Belly Boating to Ducks
Day 2: What You Need to Wear to Belly Boat Safely and Comfortably to Ducks
Editor’s Note: Belly boats can take you safely to the secret places ducks love – spots where other hunters never go.
 After I purchased my Bass Pro Shops’ belly boat, I began to assemble the gear I felt would be required. One of the biggest problems when hunting ducks, and especially when in a belly boat, is staying warm. If you’re cold and uncomfortable, you’ll miss a lot of birds. Since I realized that half of my body would be underwater most of the time, I knew that I must have the right kind of waders and clothes to keep me dry and warm. I chose insulated waders that were known for being tough.  When you’re moving around a beaver swamp, puncturing your waders is very easy to do, unless you have waders that are tough. Under the waders, I wear an outer shell of thick insulation – generally a down-filled snowmobile suit. The thick down provides a lot of insulation against the cold. Inside the snowmobile suit, I wear a pair of heavy denim blue jeans, and beneath the blue jeans is a suit of insulated underwear. I also wear heavy socks. Using this combination I’ve never gotten cold, even on the coldest days. My snowmobile suit is a one-piece garment that holds all of my body heat inside, besides protecting me from the cold down to my ankles. If I’m hunting ducks in a blowing rain, I usually wear some type of rain slicker over the snowmobile suit and a pair of insulated gloves that are water repellant and warm in a came pattern. I still can pick-up my ducks while wearing gloves and won’t get my hands wet and cold. Too, I still can shoot without being clumsy. After I put-on all my clothes, I am ready to hunt.
  The other very-important item I wear when belly boating to ducks is my Suspenders,
a sleeveless jacket that has inflatable fronts that you can activate when on the water to keep you from going under. You’re very safe when you combine wearing your SOSpenders with maneuvering to ducks in your belly boat. See www.sospenders.com.
To learn more about my belly boat, go to www.basspro.com, or visit your local Bass Pro Shops’ store.
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