Canoe/Hybrid for Deer Hunting Suggestions

[Gooden123]

I’ve been using a Ron Chapman pirogue for nearly 3 decades. It started off as a duck only boat, but has turned in a turkey and deer getter over the years.

Oh wow thank you so much. I'm working but they're amazing! And cheap I messaged them to see a lead time and shipping to NJ. Thanks again!

 

[N2TRKYS]

Oh wow thank you so much. I'm working but they're amazing! And cheap I messaged them to see a lead time and shipping to NJ. Thanks again!

Just a fyi, they’re made more for backwater with little to no current. I’ve floated a local river a few times up shooting ducks, but they really shine on backwater.

 

[Gooden123]

Just an update on what I decided on. I was torn between the Old Town Discovery 119 (original discontinued model with higher capacity than the current Sportsman 119) and the Native Ultimate FX12.

I'm probably going to end up with both but the Native fits the bill for now especially since I have some chainsaw work to do out of it and am not an experienced paddler. It is the lightest boat that I can stand up in. The only real con and why I was torn was the Discovery 119 has more room for a whole deer or bear, but lacks stability and I don't see anyone standing up and poling it upstream. I'll get a deer in this thing somehow. A bear will probably need to be quartered.

 

[Joe Biss]

I know I’m a day late and dollar short on this thread, but the nucanoe really is hard to beat. I started in a square stern old town discovery sport. It did great. Weight capacity is good and very rugged, but boy was it a chore to throw on my truck by myself. I bought a nucanoe unlimited 12 and that really changed the game. The stability and weight capacity is unreal. I can bounce up and down on the side with no chance of flipping it. They now offer a 10’ model which would save some weight. IMO the weight tradeoff is well worth it with the modularity it offers. Hands free steering, gun mount, duck blind. The possibilities are endless.

 

[houghton_hunter]

I loved the Old Town Discovery 119, still have it, but since getting out of the midwest have had less use for it. Here it is hauling a small buck out of a slough I would access off a bigger lake. Paddle a mile across a big lake, into a small slough and then up to some public lands, worked great. it only weighed 50 lbs or so, and I could fit 350lbs in it, just enough room if your creative.

 

[Gooden123]

Nice! Yeah the Nucanoe is awesome but way too heavy for my needs. I have to go up and over beaver dams. The Native FX12 has been perfect. I took the seat out and all the other crap to open up the cockpit. I stand up and pole most of the time anyway. If I need to sit and paddle, I sit on a cross member.

 

[dribeerfeht]

Will do! I've been interested in Saturn, but for a near shore spearfishing boat. They seem to have pretty good reviews. Especially for the price point.

I have a Saturn kaboat, and I am very pleased with it over the past 3+ years. Can be used with or without a motor. Ive also used my grumman canoe, but it is difficult to load and unload by myself. The saturn kaboat is very stable snd durable, and collapsible.

 

[Joe Biss]

Canoes/kayaks are like golf clubs, it all depends on the application. The nucanoe is great for when I’m in slower moving, deeper water, but I still grab the canoe when I have to pole up a fast, shallow river. I went down a bit of a rabbit hole recently with royalex canoes. Strong, spacious, light and efficient to paddle. Transitioning from a self climber to a saddle saved a bunch of real estate too.

 

[MallardSX2]

Get you a 12 foot jon boat.

 

[schmalzy]

Been a while but liked using a native ultimate, especially when hauling tree stands as well.


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[Macintosh]

Hard to beat one of those native ultimates, especially at half the price of some of the competitive sit-in solo canoes. Duck hunting partner of mine has an fx12, and its pretty darn nice. I think to do much better for that use youre into kevlar sit-in solo canoes that are twice the price and zero chance youre standing in them.
Jon boat has its place, but there is zero chance a jon can do what one of these does in truly small water.

 

[Gooden123]

Hard to beat one of those native ultimates, especially at half the price of some of the competitive sit-in solo canoes. Duck hunting partner of mine has an fx12, and its pretty darn nice. I think to do much better for that use youre into kevlar sit-in solo canoes that are twice the price and zero chance youre standing in them.
Jon boat has its place, but there is zero chance a jon can do what one of these does in truly small water.

Agreed. I think it's unrivaled for what it is. The only downside after using mine extensively for a year is that it doesn't track well (new models don't have a rudder system, and I wouldn't want one anyway). What's unusual is that it tracks much better backwards for some reason. Regardless of load and placement. I don't fight it anymore and know it's going to want to spin backwards and I just go with it.

I'd turn a Kevlar canoe into fragments. I don't think they'd do well for hunting boney creeks.

 

[LostArra]

This thread has the coolest dead deer pics on the entire site.

 

[Joe Biss]

This thread has the coolest dead deer pics on the entire site.

It’s a lifestyle brother

 

[Robobiss]

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Canoes/kayaks are like golf clubs, it all depends on the application. The nucanoe is great for when I’m in slower moving, deeper water, but I still grab the canoe when I have to pole up a fast, shallow river. I went down a bit of a rabbit hole recently with royalex canoes. Strong, spacious, light and efficient to paddle. Transitioning from a self climber to a saddle saved a bunch of real estate too.

Hey, I recognize that rifle. My shoulder still hurts.

 

[FlyingFox1]

Easy decision, Sportspal canoe 12' or even the 14'. Super light and agile for calm water scenarios yet super stable. Able to haul a heavy load. Easy for mob and demob. Kayaks sound good until you try to use them for any kind of hunting application. Kayaks are heavy, unstable, and no capacity for gear.
Sportspal canoe, you will thank me later.

 

[Joe Biss]

Hey, I recognize that rifle. My shoulder still hurts

You tikka gals are so sensitive

 

[trailblazer75]

Oldfield 119 and an Ascent fs12 sit on top have been my go to! I love em.

 

[Joe Biss]

Easy decision, Sportspal canoe 12' or even the 14'. Super light and agile for calm water scenarios yet super stable. Able to haul a heavy load. Easy for mob and demob. Kayaks sound good until you try to use them for any kind of hunting application. Kayaks are heavy, unstable, and no capacity for gear.
Sportspal canoe, you will thank me later.

I’m going to respectfully disagree and here’s why:

I own a sportspal canoe. It’s light and tracks well. With that being said, aluminum canoes are absurdly loud. Nosing into a brushy bank generates a glass shattering screech, grazing with a paddle turns it into a percussion instrument and the high gunwhales make for an interesting obstacle to drag a dead deer over.

The sportspals come with a foam liner which cuts down on noise if you drop something in the canoe, but the foam rips over time and it makes it hard to clean blood, twigs and debris out. The aluminum ribs that retain the foam pop out and the thick foam strips they put on the outer gunwhales for stability severely impede your ability to properly paddle. This foam also degrades over time and you will start to catch the stainless bolts that retain it with your paddle or knuckles.

My kayak has a 650lb weight capacity and is the most stable personal watercraft I’ve been on. The hunting application is very relevant, but to each their own.