# Beginners' Layout Hunting Guide



## puddle-head

I have been layout hunting for 7 years and have never found a good written introduction or basic guide to layout hunting. The best thing I've seen is the MLB intro DVD, which is great and got me going, but I realized there were more issues that needed to be addressed. I decided last year to write an intro guidebook to layout hunting and posted the chapters up on this site for review and comment. I deliberately sat on everything until the 2010 season had passed so I could check my book against the realities of a recent season, and it seems to be holding true.

I don?t pretend to be an expert, or that what I present is the only way or the best way. There are lots of ways to do any and all of the pieces outlined here. But this is a starting point for people wanting to get into this sport within a sport.

So, here is a "guidebook", free of charge, free to share, free to comment on as a resource for everyone who layout hunts or is thinking about getting into it. If there are glaring issues or omissions, please let me know.

The guidebook has chapters on the following. Any of these is worthy of a book dedicated to that topic, but this is a starting point:
1-Decoys
2-Longline rigging 
3-Longline & layout placement
4-Layout boat rigging
5-Hunting out of layout
6-Sea ducking
7-Tender considerations
8-Transport
9-Setting up at Night 
10-Boat driving
11-Safety issues
12-Where to go
13-Reality check 
14-Sources for more info 

Many thanks to the people who helped with the initial chapters and those who let me use photos to illustrate specific items (mainly Capt Jeff Coats).

You can find the online version here and download it if you'd like:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B0Z285_MyV5DYzg5YTFlOTMtM2Q3MS00YTBmLWI0ZTUtMTJkNTY0Y2UzNmZk&hl=en_US&authkey=CKeG7aML


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## Atown

Thanks for the info. This upcoming season will be the my first experience with a true layout. I am in the process of building a two man as I type. Your info is greatly appreciated and I sure will help me out.

Austin


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## deltajoe

Thank you. 
I am downloading it right now.


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## BlackSunshine

Excellent job!


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## Peta

nice job. Very informative for those getting started. I plan on making sure my buddy takes a look at this.


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## dankoustas

Very Nice, I think a link to that document should be a sticky


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## duck dozer

Thanks


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## eiderking

Good stuff man


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## dabbler

Thanks!! Don't know if I'll be able to do it much, but enjoy the info.


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## WoodMoose

Good job Sir,,,,,enjoyed that,,,very informative


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## TheSwamper

Very nice!!!


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## BAYDOG

bump


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## SwampyBottoms

Great write-up. Especially the safety tips. I'm going to update my life jackets with whistles & strobes before the season this year.

Thanks.


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## puddle-head

Goldy or Baydog - did you guys want to sticky this to the top?


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## JTS

Just read through it. Good job!


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## Dutchman

Great info! Thanks!


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## portage

Thanks for the info. 

Great Stuff!!!!:


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## Andy Hartz

SOLAS, LAYOUT DUCK HUNTING SUBSECTION-Hartz 

?The SOLAS Convention in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships. The first version was adopted in 1914, in response to the Titanic disaster, the second in 1929, the third in 1948 and the fourth in 1960.? 

This is the convention that dictates basic equipment and actions that will be deployed during navigation, boarding a watecraft, etc?I have adopted this idea for layout hunting. 

Basic Equipment List 

Tender Boat 
Lifejacket aboard for each person Paddle 
Flares VHF Radio 
Fire extinguisher Cell phone 
Horn Manual bilge pump 
Anchor w/line Small tool set 
Emergency phone number card EPIRB ( The ultimate mayday call) 


Layout Boat 
Two (2) anchors with line Two cushions or PFD?s
VHF Radio Flares 
Cell phone Sponge,cup,pump??





Layout Hunting 101 and more 

The act of hunting layout hunt is by definition dangerous. In order to keep things as safe as possible I offer this refresher for newbies and veterans alike. If we layout hunt together this season I expect that you will have read the following more than once and are familiar with it. You never know when your role as guest may change to lifesaver, pay attention?

We set the boat with two anchors one anchor off the back, where the wind comes over the back of the boat, and one off the front to keep the boat from yawing back and forth. The rear anchor is the one bearing the weight of the boat. These lines angle down into the water to the anchor and due to this they are very susceptible of getting caught in the tender propeller. The decoys will then be deployed on the motherlines parallel to the layout boat. A large approach area for the tender will be left on the right side of the layout boat, as we approach it, into the wind, one person in the tender will grasp the inside cockpit edge of the layout, WITH BOTH HANDS, and hold on to the layout. At this point you will likely be on your knees in the tender for increased leverage. The importance of having both hands on the layout at this point is critical and cannot be stressed enough. One hand on the layout and this is what happens?the tender boat will pivot on your one hand in the wind and all of sudden you scream can?t hold on cause the broadside of the tender boat is caught in the wind and now it?s too late for two hands. If you?re the approach person, two hands always. One person holds onto the layout boat while another gently puts one foot in the layout boat and then swings the other in and sit?s down immediately. Someone else will hand you the items you have ALREADY set aside for use in the layout. Now is not the time for searching your backpack for shells, cig?s, gloves etc?put it in your pocket before we approach if you want it. There is little room in the layout for blind bags and the like. When we raft off the layout we want to spend as little time there as possible. Guns go in the layout cased. Empty cases go behind the backrest. Once in the layout get comfortable, your boots should go just to the end of the bottom board when laying down. Get the guns out, DO NOT load until the tender is out of range. Load up and lay down. Your gun lays on the outside of the boat. I put mine so that the butt of the stock is up at about my chest. Guns rested on the inside of the boat could shoot a foot and puts holes in the boat. Your eyes should be about water level, don?t be afraid to LAY down, get low. Work the birds, when the birds land or fly within the decoys, they are plenty close enough to be shooting at, you?ll know when. When you have shot a bird radio the tender and then if conditions will allow, talk the tender into the downed bird, tell us if it is crippled or dead. If the wind is blowing or whatever, point with whole arm where the bird went down. Whenever the tender boat approachs the layout for a person exchange all guns should be empty, ALWAYS. On the layout will be a VHF marine radio, flares and one of the hunters should have a cell phone.

Tending to the Layout 
The only job of the tending crew is the safety of the layout. The lives of the layout hunters literally rests with the tending crew. Conditions can change rapidly and the tender must be able to respond. The tender will be moored off a buoy that is attached to the anchor, look for the buoy and there will be a clip that is clipped to the bow eyelet. Grab the anchor line with the hook, leaning out over the gunwale of the boat leads to falling out of the boat, use the hook. Now just watch the layout. The layout should always be approached from downwind so that the tender is running into the wind. The side of the tender that is open, the opposite side of the helm station, will be layed up against the boat. Tender crew grabs the layout with TWO HANDS and the swap begins. 

If you come hunting with us I expect that you have read this document and are thoroughly familiar with it. I understand that you may be along as a guest but one never knows when due to unforseen circumstances roles change and all of sudden the ?guest? becomes the only person who can save someone or every one. The most critical items to remember are as follows: 

?	When coming to the layout, two hands must be used at all times while swapping hunters. 
?	The VHF radio emergency channel is 16, call ?MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY? duck hunters in trouble and give approximate location, wait for the US Coast Guard to respond. 
?	If you are uncomfortable hunting in the current conditions, SAY SOMETHING. I do not want to read the fear in your face. 
?	Be very cognizant of the gun safety. The layout is tight, get comfortable and be safe. 
?	If you have questions ask, I can?t read your mind. We all asked the same questions at some point. 
?	Above all listen and instantly comply with orders of the captain. If the business hits the fan I do not have time to explain things, just do it.


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## diverhunter73

This is great stuff! Good Job guy's!


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## Dry Fly

How long should those bridles be? They look like they are about 4 feet?


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## puddle-head

Mine are about 5 ft but they can be shorter. All they do is split the anchor load onto the two hooks on the upwind side of the layout, so there is no hard and fast rule on length.


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## Floridaboy

Linky no worky.


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## RiverRat77

Yeah, just noticed the same thing. Any way somebody can email the PDF to rmsmith@utah.gov? I'm thinking about buying either a Carstens or Four Rivers boat to hunt some of the shallow reservoirs around southern Utah and have questions about long lining for dekes in deeper water. Thanks in advance.


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## puddle-head

That's strange...it just worked for me. Shoot me a PM if it still isn't working and I can try something else.


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## Floridaboy

I did a google on the booklet and found it.


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## TheBman

There was a great beginners layout hunting article in this months Waterfowl & Retriever Magazine.
Good addendum to the guide in the link.

Here is a link to a PDF of the article... 
http://bevisrealty.agentxsites.com/xSites/Agents/bevisrealty/Content/UploadedFiles/Layout%20Hunting%20Article.pdf

Only part I don't do is anchoring the boat perpendicular to the wind... Looks like a sure way to swamp in rough water.


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## CAPTNDAVIE

PDF version: http://www.lblayoutboats.com/media/...outboats/downloads/159133/LayoutHuntGuide.pdf

I found it here via google search: http://lblayoutboats.com/home/getting_started_with_layout_boat_hunting


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## Waterfowlist

Awesome, a lot of good information here

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk


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## puddle-head

I'm interested in what else people want to have in this book. I'm thinking of adding an intermediate book with additional info on some sections like decoy rigging, spread layouts, etc. 

Anything that people want to have added?


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## zatoan

nice job. Very informative for those getting started. I plan on making sure my buddy takes a look at this.


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## fatboy044@juno.com

Link doesnt seem to work


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## murdock84

I'm assuming your screen name is your email address? If so I have it saved, I can email it to you.


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## migr82az

I would really appreciate it if someone could email me a copy of puddle-heads guide, thanks in advance!

SheaMeyer1@yahoo.com


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## puddle-head

I can't tell if its working for me because I have a login...seems some people are able to get to it OK but others are having trouble.

Does this link work: http://bit.ly/1ntM5kF

How about this one: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10655404/Layout%20%20book%20-%2030%20may%202011.pdf


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## migr82az

Thank you very much for the reply. The first link to google docs does not work for me. The second link to the dropbox worked great. I really appreciate you sharing, haven't had time to read it yet but looks like a great write-up!


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## fatboy044@juno.com

The dropbox link worked great, YOU DA MAN!

Thanks for the help


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## puddle-head

I apologize for the links working and then not working. The settings on the google site seem to change after a certain amount of time:

http://bit.ly/1Cry3Vf to Google Docs
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10655404/Layout book - 30 may 2011.pdf to Drop Box

PLEASE PM me if these don't work right....thanks!


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## smccready

Never hunted out of a layout, this will help me get started. Good stuff.


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## DUCKEY

Sweet! Currently building a layout and will use it next season. 


puddle-head said:


> I have been layout hunting for 7 years and have never found a good written introduction or basic guide to layout hunting. The best thing I've seen is the MLB intro DVD, which is great and got me going, but I realized there were more issues that needed to be addressed. I decided last year to write an intro guidebook to layout hunting and posted the chapters up on this site for review and comment. I deliberately sat on everything until the 2010 season had passed so I could check my book against the realities of a recent season, and it seems to be holding true.
> 
> I don?t pretend to be an expert, or that what I present is the only way or the best way. There are lots of ways to do any and all of the pieces outlined here. But this is a starting point for people wanting to get into this sport within a sport.
> 
> So, here is a "guidebook", free of charge, free to share, free to comment on as a resource for everyone who layout hunts or is thinking about getting into it. If there are glaring issues or omissions, please let me know.
> 
> The guidebook has chapters on the following. Any of these is worthy of a book dedicated to that topic, but this is a starting point:
> 1-Decoys
> 2-Longline rigging
> 3-Longline & layout placement
> 4-Layout boat rigging
> 5-Hunting out of layout
> 6-Sea ducking
> 7-Tender considerations
> 8-Transport
> 9-Setting up at Night
> 10-Boat driving
> 11-Safety issues
> 12-Where to go
> 13-Reality check
> 14-Sources for more info
> 
> Many thanks to the people who helped with the initial chapters and those who let me use photos to illustrate specific items (mainly Capt Jeff Coats).
> 
> You can find the online version here and download it if you'd like:
> 
> https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...TUtMTJkNTY0Y2UzNmZk&hl=en_US&authkey=CKeG7aML


eet!


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## LimitsBro

Excited to read it.
Thanks!


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