Anybody hunt out of a kayak?

[bgremill]

I'm thinking my two man Jackson Big Tuna needs to become the silent stalker!  Anybody else do this?  My boat can support plenty enough weight, I think 650lbs or something, and would be really easy to creep hogs.  
I need to make a trial run of stumping to see what it's like shooting while sitting in a kayak though.  
If anybody else has experience with this please chime in.  

Brent

[Oregon Okie]

I haven't but I saw some guys bowfishing out of a kayak on youtube. Seemed to work.

[SELFBOW19953]

You might check RC's threads.  He has hunted from a kayak and has posted quite a bit on it.  Gets plenty of responses from other users.

I personally prefer a canoe, it's more stable, I'm used to it, and it will handle plenty of weight/gear.  I'm also kneeling instead of sitting.

[Jim Wright]

With all due respect it is my experience that a kayak, either sit in or sit on top is considerably more stable than a canoe.

[highplains55]

i have hard kayaks as well as inflatable kayaks both are stable and the inflatable is easy for entry and exit ,i sold all my canoes.

[Brock]

a nice sit on top or a canoe will both do the job....kayak might be more maneuverable and stable (SOT).....but canoe will have more cargo capacity if you get the big one for the paddle home.  Still water not much to worry about but add a falling tide or some heavy current or shoals and I would not recommend paddling a SOT or any kayak near capacity.

I am going to pick up a good wilderness systems or jackson fishing/hunting kayak but still prefer my Bell Northwinds for 75% of my excursions due to the ability to carry gear and game if needed better.

[VictoryHunter]

I hunt out of a cheap canoe. It will carry up to 800lbs. I think I paid $200 for it new and it's a good sturdy kick around canoe.

[Day Dreamer]

I just purchased a native ultimate 14.5 kayak that is a cross between a kayak and canoe. Tracks much better than my 12 ft aluminium canoe. Don't plan to shoot out of it just transportation.

[Yohon]

One of my favorite photo's of a good friends bow kill from a few years ago. This guy uses them alot with great success. He said he actually paddled by this buck and got in his stand and shot him with his Jerry Hill an hour or so later from 7 yards or some such cool distance. He tells me storys all the time about paddling by deer as they watch him go buy. Ive hunted with him a few times out of them and the quiet approach makes for a cool hunt.
 

[dougedwards]

Illegal in Va to hunt anything while floating on the water other than migratory birds and fish.

The strange thing is that it is legal to shoot a deer who is swimming in the water while the shooter is on land. Illegal to do in most states I believe

 Doug

[MCNSC]

I currently have a sot kayak that I use for fishing and just paddling. If I were to get a boat strictly for hunting it would be a canoe. Both have their pros and cons.

[Centex]

Originally posted by Jim Wright:
With all due respect it is my experience that a kayak, either sit in or sit on top is considerably more stable than a canoe.

This always get said in defense of kayaks, but I would rather put a deer inside of a canoe than strap one to a kayak.  Muddy banks make for nasty kayaks.  I thinks it is a personal preference based on the hunt and body of water.

[akbowbender]

I have a 17' Folbot folding kayak. It is one of the older ones with the hypalon Hull. Has a large open cockpit. Floated out a few moose with it.

[Brock]

yeah many times I think the deer are used to seeing fishermen and pleasure boaters and pay no attention to the canoeist or others that hunt and use it for transportation....actually I think the closer to high traffic areas the less they pay attention...but back in the wilderness or far reaches of a tidal river they bust out of there if they see you especially if very close.

[hawkeye n pa]

The Kayak is easier for me to load/unload so I use it the most.  I do way more turkey hunting from it than deer.  My canoe is aluminum which is harder to keep quiet during pre dawn landings.  Although its had alot of use over the years.  Bought the kayak 3 years ago used, and its green.

[BaldingEagle]

Yohon,
What kind of boat is your friend in?  It looks a lot like a canoe.  Is it a SOT kayak?  If so, what make and model is it?
Thanks,
BaldingEagle

[wetfeathers]

That's a great picture Yohon. Both kayak and canoe are a great way to hunt. It adds an extra adventure to each hunt.

[jeff w]

I have had both canoes and kayaks.   Both have their advantages and disadvantages, although I wouldn't want to make a generalization about either type of watercraft.  A while back I sold my kayak and bought a solo canoe(15'& 48#'s). Like a lot of things it comes down to personal preference, but here is why I like the canoe over the kayak:  my canoe is lighter that a similar sized kayak making it easier to carry/transport, it is easier to load gear into and out of, it can carry more gear than my kayak could, it has more seating positions which make for a more comfortable paddle, being older I found that the canoe was easier to get into and out of,  my canoe probably isn't as stable as the kayak-but it is well designed and I have no trouble with it being 'tippy' and fish out of it on a regular basis with no problem.   Lastly, my 70# Lab will not fit as well in a kayak, and she almost always goes with me.   If I was going to pick another boat other than a canoe, and hunting, camping, and fishing were what I planned to use it for I would probably look hard at the Native Watercraft 14 1/2' Ultimate.

[ChuckC]

If you are counting on shooting from the boat, a kayak is very close to the water and you will need to cant your bow a lot, whereas you can get by with far less in a canoe.  I think it is easier to shoot from a canoe.  Trade offs all.  A canoe will likely carry more. A kayak is sneakier.

ChuckC

[bgremill]

Thanks for the posts so far.  I'm assuming that I will not shoot while seated but rather off of my knees if I had to.  The main approach to my thinking is that I would use the kayak to access areas that I would not have an opportunity to get to by any other means.  The actual hunting would consist of spot and stalk once the pigs are spotted.  I appreciate the ideas some of ya'll are presenting using a canoe;but, I can tell ya, that ain't happening.  I  got the wife to buy into the two man kayak thing because I can take my daughter in it, a canoe is totally out of the question.