One of the hardest tasks for hunters to do is to get out of comfort zones, but a lagging economy and private hunting land falling under leases; it is time to start thinking of different ways to achieve your deer hunting dreams. Water can be your answer.
Almost every state holds bodies of water. Lakes, rivers, large creeks, sloughs, ocean bays, and large ponds could be your ticket to finding new and untouched hunting grounds. You don’t have to live in the land of 10,000 lakes to find a body of water that is attached to good hunting grounds.
Although every state has different laws, some states allow hunters to travel through private properties while on navigable waters. This could be your way to finding a property that is either a less-known public hunting spot, or it could be your way to find a hidden private property owned by a landowner who is less likely to have been approached regarding hunting. Only your creativity and imagination can limit your search for a hunting property connected to a body of water, and it shouldn’t cost you much either.
Using water as a travel way to hunting spots is an ancient tactic, but today it is often overlooked due to the extra effort it seems to require; however, with today’s watercraft options there is no excuse not to take advantage of something that is time-tested and low competition. Because of the economy, used canoes and plastic kayaks are cheaper now than they ever have been.
With a little upgrading, you can also purchase a self-propelled kayak that uses pedals to propel you through the water if you don’t like to paddle. A new trend is sit-on-top (SOT) kayaks. They allow you to sit on an elevated seat rather than down inside like a traditional kayak. This allows a hunter more room to see and paddle, and makes it easier to get into and out of. These kayaks also allow a person to pack a good load as well.
If you don’t like paddling or pedaling, then you can mount a trolling motor onto a small boat. This is a nice quiet way to travel the water and takes little effort. More and more small boats are hitting the market, so finding used boats should be easy. For a person who likes to build things, there are hundreds of kits online that allow someone with no boat-building experience to build their own boat. Some kits come with materials and instructions.
Let’s face it, it is nice to drive to your favorite hunting property, get out of your vehicle and simply walk to your stand, but that option is not always available so why not get a small boat and shake up your hunting arsenal?
