# new jon boat setup



## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

just picked up a 14' jon boat for duck/goose hunting, mainly to use in the marsh or floodings, anyone have any pics of decent setups and advice? framing will probably be out of cpvc and shadowgrass but i don't know how to set a boat up, i haven't really hunted from a boat before.

thanks
mike


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## Quack Wacker (Dec 20, 2006)

I made a foldable/collapsable blind on my Lowe 1448 our of galvanized electrical coduit and it works great, I like it better than my buddies Avery Quick Set blind. I will try to send you some pictures of it, but they are on my home computer. I also added capreted wood floors and a casting deck with pedistal seat and storage hatches.


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## Buddwiser (Dec 14, 2003)

Go to DuckHuntChat.com and click on Duck Hunting, scroll down and click on Duck Boats, do a search and you will find tons of info. The Refuge will also have info on its duck boat forum. Just about any duck hunting web site will have info on what you are trying to do.


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## Tightlines (May 21, 2004)

I'll try to find some from my boat and send them to you....

Chris


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

did some research last night on duck hunting chat on the scissor blinds and i have the concept they are using with them.


but i've never duck hunted like that. i have a very lightwieght jon boat that is 14' long but very narrow nothing more than an electric motor is going to be safe on it. it has oar locks but i guess if i build a blind like that they will be unusable.

so how do most people hunt/shoot from these things?

i was thinking of putting a seat on a swivel mount off to the side, maybe one near the front and one at the back. 
seems you would want one side to come over your head and the other side real short so you can see out the front and shoot.

i guess i'm having a hard time visuallizing hunting through a slot in the top of the blind.


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## Buddwiser (Dec 14, 2003)

Make one side higher than the other to use as back cover. The other side can be made just below your shoulder height to cover the front of you giving you ample room to swing your shotgun. You really don't need overhead cover. Wear duck hunting related camo, cover up any shiny objects and stay still if the birds fly over head without lookng up or wear a mask of some type. Are you planning on sitting out in the bay or nudging up to a stand of cat tails? If you are just going out into the marsh where the cattails are, look into buying a few sheets of Fastgrass to camo the sides of the blind. They blend very well with the cattails. I don't see why the oars would be unusable. You aren't using a sold material so you should be able to cut a slot on both sides to get the oars thru.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

limige said:


> just picked up a 14' jon boat for duck/goose hunting, mainly to use in the marsh or floodings, anyone have any pics of decent setups and advice? framing will probably be out of cpvc and shadowgrass but i don't know how to set a boat up, i haven't really hunted from a boat before.
> 
> thanks
> mike


First advice is lose the CPVC, unless you like fixing it every year. Over time the joints will pull free, or break in rough waves, everyday use, etc. Its too weak. Get some 1" aluminum square stock, and save yourself a lot of headaches.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

limige said:


> did some research last night on duck hunting chat on the scissor blinds and i have the concept they are using with them.
> 
> 
> but i've never duck hunted like that. i have a very lightwieght jon boat that is 14' long but very narrow nothing more than an electric motor is going to be safe on it. it has oar locks but i guess if i build a blind like that they will be unusable.
> ...


I'd also look into a small 4-8 hp motor for that boat, it'd be adequate. I've got a 12' jonboat that I put an old 9.9 Johnson on and it gets a little squirrely at high speed if you're not keeping the tiller steady, but by the time you load all you're gear in the boat, a dog, a hunting buddy, etc, that trolling motor isn't going to be too effective at pushing your boat, especially if you gotta push through a little muck on your way in/ out.


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

i figued i'd have to go with alum or steel conduit the more i thought on it, i have some fastgrass to use i was thinking of using plastic under it to create a wind/rain blocker. i saw the mention of using squre chicken wire to support and secure the grass to but i'm not sure that would fold well. i'll see about getting some pics of what i have to work with sometime soon.

as for where i plan to hunt, i bought this boat to replace my canoe for marsh hunting. when i buy some more decoys i'm gonna need the room. as for dog i'm bumming, we've got two beagles and thats it, city only allows two dogs per household, so unless i can train those little buggers to retrieve birds i gotta do the dirty work myself.

i have a 17'er i can rig for openwater hunting if i get into that. i dont' see that boat being ready this year, i'm going to concentrate on the jon boat for floodings and marsh land.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

limige said:


> i figued i'd have to go with alum or steel conduit the more i thought on it, i have some fastgrass to use i was thinking of using plastic under it to create a wind/rain blocker. i saw the mention of using squre chicken wire to support and secure the grass to but i'm not sure that would fold well. i'll see about getting some pics of what i have to work with sometime soon.
> 
> as for where i plan to hunt, i bought this boat to replace my canoe for marsh hunting. when i buy some more decoys i'm gonna need the room. as for dog i'm bumming, we've got two beagles and thats it, city only allows two dogs per household, so unless i can train those little buggers to retrieve birds i gotta do the dirty work myself.
> 
> i have a 17'er i can rig for openwater hunting if i get into that. i dont' see that boat being ready this year, i'm going to concentrate on the jon boat for floodings and marsh land.


You'll like that aluminum square stock a lot I think. Its very sturdy, and best of all, lightweight. I tried electrical conduit, on my fist duck blind, it worked fine for about 3 trips, but my blind didn't fold down, once it was up, it was up. Once you pounded a few waves the joints started breaking. Live and learn. Going on 10 years with the new blind, on my bigger boat(aluminum square stock), hasn't failed yet. The chicken wire is nice because it'll keep your fastgrass a little stiffer and best of all, you can run with it up if you chose too. It'll also increase the life of it as well.


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## gunner7848 (Feb 8, 2006)

I have a 14ft Jon boat and had a willy blind for it. Worked great but found out it was so much easier to use marsh chairs and put the boat out of the way.


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