in florida we have a plant called a palmetto. live or dead it is one noisy plant that grows in clumps that can grow across and block a path. sometimes the quietest way to move through it is to cut the fronds with pruning shears and set them aside, instead of trying to push them to one side. have also used pruning shears when trying to move through brush or pines with dead branches. don't have to cut a path but just thin it out enough to move through quietly. regarding lights. if the walking is noisy I will use a light if help avoid sticks and keep the noise down. my preference is to use a red light and keep it low to the ground.
Yes early in, I keep a set of clippers with me wherever I go so I can trim on the fly.. briars are the worst for hanging onto clothing and hampering your walk in, and find a way to make things noisy and difficult!
I hunt only public and the biggest ticket for me is hunting spots that might be #2 or #3 spots for other people but because of access they are #1's for me. If I can't get into a spot without making noise in not hunting in there. The area I hunt you have to set up close to bedding to get any action and the only way to do that is with little to no noise.
This is what I do. I use the trolling motor to get the majority of the way to my landing. The last little bit I still paddle as it is the quietest way still. There's a lot of "rushing water" noise associated with the trolling motor. As far as the clanking goes, the best thing is practice. I primarily use the J stroke. I also keep my lower hand at the level of the gunwale, both as a sound barrier between the paddle and the canoe, and it allows me to use the canoe as a pivot point for the curve of the stroke. Aluminum canoes are the noisiest. I've found poly canoes to be the quietest, with kevlars in-between. One thing you can do to help quiet your entry and exit of the canoe is to put a sheet on neoprene or something down on the floor of your canoe. Even a yoga mat can work. It'll help keep things from clanking around.
Also, if you go the motor route, it's not a bad idea to get extra wire so you can have the battery in the bow of the canoe. Especially if you are using the canoe solo. Otherwise there can be too much weight in the rear with the battery and you. A high bow makes steering hard and is a huge pain if there's any wind. I ran wires up the gunwale of my Old Town Hunter and installed a motor plug in the back so I can take the motor and battery off with ease, yet keep the canoe wired. Having it in the gunwale keeps the cords out of the way and protected from the elements and me throwing my gear around.
