Church Decoy Company

Recently a good friend of mine was finishing off a cripple in a kayak. He shot from the boat and was shooting broadside when the recoil turned him over. December in Maryland waters is not a good time to swim. He was able to wiggle out of the kayak and began his swim to shore in waders. It is my understanding that he was NOT wearing a life vest and his neoprene waders helped him float considerably. Although he was hunting with two other friends, they were not in an area that they could see or hear his yells for help. He made it safely to shore and made his way to the closest house where he was taken care of. He recovered his Beretta Auto-loader the next day. A very...........very lucky man. Make sure we learn a lesson from this story. Take'em when they're all cupped up.       dc

As waterfowlers, we are usually going out or coming in when it's still dark on the water. To make things safer we rely on lights to safely navigate our way. In the last few years, duck boats have become the "swiss army knife" of the marsh. They have under compartment strip lighting, hand rails, heaters, pop up blinds, remote spot lights, fog lights, and even headlights. They are adorned with expensive grassing materials, have slip resistant deck paint, dog ladders, gun racks, gun lockers, decoy storage compartments, GPS, and a host of other items. As we "evolve" these boats to fit ur needs, we need to ensure that what we are installing is legal. I recently heard of a boat owner receiving a ticket for aving headlights on his boat. The problem was that when the headlights were illuminated, the bow navigation lights could not be seen. This prevented other boats from determining the boats course and direction on the water. Another problem with bright lights is that any refraction (light bouncing back at you) can eliminate your night vision making it harder to see when the light s extinguished. Use caution and check out your local regulations (and Coast Guard regs) before getting yourself in trouble. Take'em when they're all cupped up.  dc 

Waterfowling is an expensive sport and the last thing we want to do is buy gear that doesn't work. There are numerous styles and sizes of boats on the market or that can be built by hand to accomplish our waterfowling needs. This post is only intended to get the reader to think strongly before purchasing, not to guide anyone into what to buy. Many waterfowlers start out with a flat bottom jon boat which is roomy and stable. The aluminum makes them rugged and able to slide up on rocky or sandy banks without damage. When it comes to big water that is susceptible to strong wind and waves, a deep "V" boat is a better choice to be able to break thru the waves. Tri-hull boats are also sturdy and stable, but are only slightly better than a flat bottom when the water gets rough. These last two boats tend to ride very rough and pound the occupants when trying to motor thru waves. The things to think about are long. First, what type of water will you be hunting most? Do you need the boat to go into shallow water? If it gets caught in a falling tide, does it need to be lightwweight? How many people/dogs/gear/weight does it need to hold? Are you traveling long distances? Does it need to have speed or will rowing be fine? Does it need to be trailered or fit in the back of a truck? Transportation only, or will the boat also be used as a blind? If using a dog, will the dog be able to climb in after a retrieve? Will it be easy to set decoys out of it? Will it need camo? Will you be able to operate the boat once the blind is configured or can the blind be put down when moving? As I said, there are alot of things to take into consideration and a great website for many of these answers and help with building your own can be found at duckboats.net                          dc

Since room is a premium in a duck boat, I thought I would add some of my tricks over the years. 1) I usually tie my decoy bags off at the oar locks and let them float in the water outside the boat. I travel slow to the blind anyway and this always gives me an enormous amount of room in the boat when the decoys are out of the boat. 2) I run all my electrical wiring through PVC and attach the PVC to the side of the boat. This prevents the dog from cathing wires and breaking them. 3) I camo the inside of the boat more than the outside since the weeds will cover the sides of my boat and this prevents the ducks from looking down and seeing my boat interior. 4) I switched trailer lights to led and will never go back. If you use the old style, unplug the lights before putting the trailer into the cold water to prevent them from popping. 5) I never go out anymore without my GPS. Most times its not needed, but I recall a morning in the fog that became very dangerous. I could not see anything in front of me andf the light just reflected off of the fog. I could hear other boats in the fog which was even more scary. The GPS quickly put me on course and kept me from going in circles with a reference point to go by. Just a few ideas, who else has some more? dc

Now is the time to make sure that your rig is ready for anything. Your boat is one of the most important pieces of gear you can have next to your Personal Floatation Device. Making sure that everything works now will pay dividends later on. Here are a list of my most crucial checks: 1) Make sure the boat is equipped with the correct PFD's, they are in good working order, and there is enough for everyone in the boat. Make sure the buckles work, no holes, the right size, etc. WEAR THEM! There is too many opportunities in the dark, cold, windy world that we hunt in to knock you out of the boat or even capsize your vessel. 2) Ensure the boat has good running lights and an oar. 3) Make sure the gas is fresh and the engine starts easily. Replace the spark plug if needed and check to make sure the prop is secure. 4) Leave a float plan of where you are launching, where you are going, and when you will return. Make sure the person you leave this with will not hesitate to call the proper authorities if you are late. Your life could depend on it. 5) 4:30 am opening morning is not the time to see if your dog likes to ride in boats. Train your hunting companion throughout the year to know how to act in the boat. 6) Do not overload the boat. Make a second trip if necessary. 7) Make sure the boat does not leak and the plug is installed. Know where you are going and try to check out the area a few days before you go. Rivers and lakes can be treacherous in the dark. Trees, stumps, and rafts of garbage can accumulate in areas that they did not accumulate in before. OK, these are the more crucial items to check, now I will discuss some less crucial but still important items:

1) Make sure that all bright metal on the boat is touched up with flat paint to prevent spooking the birds. Gunwales (sides) and the floor usually flake paint off from normal wear and tear. Make sure to cover these areas and concentrate on the inside of the boats camo. I think too many hunters like a nice camo on the outside, but forget that the ducks are usually looking down inside the boat. The side can be hidden by pulling it into the weeds. Some hunters drape camo over the inside to reduce visibility. 2) Make sure the boat, trailer, and in some states, motor registration is current. 3) Make sure the trailer is ready for the road. Check tires for dry rot and inflation, bearings for grease, lights for operation, and ensure the winch rope is in good condition. 4) Check the trailer ball for security and hook trailer lights up to verify they work. 5) Plan the hunt and make sure there is enough room for you, the gear, the gun, the decoys, buddies, dog, etc. If you have decoy bags that are not torn, you can tie the decoys to the outside of the boat. This will ensure that you have more room inside and the bags with decoys will float along side. Yes, this means you will have to go at slower speeds. Take'em when they're all cupped up.

dc