Guest Buckfever1613 Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 At our property in middle GA the beavers have created a pretty good size lake. i would say 4 or 5 acres. The lake has 3 sections because of beaver dams. I have never really hunted ducks and would love to. i have seen a duck or 2 on this lake already. My first question is what is the process in planting something to attract ducks. Would i need to blow part of the top dam up and let that drain, then come in and plant some type of crop, and let the beavers dam it back up for me. Also how long does an area need to stay drained for the crop to grow and what is the best crop for mid GA. oh yeah and when do you plant. thanks for any help and sorry for all the questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherguy Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven get some wild rice!!! if the climate is appropriate(i have no clue) jost toss some seeds(in the husk) liberally around teh edges. Ducks love that stuff come fall, and makes good cover in spring and summer. Also if legal control possum, skunk, coon etc population sso that any ducks that may decide to rear young there can actually have a successful nest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbonhunter Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven I actually got to help do this, on an ex's fathers property. he bought 150 acres. He started buy building a four acre marsh that leads into maybe four acres of timber that stays flooded all the time.The marsh is a mix of water and grasses the water is about 2-4 feet deep through-out. We then planted 50 acres in corn, and 25 acres of soregum(sp?). After the harvest in the fall we flood the crop fields so that they are holding about 10" of water. The whole thing is fed by a three acre pond with a spring feeding it, The pond has a pump and lines going into the marsh,timber,and corn. The rest of the property is planted in CRP for nesting. We have blinds in the pond dam, two on each side of the marsh, and several set ups in the timber. We use finisher blinds in the fields or we have a pit box set-up if needed. I'm guessing you dont have the funds for this type of set-up, but the water is already there. Id plant corn or such, you need really warm temps for rice and ya may have it, but im guessing not. Another option is water crest ducks LOVE that stuff. depending on the surrounding land Id blow one of the dams and flood some timber or fields, plant nesting grasses on the outside. There are alot of options and many resources to go to.....If you really want to set it up id suggest getting ahold of the local DU chapter. I bet they can help ya out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinsonovagun Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven I don't know much about ducks, but I would check in to Ducks Unlimited and the other waterfowl club (brain fart....can't think for the life of me what it's called... ) I am thinking about building a small pond. 1/2 - 1 acre in size. I have some river bottom land and there is a slough not 75 yards from my property line. Gets a few hunters on it though, so I would like to try coaxing a few my way. Most duck hunters don't have it as lucky as I though....just too bad the duck-hunting bug hasn't hit me hard yet though. Probably cause I can't afford the waders and shells.... Good luck buddy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbonhunter Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven when it hits ya it hits ya hard.....I always said that weather is for the ducks and the ducks alone....untill the girls father i was talking about above got me into it four years ago......now after i get my deer, the bow goes away and the birds and ducks get full time attention...nothing like watching a flock of mallards or geese seeting there wings and reaching out with those legs........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinsonovagun Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven [ QUOTE ] If I was to guess it would be Delta Waterfowl. [/ QUOTE ] BINGO! That's it. thanks buddy! CH- You're right....nothing prettier than a flock of ducks cupped, ready to land in your dekes. I went this past sunday and got one greenhead (weren't flying well....think because of the freeze). Wish I had just left the gun and taken pics, because one duck isn't really worth the time. It was fun though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest benelli_man_84 Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven Hey georgia boy, Wild rice will work in ga real well due to the climate. I am doin the same thing in my pond come march. Just make sure you kill the weeds in the pond first. Another thing to plant in about june would be browntop millet. Wheat and oats around the edges of the pond work well also. If you want some more ideas, page me at229-431-8276 and I will get ya some info. Matt wall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbonhunter Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven Careful what you do when it comes to food crops boys........it can border on baiting real quick....ag. crops are okay and grain that falls off during the harvest is fine as wel, but kicking around crops/putting out picked grain are BIG no no's. Just a heads up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinsonovagun Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven Is this illegal??? Is "baiting" illegal all over, or just certain states? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbonhunter Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven yup everywhere...federal law, and you dont even want to know what the fines are $$$$$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinsonovagun Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven OK....I'm convinced....no baiting for me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Buckfever1613 Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven thanks for the help i have read somewhere that instead of planting i could just drain the beaver pond in June for several weeks and let the sun help grow natural vegetation. Then flood the lake again. This sounds better for my type of land and money. My new question is where can i see plans for how to drain the top part of the pond without destroying the dam and then one to control the water level after it is flooded again. i like the ease of just throwing out millet to grow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest benelli_man_84 Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven Hey man, Wild Rice will grow in about 3-4 feet of water. Get some copepr sulfate and throw that out over the weeds. 6 weeks later plant some wild rice. You can sprout it before you throw it in, but it will work just broadcasting the seed. I hunt with some guys who have done this before. It really works dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbonhunter Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven [ QUOTE ] Here in Arkansas it is legal to plant crops such as millet, milo, sorgum, etc. and hunt it. If you just threw it out and hunted the grain, you would be in a lot of trouble with the game wardens and feds. Just to clear it up, I was talking about hunting the millet after it grew and matured and spread its' own seed. Another thing you might do if you want a natural vegation is: plant brown top millet. It regrows every year on its own and will be there year round and for a long time. That will cut down on your money and time. [/ QUOTE ] I wasnt doubting your methods bud, just wanted to throw it out there for anyone not in the know.......people can think there doing legal and next thing they now looking at a fine.....just wanted you to know i wasnt trying to accuse ya of anything Its def. legal to hunt agr. fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherguy Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven [ QUOTE ] thanks for the help i have read somewhere that instead of planting i could just drain the beaver pond in June for several weeks and let the sun help grow natural vegetation. Then flood the lake again. This sounds better for my type of land and money. My new question is where can i see plans for how to drain the top part of the pond without destroying the dam and then one to control the water level after it is flooded again. i like the ease of just throwing out millet to grow [/ QUOTE ] Honestly there are some methods using culverts, pipe, and or pumps, but beavers are smarter than they seem. The best thing(and cheapest) would be when you want to lower the water rip a hole in the dam 3 or 4 feet wide, as deep as you need to lower teh water. Ex. if you want to lower the water 2 feet make the hole two feet deep. You will have to go every day or two to keep the hole open. Once it has been down long enough let the beaver fix the dam and voila. You will not deter the beaver since they are far more persistant than any human. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covehnter Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Creating duck heaven I done the same thing to a beaver pond a few years ago. . . and the easy, cheapest, very very effective way to go it JAPANESE MILLET!! I cant say enough about this stuff, it is very much like the browntop and sorghum but it is easier to come up, mature in about 2 months and the seeds have a wax coating so that once you put the water back on the plants and the seeds are knocked off, they dont rot as quick as corn and browntop so that is stays around longer for the ducks. The only thing you have to do is get the water level down to that mud is exposed. . . . . . broadcast the seed ontop of the mud and dont overseed or the seeds choke themselves out, then just keep the water off of them untill they are 6 or so inches tall and let'em have it. It is that easy and not expensive at all. . . only thing is having to bust the dam out every couple days untill it takes. I gaurantee you will throw the seed on the mud and within days you'll see it taking off, it baffled me. . . . that stuff is it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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