# Duck boats vs foot soldier



## Wasatchwigeons (Aug 27, 2017)

Been wondering lately if the hunting is better on foot or in a boat and if it's really worth it to have a mud boat? I myself am a foot soldier but I have a few friends who hunt out of boats. Every time I hunt in one of my buddies boats the hunting is crap. We end up with like 7 or 8 ducks every time where instead I have some spots that I can hike to that I know I can shoot a lot more birds. The only benefit I see to having a boat is that you don't have to walk your a** off and haul all the gear every time you go out but you will shoot less birds because of more competition. Am I right in thinking this or should I tell my buddies they suck and need to find some new spots haha?


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Guess it depends on what a persons idea of having a better hunt would be. Work harder and maybe / maybe not shoot more birds on foot? Or put a little less work in and maybe / maybe not shoot more birds out of a boat? 

I personally have gotten lazy and I merely enjoy the time of just being out there with my boy. I am fine taking the boat out and shooting 5 instead of working my butt off and maybe shoot 7?? I've came back with the boat with limits while guys coming back by foot got skunked. But I would really take no issue with it if everyone else with boats decided to hunt by foot from now on however. ;-)


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

*Boat v. walk*

There is no 'right' answer here. They both have their pluses and minuses. At 75 years young, I am unable to participate in strenuous overland hikes loaded with 2 dozen deeks, shotgun, ammo, lunch, and thermos. And, I no longer find it necessary to shoot a limit for the trip to be a success. Being able to participate in the adventure and enjoy God's gift to us is more than enough at this stage of my life. My boat makes it all possible. Walking does not. Fifty years ago, I could walk with the best of them. Not so much any more. We do what we can. :grin:


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## quackaddict35 (Sep 25, 2015)

You can get places foot soldiers can’t with a boat. You can get places on foot people in boats can’t get to. 

I have walk in spots and boating spots.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

A boat is good transportation to other walk in areas. It cuts down on the walking, but does not eliminate it. 

It used to be that I could consistently hunt out of my boat and shoot limits, not anymore. EVERYONE has a boat now days and it has really affected what the birds do and where they go. So, to answer your question if boat hunting or foot hunting is better, I would say both can be good and both can be bad.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Boating and walking are really just means to the same end. I'm sure I'd be just as bad a hunter with a boat as I am now without one.

The way I see it, the advantages to using a boat compared to walking are:

- More cargo capacity
- Far easier to navigate deeper water
- Faster
- Easier on the legs/back
- The fun of it all

And the disadvantages are:

- Initial cost (and monthly payments if you go that route)
- Maintenance cost
- The time it takes to maintain them
- Fuel costs
- Registration and registration fees
- Insurance
- Time spent waiting, loading, and unloading at the boat ramp
- Finding a place to store it

Boat ownership is painful in ways, and so is walk-in hunting. You've just got to decide which pain you're more willing to deal with. I know at this point in my life, I'm way more prepared to handle the pain of walking in than I am the pain of boat ownership. That may change as I get older.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I own a number of boats and other watercraft but I'm a foot soldier. Boats are way complicated.

I'm thinkin of getting a duck boat when I get old, say 15, 20 years from now. With a boat I could shoot enough ducks that I could throw half of them in the mud alongside the empty water bottles and shotgun shell boxes and just keep the breasts.

.


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## Shadow Man (Feb 22, 2017)

This is a great question with no distinct answer, over the years I have done both, hunted out of boats and hiked the dikes and I can't say that either one is superior to the other, it all depends on how much effort you want to put in and what you want to get out of it! I've been dike hiking lately cause I love getting out in the marsh and jumping birds(which you can't do in a boat) this was my haul from this past weekend


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

We always walk in but my walking in years are waning fast. It's past time to get a boat. Heck when grandpa owned the marina I had my choice of 30+ boats to pick from to go duck hunting in. I picked one and slapped my 25 Everrude on it and it zipped at 29 mph across the bayou. I could make it from my boat house to inside my duck blind in 15 minutes and never took the motor off of full throttle. I got to where I could take a 90 degree turn at full throttle and slide up next to the cypress trees without hitting them and getting back to the middle of the bayou. Can't wait to get a boat again. Had plans for one this fall but a 18K rock wall and 9K fence around the yard put the kibosh on that stupid thought.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Here's the answer to your question..............YES, a boat it worth it because you can walk in on foot anytime you want but, you cant go in on boat if you dont have one...

I'v got a nice duck boat. More than I need really but, I'm a foot soldier mostly, I hunt places on foot I wouldn't consider hunting if I didn't have a boat to cut down on time/energy, and then yes there are places where I can pull right up to in the boat and bang out a bunch of ducks. 

Having a boat doubles (or more) my opportunities of waterfowl hunting.
I can go into deeper "back woods" areas with more gear, even if I go on foot.

The boat hunters that you run into that do crappy must be the same guys that hit the same point out in the big open water where everyone races past with their boats every weekend..

I know guys who hunt out of their boats and pound limits. FM being one of them but, these guys learn and know all the tricks, hot spots and secrets about going around doing it

The same guys that tend to separate themselves from the normal crowd of what has become a cliché hunting style.

You dont need a HOT ROD boat to increase opportunities but, something is better than nothing...................................I mean,, NO! a boat isn't worth it.. dont even bother, save your money


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