Disadvantages of hunting from a kayak

Im an avid duck hunter. I walk into some of my spots, I have a boat with a blind that I use to hunt out of and use to get to my spots. A buddy of mine has a kayak that he has decked out for duck hunting. My wife asked me last night if that's something that I would like for Christmas? I started thinking, (usually a dangerous situation) but I have never hunted from a kayak. What are your thoughts...advantages/disadvantages for hunting out of a kayak. How big of a kayak you think I would need?

I personally prefer terra firma over even big boats. Kayaks can be great for access shallow water and portability. Make sure you and the kayak are stable. If you hunt with a dog this adds even more challenges to balance especially when shooting or accessing a spot. Depends on what you are in to where you hunt and how adventurous you like to be. For me there is just to many variables to run a small boat routinely with all the gear guns etc and I don't duck hunt without my dogs. I am not a water guy though.

problem with a kayak is that 99.9% dont have a motor

Kayaks will getchya where you cannot walk and sometimes where you cannot boat. You can launch a kayak without a boat ramp. They are easy to hide and are great exercise too. That said,you cannot get there as fast as with a boat and cannot bring as much gear. Also weather conditions have more sway on my decision to take the kayak out.

I have a 10' academy sit on-top that I've hunted out of the past 4 years. I'd recommend at least a 12'

If you've never kayaked before duck season is really not the time to try to learn.

The biggest disadvantage is that you're going to be limited by the wind. It may be no big deal paddling a mile or two with a tail wind, but I can promise you it's not much fun paddling back into that wind headed home, especially loaded down with gear. Plus if you're hunting somewhat open water you're going to be limited by the waves and your ability as a paddler.

To an extent you're also going to be limited by the amount of gear you're able to carry. To counter that I tow a sled behind my kayak with the decoys in it most of the time (if it's real windy I hunt with less decoys and pile them into my kayak).

Those are really the only cons I can think of.

The pros are: easy to conceal (I stash mine and don't hunt in it), you can access water others might not be able to get to, you can launch where boats can't, a lot less hassle than a boat, beats the crap out of having to walk, it's legal to paddle and shoot out of, with a little effort you could have a floating blind, etc.

Get something with a high weight capacity. Generally they'll be more stable. Mine only has a capacity of 250. I weigh 200. I exceed the weight capacity every time I load it down or at least get very close.

My buddy put some out riggers on his and built a little concealment into the process with some pvc? Im trying to figure out if I would use it enough to justify the cost?

I use a Native Ultimate 12 with camo spray skirts, it's basically a floating layout blind that is light enough for one person to carry. It tracks extremely well without the use of a rudder and can handle deep water as well as shallow water. I can hunt spots that no one else can get to which is the primary reason I use it. As much as I've used it, I haven't had waterfowl get spooked by it once I'm stationary and camo'd up with burlap and grass. I have birds literally land right next to my boat.

I see one major disadvantage. Kayaks can't do this!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58LgHwyfFx0

Truthfully I use mine a lot more for the spring white bass run than I do duck hunting these days. I've only got a couple of spots I use my yak at. I either walk in or we take a boat to get to the others. Plus - if I hunt out of my kayak, I can't take my dog.

I usually have two guys that hunt with me on any given hunt. And I own two kayaks...it gets old me having to paddle the extra boat back and forth. That's another disadvantage - you're limited to hunting by yourself or with someone else who has a kayak.

Airboats can't steer nor brake once you let off the gas either

Yall suggest sit in or sit on kayaks? Any specific models? Im doing some research and Im kind of diggin what Im finding!

1 seater? or 2 seater?

That is why you steer and brake with the fuel pedal.

Look at water moccasin pirogues. Usually cheaper than a good kayak. I hunt out of a 12'x40" wide and the stability is far more than a kayak. I have plenty of room hauling me (180lbs), 2 dozen decoys, shell bag, 2 flappers, and my pup.

I have shot put of it without any fear of tipping and will go in 4" water loaded with the gear listed above. Easy to paddle and 1 man can handle it without a problem.

I'm not the biggest duck huntin' sumbich around, but at 6'4" 270# any kayak that floats me, gear, and dog worth a flip is basically a jon boat.

I hunted out of one last year with somebody that had an extra and hunts from one a lot. In fact he may have already replied on this thread. He was pulling his (relatively) skinny arse through the mud no problem. Meanwhile I was beached like a whale - darn near had a heart attack trying to pull myself through the mud. Tried to step out the yak, big mistake, waste deep mud.

And that's how I found out motorized boats are more my thing.

To the OP that pirogues USMC posted looks like your huckleberry if your in the market for a single man duck rig especially for the addition of a dog.

This...I'm not going to paddle.

Might want go look at a Carsten Inds duck boat. I have the Mallard. Only 100 pounds and I put a trolling motor bracket on it and run a 50 pound thrust MK. I can also use a kayak paddle and it moves it really well even loaded down. The mallard has a 500 pound load rating. It's pretty tough, I've had mine 10 years.

I sank one of those once

I know someone that fell out of a kayak when he shot to his side (90* shot) and 3 quick blast had him rolling the kayak. Yes we laughed at him once we made sure he was ok.

...in the Gulf of Mexico in January

I hunted in a kayak for the first time this past Sunday, and it worked out great. I shot my one man limit by 8 am. Like others said, it depends on where you're hunting. I hunted public land that is inaccessible by big boats and really far to walk in so the kayak was perfect for my situation.

Well I kayaked to my spot and then hunted from a bank, I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting from a kayak but mine is only 12'.

We had a pirogue, but a crazy idea told me I needed a kayak, as soon as I sold and got what I needed I was trading to get back to a pirogue. You can keep the kayaks.

And it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen while duck hunting!

If shooting from the boat, I prefer the decked Pirogue. It's a stable platform and I have been unable to turn it over when testing it in the summer. But if I am paddling far or in a hurry, I prefer the kayak. My kayak is 14 ft and something like a 30 inch beam. I would not want anything shorter or narrower. I do prefer a sit in kayak, but I am in the minority as most prefer sit on tops.

Cool pics sniper John.

For no more than I will probably use it, Im looking to go cheap as possible while still being functional. I think a kayak is the best way. Any specific brands? Sit on vs. Sit in? Outriggers necessary? How long of a kayak you think?

Most commercial kayaks these days are made for fishing, anyway while you could build a stable boat shorter, almost all sit on top kayaks under 12 feet (and even some of those) are a little on the unstable side. I wouldn't want outriggers on a duck rig, just more stuff to drag in the super shallow water.

My sit on top kayak is ok, but it's tough to haul as many decoys as I'd like for example on the coast. The sit ins with big cockpits often have more storage area.

For duck hunting I like the sit in better . I have a 14 ft old pelican sit in and a 12 ft sit on top for comparison.

If I were buying a new Kayak for waterfowl hunting I would buy a FX Native Ultimate in Hidden Oak Camo (Sand Camo if I lived on the coast). As new I would order it with a factory rudder kit and add a camo bow spray skirt to help with crossing rough water. Ad a rod holder base mount on the back and a LED pole light that fits the base. I would match the wide beam with the lightest carbon 140 bent shaft paddle in black I could afford and the most comfortable paddling style life vest I could afford. Then find a cushion or cut a closed foam pad for the dog to sit on directly behind the seat to get him off the cold wet floor. And last ad a gel filled Yakpad for my seat to make those long crossings more comfortable. It is classified as a sit on top, but you actually sit in it. it is 15'3" long, 31" wide, 450 lb capacity, and 86 lbs. With that choice I should be able to haul as much gear as I want including the dog. It should be stable enough to shoot from if I want and I should be able to go handle most rough water days. You can not sink it. But for that rig your going to have spent at least couple thousand for the kayak and gear, so it is not cheap. For cheap as possible, buy whatever is on sale at Academy or similar and do the best you can, but most people with that idea end up not hunting more than a couple times via kayak before they move on to something else.

It's really hard to beat a Wilderness Systems Ride 135. 550# capacity, and super stable.

I hunt out of a 8 year old Pelican Castaway 116... spray painted camo, and I am able to do everything I need to do with that boat.

Check the DFW Craigslist, there are 265 listed under a search for kayak.

I concur. I have one of these in camo. I have never duck hunted out of it, but don't see why you couldn't do it. I have paddled around with my 95 lb lab sitting on the back. He thought it was pretty cool.

One advantage of the Ride (and several other newer models available) is that the keel is made with a pontoon type hull. This gives it more stability. I am a 300 lber and I have never come close to tipping this yak. I use it for bass fishing. One comment I remember reading when I was shopping for yaks was that on the Ride you could do a half gainer off the side and not tip it.....lol.