# Canoe Float Hunting for Deer



## 4JOutdoors (Aug 9, 2020)

Anyone floated a canoe for deer? Curious to see how long to plan for? 

An hour per mile sounds right?

No motor so I should be good legally, correct me if I’m wrong!


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## jd4223 (Feb 12, 2012)

I've done it and won't be doing it anymore. I floated the Raisin River up around Manchester and ended up shooting a doe(many years ago so the statute of limitations has long expired). I had a legal doe permit. Problem was I wasn't sure if the permit was valid on the property I shot the doe. Main problem is the river runs through mostly private property. Second problem was trying to load the deer into my canoe by myself and then paddle back upstream(miles) from where I launched. You better make sure the river you float has legal hunting land and probably hunt bucks only. Float hunting for deer isn't like what you see on tv. Also trying to shoot at a deer from a moving canoe isn't that easy. Just my personal opinion from my 1 time experience.


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## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

I have some friends that bow hunted the Shiawassee Refuge property and accessed every morning by canoe to avoid having to access by a parking lot and compete with other hunters.

Personally, I floated a drift boat down a river and made entry into some State Land, I think we surprised some deer, but no shots were taken.

I would be leery about using a canoe to get a deer out with a canoe, I would want a flat bottom boat or similar. I don't think it would be that hard to shoot at a deer while the boat is moving downstream, some of the shots might be at bedded deer facing away from you. Some considerations might be what are you going to with your paddle/oars if you have to shoot...

There are also multiple trespass issues that could develop from that type of hunting.


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## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

4JOutdoors said:


> Anyone floated a canoe for deer? Curious to see how long to plan for?
> 
> An hour per mile sounds right?
> 
> ...


As far as your question with river currents, each river has it's own speed that can change with flow levels, wind speed and direction, type of canoe/boat, etc. I would say go float the area in question and you will know the float time and access points.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

I do it all the time every year. best way to figure it out is to float the river. Learn how to navigate by yourself with a shooter up front. I usually do small sections. 1-3 hr floats. I have deer stand 15 feet from me, jump out of their beds, stand up and just look, breeding deer, feeding deer. Its a total blast, know the river and know the private land surrounding. whenever I float through private on both sides the gun gets cased and unloaded.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

jd4223 said:


> I've done it and won't be doing it anymore. I floated the Raisin River up around Manchester and ended up shooting a doe(many years ago so the statute of limitations has long expired). I had a legal doe permit. Problem was I wasn't sure if the permit was valid on the property I shot the doe. Main problem is the river runs through mostly private property. Second problem was trying to load the deer into my canoe by myself and then paddle back upstream(miles) from where I launched. You better make sure the river you float has legal hunting land and probably hunt bucks only. Float hunting for deer isn't like what you see on tv. Also trying to shoot at a deer from a moving canoe isn't that easy. Just my personal opinion from my 1 time experience.


Yeah, we have missed quite a few.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

We just about swamped a 2 man kayak one year during muzzy season. One year I had ice to deal with, open water then ice, that was a bitch by myself, luckily the walk out was only a mile through the ****.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Ive waded a few sections of water as well, and that is extremely effective.


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

I have never float hunted for deer but have a bunch of times for ducks. 

It is much easier to have 1 guy at the back controlling the canoe and the shooter up front doing nothing but scanning and being on the ready.

The problem can be shot selection. The guy paddling has to align the boat somewhat so the recoil from the firearm doesn't roll the boat. Had my buddy take a shot almost perpendicular to the boat one time with a 3" 12ga and we almost went swimming. It wasn't so much the recoil but the off balance feeling and both of us moving around to restabilize it. My canoe is 15' long and over 3' wide in the middle, so it's not overly tippy unless riders get off balance.


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## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

Quack Addict said:


> I have never float hunted for deer but have a bunch of times for ducks.
> 
> It is much easier to have 1 guy at the back controlling the canoe and the shooter up front doing nothing but scanning and being on the ready.
> 
> The problem can be shot selection. The guy paddling has to align the boat somewhat so the recoil from the firearm doesn't roll the boat. Had my buddy take a shot almost perpendicular to the boat one time with a 3" 12ga and we almost went swimming. It wasn't so much the recoil but the off balance feeling and both of us moving around to restabilize it. My canoe is 15' long and over 3' wide in the middle, so it's not overly tippy unless riders get off balance.



I have some flotation for a canoe, attaches and basically makes it so you can’t tip it over but it wouldn’t be good for small streams because it extends out too far.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

This year will be a fun year as you can fill the combo with a doe with a firearm.


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## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

Similar to this but very stable.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Quack Addict said:


> I have never float hunted for deer but have a bunch of times for ducks.
> 
> It is much easier to have 1 guy at the back controlling the canoe and the shooter up front doing nothing but scanning and being on the ready.
> 
> The problem can be shot selection. The guy paddling has to align the boat somewhat so the recoil from the firearm doesn't roll the boat. Had my buddy take a shot almost perpendicular to the boat one time with a 3" 12ga and we almost went swimming. It wasn't so much the recoil but the off balance feeling and both of us moving around to restabilize it. My canoe is 15' long and over 3' wide in the middle, so it's not overly tippy unless riders get off balance.


We never had any issues with that, now a loaded deer that shifted in a cut bank is a different story.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

TrailMarker said:


> Similar to this but very stable.
> View attachment 563121


yeah that'll get ripped off in the water I go down.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

4JOutdoors said:


> Anyone floated a canoe for deer? Curious to see how long to plan for?
> 
> An hour per mile sounds right?
> 
> ...


We floated a few rivers up by newberry, we spent more time out of the boat and over downfalls.


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## wpmisport (Feb 9, 2010)

If you are hunting just state land from a canoe you should look at maps because a lot of these areas have roads or two tracks along the streams/rivers and a canoe may not be much of an advantage.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

wpmisport said:


> If you are hunting just state land from a canoe you should look at maps because a lot of these areas have roads or two tracks along the streams/rivers and a canoe may not be much of an advantage.


silent access through bedding is a huge advantage.


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## wpmisport (Feb 9, 2010)

brushbuster said:


> silent access through bedding is a huge advantage.


Agreed, but only if the spot is not already taken by multiple hunters most days with easy access.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

wpmisport said:


> Agreed, but only if the spot is not already taken by multiple hunters most days with easy access.


I've never encountered that


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

brushbuster said:


> I've never encountered that


Try opening day on a public access duck spot LOL. Some guys sleep out there then launch their craft when other headlights show up.

One thing us duck guys have over deer hunters is we sometimes take a camp stove, fry pans, bacon, sausage, eggs, etc with us. Nothing beats munching a hot breakfast at 5am when a bunch of other guys are looking for a spot or setting their decoys. That aroma would be a bit of a handicap during deer season.


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