has anyone ever hunted from a layout boat? any info?

[enticermallardslayer]

I am planning on buying a MLB layout boat. I plan to use it to hunt mallards and geese on this one slough that is toatally packed with them every season. I am curious if anyone has ever used one or hunted one or any suggestions on how to set spreads. the only place i intend to use this layout boat is in a slough that is in a bowl surrounded by cornfields.note this is in southern Minnesota. the last day before it iced up I estimated 2500 geese and at least 1500 ducks of all kinds. note again that the geese were blue specs, cananda, greater, lesser. no lie. I found that also surprising. but please help if you have any info for me. thanks a lot and good hunting this next season. jordan

[DeWayne Knight]

Jordan, try to imagine a big "comma" and that is how I would suggest you start out setting your dekes. Have the tail trail off downwind, and put the layout boat in the fat part surrounded by dekes to help hide it. I like my last decoy in the tail about 100 yards downwind. String them out with lots of space, and as you get closer to the layout boat, set them closer together and thicken up the spread. By swinging your tail one way or the other, and which side of the boat has the larger group of decoys, you can influence the birds to favor a right hand or left hand shooter.

DeWayne Knight
http://www.honkerbonker.com
Zink Calls...Talk the Talk

[Brett Beinke]

Be cautious of layout boats in MN. I believe they are not legal. The boat styles that are legal are like the Carstens or Otters. Both with Real Grass or KillerWeed will totally dissapear on the marsh allowing you to hunt legally without using a layout boat. FYI, on larger water I'll use a 16 foot deep hull Lund Pike with a quick set on it and the mallards come right in.

[Hest]

that's right Brett...I don't believe they are legal. We hunt out of pumpkin seed style boats that are basically like hunting out of a much large Finisher! That's they way I've been hunting my whole life...so...ours take about 1.5" of water and will NOT TIP! I guarantee it! And no...pumpkin seed styles aren't little rinky dink boats...very effective and not so small!

[Hest]

Ummm...well, I know Brad Johnson was making aluminum ones. They were nice. He runs Mason City overhead door. Umm...Otherwise, we have a few around that people aren't using. We make all our own..but have to see. I know we have one that we made out of a 16 foot ski boat....lots of room. I like that if there are going to be a few people in transit.

[DeWayne Knight]

Hey Dick,

Paul Busick in Amherst, Ohio makes a beautiful Lake Erie Pumpkinseed style layout boat. He's a veteran of many years of layout gunning, and is a great guy. If you need contact info, drop me a line.