HARDCORE

The author and his son were able to bag three of the 10 coons they
spotted that night. Luckily the tloat finished just ahead of a big snow.
JMWR^HOIiL.
1 WITH BITi
46 Predator Xtreme | June 2010 • www procLnorxtrc-iix-.ciiin
KICK'S
IM)l SIR FX INC
iSp«ii]|jCtiota
Let's lk ai all the detaiLs of a llo.it
hunt and break it down into manageal>lc
pieces so ycxi understand exactly
how you can ck> this type of hunt. This
ankle will cover vehicle placement,
canoeing, gear, lights. proper dothlng.
guns, safety, calling, ami shexxing.
The Right Water
Ilx- first step is to find a waterway you
can canoe down. It lias to lx- ckx-p
enough so you are not scraping nicks
on tlx- bottom. Last year we hit a submerged
rexk at night and went overboard.
Uickily it was only a foot ckx-p.
so not a l»ig deal for us. but y with only
one vehkle. However. ng. so it
miglw lx- lx-st UJ cany two for an
extended hum. Warning: Tlx- use of a
nxxor can lx- tlx- difference Ix-tween
legal ami illegal with sonx- state laws,
so lx- sua- to check kx-.il regulatkxvs.
Regardless of the propulskm nxtlxxl.
tlx- technk|ues are tlx- sanx-.
What Kind Of Boat?
Once ycxi fuxl a creek that is floatable,
you ixxxl a canoe or small Ixui that you
can maneuver when necessary, When a
coon is spotted. I try to quietly gukkthe
canoe to set up tlx- six*. This Ls
done with nx- sitting in tlx- stem atxl
using a wxxxk-n paddle. .Metal packlk*
soiix-tuncs "clank" on ilx- skk- of tlxcanoc.
which will sprxik anything within
hearing range-. I try to get the canoe
alxxit 10 yards from tlx- creek Ixink as
we Ik Kit cknvn to tlx- cxxxi. Tlx- Ixxit
you choose must lx- small enrxigh so
you can easily maneuver it when tlxtinx-
CIHIX-S to get into kill nxxk-.
Safety is tlx- iik*4 ini|xxtant factor.
Follow all Ixxtting safety niles and plan
for any circumstance (es|xxially getting
wet>. The hardest part of night canoeing
is not Ix-ing able to see tlx- water
alx-ad to avokl potential luzards. It
Ix-lps if >xxi are familiar with ilx- creek.
I Ye floatcxl cxir 9-mile section several
timers during tlx- cLiytinx- to Ixxonx -
more familiar w ith tlx- three snull
rapkLs we encxxintc-r each float. RapkLs?
Yc-s, Ixit they are only alxxit 10 yards
each. At niglw you have to 'read the
water* by lcx>king at tlx- sky reflecting
olT ilx- water's surface since v«xi can't
see ilx- rocks. Hey. I said it was an
adventure!
Travel Setup
utilize a drop-off person who
dumps as and all cxir gear off at tlxlauixh
site. Prior to this, we |Xirk a
tnick at tlx- end of cxir float so no matter
what tinx- we finLsh. we luve a rickwaiting
on us. Typically, we k-avc tlxbouse
at 9 p.m.. hunt all night, and get
Ixick to the inxk arcxuxl i a.m. Yes. it's
a king Ik Kit. but always exciting and
usually rewarding It's always a Ixxius
domg such a trip with my son or a
close friend.
Winter Clothing
It was 27 ck-grees wlx-n we started cxir
last float, aixl l>y 4 a.m. it lud dropjx.-d
to 20 ck-grees. Ycxill lx- sitting still for
Ixxirs so ycxi have to stay warm. Dress
in multipk- layers, inchxling socks. I
tart off with polyprn insulated urxk-rvvear.
tlx-n jeans followed by insuLitcd
coveralls. Seems like overkill until several
IKHIIN into ilx- float wlx-n ycxi will
appreciate the- extra clothing
I strongly rccomnx-nd two layers of
srxks and knee-high niblx-r boots. Y capsize. Ixit if ycxi
choose a dec-|X-r creek. lake, or river,
lx- extra careful and always wear a personal
flotation device. Safety first!
Lights
YIXI will need a good Ix-adlight llul
will illuminate ilx- eyes of a cxxxi exit
to 100 yards. I use my 6-volt fox-hunting
headlamp. This setup alkiws me to
kcx-p my hgl« on for tlx- entire trip
withcxit losing much of its charge. As
we drift cknvnsiream. IxHh ol' us are
constantly shining cxir lights ckvwn
akxig Ixxh Ixmks looking for raccoons
ami fox. Don't skimp on a grxxl light.
List year my son was using an old Ixittery
atxl within one mile hLs light dXxl.
This mack- it alnxist impctssildc for him
to sixxx with just nx- shining my light.
He sure to use a red filter over tlx- lens
to minimize s|xx>king.
Tlx- goal here is like any nighttinxprecbtor
hunt. Use ilx- light for spotting
guile and tlx-n fix slxxxing exxe you
an- within range. The key is to lx- able
to illuminate ilx- eyes for aiming purposcs.
Rifle Or Shotgun?
We cany a .22 rifle ami 12-gaugc slxxgun
in ilx- camx-, reach' for use at anygiven
nxxix-m. Typically. my son uses
tlx- .22 rifle as we drift akmg looking
fix ctxins along tlx- Ixink. We regularly
pull tlx- canoe exit of tlx- water ami call
fox. bolx-ats. and coyotcs along cut
fields. 'IhLs Ls vvlx-re I use tlx- 12-gaugc.
lulling in to land allows you to stretch
your k-gs. take a pit stop, ami break
exit a snack ami IK* beverage. IhLs
scire refreslx-s your senses and allows
ycxi to reflect on tlx- float up to tlut
point. This is usually several Ixxirs into
rtant to s|XK ilxtarget
at toast 100 yards away. This
gives ycxi tinx- to get the- IXKII headed
in llul dircctkxi c-artv encxigli witlxxil
Ix-ing ck-tcxtcxl. Tiy to get tlx- Ixwt
alxxit 10 to 20 yards frixn tlx- Ixink
while still 50 yards upstream of your
target. Once tlx- canoe Ls in llul posilion,
simply keep the- packllc m the
water, as quietly as |x>ssil>k-. to keep
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