Quick Answer
For Texas duck hunting, three aluminum boats stand above the rest at Big D Marine and Powersports. The Excel Viper F4 1751 is the dedicated duck boat purpose built for marsh and timber. The Excel Shallow Water F4 1754 or 1860 is the versatile pick that hunts hard and fishes the rest of the year. The G3 Gator Tough series is the value pick for hunters who also want a proven aluminum utility platform. For most Texas duck hunters the Excel Shallow Water F4 1754 is the best all around choice because it does both jobs well and covers the widest range of Texas hunting conditions.
Why Texas Duck Hunting Demands a Specific Kind of Boat
Texas duck hunting is not one thing. It is at least four different things, and the right boat depends on which of them you do. The Gulf Coast marsh below Port Arthur, Anahuac, and Galveston. The Texas rice belt around Eagle Lake, El Campo, and Katy. The reservoir timber holes on Livingston, Sam Rayburn, and Toledo Bend. The Panhandle playa lakes and the Central Texas stock tanks and river systems. Each of these hunts a different way, and each rewards a slightly different boat.
What all four have in common is water measured in inches, not feet. Getting to the ducks in Texas usually means running skinny water, pushing through vegetation, and doing it in the dark at four in the morning. That single fact is why the aluminum shallow draft duck boat category exists, and why the brands built specifically for this work are so different from a fishing bass boat.
The Three Duck Boats We Recommend for Texas
Excel Viper F4 1751
The Excel Viper F4 is the dedicated duck boat in the Excel lineup. Lower profile than the standard F4 series, blind ready from the factory, and purpose built for skinny marsh and timber work. If your primary use case is waterfowl and you know that going in, this is the model to look at first. See the Excel lineup on our Excel Boats brand page.
Best fit for Texas: dedicated duck hunters who hunt marsh, rice fields, or timber and do not need the boat to double as a summer fishing platform. The Viper hunts better than any general purpose aluminum boat because it is designed for exactly this job.
Excel Shallow Water F4 1754 and F4 1860
The Excel Shallow Water F4 series is the versatile pick. Same tough all welded aluminum construction as the Viper, but in a slightly taller and more general purpose configuration that hunts hard and fishes hard the rest of the year. The 1754 is the sweet spot for most Texas hunters. The 1860 is the pick for hunters who want more deck for gear or plan to run more open water. See the model lineup on our Excel Boats page.
Best fit for Texas: hunters who want one aluminum boat that can hunt every winter and fish shallow water bass, catfish, or crappie the rest of the year. This is the most common choice among Texas duck hunters who fish.
G3 Gator Tough Series
The G3 Gator Tough series covers 16, 17, and 18 foot aluminum utility boats built for hunting and rough water use. Since G3 is owned by Yamaha, every Gator Tough comes as a package with a Yamaha outboard. This is often the value pick for hunters who want a solid boat at a reasonable entry point. See the G3 lineup on our G3 Boats brand page.
Best fit for Texas: hunters who want a proven aluminum utility platform at a value price, and who care about Yamaha integration for long term ownership. Also popular with hunters who share the boat with family for fishing or general lake use.
Mud Motor or Standard Outboard: The Real Debate
This is the question every serious Texas duck hunter faces. The honest answer is that it depends on where you hunt and how much you value versatility.
When a Mud Motor Wins
A mud motor wins when you hunt water where the mud is a constant hazard, when you push through cattails and vegetation to reach holes, when you run in inches of water rather than feet, and when getting stuck is a normal part of the morning. Marsh below Anahuac, rice fields around Eagle Lake, and the flooded timber back arms of Sam Rayburn are all classic mud motor territory. A mud motor pushes through water no propeller outboard can survive.
When a Standard Outboard Wins
A standard Yamaha outboard wins for range, speed, quiet operation, and fuel economy. If you hunt open water, timber holes accessible from a deeper channel, or bigger reservoirs where you make longer runs to reach hunt zones, a Yamaha outboard is the better choice. It runs faster, uses less fuel, and lasts longer. See current outboard pricing on our Yamaha outboard pricing page and browse outboard inventory on the outboard category page.
Why Many Texas Hunters Own Both
Serious Texas duck hunters often own both a mud motor and a standard outboard, or run a dual configuration hull rigged for either. It sounds excessive until you have hunted marsh in the morning and needed to run a mile of open water in the afternoon to reach the second hunt spot.
Sizing Guide for Texas Duck Boats
Here is the practical sizing guide for Texas duck hunting.
- 14 to 16 foot: solo hunter or small crew, tight marsh access, smallest possible footprint. Best for guys who hunt alone or with one buddy.
- 17 foot: the sweet spot for most Texas hunters. Two to three hunters plus a dog, plenty of decoys, and still fits in tight marsh access. Excel Viper F4 1751 and Excel Shallow Water F4 1754 both live here.
- 18 foot: three hunters plus dog plus significant gear. Best for guides, big blind setups, and hunters who run open water. Excel Shallow Water F4 1860.
- 18 plus foot: reserved for hunters who hunt big open water like coastal bay marsh or run long distances to remote hunt zones.
What Every Texas Duck Boat Needs
Whichever brand you pick, some things belong on every serious Texas duck boat.
- A camo paint or wrap job. Dead grass, Mossy Oak Blades, or a similar pattern that matches Texas cover.
- Blind kit and grass rail. Rigged so you can grass the boat before dawn without a hassle.
- Dry storage for shells, calls, and phones. Weather rated hatches, not just open lockers.
- Rod holders. Because most Texas hunters fish too, and dedicated rod storage saves time.
- A dog platform or non slip deck for the retriever.
- LED navigation lighting rated for pre dawn runs.
- Battery power for spinning wing decoys and additional accessories.
We stock hunting accessories and can rig any of these on the boat during the sale or as an add on service later. Parts and accessories inventory is on our parts and accessories page.
New Versus Pre Owned Duck Boats
Aluminum duck boats hold value particularly well in Texas because the market for them is strong and consistent. A five year old Excel or G3 in good hunting shape rarely sells cheap. That works both ways. See new duck boat stock on our new inventory page and pre owned duck and hunting boat inventory changes seasonally so check the boat inventory page.
Where to See Duck Boats in Person
We stock Excel Viper F4, Excel Shallow Water F4, and G3 Gator Tough duck boats at our Huntsville flagship on State Highway 19. Our I 45 Huntsville location handles most of our pre owned duck boat inventory. Our Hitchcock location on the Galveston Bay side stocks coastal duck hunting configurations. Full stock on the boat inventory page.
Financing, Trade In, and Service
Duck boats finance well because they hold value. Pre qualify with a soft credit check on our boat financing page. If you have a current duck boat or fishing boat to trade, get a fair estimate on our trade in valuation tool. After the sale, our certified service department handles hull work, blind installation, camo work, and outboard service for all three brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best duck boat for Texas hunting?
For Texas duck hunting the two brands most experienced hunters choose are Excel and G3. The Excel Viper F4 1751 is the dedicated duck boat purpose built for marsh and timber. The Excel Shallow Water F4 1754 and 1860 are the versatile picks that hunt hard and fish the rest of the year. G3 Gator Tough series is the value pick for hunters who also want a proven aluminum utility platform.
Should I run a mud motor or a standard outboard for duck hunting?
It depends on where you hunt. If you hunt marsh, rice fields, or shallow water where you routinely bump the mud, a mud motor wins for its ability to run in inches of water and push through vegetation. If you hunt open water, timber holes, or bigger reservoirs, a standard Yamaha outboard is faster, quieter, and more fuel efficient. Many Texas duck hunters own both.
What size duck boat is best for Texas?
For most Texas duck hunters a 17 to 18 foot aluminum duck boat is the sweet spot. Large enough to carry three hunters, a dog, decoys, and gear. Small enough to run into tight marsh cuts and skinny water. The Excel Viper F4 1751 and Excel Shallow Water F4 1754 both fit this range. Larger 18 to 20 foot boats work for open water hunters.
How much does a new duck boat cost in Texas?
New aluminum duck boats in Texas typically run from around fifteen thousand dollars for a base G3 Gator Tough with a standard outboard, up to thirty five thousand dollars or more for a fully rigged Excel Viper F4 with a mud motor, blind kit, and camo package. Pre owned duck boats can start in the low teens for older well maintained models.
Where can I buy a duck boat in Texas?
Big D Marine and Powersports is an authorized Excel Boats and G3 Boats dealer in Texas. Our Huntsville location on State Highway 19 stocks Excel Viper F4, Excel Shallow Water F4, and G3 Gator Tough duck boats. Our Hitchcock location on the Galveston Bay side stocks coastal duck hunting configurations. Contact our team to check current duck boat inventory before the season starts.
Ready to Rig a Duck Boat Before Season
Duck season builds fast and duck boat inventory moves quickly starting in late summer. Come by the Huntsville location for a walkthrough and to talk through blind kits, mud motor options, and camo packages. Browse current stock on the inventory page or start at the Big D Marine homepage.
