Have canoe, will paddle…

[Europe]

I believe our best canoe hunting trip was on the Mackenzie River in Canada. If time allows you to do so, it might be one to consider Hammsolo.

Also, folks here like Bambistew, Randi and others who hunt the rivers of Alaska might be able to set you up for a canoe hunt in Alaska if you have any interest.

I know Randi and a couple of her friends canoed the entire length of the Yukon River, but I dont know what or even if they hunted along the way.

And Panda Bear mentions "canoeing" when they hunt in Canada.

If not hunting, a river trip down the Colorado, Columbia, or Rogue are fun trips. For even more adventure, dont rule out the Amazon

 

[JTHOMP]

In my areas I haven't yet come across public land where I can effectively make a float trip to access land locked public. There is one float trip I'd like to do with my squirrel dog, but for the time being I think she's too crazy and hunting driven to calmly ride in a canoe. There are some pieces of public that are only accessed by boat, and the rivers and bayous are no different than a road for hunters. One of my favorite spots I drag a pirogue a ways through the woods and then cross a bayou to land locked public. In the photo below is a spike, and a pig that was packed out and enroute to the truck. More times than not, I have carried meat out in that pirogue.

Although, I have come to learn that this hard to access public can get a LOT of access from private. Quality habitat and abundant game makes it worth accessing despite the crowd I've ran into a couple mornings.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I used my canoe to access some land in MT back in the day. We would bring two trucks, and shuttle to some private locked land around Whitehall. The ranchers would get pissed, but we followed the laws. Nothing cooler than paddling out a couple of whitetail bucks. Daniel Boone!

My brother and I are pondering a canoe into somewhere next year due to the bumper to bumper traffic we ran into this year.

Thinking of the Missouri in Montana, and/or Salmon/Snake in Idaho for elk or deer. It’s as much about adventure as anything. We are more than up for summer adventures to explore. Any advice, thoughts or clues would be more than appreciated.

I also have a fishing kayak… there may be room for the right person.

Although doesn't seem like a problem with this season's weather, but a friend once canoed the Wild & Scenic Missouri River stretch in November to hunt deer with a group of guys. The temp dropped, winter moved in, and the river froze to the point that they had to hike out. They returned in the spring to retrieve the canoes.

 

[hank4elk]

I used to love canoe hunting/fishing Sierra lakes.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I’ve found a bunch of fun spots to hunt via canoe or pack raft, keep in mind you aren’t the first or the last person to use a canoe as a means of access and don’t be surprised if you see other hunters in those harder to reach spots.

Also if you go out late season, definitely make sure you are ready to flip. I’ve dumped twice while hunting, once in February when it was in the negatives, shit gets real fast.

Neoprene chest waders or even better a dry suit are an absolute must. Make sure your gun is secured.

 

[morley.tyler]

I've got a couple of gentle, deer-filled floats in North Idaho. If you're interested, as the kids say, slide into those DM's...

 

[Hamm59701]

View attachment 202684

I’ve found a bunch of fun spots to hunt via canoe or pack raft, keep in mind you aren’t the first or the last person to use a canoe as a means of access and don’t be surprised if you see other hunters in those harder to reach spots.

Also if you go out late season, definitely make sure you are ready to flip. I’ve dumped twice while hunting, once in February when it was in the negatives, shit gets real fast.

Neoprene chest waders or even better a dry suit are an absolute must. Make sure your gun is secured.

That photo is amazing. So representative of a real adventure gone well. Good info on safety.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I love this forum.

I began hunting by canoe as a teen back in huge swamps adjoing my familys dairy farm.

Next stop was hunting antelope by canoe in Wyoming, then an unsuccessful canoe elk hunt in Oregon.

My dream canoe hunt would have been a float down the Noatak river in Alaska hunting for just small game. Living off the land, It would have begun with a fly in drop off then a pick up two weeks later.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

For those of us that are "water born" hunters plug this in too. Often a canoe stream just peters out in marsh/bog water logged country. Often there are some mounds, or bumps where game hides out. Preseason scouting requireed for this knowledge of course. I had the privaledge of hunting one of out great marshlands.

When there is no longer enough water to use your canoe, get out and put your snow shoes on to traverse the marsh. The best are those metal frame wire webbing ones. Sneaking up to those mounds can be very productive for deer.

Gut your deer and pull out the tire tube you have in your pack blow it up with the pump, and use the tube like a little raft on whatever is left of the main channel back to your canoe.

 

[NoWiser]

All northern MN taken while hunting by canoe. It’s a great option, until the water changes from a liquid to a solid. Get ready for a real adventure when that happens.

The spot the deer and wolf were shot was a little non-motorized paradise. I hunted it for years and never saw sign of another human in there. It got clear-cut and they put a giant logging road through the middle of it. I called to voice my concerns about motorized vehicles. They said not to worry, they’d put up a gate. We know how that goes. The next year we were covered up in atvs.

There are many other areas like that out there, but they do take a little time to find and figure out.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

ATV's are a mechanical cancer that is unstopable with no cure and have infected the outdoors and game fields all across America.
'
Thier use and users are, along with commerical extraction industries, and ATV manufacurers, the biggest collective emenies wild lands and dedicated wilderness will ever have.

Those who favor thier use pave the way for the commercial plunders.

It is importnat for anyone, hunters most certainly incuded, who values the ourdoors to look at the actual vote roll call for the Great American Outdoor Act and see who did not support it and see who did. It just made a supermajority by a small margin and thus could not be undone.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Here is that actual vote count for the Great Amedrican Outdoor Act. No modern act of congress has proteced wild lands and our right to hunt them more than this one.

H.R. 1957: Great American Outdoors Act -- House Vote #155 -- Jul 22, 2020

House Vote #155 in 2020, in the United States Congress.

www.govtrack.us

 

[Northwoods]

There don't seem to be many deer there either. At least not around the fringes where I was grouse hunting.

But that aside - we saw moose hunters (and some mooses!) while grouse hunting. This did not compute. I thought the season was closed too, but apparently not everywhere for everyone? I don't know.

The Fond Du Lac band exercises their treaty rights and shoot a limited number of moose in Minnesota each fall.

 

[BrentD]

The Fond Du Lac band exercises their treaty rights and shoot a limited number of moose in Minnesota each fall.

Ah! That could explain it. Thanks.

 

[Hammsolo]

View attachment 202722
All northern MN taken while hunting by canoe. It’s a great option, until the water changes from a liquid to a solid. Get ready for a real adventure when that happens.

The spot the deer and wolf were shot was a little non-motorized paradise. I hunted it for years and never saw sign of another human in there. It got clear-cut and they put a giant logging road through the middle of it. I called to voice my concerns about motorized vehicles. They said not to worry, they’d put up a gate. We know how that goes. The next year we were covered up in atvs.

There are many other areas like that out there, but they do take a little time to find and figure out.

The road situation sucks.

 

[gonhunting247]

I did a solo 5 day canoe trip here in OR for deer. Plenty of fish to eat and managed to tag a little buck.
I always read stories and saw pics in Fur Fish and Game of canoe trips back east and just had to try it once. It was pretty cool!
If you're interested in OR let me know. Good luck it sounds like a great adventure!

 

[Hammsolo]

Here is that actual vote count for the Great Amedrican Outdoor Act. No modern act of congress has proteced wild lands and our right to hunt them more than this one.

H.R. 1957: Great American Outdoors Act -- House Vote #155 -- Jul 22, 2020

House Vote #155 in 2020, in the United States Congress.

www.govtrack.us

Reading through the data in there is very interesting.

 

[gonhunting247]

View attachment 202722
All northern MN taken while hunting by canoe. It’s a great option, until the water changes from a liquid to a solid. Get ready for a real adventure when that happens.

The spot the deer and wolf were shot was a little non-motorized paradise. I hunted it for years and never saw sign of another human in there. It got clear-cut and they put a giant logging road through the middle of it. I called to voice my concerns about motorized vehicles. They said not to worry, they’d put up a gate. We know how that goes. The next year we were covered up in atvs.

There are many other areas like that out there, but they do take a little time to find and figure out.

This is so awesome. What a great place!

 

[NoWiser]

The road situation sucks.

Yup. My wife was supposed to have my ashes spread there if something ever happened to me. Instead, I haven’t visited it since. I can’t stomach to see what happened there.

But, like I said, there are plenty of similar opportunities just like that place. With young kids now I just haven’t had time to find and take advantage of them. Someday I will.

 

[TrumpkinTheDwarf]

When there is no longer enough water to use your canoe, get out and put your snow shoes on to traverse the marsh. The best are those metal frame wire webbing ones. Sneaking up to those mounds can be very productive for deer.

Gut your deer and pull out the tire tube you have in your pack blow it up with the pump, and use the tube like a little raft on whatever is left of the main channel back to your canoe.

Now THAT is some genius level thinking right there.