So, I'll start by saying that I'm fairly new to duck hunting. This is my third season, but I'm absolutely loving everything about it. I've hunted public land and small water so far, with decent success—limits are rare, but I generally get a bird or two, so no complaints. My question is, do you think it's worth taking the next step and going with a duck boat?

I know there's much more to hunting than just shooting ducks, but do the more experienced hunters out there think that having access to a boat increases your overall success? Or is it more about the experience of loading up the boat and cruising to a new area? The only reason I ask is because I see a lot of big lake hunters talk about how horrible the hunting is, so I don't want to invest in something that just doesn't make sense. I'm guessing that I just hear about the bad hunts on forums, though, and there are probably more successful hunts than I realize.

I have a 15-foot aluminum boat that I'm refurbishing, and I'm considering getting a 20hp in the next few months so I can put a boat in the mix next season. Anyways, I'd love to hear your opinion on the boat vs no-boat debate!

I think a boat helps enormously unless you are only hunting tanks or small lakes. Least of which is in the hunting. Mostly it helps in the scouting. Many spots can be walked to but few can be effectively scouted without a boat. At least in Texas, OK, LA and AR. Further north you can scout by truck. The hours I put on my motor scouting are about 5 times the hours I put on it hunting. You don't necessarily need a surface drive or longtail to scout but it helps. Having the boat is the biggest plus.

No question a boat would help, please just remember on any kind of big water a 15 ft boat can get you killed, always wear your life jacket , and never take a chance on questionable weather. Boats are great for duck hunting, but they can be very dangerous. Good luck, glad to have another hunter join us

Having a boat will get you to a lot of spots you can’t reach by foot. You still gotta be where they want to be, but it eliminates a lot of your competition. I agree with ElkOne, crossing big water in a windy day can get you in trouble real quick. And waders are hard to swim in, so wait till you get there before putting them on.

Thanks for the input! Safety is definitely a factor. I've spent quite a bit of time on boats as an angler, so playing the wind and staying close to the bank is always a better than trying to cross open water on a windy day.

Are large lakes generally more productive than hunting small water? Like I said, I've had decent success on small water, but it's definitely hit or miss and the birds seem to move on quickly. On larger bodies of water, do you have more of a chance to find birds just because there's so much more surface area? I'm guessing that's the case. Also, do ducks stick around on larger lakes for longer?

Just my opinion but a producing small lake or small water is better. Mostly because the opportunities for where birds go are limited. They do tend to shoot out faster so you have to give them a longer rest. Big water they just go somewhere else. In North Texas, I'm becoming less convinced that many birds stay on big water. I think they are moving through. I don't have any hard evidence of this. Just my gut feeling. That being said. Getting on the X on big water will give you a more sustained hunt, usually. My experience with smaller water is that birds move to it earlier. I don't have a ton of experience on small water but what I do have has been hunts over about 9 am.
I'm not sure that is the rule and others will probably give you a more rounded opinion of small water.

I wanted to add an exception to this. Lakes where ducks can raft in the middle and not be bothered may hold more birds longer if there is food nearby. An example is a North Texas lake that has a sanctuary on it. Birds hold in the sanctuary because they aren't bothered. On lakes without a lot of boat activity, that may be the same thing unless someone tries to jump shoot them in the middle of the lake.

100% is worth it. I have a pretty wide 14ft jon boat with a 13hp predator on it. It is no speed demon by any means but its so much nicer just throwing everything on the boat instead of carrying it all in. Fully loaded with 3 people it'll get me about 9mph, still gotta do some more tuning to hopefully get another 2-3 and make it easier to drive. With that being said be carefully on big water in a small boat. Wind above 10-15mph I am not the most comfortable taking it out in loaded down. Also gotta be super carful going in in the dark with fog and hidden stumps below the water like at RR.

Be careful, a boat will make you fat.

You could write a book on this topic. IMO it all depends. I know alot of lakes in north texas that are absolutely loaded with birds at night. You will watch them come in the last hour of light, hear them out there all night long, kick up thousands of mallards as you drive through the rafts of birds at night, then 20 minutes before LST you start hearing the ducks fly over head, the once LST comes around all the birds are gone except for a few stragglers and your lucky to shoot a few ducks.

This is especially true in lakes with high hunting pressure and dry years like this year when the lake edges are just mud flats and there is nothing for the birds to eat.

Now the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, we had water and the hunting was fantastic bc the lakes held birds for both roosting, loafing and feeding.

I've had a couple boats over the last 20 years. I'm primarily a walk in hunter these days, and don't have a boat right now. I will probably get another boat some day. But I don't mind walking. Monday I walked in a mile and a half one way. Friday I plan on hunting a spot thats about a 2.5mile walk.

Boats can be PIA, especially in low water years like this year. You won't be able to hunt out of it as there is no shoreline cover. You'll have to ditch it 200-300 yards down the bank from where your hunting. I hunt solo almost entirely, so launching a boat solo kinda sucks. To me its not really worth it. I had good hunts with my boat and bad hunts. I dont think it automatically put me on more birds compared to my walk in spots. You still have to put in the time learning new spots and finding the birds.

Probably the most honest opinion in this thread!

All great input! I'm curious, for hunts where you're walking in 2.5 miles, what's your method for hauling all of your gear? I have a few spots in mind that would be quite a haul, and haven't been sure if I should try to drag in a sled, go with only a few decoys, or just ditch decoys altogether.

I'll probably end up getting the boat put together at some point, but it's nice to know that some people solely focus on walk-in hunting. Almost more than finding ducks, I'm interested in getting away from other groups, which seems like could be the advantage to having a boat. I had a hunter trying to shoot down cormorants next to my spread on Monday, so I was feeling particularly motivated to get my boat in working order haha.

Definitely don't need any help getting fat. Being a father of three little kids is already doing a pretty good job.

I use a sled sometimes, but typically not on long hikes. You have to have a good decoy bag. I like the rufuge runner, you have to pack it right, keep heavier items toward the bottom. I put everything in the pack, keep your hands free and a hiking stick helps. I use 2oz decoy weights, cut back of you decoy keels open to drain the sand, take only what you need and minimize as much weight as you can. Typically only running 12-15 decoys. But its surprising how quickly the weight adds up.. Further stocking foot waders with a good wading boot makes those long walks a breeze.

The Refuge Runner is cool! Never seen it before. That's all great advice. I'm a big believer in the fact that sweat equity = more success and less competition.

Oh. Well. That explains it. If I sell the boat I'll lose, what, 60 lbs?

I’ll take a good (not tipsy and not cheap) kayak as a good compromise between walking and a boat. You can launch it virtually anywhere, easier to hide, and no maintenance costs like a boat. Sit on top only (won’t sink).

With that said - I walk in about 75% of the time. I doubt I’ll even get the kayak out with low levels this year - I prefer the kayak in high water years because I can get to green flooded timber that boats and walk in hunters can’t get to - easily at least.

I like my kayak to. Only problem is I can't bring my dog with me when I take it out.

No leash?

It is very honest, I gained 45lbs when I got my boat. I always gained weight in the off season, and hunting season was my time to get in shape and shed lbs. I walked miles and miles, me and my dog, scouting. Over the last several years I have lost all that weight and more, I'm down to zero fat now, but it is not from walk-in hunting any more.

I want to do more walk-in hunting like old times, I did one last year. It is nice not having to mess with a boat, it is safer, and great exerciser. I always liked spots that boats can't get to. I would take 18 deeks, let the sand out of the keel to make it light and also very light weights, small fishing weights I would use. Short texas rig, 2 sets of 9. put both infront of me, clip 1 set on right d-ring and 1 set to the other d-ring, and sling over each shoulder. 1 mojo, $7 academy dove stool with pouch cut off, gun with strap would rest on both shoulders behind my head, I could walk miles like that.

I wonder if the type of hunting we do is different. I primarily look for holes in the flooded timber. In the willows these are tough to get into so a boat can get you closer. If I were hunting oxbows or open holes in grass I think I could walk in to them. With the water lower that is probably what I'm going to have to do. Not many flooded timber holes right now.

I do agree that in this low water scenario, a boat is as much a hinderance. It certainly was last weekend for me.

On TRA lakes, the rules say you can't be above full pool level. That means when the water is up, the only way to access any area is to wade or by boat. Not that I've ever seen anyone dinged for it.

I did do some walking to scout last weekend and I enjoy that. If I had found water back there I would have probably walked in.

What happens to the action of decoys when you empty the sand out? Do they become unstable at all or do they actually have more movement?
Are you using magnums or smaller decoys? I have some old academy decoys I may try this with.

I'm assuming you're in East Texas if you're hunting flooded timber? Or are you referencing years when we have a lot of water. I bought the Refuge Runner yesterday! Excited to do some run-and-gun hunting on public land.

For those of you who hunt smaller water on public land, how much does scouting factor into the equation? Most spots are about an hour from my house, so I'd probably just take a shot in the dark at some areas that look "ducky." Is that a workable approach?

I hunt West, North and East Texas. Mostly North Texas. Yes, We need a good amount of water to hunt most of the flooded timber. There aren't a big number of holes on each lake but there are some. The further west you get the less flooded timber there is, I think. It's mostly willows so there are a lot of limbs and downed trees to contend with. Honestly, I'm not sure they are the most productive spots. I just enjoy finding and hunting them. It makes me feel like I have the place to myself.

Scouting is very important as a walk in hunter or as a boat hunter. Its the #1 factor that determines a good hunt or not.

Ya its tough to do, I work full time, have a young family and try to hunt as much as possible(normally 30 hunts a season). I go in blind alot, hopong the ducks are there like in years past or are there after I've given the area a few days rest, or hoping the ducks show up on a big front. I try to scout after hunts for the next day. But there is only so much time in the day. There is a reason why guide services have full time scouts that do nothing but find birds for the head guide a hunters.

There is no way for any one boat to do all you need. So I took that as I need a boat for each of my needs. I can't live without boats in my life. Its kind of funny because I built a barge to transport materials for the island house build. I told my nephews that boat has become my favorite boat. I don't have to worry about damaging the cosmetics, it carries an unbelievable payload, it hides very easily when duck hunting, it can get into extremely skinny water especially if you get off and float it in. In the summer we will take it to the lake, screw two pop up canopies and a grill to the deck, park in a cove and tie the ice chest and tubes to the side of the boat, instant party barge. If it was up to me and not my bride, I'd get rid of the other boats and just ride the barge. I don't hunt in a boat, I park the boat and get out. I don't fish from the boat, i wade. A boat is just a ride.

Now that's what I'm talking about! That's a cool boat.