The entire F4 line was designed to hunt shallow water, including mud flats, rivers, and even timber. Their 2170 Blackhawk model will be particularly interesting to big-water hunters, since it sports 22-degree deadrise hull and is designed specifically for choppy conditions. It is made with heavy-duty, 1100 denier PVC polyester material that makes it resistant to breaking, UV, abrasion, tearing and tension. This is boat is better than kayaks. Some duck boats have built-in gun boxes which are watertight and may even lock. Today, in this blog post, Ill walk you through 17 best in the world duck hunting boats that will take your adventure to the next level and help you to get biggest catches of your life. A more expensive model may be shown. Includes a side console, aerated 19 gallon livewell, portable fuel tank, side panels, Roughliner, and a stern deck cushion. Finally, there is the deep-V bottom boat, which is designed for larger bodies of water and open-water gaming. Theres a dual shelving system and decoy storage on the lower shelf. In addition to the console model, their tiller Shallow Water F4 is loaded with standard features like gun boxes for your best duck hunting shotguns and dry storage for other gear. Give back and leave a lasting legacy by volunteering with DU. Here is another beast by Bankes boat for duck hunting. For big water adventure, the Deep-V fishing series brings all the fishing features for walleye, smallmouth, crappie, or any other species your angling heart desires. Get ready to double the fun and adventure on the water as the ultimate duck hunting boat arrived on the market. Plus, there are prefab blinds designed to easily mount on the popular series of boats and multiple different camo patterns are available. Bring big flavor to your gamebirds with this Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. If you want to haul a few pods I would look at a 17-19' boat. My personal rig is a 16-foot Go-Devil boat and motor with an Avery Quick-Set blind. Just as there are boats for sale that are better for fishing and others that are better for cruising, there are certain boats designed for duck hunting on the water. * All prices are in US Dollars and do not include dealer freight, prep, tariffs, fees, taxes, and registration. Also, this kayak comes in white colour that protects it from harmful UV rays. Simply put, you need boat for your hunting scenario, and factors including maneuverability, concealment, safety, and size all play an important role in making the appropriate choice for the best duck hunting boats. From roomy deck space to lightweight body design, this boat has got it all to take your duck hunting new level. But, if you enjoy solo hunting, the DP is an affordable, versatile option. Slip into the skinniest water with the rugged and reliable Roughneck 1860 Tunnel Jet. They dont need much draft, they maximize stability, and they have good load-bearing characteristics so they can support the weight of a boat blind and hunting deck. This is the best piece on my list of best duck hunting boats. Expect cool and innovativestorage on your Lowe Roughneck. Hand applied Mossy Oak camo patterns take duck hunting to the next level. If you opt for this boat, it will be your long term asset that you can use for years of come. This is another Runabout boat by Sea Eagle with a 6 person carrying capacity, 380 cm of lenght, 165 cm of width, 5 air chambers and inflation valve and a total infaltion time of 20 minutes. Most duck hunters dont need a boat like thisbut if you do need it, having it is a matter of life and death. Designed in Maine for the tough waters of the Atlantic, the TDB SeaClass was made with safety at the forefront. Most of the guys that I know that are hard core fisherman / duck hunters are running 2-4 boats. This type of craft is generally made from fiberglass and is ideal for hunting divers, or sea ducks, in open water. And there have been moments, usually when pushing it across a mudflat in the dark, that Ive wished it were lighter and paired with a mud motor. Mid-sized pontoon fun is on the schedule with the Ultra 180 C, a fun-filled lake cruiser to please everyone. The Stinger 175C stands out from the crowd as the most complete 17 foot bass fishing boat package in the industry, with the performance and fishability anglers demand. Theyre expensive and specialized, but must-have additions for truly obsessive duck hunters. Designed for use with an outboard motor, the optional KIK-UP transoms dual gas shocks absorb below-the-water impact to your lower unit and keep you on the go. The boats control panel is located near the driver to allow for easy access to the pair of interior panel lights, bilge, running lights, and bow spotlight option switch. The MOmarsh Fatboy DP (dual-purpose) is suitable to hunt layout-boat style in open water for divers one day and then in shallow water marshes the next. But the boat is an all-around compromise that I use 12 months of the year, and its never let me down. Since the boat is inflatable, you wont be having many issues with carrying and transporting it from one spot to another. We are talking about some of the best duck hunting boats, right? Now, you can move towards your duck hunting spot quietly and steadily. Your personal play-room on the water, the SS 250 WT features an inviting layout and premium amenities to generate memories year after year. The entire boat is designed by keeping the needs of modern-day hunters in mind. Ducks Unlimited and its partners continue to restore wetlands along California's coast thanks to California Coastal Conservancy grants. All Wildfowl subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Its nearly unsinkable and completely self-bailing with three air chambers. Starting at price refers to the base model, optional equipment not included. Standard options include a Mercury 40HP four-stroke motor, EZ Trac steel trailer, and factory install. Other hunters might add or subtract from this list according to the special needs of where and how they hunt. In most cases these details define the specific types of hunting environments that a boats hull will best fit. A gun box doesn't have to be a must, but . The lack of a console means more space for decoys and blinds. Heres the latest duck hunting boat by Sea Eagle brand that is worth buying in 2022. Unit 6 of 9. Hunting from a boat is a great way to utilize North America's public lakes, rivers, marshes, and swamps. A bass-dominating competitor with a lightning-fast extended-pad Mod-V hull and the fishing features to launch you to the top of the leaderboard. level with creative use of layout blinds. To provide the boat with added protection from abrasion and collision on water, it has got full lenght underside rubbing strakes and bumper guards on the side. Blind options are available. See these photos and videos so you can see what a duck boat looks like, plus details on the Branson accident in 2018. Plus, the decked over design helps to make the boat easy to control. The four-foot deck is fitted with a pedestal base and under-deck storage is available. Whether you are planning for a day touring, recreational activities or someone who just need to hunt, this boat will surely give you the best experience ever. It is built to last and be built to perform on freshwater, black water, saltwater, seawater, and other water types in extreme weather conditions. What is "the" boat for Puget sound duck hunting? We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. But the deep-V comes with a deeper draft, so they arent ideal for hunting in shallow areas. You can use this information to help you choose which boat to buy for duck hunting and feel confident that youre getting the best duck boat for your needs, no matter what those might be. Key Caddy. So you need something that you can throw into the bed of the truck or strap to the roof of your Prius. Most of the boats listed here are not seaworthy in all conditions. How many passengers do you need to fit onboard? Different styles of waterfowl hunting call for different styles of vessels. GO-DEVIL duck hunting boats are designed and built with the duck hunter in mind. Each season, several waterfowl hunters lose their lives because they venture out in craft that are too small to handle rough waters or because they aren't wearing a life jacket when an accident happens. It also has enough room to transport a layout boat strapped to the bow and 10 dozen diver decoys. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Another point to note is this boat is 25% lighter as compared to others in marketing, easy to set up and less expensive to the motor. For families who love to play on the water, the Deep-V Fish & Ski series are versatile, safe, and super-fun boats that please the whole crew. Good For: Pothole hopping, floating for wood ducks in streams, and setting up for loafing geese on farm ponds. Altogether there are 4 carry handles attached to the boat to make transportaion and carrying easy. Some of the top-rated features of the boat are 6 built-in rod holders, forward and aft spray skirts to protect you from water splash, Sea Eagle exclusive accessory belts to hold your tools, hooks, and lures, and adjustable foot brace and a lot more. This boat-blind has provided me with many wonderful hunts in the past 15 years. 6 Styles of Duck Boats (And How to Pick the Right One For You) Roto-molded from high-density polyethylene, youll wear out before this boat does, and the wide, stable base makes toting decoys and shooting all the easier. Escape and relax on the spacious Retreat 250 Walk-Through, a powerful pontoon with profound creature comforts and performance features built to impress. Duck hunting in Pennsylvania creates unique bond among hunters If you are using your vessel to hunt, you should: Understand that you are still responsible for obeying all boating laws and should follow all safe boating rules. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Jam-packed with all the necessary hunting features, this boat performs well on a wide range of water types. Make a difference for wetlands and waterfowl by becoming a DU member today. Despite missing some deck space, this series still manages to pack in plenty of storage under the deck and dual gun trays for optimal hunting prowess. They are one of the top-rated kayak and boat manufacturing companies with a decade of experience. So, getting a perfect duck hunting boat makes lot of sense. While not a conventional deep V-hull, the modified V-hull on the Blackhawk series makes these boats a versatile option for hunting a variety of water depths. While the dual-purpose is nice, depending on how may features you add, theyll quickly take up space and add cost. A first-hand look and field test with the new HydroFoam diver decoys from Heyday Outdoor. Relentlessly adaptive birds are leery of mid-field these days, but you can still take your game to the next When Ive layout hunted on places like the Chesapeake Bay, the locals ran center-console fiberglass boats with 200-horsepower outboards on the backthe same boats they used for striper fishing. Also, it is the only duck hunting boat on my list and harnesses the 3 piece construction for low maintenance and long-lasting life. Understanding the difference between duck and gooses is important for better skills in hunting. Measuring 18 feet and branded with a weight capacity of 1,100 pounds, SeaArks Mud Runner 180 will take you where you long to go. Best Jon Boats of 2023 | Field & Stream Big lake and big river capability come standard on the Catfish, a tank of a boat built to chase big blues and flatheads with confidence. This is one piece of gear that I think new hunters overlook. Trolling? The L1240 Jon is a compact and rugged fishing, hunting, and utility boat for all purposes. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Unlock the potential of your Roughneck jon with the ultra strong all-aluminum heavy-duty knee brace reinforced transom, which allows you the option ofbigger, more powerful Mercury outboard engines. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A popular layout for fishing and hunting, the side-console provides a balance of ease-of-use and interior mobility. It has a hull weight of 14 kgs, a lenght of 274 cm, a width of 122 cm and a load capacity of 200 kgs. The Roughneck 70 Side Console is a big, bold worker that's tough as nails, easy to drive, and built to last. If you have the option, its one you should get. The Roughneck is rugged and ready to rumble, with all-welded durability and the features you need to fish, hunt, or work when and where you need to. a Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each passenger, a sound-producing device such as a whistle or air horn, a visual signaling device (flares and flare gun). Keeping up with different sets of keys while duck hunting is a perennial challenge for waterfowlers. Having a carrying capacity of 3 people, hull weight of 45 kg, length of 488 cm, the width of 137 cm and 3 air chambers, this boat will help you to get the best catches of your life. Good For: These boats arent for transport, but are instead for hiding in plain sight from ducks and geese without getting wet. The aluminum diamond-plate floor reduces slippage, and the eight-degree hull, I-Beam Ribs, and T-Lock Gunnel Rail make each model worth its salt on the duck water. A good many mud motors are mounted on regular jon boats, but companies like Go-Devil build specialized mud boats with smooth bottoms and rounded chines (thats boat talk for sides), which helps for easier turns and even better shallow water utility. Likewise, I would have shaken my head if I was in a TDB while hunting tree ducks in a shallow Florida marsh. Talking about its specification: It has a carrying capacity of 3 people, a hull weight of 20 kg, a width of 91 cm, 4 air chambers and 4 air valves for quick inflation and deflation. Also the boat is easy to pack up, fits into almost any truck or SUV, and will entirely change the way you view boats. The boat comes with a 10- or 12-foot push pole and top running lights make your surroundings glow. Best Duck Boats and Motors of 2023 - Wildfowl Dealer sets the final purchase price. You are now subscribed to the get Lowe updates! Additionally, the hull design will not get as skinny as a true flat bottom that has a smooth surface and is designed to minimize friction. For one, do you mean a duck hunting boat or the more publicly recognizable duck boat vehicle used by tour groups? If you personally ask me which is the best inflatable boat for duck hunting, I would say go with this one. It is backed by wide floorboards to give you enough deck space for hunting and to keep your equipment and accessories. If youve hunted timber before, you know the difficulty of getting in and out of the boat. Youll want a long-tail motor for boggy, stump-filled areas where you expect a lot of resistance. The interior of the boat is moulded just similar to its hull design and injected with foam floatation. This is no big-water outfit. The only detractions are that the aluminum can be a little louder on calm days and transfers cold to your body easier than fiberglass, but those are minor drawbacks that the Hydro-Turf helps mitigate. There are many reasons why the back-to-back position is the best. Most hunters stow their decoys in bags or just stack them on the deck, but some prefer to build stowage boxes right into the boat. But what makes this the ultimate duck hunting canoe/kayak is the boat's ability to access virtually any water with ease, thanks to the lightweight design. | To get the most bang for your buck, do your research and investigate multiple options before you open your wallet. Plus, we particularly like that Crestliner has a limited lifetime warranty. Starting at $16,500 | excelboats.com, The largest of War Eagles Sportsman line, the 2372LDSV is big and bold. Again, depending on how and where you hunt will determine which motor is best for your style of duck hunting. Of course, Havoc knows most duck nuts dont settle for standard, and throngs of custom options like a recessed switch panel, green lighting package, removable gun box, and bow rails, to name a few, are yours for the choosing. Of course, you should always work with a qualified and reputable boat dealer in the process, but there are some situations where a custom build might offer a better fit. Standards include a center keel for improved handling with smaller motors in tight quarters, a slightly raised front deck, added storage up front and enclosed fuel tank compartment in the rear. 18 feet of hard-working jon boat, the Roughneck 1860 Tiller makes fishing, hunting, and working easy. Mid-sized versatility meets no-nonsense functionality in the all-purpose Roughneck 1760 Side Console. For example, theres 2 side decoy storage, shelf, large front storage, dry storage and small item storage as well. A mid-sized pontoon value for anglers and fun-loving families, the Ultra 182 FC is ready for you. Many also carry a spud, which is a pole sharpened at one end, which you can shove deep into the mud then use to tie off the boat. Max load is 423 pounds, and the 16-foot boat rides on a BlackTrack Trailer. What is a Duck Boat (and What Does it Look Like?) - Pontooners Luxurious comfort, incredible performance, and generous storage are hallmarks of the Retreat, Lowes most refined pontoon collection. The 25 Titan open water duck hunting boat is made using the Bankes exclusive tunnel chine design that will give you a smooth and effortless ride on various water types. 9 Essential Pieces of Duck Hunting Gear for Beginners Wildfowl's Best Duck Boats - Wildfowl Good For: Tending offshore layout boats for divers and sea ducks, and running long distances on major rivers like the Lower Mississippi and Columbia. With an expansive extended deck and premium comfort features, it's poised to please. Fish or fowl, go just about anywhere with confidence, knowing you've made the finest choice in high-performance all-welded aluminum pursuit boats. They're also used as tender boats that are used in layout hunting. The SS 250 is an elegant entertainer that opens all possibilities to lake-loving families with profound creature comforts and premium performance. This allows the maximum amount of foam to stay on the boat. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. A Mod-V bow and flat bottom make the L1448M Jon smooth, stable and ready to fish, hunt, or work. Since this boat is manufactured by Sea Eagle, it uses drop stitching technology that connects the upper and lower layer of the boat and creates a flat and even surface. I use it mostly in backwaters when the Mississippi and Ohio rivers and their tributaries are flooding. COPYRIGHT 2023 LOWE BOATS. Sea Eagle needs no introduction. $999 | explorebeavertail.com, A single-person craft you can trick out with some optional accessories, Carstens Puddler is lightweight and shallow running. With an amazing carrying capacity of 900 kgs,lenght of 427 cm and width of 182 cm this is the largest duck hunting boat on my list. Will Brantley The vast majority of Jon boats used for hunting and duck hunting in particular are aluminum boats, since they tend to be much lighter than fiberglass . A Timber Runner Package is available for those looking to create the ultimate mud runner. Prime versatility and extreme comfort are standard with the SS 230 CL, a mid-sized pontoon for anyone who loves the lake life. In some cases this may be as simply as carrying some burlap and using it to break up the boats lines, and cover the outboard. Top-performing all-welded pad hull makes the 18 Bay a great inshore fishing boat. Here is the list of ducks. Life may be better on the water, but it's best on a SS 270 EWT! It only draws water 4-5 inches so that you can reach places you thought impossible. Built to handle less-than-friendly conditions, the deep-v design provides a smooth ride across open water so you can access backwater duck holes. And on top of that, the price is reasonable for a fully-equipped package when compared to other duck boats on the market today. Hunting Boats by Xpress These have aluminum frames with cloth blind material and can be purchased for many Jon boats, and added with four mounts that can be screwed or bolted to the corners of the boat. It has a carrying capacity of 5 people or 1200lbs which allows you to take your friends and family on your duck hunting adventure. Great for lakes, rivers, bays, deep sea, oceans or almost any body of water. The Retreat 230 WT pontoon boat transports you to relaxation on the water with a raft of features that will impress everyone in the family. The rig rides on a Bear galvanized tubular steel Trail Guard trailer with a locking detachable tongue. Summer is here but the season if closing in fastfaster than our top pick duck boats. ROUNDED SIDES FOR NAVIGATING THE ABNORMAL. Some poles on the market serve both purposes, with a thick Y shaped end to push with and a point on the other end. NEW ALUMINUM METAL BOATS FOR SALE. Staying safe on true big water calls for a true big-water boat. Picking up decoys with a console boat is a pain in the ass. Yes, it is. The Savage Series offers 17 feet of length, but models are only about 50 inches wide, which means they will navigate through tricky areas better than some duck boats. Go Devils fastest rig, this 430-pound craft sports all-aluminum construction and a slick bottom design to ensure no hang-ups on mud, stumps, or other in-the-water debris. Built to exceed even the most daring hunter's needs, Excel's 1860 Shallow Water F4 Pro Hull was designed for duck hunters, by duck hunters. The boat is built to give safe and predictable handling in all sea and weather conditions. Xpress HD Xpress HD Duck models are available in 15- and 16-footers. Excel Boats 1860 Shallow Water F4 Pro Hull. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Get the latest news and updates from DU delivered straight to you. The right duck boat will match the style of hunting that you do. Plus, its unique transom will push the mud, ice and cattails away from the boat to allow you a smooth gliding experience. With a dual helm, an expansive aft conversion lounge, and the added amenities found in far more expensive pontoons, the SS 250 DL is a dream come true. Best Kayaks for Duck Hunting | Field & Stream