Boats?

[houndcrazy93]

Hey. Everyone I was wondering if any of you have or do coon hunt off of boats, because I was thinking about trying it this year, and wanted to know what you thought, and what you used to keep the dogs in it, like a dog box or jusg a chain, thanks for the help

[Arkansas Frog]

Here in Mtn Home Ark when fur was high in the 70's we have two lakes Bull Shoals and Norfork and we have river boats, 53 wide 20' 6" long fiberglass, would put the dog on the nose of the boat[small platform] chained like on a rig box, go easy with a 9-9hp motor around the lake into each cove, dog would strike off the front of the boat like a rig box, turn him loose never run a 50 yards coon would tree,because you are putting him on a hot coon every time,another thing net shad and throw in blow down trees that will hold the coon longer..35 dollars each X 6 equals 200 bucks a night better than driving nails or a old truck,skin them put in freezer fur buyer would call and when you had enough he could come to your house [cash] if you got a semi silent or silent dog you caught to many on the ground and would have holes in them [docked].If you just want to stack up the count that is the only way to hunt,you don't run out of coons Bull Shoals is 100 miles long and Norfork is 30

[Huntintony]

I have a 14ft Bass tracker boat that has a rigging rack up on the front deck. I mainly hunt during the day but i do have spotlights mounted on the front for lighting up the night. I can go thru sloughs, around islands, with the trolling motor that no one can reach from land. Dogs blow up and most always a short race. Dogs are a little sketchy at first in the boat but after the first couple races they figure it out.

[Nufo]

done it twice and had success both times. First time in a buddies boat with our pack or terriers. Second time in a small zodiac with just my male terrier and had success again.

Kept the dogs in crates and let them out on islands.

[cjohnson1178]

Its a great way to hunt. Check your local regs, we cant use any kind of motor vehicle to hunt coon so I do alot of rowing. It is a good way to get away from all the other
ya-hoos out there. I wouldn't use a dog box, if the boat tips, say good by to the dogs. If I'm in bad weather and ruff water I don't even chain em, If it tips they need to be able to swim free. When the dogs strike they just jump in, swim to shore and do there thing. Be careful out there, I got in a bad storm last winter many miles from the truck. Waves were crashing in the boat almost filled it and sank us. Long story, but it was one of the scariest days of my life. Never been so cold, border line hypothermia. We did catch 3 coon before the storm hit. I got a 12 foot valco with a 10 hp motor (for emergencies) I want to get a bigger flat bottom with a mud motor for shallow water.

[houndcrazy93]

ok sweet yeah i think i will save for a small flat bottom for next season, and kit up some rivers, then i think i will just build a big strike rack for them, any ideas on mounting lights on it, i was thinking about some off road lights tht you would put on a truck

[cjohnson1178]

Be carefull the first boat I tried this with was a 12 foot flat bottom jon boat. It was crazy scary.

[zachvu]

ok sweet yeah i think i will save for a small flat bottom for next season, and kit up some rivers, then i think i will just build a big strike rack for them, any ideas on mounting lights on it, i was thinking about some off road lights tht you would put on a truck

We've found (for rock crawling, not huntin!) that the aftermarket fog lights at walmart or autozone work well for how cheap they are. Wire those up to a spare car batter with a few switches and you'll be golden! Or the good old Q Beam is always an option!

[houndcrazy93]

Ok I will look into them lights, and cjohonsson I get whatt your saying about not chaining up them it makes a lot of since.

[Arkansas Frog]

Remember things look total different at night.on river or lake rivers are dangerous

[kbe119]

I've never done it but I think a great boat and pretty cheap would be an old 15 foot smokercraft sled. I just sold mine last year. it was nice because it had a nice flat bottom inside and a flat nose. the nose is a little flimsy for a person to stand on but would b fine for a couple dogs. I bought it in washington a couple years ago for 850 with the trailer and then put an evinrude 25 on it. It wasn't a show boat but would sure get the job done. Just a thought. Kyle

[Gary Gentry]

we have used boats on the river here. we just cruise the banks let the dogs rig them. we dont tie them in they use to bail out still do at times but we are right next to the bank any way. tree a lot of coons this way.

[kordog]

carolina skiffs are as stable a flatbottom boat there is from 12ft on up there is a ton of them used around the ocean ive seen them float upright full of water because people put skupper plugs in when it rained it sunk they are self draining without the plugs.the plugs are for when there is weight in the boat and your not moving.i reccomend the 14 ft .the sixteen starts getting into something hard to muscle around if you want a boat one man can handle.