Standing in water...hunting

[MIKE IN lINO III]

I duck hunt my property up north, the problem is the shoreline faces west so we get the wind in our face. Not an ideal set up. We get some shooting but not a ton.

I would like to get to the other side of the lake to hunt an inlet. I have a duck boat but I do not feel comfortable hunting out of it with my father, he's 72 years old.

The lakes shoreline is thin wind rice.

Is it possible, legal, to stand in the water and hunt?

As I wrote that it seems obvious, but I was getting more to would the ducks spot you and flare. Would it be worth the effort??

Your thoughts.

Thx,

Mike

[BigWadeS]

I know from my personal experience I have never hunted out of a duck boat. I have stood in sloughs/ponds/and the like in cattails and have never had a problem. The big thing is to keep your movement to a minimum when you spot them and keep your face down and call them in

[dan z]

make a make shift blind I sometimes do that and stash the boat a ways away so it dont flare the fliers

[Swill]

stand away! I do that all the time, and it works great.

[riverrat56]

Much easier and more natural to hide in the water than in the duck boat. Crouch down low in the wild rice if that is your only option.

[Lunker]

Yes, legal. Yes, possible. Something we do often is make a blind in the shallow(1-3 ft) water on the points of a couple of islands we hunt in a big river backwater. We break off sturdy sticks, jam them into the mud, and wrap camo netting around them. Obviously this works best if in the midst of taller weeds, or for us, close to the vegetation along shore.

[Outfitter17]

If you are uncertain of hunting out of a small bought, look in the classifieds or search the net for a used 16' lund and paint it camo. We use them to hunt out of and they are very stable and roomy. Your dad should be fine in a boat that size, my grandfather hunted in a boat the same size until he was 74.

[Sartell Angler]

standin in the water is a good way to go...unless you put a blind on the boat you're gonna get more action that way anyways. If your dad is getting up there in age I'd suggest building or buying one of those marsh seats that stick right into the mud. That way he can park it once you guys get there and let you do the work of walking around while he piles up the birds Have fun and good luck.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

I have a 14' duck boat now but it just feels too tippy. I tried looking for some stabilizer poles (??) but I figure if we can just stand in the water that will work too.

The rice is really thin so I was concerned about sticking out like a sore thumb.

When I get up to the lake next time I'll have to motor over to where I want to hunt and scout it out.

Thanks guys,

Good luck.

Mike

[Sartell Angler]

Wear a facemask, stay low, and eliminate movement and you should be alright.

[dan z]

face mask? what happened to paint and growing out the facial hair. trust me it works.

[Sartell Angler]

I opt for the facemask when it gets real cold, otherwise I use a blackened wine cork to tone down the glare.

I know ducks can see well, but my facial hair would escape even the keenest of ducks

[winniewalleye777]

lol true that... stick with the mask

[Fishhappy1986]

Never have blinded in the water but have from shore quite a few times. I would quess though like everyone else said keep the glare from your face down, but I don't really agree with the ripples, why do you buy quiver magnets and toss them around your dekes? Obviously don't want to draw attention to yourself that I can agreee with not making too much comotion if you are in the water. but watch ducks(mallards or puddlers mainly)near the edge of weeds, I've shot a few from seeing the ripples next to shore or the rice, weeds what have you.

[Sartell Angler]

Todd- You, Timmy, Brian and I should get out for a hunt this year sometime. Pheasants, ducks, or geese out of our pit...whatever you want to do. Just picked up my new black lab this week and he is gonna be SOLID!

already pointing frogs lol: