Duck Hunting

hey all just wanting some advise on the subject. Ive used the yak to retrieve birds but have never shot from it. I live next to bair island in redwood shores and have large flights of honkers going by every day! Only thing is you have to shoot from the boat there. Any one have any tips for shooting from a yak? Any storys of what not to do?  also my yak is bright blue should i paint it or just cover with old brown canvas? I figured wearing waders is a bad Idea any other tips greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Wes

I would just cover the yak so the blue is not showing. My yak is dark green so I don't worry about it. I shoot all the time out of mine with no problems. It is hard to shoot to the right if you are right handed. Think of that when setting up or getting ready to shoot. As far as shooting goes, just pull the trigger. It will be no problem. If you are worried try it in shallow water first. I always see people on othere sites worried about tipping over. Don't even think about it. It's easier to tip fishing than shooting. I wear my neoprene waders in my kayak all the time when hunting. Just wear PFD and don't worry. I hunt in the rain a lot and I want to be dry and warm. If you ever get up Sac direction give me a holler and I'll join you somewhere. There are a lot of hunters on here so you will get some more advise I'm sure. Have a good time and shoot straight! Post some pics of your kills too.

If you need more help, just ask!

I've been looking to do some hunting out of my yak as well.  Matter of fact when I bought it I planned to hunt as well as fish so got a camo one.  Can't give much advice since I haven't shot out of the yak yet.  Your set up will be important - have the wind at your back so they land in front of you and most shots I would think are in line with the length of the kayak.  You may want to leash your gun in case of tip over.  One nice thing about the kayak is its not to big and easy to cover up.  Camo your canvas and let it hang over into the water, should hide the blue. Maybe a hook up for kayak hunting is in order.

Thanks guys! I think a hook up will be in order ill just have to get my stuff together! any one hunt eden landing before? I go there when their open for some nice hunts.

Wes

Shooting sideways is no big deal. It is hard though to shoot to the side you shoulder your gun. It is easier to set up deeks to the side you can shoot to, and in front of you. Left side if you are rt handed, and right side if you are left handed. The ideal thing if two are huntin together is one shoots left, and one shoots right handed. You cover  a lot more ground. I'm in for a hookup, but it is hard with more than 2-3 at most. Unless you really spread out, then you need to be real careful.

I agree with Rob, waders are fine-with a PFD. I have taken my yak out to redwood shores, but it has changed alot since I last hunted it about ten years ago. There are more non-hunting areas. I also would pay attention to the tides, its a pain in the a$$ paddling back after hunting , against the current. I would love to try it again and I do have a half dozen Big Foot hanker dekes. I may have missed it, but make sure you have a leash on your gun! Also you can probably use gunny saks( ones used for rockcod fishing) to cover your yak; cheap and easy to add extra foliage to.

I troll and jump shoot ducks and pass shoot geUese in the delta.

Yeah the tide is hell out there I canoe with with middle school groups out there a lot and there is nothing worse than leading a group of 4th or 5th graders againts a tide!! I do have a lot of old canvas and gunny sacks so im covered there. Ill post a hookup and the tide info when im going to head out there. here is all the info on the Don Edwards and bair island hunting areas.

http://www.fws.gov/desfbay/documents.htm

Lots of info there thanks im definately gonna have to check it out this year. id like to go with someone who's been there before maybe a hookup after thanksgiving is in order

The Don Edward refuge looks real interesting.  Been thinking about hunting it for awhile.  I'm an avid duck hunter, carve my own decoy even.  Always down for a hunt, specially out of the kayak since I've never done it.