Anybody hunt from a layout boat?

Thinking about buying a layout to hunt Lake Pepin. I see big rafts of divers sitting out in the middle all fall. Wanting to get out to them.

I do to an extent, just can’t justify an open water layout boat for it being the success has been low. Just a heads up, the VAST majority of birds you see in large rafts out in the middle are mergansers. They fill that lake up by the tens of thousands. Wait another couple weeks and you will see what I mean. Are there other birds out there? Sure. But be careful on where you sit, be sure you’re fully on one side of the lake or the other.

Bring your big boat out, anchor it, toss out your long lines, lay inside the boat, below the sides. You will have divers come in.

That’s sounds like the plan I have! Merganser aren’t to bad around Bay City but I know they get thick farther south.
Found a homemade boat that’s cheap I think I going to look at next weekend.
Just looking for a different way to hunt more than anything😜

Just be careful! Open water waterfowl hunting has got to be the most dangerous method of taking waterfowl. Be sure you’re with a buddy and if you do end up using a kayak or layout boat, please ensure there is someone in the tender keeping an eye on you. It only takes one wave 1/4 mile from shore to take your life.

I havent hunted waterfowl in years, probably over 20, but they must have changed the law because I thought you couldnt hunt waterfowl unless you were in cover?

CaptainMusky wrote:

I havent hunted waterfowl in years, probably over 20, but they must have changed the law because I thought you couldnt hunt waterfowl unless you were in cover?

Open water hunting is now legal on a handful of water bodies in MN.

tornadochaser wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CaptainMusky wrote:</div>
I havent hunted waterfowl in years, probably over 20, but they must have changed the law because I thought you couldnt hunt waterfowl unless you were in cover?

Open water hunting is now legal on a handful of water bodies in MN.

Cool!

tornadochaser wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CaptainMusky wrote:</div>
I havent hunted waterfowl in years, probably over 20, but they must have changed the law because I thought you couldnt hunt waterfowl unless you were in cover?

Open water hunting is now legal on a handful of water bodies in MN.

I did not know this. Do you have a link to which bodies of water?

I read in MN Outdoor News recently that the DNR may propose to make it legal statewide with some other waterfowl changes as well.

just noticed gimruis posted a link in another thread

CaptainMusky wrote:

I havent hunted waterfowl in years, probably over 20, but they must have changed the law because I thought you couldnt hunt waterfowl unless you were in cover?

Only allowed on Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs, Lake Pepin and Lake Superior. In all other places, hunters must be in concealing vegetation. They are considering changing this however.