Improving duck habitat

HardCoreHunter

Senior Member
I don't know the first thing about duck hunting. Other than I would like to do it. What are some things I can do to bring ducks onto my property? We don't have any swaps or ponds, but we do have some creeks. I have one spot on a fairly wide creek that I think may work. There is a U shaped bend in the creek with woods on both sides. Is there anything I can do with this area?
 

jason308

Senior Member
Transplant some beavers??? Beavers will help you dam up an area. For that matter you could dam it up yourself with some careful planning but I am not sure of the rules and regs concerning stuff like this, and you also have to think about the ones downstream. Do yall have any fields or low lying open areas that could be planted and flooded with a little work? That is the way to go or so I have been told. Just my thoughts.
 

HardCoreHunter

Senior Member
I think I better stay away from damming up a waterway. Unless I chew the tree myself so it looks like a beaver did it. Do ducks land in slow flowing creeks?
 

WOODIE13

2023 TURKEY CHALLENGE 1st place Team
Yes they will :banana:
 

hunt-chessies

Senior Member
have you checked it for ducks during season?? there will not going to be alot of them there now, but you may find more than you think later on. I'm willing to bet at the least you have woddies in there. what you can do is put up some wood duck houses, and scout out some places to hunt. your not going to be able to go back there and smack them on a regular basis. you will drive them off pretty quick that way. i wouldn't put much pressure on it early either, wait till late season when the migrators are in, the locals will attract them to it if its worth going to. if you want to get into duck hunting find someone in your area and go with them. there is a TON of things to learn and your not going to get a limit every day, but its a blast for sure!!
 

HardCoreHunter

Senior Member
I've never noticed any ducks on the property. We do watch geese fly over every year. Do ducks and geese fly the same fly way?
 

hunt-chessies

Senior Member
flyway in a borad sense yes but not as your talkin about. i didn't start duck hunting untill about 5-6 years ago, and i never really noticed ducks anywhere. now i see them all over the place. my wife don't even like riding in the car with me in the fall cause i look everywhere but the road.... i keep telling her im not going to see ducks on the road!!!! as for you never seeing them thats not a surprise, your probaly asleep when you would see them (early AM or just before dark)!! not good chances you will see them fly over your house in the middle of the day like geese will
 

GADAWGS

Senior Member
How slow is the water? And how deep is it? In the late winter you need to put up some woodduck boxes. And jason had an excellent idea- beavers= ducks. While the beaver is building the dam, that is the right time to build and install a Clemson Leveler. That will enable you to crain at will and plant the swamp.
Now, you say you have never duck hunted before? Well, get ready to lose your life's savings and your kids inheritance. Its addictive. First comes the decoys and dog. That means training toys for both of you. Then the ammo and more toys. Plus GUNS ( notice I put that plural?)
I used to be a tried and true deer hunter. Now I deer hunt till ducks start
 

jason308

Senior Member
Sorry HardCore I forgot to mention the fact GADAWGS presented. IT IS ADDICTIVE!!!!!!!!!!! No ifs, ands, or buts. I used to think why in the world would anyone get up that stinkin early to go shoot at some birds? I've got deer to kill. I went one time with a buddy of mine cause my deer huntin buddy had something come up and couldn't go that morning. 2 seasons and a dog, boat, gun, waders, decoys, calls, girlfriend sick of hearing about #$%@ ducks later...... you get the picture. Sorry if I got :offtopic: I just had to put this in.
 

hunt-chessies

Senior Member
they are so right. someone gets you into it the right way and gets you on a good hunt once or twice and its all down hill. I spend all year preparing for the couple of months of duck season. between call practicing, dogs dogs and more dogs, rigging dekes, scouting, making contacts, shooting practice, not a single day goes by i don't think about duck season!! beware, you've been warned!! LOL
 

Ga-Spur

Senior Member
HardCoreHunter ; call the local chairman of the Ducks Unlimited . You need to be with that group for sure.
 

jason308

Senior Member
GAspur- a wonderful support group indeed!!! Yall at woodys aint bad either!!! :cheers:
 

HardCoreHunter

Senior Member
Thanks for the tips and warnings. The last the I need is another addictive hobby.

I took a closer look at the area I had in mind. The good news is we have beavers. The bad news is they are dumb beavers. You can tell they have been working the area for awhile, years it looks like. They are just starting on trees to big. I didn't see one tree that had dropped. They start on one tree, give up and go to another. I guess I will put some duck boxes out and then see what happens.
 
Top