Anyone with expertise with duck ponds?

[Okefenokee_D]

I have this old cutover swamp that is around 28-30 acres on my farm. It was cut many many years ago and as you can tell from the photos....it hasn't really done much. There were some trees the loggers left behind for seeding back out, but that is about it. The area is covered with grass and when it gets dry the swamp goes dry.

I have been debating about making it into a duck pond to maybe have duck hunts to make a little extra money. But I do not know where to start. I know this is a wetland and it has many regulations on it; which I fully understand, but I am wondering what can I do with this?

Anyone who has experience with ducks/duck hunting?

Thanks



 

 

 

 

 

 

[Texas Ranger]

check your topography

[Okefenokee_D]

check your topography

It isn't a main stream; no solid blue line here.

[barbender]

In northern MN, we have a lot of black ash swamps. A lot of times, if ash is clearcut, nothing comes back but cattails, sedges and alder brush. The MN DNR is changing their management of swamp ash stands to thinning with replanting of understory species, in anticipation of our ash being wiped out by EAB. They don't want to lose all of the "wet woodland" acreage. This doesn't address your question at all, I would imagine you'll have to talk to your County zoning and State DNR.

[Ron Scott]

Contact your local National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) office. They can give you good advice and assist you in development of a duck/wildlife ponds. If it is a designated wetland by the State or Feds, then proper permits will be required.

The Fish and Wildlife Service can be involved also so you might want to contact them. There are possible grants available to assist one in the development of duck and wildlife ponds and improvement and protection of wetlands.

The Ducks Unlimited organization is also another great source of help and information on duck habitat development and management.

[WV Sawmiller]

    Ron is right on target IMHO. Also are you on a major or significant flyway there? I grew up in N. Fla and we hunted ducks but really about all we got were local wood ducks and just a few incidentals from other species but not the spectacular numbers you see in Mississippi or Louisiana or over on the coast of NC or such. We did have woodcocks migrate in and shot a few of them along too.

   Are you planning on leasing to a hunting club or such or just sell day passes for people to hunt there? Are you thinking of building a lodge or cabins or setting up a campground nearby or do you have the right terrain and inclination to do that? Based on your location I would expect alligators and alligator snapping turtles in short order. I assume you will attract blue, white and little green herons and maybe some ospreys and eagles, kingfishers, and maybe some cormorants and such that would attract photographers and nature watchers and such if you can set up access and such. You might even set up some permanent blinds for hunters and bird watchers and such. (I know where you can buy a bunch from a guy in WV but we may have to modify the roof to tilt open for wingshooting but we can figure that out. :D :D)

   Good luck.

[Okefenokee_D]

Contact your local National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) office. They can give you good advice and assist you in development of a duck/wildlife ponds. If it is a designated wetland by the State or Feds, then proper permits will be required.

The Fish and Wildlife Service can be involved also so you might want to contact them. There are possible grants available to assist one in the development of duck and wildlife ponds and improvement and protection of wetlands.

The Ducks Unlimited organization is also another great source of help and information on duck habitat development and management.

   Ron is right on target IMHO. Also are you on a major or significant flyway there? I grew up in N. Fla and we hunted ducks but really about all we got were local wood ducks and just a few incidentals from other species but not the spectacular numbers you see in Mississippi or Louisiana or over on the coast of NC or such. We did have woodcocks migrate in and shot a few of them along too.

  Are you planning on leasing to a hunting club or such or just sell day passes for people to hunt there? Are you thinking of building a lodge or cabins or setting up a campground nearby or do you have the right terrain and inclination to do that? Based on your location I would expect alligators and alligator snapping turtles in short order. I assume you will attract blue, white and little green herons and maybe some ospreys and eagles, kingfishers, and maybe some cormorants and such that would attract photographers and nature watchers and such if you can set up access and such. You might even set up some permanent blinds for hunters and bird watchers and such. (I know where you can buy a bunch from a guy in WV but we may have to modify the roof to tilt open for wingshooting but we can figure that out. :D :D)

  Good luck.

I was debating about calling NRCS. They just recently helped us replant some longleaf and slash on my farm.

I am not too far from the North Florida line, but I am assuming we are getting many different types of ducks. I have seen some wood ducks, etc. 

Right now, we lease our land out for deer and turkey hunting, but the guys live local. Used to lease to some Florida guys, so they brought their campers and we hooked them up with power and water.

I need to send some paperwork over to NRCS anyways this week so I will probably talk with them about it. 

I am for protecting wetlands, but it seems like this hasn't done much. I rather it do something and help pay the taxes and make more improvements on the property.


Thanks guys!

[Roxie]

If you build it, they will come. 

[Chuck White]

I have a cousin who applied for and got a grant from the DNR, and got paid for making several shallow duck ponds on his backwoods property last summer!

[WV Sawmiller]

   Good luck. If you build it I'd look at all season use for photographers and picnic use and possibly campers and such if possible and if that did not conflict with any hunting use. I would be more concerned about liability insurance than anything else. I assume if you lease to deer hunters they sign a detailed release from liability. I know it is common for land owners to require hunting clubs to provide insurance. I'd think there would be greater risk for day use hunters - I'd be more reluctant to hunt around them! I am not sure what the regs and costs would be for picnic and photography use.

   We tried to set up local photo tours with my photographer wife guiding photographers and me as the operator using my big jonboat in our local COE lake and between the excessive cost of the insurance and getting permission from the COE shut us down. We can take friends and family on unpaid tours and often do with great success and appreciation but not for pay.

[Bandmill Bandit]

I have had some as a result of running equipment in the 70s for a Canadian organization called Ducks Unlimited.

https://www.ducks.ca/places/alberta/

From a quick review of the above website it looks like there are chapters in the USA as well. That is where I would start if I was you.
https://www.ducks.org/

[Ron Scott]

Yes, Ducks Unlimited is a good organization to work with and very interested in helping improve wetlands for duck habitat, and yes, the ducks will come if you  develop a good pond system and especially if a good wetland food source is also provided and retained as a migrating and local nesting food source for the waterfowl.

I have been involved in the development of a number of wetland areas for waterfowl and wildlife habitat during my years with the USFS and as a consulting forester. Ducks Unlimited, the F&WLS, NRCS, the private landowner, and the involved State DNR were usually interested and participating partners.

[Okefenokee_D]

Thanks everyone. I'll try to get the ball rolling! If I get shot down...I might as well go in once it dries off in the swamp and replant cypress trees.