Four Reasons Why Bay Boats Make Excellent Duck and Alligator Hunting Boats
Bay boats are becoming popular again. Bay boats are lightweight boats that can accommodate several people. You can fish on them, and you can hunt on them, too. In fact, they are ideal boats for hunting ducks and alligators. Here are four reasons why you should use a bay boat on your next aquatic hunting trip.
1. Their Flat Bottoms Make It Easy to Hide in Tall Reeds
Ducks will spot hunters in any boats on the water. A good duck hunter sits quietly in the reeds, waiting for a duck to just paddle up close before taking a shot. Bay boats, with their flat bottoms, sit so easily and comfortably in the tall reeds, hiding you and your boat from the duck's view, making it easier to capture the duck.
2. Alligators Have a Hard Time Trying to Bite the Boat
On a high-sided boat or a boat with a u- or v-bottom, alligators have something to sink their jaws into and flip the boat. An alligator cannot do that with a bay boat because of the very square and flat-sided nature of the boat. An alligator can try, but usually, its rigid jaws roll right off the angular surfaces and flat edges of the bay boat. That puts the alligator in the perfectly safe distance of an alligator hunting rifle.
3. The Flat Bottoms Are Perfect for Hauling Alligator Carcasses
Alligators can be as long as thirteen or fourteen feet. Their bodies are flat, which makes it easier to glide through water and scuttle over land. In a bay boat, that flattened head and body fit nicely in the bottom of the boat, allowing you to stack alligator carcass on top of each other. The bay boat can hold several alligators of varying sizes all at once, which means you can take your day's haul to the alligator market in the boat and never have to worry about losing a single carcass along the road there. It also makes it easier for the alligator market's forklifts to get the alligators out of the bottom of your boat.
4. You Can Paddle the Boat Along Instead of Using the Motor
Bay boats give you the option of either using an outboard motor or paddling. If you paddle, neither duck nor alligator can hear you coming. They will not get spooked or duck under the water quite as fast as they would if you were using the outboard engine. This particular feature also makes a bay boat an excellent choice for fishing, too. You can avoid scaring the fish when you opt to paddle.
If you're ready to invest in one of these boats, check out your local boating company, such as Boater's Landing.