Any gear your adding to the arsenal for next season to help make you more successful?

I've got most everything I need. But a few things I'm looking to add:

-half dozen full body mallard dekes
-ghillie blanket
-dozen Real Geese canada silhouettes

I'm thinking about selling off different spreads I don't use to buy more full bodies. I'm pretty much at max capacity on hauling my full body spread, but I think I can squeeze another doz or 2.

A Benelli Vinci....

Thinking about getting new surface drive motor for the gatortrax.

Gatortail... gatortail... GATORTAILLLLLLL! Loving my XD40. After 4 years and 270 hours not one issue with it.....unless a throttle ground wire nut coming loose is considered an issue.


I just bought a new pair of Gator waders.....not a fan of them anymore but at 50% off couldn't resist. After this new pair leaks after 1 or 2 seasons I'm going to try High&Dry brand....hearing good things about them. I want a layout blind, but when your hunting buddy has 4 and one is always available why buy one? I need ammo BAD....I litterally had 15 shells left when the season ended.

If you're looking for a lightly used one PM me.

I got a new face mask and shooting gloves since I wore my old ones out and found a Wonder Duck on sale. I think it'll help a lot when I'm hunting solo on the stale windless days.

Kid #2 gets out of college in May. If she goes straight to work (no graduate school) I'll sell my outboard rig and buy a used surface drive one. Something about gatortail rings a bell LOL.

Thx, on my radar now. That looks like it is belt driven, how often do you need to tighten it? My mud buddy I have to tighten once or twice a year, I hate doing it as well.

What are having to tighten once or twice a year? If your talking about your belt you are not doing it right, I have only adjusted mine when I replaced my clutch, you should not have to adjust it every year.

My next motor will be a Gatortail but not on my Gatortrax, the angle is made for a Mudbuddy, same for your Guy.

I have ran Godevil and Mudbuddy, time for a change for me. I like the changes Gatortail has made over the years.

Benelli SBE3 28ga on order. Added 140 acres of land in January and have started the permitting process to build a wetland. Hopefully by 2024 there 20+ more acres of flooded corn to short stop all your ducks.

I follow this step-by-step. I may call them and see what they say. Mudbuddy does have good tech support..

I just looked at my maintenance log, I have had to tighten my belt 5 times since Nov 2014. It needs to be tighten now, that will make 6 times, about every 1.5 years.. If I recall, your belt is different than mine and does not require at least 16lbs of pressure..

True, I have the original 2008 model, non Kevlar belt, I have only tightened mine when I replaced the clutch a few years ago but not once before that or since. I have checked it and its always fine. Maybe you are not getting everything tight, possibly.

As you probably know I have 5 other friends running Mudbuddy motors and none of them have to tighten belts every year. They all have newer motors with Kevlar belt like you.

Maybe they do not check the tension? I'm pretty anal about it, and I have often wondered if most just don't worry about it like I do. I also hit a lot of stumps, and that will loosen the tension.

Thanks Larry, already found one.

I've never tightened it.....I guess I could go check it


My hunt on the coast this year was with Willet, who built my boat. I asked him whats the word on my motor and he confirmed my suspicions... great motor and nothing major. Like my diesel a few years back I asked my mechanic same thing....what truck do I get and he said without hesitation ford. The manufacturers know within 6 months after an engine is released if they have lemons or lemonade.

You might want to check it. Mine dropped below 16lbs after the first 27 hours, motor was not even broken in. The belt stretches the most in the beginning. Per that video I posted, he says to tighten to at least 16 lbs, not more than 19. I have always tighten mine as soon as I see it drop below 16lbs, but I did call mudbuddy yesterday on it. They said just don't let it drop below 13 lbs, but when you tighten it, set it between 16 and 19. So I have been tightening mine more than necessary, but nothing wrong with keeping it between 16 and 19, that is the optimal tension, for my motor belt..

I just got off the phone with Gatortrax and asked them about this, Brian, he said that is not true, you can put any motor on a gatortrax, the transom is not motor specific. Where did you get this info? I gave him the year model of my boat as well, told him I'm looking at all my motor options. He said they sell/mount all motors on gatortrax, mudbuddy, gatortail, prodrive, outboards...

I love my boat, I don't want another one. The boat will last forever.

Transom height and transom angle usually matter and not all manufacturers are the same, I am in the process of designing and building a boat and they want to know what motor for this very reason. Im sure things can be done with shims and stuff to make it work for you though.

We bought this 17' Lowes this week and this will be our project for awhile. Still trying to decide on a motor. Gotta be used or a kit due to $$. We have enough mechanical skills for a kit if that looks like a good way to go. Would like a surface drive but seems like out of our budget. Opinions welcomed!

We bought this 17' Lowes this week and this will be our project for awhile. Still trying to decide on a motor. Gotta be used or a kit due to $$. We have enough mechanical skills for a kit if that looks like a good way to go. Would like a surface drive but seems like out of our budget. Opinions welcomed!

My entire decoy spread needs replacing...

Not sure if I'll pull the trigger or not on replacing them but I need to probably buy at least 3-4 dozen new duck decoys. Would like a dozen mallards, Wigeon, gaddies and pintails

Corn spreader

Me to. There is no difference between throwing corn out and "planting" corn for the sole purpose of flooding it to hunt over. There are no normal agricultural practices in either one.