Boating for Birds

[blake_08]

Anyone on here ever access gobblers by boat? It's something I've been meaning to do but just haven't gotten around to it yet. Many of my local lakes are Corps of Engineers lakes so there's lots of public land around the lake and up the rivers. If you have experience with it, how did it work for you and how did you go about doing it?

[Upfold99]

On the river float downstream use trolling motor to stay straight. Hope you hear him and use trolling motor to get to the hill and go after him. Its tuff hunting. Lots of sloughs or back water can be in there that your not aware of when you hear him. Ive heard a few but been unsuccessful. However two of my main spots i pull up to boat ramps and take off through the woods walk way in parallel to the river. These places have several ridges not to bad to get to. Killed several like this way. Once the river gets up the backwater prevents you from getting in there. Even tried getting in there with waders before daylight, its pretty sketchy.

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[chcltlabz]

Tried it a few times, never been successful, but I will continue to try as the situation arises.

One thing I noticed, you sometimes can hear a bird from the water, hit the shore and head off his direction, and find that once you're in the woods, you can't hear him anymore.  I'm sure if they were closer, that wouldn't be a problem.

[guesswho]

Used to use a boat/canoe a lot in Florida.  Have used a boat several times in Bama.   Both with a pretty high success rate. 

[Chuck1443]

I have, the problem is fog. Straight shot would be ok, but if you have to navigate it gets tricky


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[mullet dredge]

Used to pretty often. Tract had a road that ran right down the river bank. Birds tended to roost along it. Much stealthier to ease in by boat than drive in and risk bumping birds off the roost.

[joey46]

Often at LBL in Ky.  Problem there is checking one out if you score.  A good way to pre-season scout for birds while crappie fishing.

[Spitten and drummen]

Often at LBL in Ky.  Problem there is checking one out if you score.  A good way to pre-season scout for birds while crappie fishing.

You havent seen any dogmen or sasquatches in that lbl have you?

[Double B]

Its a great way to get on them. Take some fishing gear.  I've killed a couple off reservoirs, one on a shelf fairly early after he flew down and one mid morning that answered back in a cove while crappie fishing.  Boats cover ground and allow you to move around for listening. And if it gets real tough, you go fishing til one breaks loose then it's on again.

[fallhnt]

Spring and Fall. It's sometimes hard to locate them when gobbling in the Spring.

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[idgobble]

I've done it a lot. Call loud with a box and sound carries so well over water they can hear you a lot further than you can hear them, although you can hear them a mile away over water. Work your way around the lake and then go back the same way.  One might have come to you and be close enough to hear or see when you do the return trip. If they're a mile away it will take the yelp 5 seconds to reach them and if they answer right away 5 seconds back.  So, 10--11 seconds to hear him and you know how far he is.

[Crghss]

I use a kayak to cross rivers to access land but get out to hunt.

Not uncommon to use boats in south Florida but most get out hunt.

Had an Osceola come up to about 5 ft will kayaking in the off season. Sitting in 13' yellow kayak with an orange shirt and he never saw me. I didn't move but he looked right at me, didn't pick me out. Go figure.

[Bolandstrutters]

A lot of guys do it around here.  I live in the jet boat capital of the world.  Really makes it easy for guys to trespass too. 

[idgobble]

A lot of guys do it around here.  I live in the jet boat capital of the world.  Really makes it easy for guys to trespass too.

Where's the jet boat capital of the world?

[Bolandstrutters]

A lot of guys do it around here.  I live in the jet boat capital of the world.  Really makes it easy for guys to trespass too.

Where's the jet boat capital of the world?

Missouri Ozarks.  Mercury and Evinrude sell more outboard jets here then in the rest of the country combined.