get a canoe to do a little frog hunting and floating to some sweet deer spots. I'm wondering what some of you are using. There are so many to choose from and plenty of different materials, don't be afraid to post some pics.
The Old Town Camper is a nice canoe. I believe they come in 15' and 16'. The new ones are kind of pricey though.
I once had a 4 wheeler, but I ended up selling it and investing in a Poke Boat (http://www.pokeboat.com/) instead.
Best hunting money I ever spent. I hauled many a deer out in mine.
The poke boat weighs only 28 pounds, and is tough as nails, but it is not made for rough water. It is a lot more stable than a canoe as well.
Where I live there are a lot of swamps and you can access a lot of areas by water. I've crossed big rivers in the dead of winter in mine, and have hauled in a larger boat and used it for transportation into backwater where the bigger boat can't go. I've used it to haul my 5 year old duck hunting where the rest of us were wading, and have used it to sled decoys and guns etc over ice several times. I've used it bowhunting quite a bit. You can't shoot out of it, but it will haul two deer plus me out of the swamp, and gets me into places quietly.
I wouldn't want to take it through any rapids, but other than that it's superior to a canoe in every way.
Jim,
just a thought but have you considered a kayak? lighter, can go in tighter, more shallow places and you can shoot out of them with a little practice.
I use an Aqua Pod, it is a cross between a canoe & kayak. It is 10 feet long, approx 50 pounds, low profile and will not tip over. I have hauled out 2 big deer, gear & myself several times without any problems. I love the boat.
i have a johnson rogue river 14' canoe.it works good and is cheap.just watch what lenght you buy.in my state of ohio,anything 14' and over you must tag it.after i bought mine they started making canoes 13'11".good luck,steve
Lots of good info in these:
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=090796#000000
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=073808#000000
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=071373#000000
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=040070#000000
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=042216#000000
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=047415#000000
(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r224/REALVTer/whitneycreek6-6-06007.jpg)
Jim, here's my 17' Mad River Explorer set up for bowfishing with stabilizers that I made. It's a great all around canoe. I've used it for whitewater, canoe tripping and general recreation. It will carry a load also. You can't beat royalex for toughness and quietness.
I have a 15' Old Town I plan on using this year to access a NWR that I plan on bowhunting. I've never had a stability problem with it.
I have a 12 ft aluminum sportspal canoe by Meijer's that I got used last year. It works great, I used it to hunt some public land hard to get to from the road spots. I'm glad that I don't have alot of money into it. So in other words, pick yourself up a dirt cheap used canoe and if you use it alot, you can always upgrade. I like the idea that I can put alot of gear in a canoe like a climber, so I'm not sure that a kayak has alot of space for alot of gear. hopes this helps.
I have one of those SportPals that I've had for years - great little canoe and you can pick it up with one hand and walk off with it (well I usually have to use two now - LOL). They only weigh 35# I hardly ever use it anymore as I don't trust myself around the water as much as I used to. I highly reccomend them though, and always have. You can paddle them or row them (they come with build in Oar Locks on the paddles and the sleeves for them in the gunnels of the canoe. Thay used to be called Radison - or the other way around, and last I knew they still had a website (look under both/either name).
I have a 14 ft. weonna fusion. It is a lite weight very stable canoe. The flat rocker, final stbility design is tops. I love to load my gear and just slip around with it.
Dagger Legend 15, a good all around boat.
A Birch bark canoe will take you on a journey back in time... :campfire:
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Birch_Bark_hunters.jpg)
Ron, that is one AWESOME picture!
Wow Ron that is awesome, I ended up buying a used coleman pretty cheap it will get me buy till I can save up for a good one. I can still jorney back in time it will just take a little more imagination.
unless you're going to be in fast/rough water, the best canoe for hunting is a wide flat bottom and make sure it has a decent keel on it. might make it a little slower in the turns, but alot nicer for going straight.
I have an Old Town Stillwater. Perfect for getting in after deer that will die of old age having never been hunted. 12 foot long and weighs 45 pounds...
It can carry two people with plenty of gear. Total weight capacity of just under 900 pounds...
I've owned this close to 15 years. They are worth every penny...
You can make a pirogue for about $50-75, weighs about 40#. If you want plans let me know, got some in pdf files.
I've made about 8-10 over the years, have 3 kayaks now, need to make another pirogue for upcoming season, gotta wait for cooler weather, 100deg everyday! LOL
I was always partial to the Old Town Tripper, 17',3" and carries a huge load. In my younger days I could lift her up and carry on my shoulders but probably not anymore. She weighs about 79#. I bought her around 1983.
I have an Old Town pack canoe. 12' and 35 lbs. It is a fun and nimble canoe and as stable as many other 17' canoes.
Look up "pirogue".
The cajun's pronounce it Pee-row. (Or so I'm told.)
If you go to this site and scroll down to the link for pictures from builders you will find some really cool boats. The best thing is, you build it yourself!
http://www.unclejohns.com/boat/
My hunting partner bought a Grunman aluminum 15' canoe 38 years ago and it is still going stong it has been through all kinds of torture including being tossed about 200 yards by a small twister. it has been used for fishing, Carp hunting, sightseeing and hunting transportation. I know a lot of people dont like aluminum because its noisy. but if you are careful you can avoid much of that. I dont know about the more current models but those old grunmaans are tough as nails!
Stone knife,
This 15" canoe is made in a couple days using 1/4" marine plywood 2, 8ft sheets or 1, 16ft sheet. Includes double paddle in plan.
I used this canoe for over 15yrs and it was stored in the weather the entire life. Weather and swift water finally took there toll but it was very worth while.
I think this is a boy scout project called "The 6 hour canoe" bet you can search it on the web and find the plans.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/canoe.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Osagetree/bowfishing.jpg)
If you do the pirogue alter your plans for 12" sides. You will have to have a table saw to do this and just buy the paper plans not the kit. I say this as you will have to cut your own stems, making them 12" stems.
Pirogues are the way to go, I built a 14' one but now going to go back and do a 12' one with 12" sides, little wider, and with 2 layers of 1/4" on the bottom (no need just the swamps I go in ot a lot of stobs. Think this will be the ultimate slippin boat.
J
We use an 18' fiberglass and a 13' aluminum, the 13' is nicknamed "ol tippie" I try and use the longer canoe when I can.....
I had a 17 Foot Fiberglass Canoe years ago,I don't remember what brand it was but it was quiet and stable,Good Luck,
Kurt
I checked the piroque boats out before. They look like a real neat boat to make. I'm tight on money, as in I'm basically broke. From what I've read it'll cost $200 or so to make one of these boats.
I finally got my fiberglass canoe back from my son, but it's in pretty rough shape. Figure I ought to put a coat of fiberglass over the whole bottom. I called Raka and got a price of just under $200 to cover the whole bottom and half way up the sides.
Right now Dick's has a 10' kayak for $200, and another for $270. I feel like just buying the kayak and being done with it for now. I've never had a kayak before and ain't sure just how happy I'll be with it. I'd like to do some bowfishin' but out of a kayak it seems like it would be pretty tuff.
Any of you guys that use a kayak for bowfishin' tell me just what to expect. Seems like the canoe is the only thing that I could take someone else along in. The piroques don't seem like they will handle 2 adults, but seem like they'd be the most stable. Help me out here guys, I'm perplexed.
:knothead:
Our favorite all purpose canoe is a Wenonah Fisherman. It is wide enough and stable enough to stand in and is very maneuverable. At about 15' it weighs a little over 50 lbs. We have a lot of rocky creeks and small rivers around that make the "Royalex" hull ideal (foam sanwiched between plastic, I think). It is tough.
I loved the pirogue messages and Ron's picture. Great stuff!
The most versatile canoe for two people is a 17' souris river, for one and two with a smaller load is the 16' souris river. right now I am using a kevlar mad river explorer, the best layup they ever made. I paid $100 for it, it had a small puncture which was easily fixed. the coleman may be tough, but it is heavy and clumsy and slow. If you do not mind the weight and the speed, it will get the job done. if you get more into the canoe game, careful it is addictive, and will one day go on a real major north woods canoe adventure, a longer lighter and faster tripping canoe will be worth it. Canoe tripping, if you are prepared, can be more fun for the family than just about anything and the souris river models are tough enough and stable enough to use for hunting as well.
Canoes for hunting...We've used canoes for moose hunting. I think we went for 7 days and about 50 miles or something like that. It's a great way to get into areas that others can't, even quadders can't access some of the areas you can. We like each person to have his own canoe with all his gear in it. I hate tandem paddling and flat out wouldn't do it for a trip. Additionally you'd need two canoes to get a moose out. A deer would fit in a canoe nicely.
The thing to realize is you don't use the canoe for hunting you just use it to get to good hunting areas then you get out and hunt. In other words use the river as your highway but stop in lots of places and really concentrate on hunting instead of concentrating on canoeing.
the chef
Another option I saw in (I think) Wooden Boat magazine was a little boat called the "ladybug".
Picture a smallish wooden johnboat of normal width but shortened up to not much longer than it is wide. Add a wheel to the front enclosed in a wheelwell on the inside and exposed outside and two good sized rowing oars and oarlocks and you've got a good picture of the boat. There are two holes through the transom (back end) and the idea is that to get to the water or to portage, you lay the long paddles across the seat and stick the handles out the holes a couple feet and you walk it to the water like a wheelbarrow. The weight rating was pretty surprising. More than enough for a big guy, his gear and a dead critter or hunting buddy. Er, that's a live hunting buddy... dead critter.
Keith, I sent you those plans.
Pirogue definitely not stable enough for most adult bowfishing IMHO. Maybe a wide canoe tho..
I build my pirogues for about $50 each. I use 2sheets of exterior 1/4 plywood and butt-join it, nothing fancy. One 16' clean fir 1x4 cut into 2 long chines and 2 rails, the rest is mostly scrap wood. Ring shank nails, tiebond glue, good paint job using reject paint from DIY stores, keep stored under cover, and it'll last just fine. This is a work boat, not a dining table, LOL.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_S-9VIitw57o/TGAR_8ImUUI/AAAAAAAABzk/N2JWRcYfs3c/HPIM2620.JPG) ,
Mark, thanks for the plans. They sure look simple enough. I just may have to give it a try. I think I'd like it more than a kayak. Thanks again.
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Armstrong%20Creek%20Buck.jpg)
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Buck-in-canoe.jpg)
Ron...just made the trip from Mackinaw City to Marquette and out of the U.P. by way of Escanaba (no moonlight,though)..turkey,deer, and canoes everywhere!!!!
Stoneknife, I picked up a 14' Coleman for $50...See where you got a low cost one too!! Congrats! Hope we both get to use them well this year.