Deer hunting from canoe?
 

Does anyone know if it is legal to shoot deer from a canoe in Minnesota? Any help would be appreciatef

Good question.

I carry a riffle when fishing and if I see game then I take aim, but not from a canoe.

There is NO way I would shoot a rifle out of a canoe.
I have seen what happens when you do.
Lets just say your gunpowder will get wet, lol
A flat bottom John boat yes, But Not A Canoe.
I hate getting dunked.
In N.C. you can hunt from a boat as long as you paddle the boat, and not run the motor.
NEVER EVER SHOOT A GUN IN A CANOE.
You will loose all your hunting stuff.

JMHO

To know the hunting rules in your state just go to your states wild life (dept. Natural resources in Michigan DNR) depts. web site.

How many of ya'll have really hunted and shot from a canoe, Really.
In my younger years that is one of the best ways to hunt Moose in ONT. Paddle slowly around the lake calling then when you got answers to your call sit still and wait. Ain't like you have a cannon on board.
If your really inept you can put a out rigger on your canoe too.

:D Al

I know guys who duck hunt out of a canoe, I wouldn't do it but they come home dry.

I've floated for ducks in a canoe, killed a lot of squirrels that way too.
A lot of fun.

I believe I would elect to keep the shot within a 30 deg cone from the front of the canoe. It's the 90 deg shot that would seem dicey.

Man you folks seem to think he is using some sort of shoulder mounted cannon or something. Canoes aren't THAT unstable sheesh! I've float hunted a lot over the years and never tipped from taking a shot. I'm sure the fella isn't planning on STANDING and shooting from a canoe!

OP, I scanned the whole digest for Minnesota online and couldn't find anything about shooting from a boat. Closest thing was shooting for OHV's such as 4 wheelers and such which is not allowed without a disability permit.

No. I know somebody that was hunting in the white mountians in Az and they shot from a truck. They fell out of the truck and died. I imagine if a freak accident like that happened in a canoe it would be a lot worse.

That's the first thing that came to mind when I saw this thread. These guys were using motorboats, but it's the same idea. http://www.fieldandstream.com/articl...achicola-river

There are a lots of different styles of canoes, each one designed for specific characteristics. Some are much more stable than others.

be sure to be wearing wader boots if I'm in the boat, I like to rock.

I'm sure MN has laws regarding hunting land animals from watercraft & I have no idea what those laws are in your state... BUT I hope you are talking about hunting animals that are standing on land that you have permission to hunt on! If you are going to jump in a canoe on some river & shove off with hopes of killing a deer wherever you encounter it, without regards for the landowners rights whom owns the ground that deer is standing on, the shame on anyone looking to do such! I own property that has 2.5 miles of winding water frontage on the longest remaining "free flowing" river system left in the lower MS River drainage here in west TN. If someone "floats by" & shoots a deer on my property they better have lawyers & their checkbook handy because I'm going to tear them a new one in the courts!!! :evil:

Can't help you on the laws. I used to regularly shoot squirrels from a small raft though, and used the same raft to access deer hunting spots across a small river.
-Jake

Boca, you may hunt from a watercraft in PA so long as it is powered by man power, drifting, oars or paddles.

I have been duck hunting out of a 12 ft canoe for over 20 years. Never shot a deer out of one but have taken a few for a ride back to the truck in one.

Total BS, shot many a duck and a few moose from my canoes. Never the slightest problem. Been hunting by canoe for over a decade, lots of good animals taken, lots of great adventures experienced, plenty of shots fired FROM THE CANOE, absolutely no swimming has ever occurred. A better strategy than cruising shorelines in the canoe is to use the canoe to get to good areas that cant be reached by other methods, then spend your time hunting these areas.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...ighlight=moose

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...58#post1889658

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewt...?f=287&t=27058

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=269617

Always heard that Canoes can get you to great areas of WMA's. I have a Canoe and have been thinking about doing that sometime. That would be a great adventure.

CVG Ohio

I some times even stand in my cane when trying to get a fly into a certain hole in lily pads in the back waters of the local river.
Serves as a good roof over a deer's head on a cold windy February day too.



:D Al

Yes it is legal as long as the canoe is not under power while taking of game, and you have permission to hunt on the land the deer is on. I called asking a similar question a few years ago.