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Canoe Duck Blinds – Build it (DIY) or Buy it?
Duck blinds are what duck hunters use to camouflage their boats, canoes, or kayaks so that the ducks don’t see them. There are many good reasons to use a canoe duck blind, and many hunters make their own. Whether you buy one or make one, this is an inexpensive yet very efficient way to fool your prey so that you can be more successful in your hunting. If you’ve never used a duck blind before, don’t worry because I’m going to show you what to look for and it will become much easier to find the one that’s right for you. To start with, let’s take a look at three of the biggest conveniences of having a duck blind.
1. They Offer Concealment
With a duck blind, your canoe has a more-natural appearance, which means the ducks are fooled into thinking you are nowhere in the area. This means they’ll fly around freely and give you a lot of opportunities to take them down. By using a duck blind on a canoe, you can float close to nesting ducks and have a trail of decoys around you. The thrill of popping up and quickly taking out your target is indescribable.
2. They Allow for More Comfort
Duck blinds make your entire experience much more comfortable. They keep the boat cooler or warmer because they regulate the temperature. They make it comfortable when you’re sitting for long periods of time if your canoe or kayak has a good, reclined seat. You can remove and attach them quickly and easily, making them very mobile if you need to set it up on shore, or remove to load gear your gear.
3. They Offer Protection
You never know what the weather will be like once you get out in that boat while duck hunting, but a good duck blind offers great protection against the elements, bugs and creatures, and so much more. With the right duck blind, you’ll never feel like you’re out in nature all by yourself with no way to protect yourself. These blinds do a great job of adding some protection so that you can concentrate on hunting and nothing else.
Can You Make Your Own Canoe Duck Blind?
While duck blinds are usually very reasonably priced, many hunters prefer to make their own, and it’s a lot easier than you think. For the most part, you’ll only need chicken wire for the shape of the blind, PVC pipe, Velcro, and whatever materials you prefer for your coverage. The main tip to keep in mind with a DIY duck blind is to measure everything properly, including your boat and the poles. It is usually in the measuring that DIY enthusiasts mess up, but once you get the measurements down, the rest should be easy for you.
Build the duck blind frame by measuring your canoe or kayak. Make a quick frame with pvc or lightweight wood. Then add either chicken wire, a tarp, or camouflage fabric around the frame. If you’re a hardcore DIYer, you could even make the frame out of fiberglass. Don’t make the blind too tall or it will make the boat unstable. Measure how tall you are laying in the canoe and how much cover you really need. You can also simply lay camo netting or other fabric over your kayak or canoe.
There’s a variety of materials you can add on to the cover to help camouflage even more:
- Fast grass, Bermuda grass, Palm grass
- Local foliage
- Camo netting
- Ghillie Suit Fabric
For commercial duck blinds, below are some of the top products on the market today. There are not many options for outfitting your canoe. The best I’ve found is below:
The Drake Waterfowl Ghillie blind has all the bells and whistles. It has see through mesh to give you a clear view, while staying hidden from the waterfowl. It’s spring loaded so you can have it out of the way while traveling to your hunting spot, and then pop the blind up to give you full coverage. It also has multiple positions depending on your preferred hunting position; laying down, low profile, pop up, or upright.
Pros
- Full adjustable coverage
- Easily adjustable for travel or hunting
Cons
- The mechanism can get caught sometimes. May need to use some WD-40 or grease to get it to work.
- It’s large, so won’t fit every boat.
Conclusion
Duck hunting from your small canoe or kayak can be a challenge. It’s small enough that you need to optimize your space. A nice lightweight full cover duck blind will help cover you and your gear for a good day out on the water. The easiest way is to just buy some ghilly netting and throw it over your boat with some local foliage or grasses. But there are a couple full covered options out there.
Good hunting,
Op editor