Boat Blinds

[Buck]

I have a 14ft Vhull boat with a 25 HP i was wondering if any of these boat blinds from Cabelas ect will fit a Vhull style boat?

[HuntNHookSports]

I think you would be better off to build your own frame and buy the camo material. Check out the custom blind Xcariboorer is building. It is way better than the bulk ones for sale.

boat blind
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/blind008.jpg

hey, just discovered waterfowl recently and love it so far!One thing that was apparent from the start was that THEY CAN SEE THE BOAT!
So today we started on a blind for my boat.
It will basically be a knockoff of the one in the cabelas catalog. The mesh will be fastened to the rails which will fold down for traveling.Here are a couple pics so far, i will post some more as it goes along
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/blind009.jpg

[Buck]

I tried to view the photos but it says they can't be found?Is it posted anywhere else?

[Ian F.]

Buck,

I built one for my 14 V hull this year, you are more then welcome to come take a boo and learn from all my mistakes,

Ian

[Marc]

Ian what's it like hunting out of it? Do you use a forward and after anchor? Do the ducks tend to shy away from it?

[Ian F.]

For sea ducks and divers it's just like a big rock and you'll have close decoying birds no issue. When I'm open water hunting I anchor it fore and aft and usually set it along the wind/tide/current line and set to shoot birds crossing so it's de-emphasized.

For puddlers I run the boat into a reed bed and add some rafia along the upper edges for some more 3d camo. Killed lots this way, but you have to remember the birds look down so movement still matters.

I believe there is no one right rig for all situations, but many rigs that are right for certain situations. Since I hunt many different species and locations, often within the same weekend I like the versatiity it affords and I just scout locations that are well suited to the boat blind.

Too bad we didn't have this conversation in Novemeber, I had the blind in the boat but we never needed it, and I took it off for this trip.

Very best,

Ian

P.S. if you search the fuge you'll find a whack of posts showing various construction ideas.

[Ian F.]

Marc,

This shows you a little of what it looks like, I love it when it's up, but putting it up and stowing it take longer then I thought it would. All in all a great rig though.

When I have it out next I'll take some pics if I can, all depends on water depth!

Ian

[Marc]

Is that a red head? Nice looking duck. How much roughly did it cost you to set up the boat blind? Need to think about getting a dog ramp built as well I guess.

Just checked out this link pretty cool looking dog ramp/platform check out the more views.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...0040997018665a

[Buck]

Thanks Ian i was hoping you would chime in as you boys from the east have alot more experience with boat blind hunting.And yes i have been looking at the fuge and other Duck hunting and boat building sites. Layout boats, mud boats, pirogues ect ect.I have seen some at Cabelas that are like boat covers and you can tie grass on ect not sure if you would be consealed enough as it zips around your waist but it looks pretty handy.Do you have any pictures of your blind? Cheers

[Ian F.]

That'd be a Canvasback, about 3/4's full and most likely will be my breakfast on new years day!

Cost
Conduit 3-4 lengths, $6ish each
Various ends say $50 all said and done, could have done it cheaper if I didn't change my mind part way though. I have a cheap source too, just not handy here on teh island.
camo, $5/yd, 10 or 12 yards, plus shipping (had to get it from the U.S.)
Lead line along the bottom $30
Netting I had
Miscellanious zip ties etc say another $25

I don't want to add it up, I'm sure you understand. Oh, and I bought some Raffia that was $40, but don't use it much so unless you have an area where you need to be grassed and can't park it, I'd save the $$

I've built a layout, a sneakbox, a scull boat, a meadow box, and a kayak and can say unequvically, that each person has there own answer to their own situation and that changes over time and as you tweek your system, that's half the fun!

Buck et al, when I get home and put the blind back on (I made it so it comes off with 4 screws) I'll snap some pics. Maybe Michel will chime in, he's shot out of it a couple of times.

Very best,

Ian