Duck Hole Trail Cam....

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[ghadarits]

Squealer I have a question for you. Why do you drain the ponds when the season closes? Would it not help to leave them flooded for the reverse migration and help imprint birds to your place? If that’s a dumb question I’ll apologize in advance. I’ll admit I’m an OK duck hunter but only a minimal biologist.
Side Note: This was my most viewed post for 2 months. Thanks for all the great pics. They hepled keep me motivated when it got sloooow!

 

[Mexican Squealer]

Squealer I have a question for you. Why do you drain the ponds when the season closes? Would it not help to leave them flooded for the reverse migration and help imprint birds to your place? If that’s a dumb question I’ll apologize in advance. I’ll admit I’m an OK duck hunter but only a minimal biologist.
Side Note: This was my most viewed post for 2 months. Thanks for all the great pics. They hepled keep me motivated when it got sloooow!

Ha man glad you enjoyed it! Generally the draw down is a very slow process, about a board a week if I’m trying to propagate the moist soil crops to do their thing. Soil manipulated before it is warm tends to release the most desirable seeds where as once the soil is “hot” you get a whole bunch of stimulated coffee weed, sesbaia and other things that are a pain to deal with. So basically on the moist soil plan you take it off slow then harrow or do “other” things to stimulate the good stuff at the right time of year. Luckily we have a bunch of impoundments and make sure the ducks literally have year round water. I keep 3 ponds (about 40 acre) at full flood year round to promote aquatic veg and invertebrates. Now that I’ve ramped up the crawfish game, we will actually have about 90 acres that will be under flood through the reverse migration. I’ll drop the crawfish ponds in July and plant rice in them. I do have 3 ponds I’m drying out quickly though...only because I’m going to plant a good bit of corn in them this year. The pond with the trail cams is a hole I keep wet all year. It will be cool to see what comes back through. I’m a rank amateur at all this and am learning as I go.

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[ghadarits]

Ha man glad you enjoyed it! Generally the draw down is a very slow process, about a board a week if I’m trying to propagate the moist soil crops to do their thing. Soil manipulated before it is warm tends to release the most desirable seeds where as once the soil is “hot” you get a whole bunch of stimulated coffee weed, sesbaia and other things that are a pain to deal with. So basically on the moist soil plan you take it off slow then harrow or do “other” things to stimulate the good stuff at the right time of year. Luckily we have a bunch of impoundments and make sure the ducks literally have year round water. I keep 3 ponds (about 40 acre) at full flood year round to promote aquatic veg and invertebrates. Now that I’ve ramped up the crawfish game, we will actually have about 90 acres that will be under flood through the reverse migration. I’ll drop the crawfish ponds in July and plant rice in them. I do have 3 ponds I’m drying out quickly though...only because I’m going to plant a good bit of corn in them this year. The pond with the trail cams is a hole I keep wet all year. It will be cool to see what comes back through. I’m a rank amateur at all this and am learning as I go.

LOL!! If you're a rank amateur I'm a babe in the woods mister. My efforts are primitive compared to what you do. I'd like to have the opportunity to be involved in a property like you have someday.

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[ghadarits]

Now you're making me have withdrawals................. I'm going to put the boat in!

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]

New birds coming and going all day today...

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[mizzippi jb]

The last pic is what it's all about!

 

[Mexican Squealer]

 

[Mexican Squealer]