Kayak for public land

[Gl4di4torRr]

I am looking at the Ascend H10 or H12 kayak for hunting deer on public land. Does anyone have experience using a kayak on public land? Any suggestions on which one works the best? I hunt WMAs that typically back up to a river and/or creek. Thanks!

 

[gma1320]

I have not personally kayak, but my cousins do. They use them mainly for duck though and it has been beneficial for them. I've only use jon boats. I will say be mindful of the weight capacity and don't forget to account for the weight of your gear and the deer if you're going to 1/4 it up and pack it out. I was given a tip a few years ago by a friend who used a small jon boat to access some public ground. They don't 1/4 up there deer to bring them out. Instead, they bring along a hand pump and a inflatable raft. If they kill something, they blow up the boat and float it out behind there little jon boat. Hope this helps.

 

[GregoryB.]

I have spent a decent amount of time in canoes, sit in kayaks and sit on top kayaks. I would look for a stable canoe . More storage room and greater weight capacity. I have a 12ft Hoodo Kayak now and it weighs as much as a canoe.

 

[Boondocks]

How you going to get a deer out with a kiak ?

 

[antharper]

How you going to get a deer out with a kiak ?

 

[Gl4di4torRr]

How you going to get a deer out with a kiak ?

Either quarter or take my pack back and come back and get the deer.

 

[Gl4di4torRr]

View attachment 1283360

What size kayak? I am debating between 10 and 12 feet.

 

[antharper]

What size kayak? I am debating between 10 and 12 feet.

Just a picture I found , not mine

 

[Boondocks]

With you and deer a kyak is way overloaded. You,gun,and deer ending up in cold water will not end good. People don't make hunting harder and more dangerous than it has to be.

 

[sprewett]

I was on a kayak fishing team for a bit and have spent 1000s of hours in a yak. Not trying to brag just gaining a little credit to what I suggest.
Weight capacity of quality yaks usually rival jon boats. For example my 13' yak had a weight capacity of 500 and my Jon boat (1436) is 550. A sit on top 13' yak will have ample enough room to pack out a deer.
I have waaaay overloaded both without issue. I would stay far away from box store kayaks. I'm not saying they will not serve their purpose but they tend to have less wall strength and waaaay more flippy. My son had two Ascends one of them was junk the other was awesome.
Whatever you decide spend the warm months practicing flipping and re-entry in the type of water you'll be in. When it gets cold know that cold water is a killer! A general rule is if the combination of air temp and water temp don't equal 80 (I think maybe 120) you can get hypothermic quickly. Make sure to wear a PFD. Folks think they can just be tough enough and get through cold water shock and 99% of folks can't and the only reason the other 1% can is because they have extensive training. Make sure to have a dry bag with fire starting equipment and extra dry cloths.
I look forward to seeing your pics of a deer strapped down in the back! Be safe and have a BLAST.

 

[Ruger#3]

You need the right tool for the job and load it right. I kayak a bit and carried much fishing and camping gear in it. My yak is a 13 ft SOT with 600 lb capacity. I’ve carried considerable loads in the payload area. If the deer was quartered, bagged and put below deck it would add to the yak stability as the weight would be below the water line. I’m an old fat boy so do don’t have much hope of reentry on a spill. I use a paddle tether and PFD religiously. If I hang on to the paddle I have my boat to help get to shore. I’ve only spilled a couple times in years of kayaking, that was in moving water.

 

[Darkwater]

We’ve got over 3 miles of a small river that runs the middle of our property and have used canoes and yaks for over 20 years. A good canoe will out work a yak all day. More room, ease of use, just a better option all around!!

 

[Gl4di4torRr]

A couple of things to note for this conversation.

The Ascend H12 has a load capacity of 450 pounds. Including me and my gear, I will be 200 pounds (probably more like 190). The primary WMAs that I hunt, I could actually use the kayak as a means to sneak into my spots because I always bump deer from land. I could field dress the deer and go back to the car and just get my deer out of the woods without placing the deer on the kayak. Ideally, I will just quarter the deer if it goes on my (future) kayak.

 

[175rltw]

I wouldn’t even consider a yak less than 12’feet for anything. 10 foot boat is a total dog. Even if your just floating down the lazy river

 

[Bdaniels]

Feel free lure 2 man ‘14 ft. It’s a tank. Weight 100 lbs but it’s got tons of room in front if you remove the front seat. No weight capacity issues at all.

 

[AndrewStrick]

I duck hunt out of the ascend h12 and I love it. I make the dog sit in the front compartment and I put my decoys and gear behind me. It is awesome, I have even had it in rough water and it did great.

 

[Browning Slayer]

Just a picture I found , not mine

Dang... I saw the snow but looked like something I would do..

 

[tucker80]

A couple of things to note for this conversation.

The Ascend H12 has a load capacity of 450 pounds. Including me and my gear, I will be 200 pounds (probably more like 190). The primary WMAs that I hunt, I could actually use the kayak as a means to sneak into my spots because I always bump deer from land. I could field dress the deer and go back to the car and just get my deer out of the woods without placing the deer on the kayak. Ideally, I will just quarter the deer if it goes on my (future) kayak.

Man if your 200 lbs with gear, you need to eat some more taters!

 

[Geno67]

I've used both for fishing and hunting and a canoe is a better tool by far. I currently use a sportspal 13 with a 625 lb rating but it will carry far more than that. I also row it. Only weighs 50 pounds with half the ribs and all the floor foam removed (still have the sponsons of course), extraordinarily stable - almost impossible to swamp.

 

[slow motion]

View attachment 1283360

If you could just get him to kick those front feet you'd be in business.