# Plantation Duck Club 2020-2021



## Mexican Squealer

Yesterday was the first day of official prep work for the coming duck season. After an amazing am spent turkey hunting with my neighbor, I fired up the tractor and started bushhogging and laying out my corn plots.  This year’s crop will be corn, rice, chufa and moist soil natural foods. The corn will have to be fenced to keep the deer out. Most important thing in the next couple of weeks will be bushogging everything. The does drop fawns all over the impoundments and after many close calls last year, the last thing I want to do is hit one.  I’ll be cutting in the fields after that and getting all the corn plots ready to be planted. Target date is to have all corn in the ground by June 1...weather is such a factor. It can make or break you. I’ve seen it do both. Corn is expensive and subject to drowning, drought, hurricanes, hail storms and pretty much anything Mother Nature wants to sling at you.  Going to go with 5 acres of corn in 5 impoundments. Most planted food will be either Rex or Wells strains of rice. Last year I grew my rice without flooding it during the growing process. This is doable but you need about an inch of rain to fall on it each week for optimum growth. Last year’s crop was pretty stressed so this year I’m going to put water on it once it gets up a few inches.  Chufa will be planted in June, Jap around the first week of September.  Moist soil desirables will be promoted with soil disturbance in “plots” over the next few weeks. Once the hot weather gets here, soil disturbance will result in more undesirable plants like Seabania and sickle pod. I’m convinced that both are the work of the devil.  
 As always, this thread will show the good, the bad and the ugly of managing for waterfowl in the south. After two slow seasons as far as consistent numbers of birds, we all hope that this will be THE YEAR....as we do every year. Please feel free to use this thread to exchange ideas, discuss management  practices and help each other improve our waterfowl habitat. Good luck to everyone and let’s all hope that THIS is the year.


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## Mexican Squealer

A few cool observations and pictures from yesterday’s start up:

1) We have atleast 3 clutches of Blue Wing’s ranging  from 3 to 9 duckling, 2 clutches of chicken Mallards totaling 12-14 ducklings and about seven clutches of Wood ducks. Also have a clutch of coots. These are birds I watched yesterday from the tractor so there could be more.  I am fascinated by the teal raising here.
2) Saw both Eagles being very active in the giant nest they have on the edge of “the Eagle nest pond”. I assume they have some young ones or are getting ready to. They didn’t like me being around them and were not afraid to express their aggravation.
3) Game was abundant in the dry impoundments. Lost count of deer numbers.  Saw two different pairs of quail as well as a covey that I guess hasn’t split up yet.
4) Saw 11 non venomous snakes and the biggest gator I’ve seen on the place since I got it (probably 9 ft)  He was in my “dove field” that ended up having water back up into it. A hen teal with only 3 little ones was swimming close by to him. Hopefully he will find A new home when I pull the boards.


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## Jim Boyd

Coffee bean is most assuredly work of the devil. 

Good luck with all the work this year.


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## jdgator

I’m thrilled for another installment of the plantation duck club chronicles.


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## Long Cut

Living vicariously through y’all once again

Any plans on trapping for nest raiders?


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## Mexican Squealer

Long Cut said:


> Living vicariously through y’all once again
> 
> Any plans on trapping for nest raiders?



Long Cut, A friend of mine trapped some coyotes, a bunch of bobcats and coons last year. We didn’t do any trapping this year but would definitely like to get more dedicated to it....we have an unreal amount of coons and cats...


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## Hooked On Quack

I just wanna ride up there with a truck full of beer/likker/ribeyes and visit


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## Mexican Squealer

Hooked On Quack said:


> I just wanna ride up there with a truck full of beer/likker/ribeyes and visit



Well that list sounds like you meet the requirements Quack.....waiting on ya.


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## flatsmaster

Your working to hard Joe ... flea market is closed for virus so HB waiting on you to social distance on some tarpon ?


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## Mexican Squealer

Chuck-I would love nothing more than to be slingin’ Feathers from the front of that sucker!! Got the new skiff Jones right now, bad....gonna have to either rob a Bank or win the lottery to to get me a HB like that! Nothing comes close....let’s GO!


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## Mexican Squealer

Got to the club tonight in time to enjoy a bourbon drink and slip around a little. We have had way too much rain here to do much other than bush hog dikes this weekend. Guiding turkey hunts Sat and Sunday and mowing dikes in between. Teal hen closest to the house is down to two young’uns. Hope to put eyes on some others tomorrow. The sound of frogs is like nothing I’ve heard before.


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## Mexican Squealer

slow am in the turkey woods with one bird gobbling twice. Moved closer and never heard him again. Got several miles of dikes mowed today. Ponds are too wet to put a tractor in and I’m thankful I haven’t planted any corn yet. Volunteer rice is coming up all over the place and loving the rain. The more I see the ease and adaptability of rice, the more i see it being the perfect crop for my management plan. A lot of neighbors are pumping water off their corn in hopes of saving atleast some. Plenty of time to replant but at $260 a bag, it gets expensive. Ponds have a surprising number of blue wings in the puddles today. I assume most will move on and I hope they do. Seeing the predation on the ones raising here makes me think they are better off raising in Canada and migrating like they are supposed to. Critters seen from the tractor today include 6 pairs of quail, two eagles, 50 or so bwts, a dozen or so wood ducks and the two clutches of chicken mallards. The chicken mallards are half grown and seem to have faired better than the baby teal. Wood duck clutches appear to have done well also.  Deer everywhere and every kind of shore bird know to man in the fields today. 2 alligators and 5-6 non venomous snakes also hanging around.


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## Mexican Squealer

Was fortunate to have the opportunity to pick up a 175 acre tract on the Coosawhatchee river about 15 minutes from the duck club. The property is loaded with deer and turkeys. It also has a 15 acre controllable green tree reservoir with a solid history of producing wood ducks, gadwall and teal in good numbers when we have ducks. I look forward to doing a play by play on this property. The river offers great redfish, trout and tarpon fishing so cast n blast opportunities are endless. This camp won’t be part of the club and will just be for my family.


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## flatsmaster

I’m old but up for adoption !!! ?


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## flatsmaster

And have a good dog


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## jdgator

flatsmaster said:


> I’m old but up for adoption !!! ?



lol.

None of us has any shame when it comes to good waterfowling!


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## Mexican Squealer

Good afternoon prepping rice and corn planting...not many things better than being on a tractor in these temps... countless deer seen, quail, wood ducks and Mississippi Kites...no teal though. Makes me wonder if the clutches they had got eaten or if they were just hunkered down where I couldn’t see them. Saw two pretty groups of half grown looking wood ducks and some chicken mallards....several coot clutches and every wading bird on the planet seemed like. First brace of barnyard grass is maturing and will reseed for the fall crop. Smartweed growing and strangely enough saw several individual stalks of nodding smartweed already flowering. Time for a bourbon drink and to get a game plan for the coming weeks. Got corn and rice stacked liked cord wood and ready to roll.  Got stands of volunteer jap and rice all over the place. I love planting season. Weather like today will be short lived but is sure appreciated.


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## Mexican Squealer

Spent this afternoon doing my last mowing for corn and rice planting.  Will start cutting in everything in the am. Also worked on my smartweed plots....got some awesome nodding smartweed, Pennsylvania smartweed and Lady’s thumb coming on.  I high mowed the sesbania out of a few plots. It’s amazing what comes to light once the undesirables are eliminated. The seed bank never disappoints if disturbed at the right time. Truth is, there is no reason to ever plant for ducks. I love moist soil management and if I didn’t run a club, I’d never plant a thing.


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## jdgator

That is awesome. My casual observation is that moist soil holds birds longer in the spring and gives them a chance to imprint.


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## Nimrod71

Sounds like fun to me.  If you are going to have ducks, deer, turkey or quail you are going to work for them.  I wish I was there to help you with the work.  I really enjoy working on wild life projects.


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## Mexican Squealer

Got a bunch of dirt turned for planting this week. Goal is to have 3 ponds planted in corn by weeks end. I’ll plant rice after Memorial Day.  Sprayed round up around all the risers and dropped some water out of my crawfish ponds. I will pump them back up with fresh water when I stock the crawfish in June. Saw tons of wood ducks and their young un’s as well as several big flocks of blue wings.  Many more blue wings than I have been seeing so I imagine they are just stopping on their way back up. Saw one blue wing clutch of 5 that are about 1/2 grown. Also several Coots with babies around.  Ended the day at my new camp drinking cold beer on the river.  Rain, drought, hurricanes, bugs and all the other potential problems that can destroy crops now become a worry.  Got a bunch of fence to run over the next few weeks to try and keep the critters out of the corn. The worry season has officially begun.


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## Mexican Squealer

Drinking beer and watching an Eagle fly up the river at the new camp


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## Mexican Squealer

Oak canopy in the green tree reservoir...can flood about 15 acres of mature oaks.


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## Mexican Squealer

Seems to be no shortage of these guys around the club this year. Young guy who helps me just sent me this picture.


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## flatsmaster

Looks like a great start .... may the skies turn dark with ducks !!


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## jdgator

Beautiful. You know we have black bellied whistlers now breeding in Mobile bay. They seem to be doing great.


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## Mexican Squealer

Planting has been delayed due to the rain.  Can’t even think about putting a tractor in the impoundments as wet as they are. Going to take atleast week of super dry weather to get things right. That won’t be this week....


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## Mexican Squealer

6 inches of rain over the last few days has continued to keep the tractors off the ponds. Spent the weekend putting out mineral sites and trail cams.  Ducks seen this weekend were 30-40 blue wings, 2 hen mallards, 75-80 wood ducks and close to 200 Black Bellied Whistling Ducks.  It was a nice surprise to see the big numbers of them. Hopefully they will stay around and raise some young ‘uns.


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## Mexican Squealer

Looking forward to flooding these woods...


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## Core Lokt

You may have said it before but is this you properties or do you manage them for someone? 

top notch work you are doing.


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## Mexican Squealer

Thanks Core. The farm with the greentree and the river frontage pictured above is my private lease I just got on the marsh (goal is to buy it) I own the duck club property. They are about 20 minutes apart.


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## flatsmaster

Fields are great but nothing like them dropping in the trees to me !!!! Makes me look like a decent shot


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## Mexican Squealer

Still no planting going on but some awesome natural food frowning. Got up this am to work on a riser and ended up watching the Mexican  Squealers put on a show. They are all paired up and seem to be close to 250 on the property.  There were pairs in puddles all over.  Neat duck. Also had blue wings, wood ducks and a flock of about 50 grey ducks that I hope are just running behind on their journey north. Saw plenty of deer, a few snakes, 2 eagles, a bumper crop of chanterelles and stocked two ponds with crawfish. Good times


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## jdgator

Just a matter of time before you get a resident population of Mexican Squealers and Black bellied whistlers. Maybe mottled too. Those birds saved a few hunts last season for me down in Louisiana.


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## Mexican Squealer

Having a bourbon and watching these black bellies fly to roost...wood ducks and a few blue wings stirring around.


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## paulito

Your're Killing me. Nothing better than some quality brown water and watching a roost....except maybe adding a nice cigar


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## Hooked On Quack

Gonna hafta to take you up on your invitation, just want to ride and look, I'll bring ribeyes and likker !!!


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## Mexican Squealer

paulito said:


> Your're Killing me. Nothing better than some quality brown water and watching a roost....except maybe adding a nice cigar



Ha yep...I’m with you on the cigar...not sure Backwoods count as nice though?


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## Para Bellum

Backwoods?!  Ugh.  How bout a Monty #2 and a few fingers of William Larue Weller Antique.


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer

Lots of duck sightings from the tractor seat this weekend....


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer

Moist soil management is by far my favorite way to “make” waterfowl food. Mother Nature has already put all that’s needed in the seed bank. The fun part is figuring out how to release the good stuff and eliminate the bad stuff.  The amount of food produced in both tonnage and longevity outweigh crop production and allow ducks to eat natural duck food.  Anyone with a place they can control their water or have a predictable drawdown and flood can do this. Tony’s video below explains it and gives a good look at the results.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCFAcXRJDjL/?igshid=g5orev5jms18


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## Mexican Squealer

Spent time today spot spraying needle rush in the smartweed. Got really lush stands of smartweed this year.  Whistling Ducks, Woodies and Blue wings were in each pond with a little sheet water in it. I’m letting the thin layers of water dry up and broadcasting rice on the mud the next couple of weeks.


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## jdgator

I love moist soil impoundments. The price is right... And it seems like duck trust them more than fields of flooded row crops. Moist soil is easy to hunt if you coax a few stands of willow or buckbrush up around the field.


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## Mexican Squealer

110 heat index made it rough to be outside at the club this weekend. Managed to plant a little rice and do some spraying and mowing.  I’ve decided to forget the corn planting
and doubt I’ll mess with corn ever again. Moist soil has become my obsession so killing non desirables and maximizing my smartweed, wild millets and sedges will be number one priority. I’ll plant some jap in areas I’ve had to spray heavy or are lacking in natural food. Rice will continue to be planted as it is what sustains my crawfish when they emerge in Sept/Oct. Plenty of critters around. Saw deer, turkeys, rabbits, quail, eagles, wood ducks, blue wing teal, whistling ducks and mallards. All kinds of birds all over. Got up and watched the ducks come in this am. Bout my favorite thing to do.


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## Mexican Squealer

Mallards, Blue wing teal, Wood ducks and Black Bellied Whistling Ducks.


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## across the river

Man you are slap loaded with Black Bellies.


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## Mexican Squealer

across the river said:


> Man you are slap loaded with Black Bellies.



Man it’s crazy...keep getting more and more it seems. Had 4 two years ago, none last year and somewhere around 200 right now.


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## across the river

Mexican Squealer said:


> Man it’s crazy...keep getting more and more it seems. Had 4 two years ago, none last year and somewhere around 200 right now.


Well maybe you be covered either way the weather goes this year for the opener.   If it stays hot like the last two years,  hopefully they hang around.


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## Mexican Squealer

Craziest thing is the amount if blue wings that have stayed all summer....


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## mizzippi jb

Invitation for December accepted.  Thanks pal!


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## ghadarits

Man you’re covered up Squealer I sure am pulling for you to have a bunch of birds to hunt this year. It looks like ducks on your place never migrate and why would they.

on another note do you know what varieties of smartweed you have growing? I plant Pennsylvania smartweed and have had great success with it. I’m alway impressed with the amount of seeds it puts out. However If there’s a better variety that you know of let me the forum know.


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## Mexican Squealer

ghadarits said:


> Man you’re covered up Squealer I sure am pulling for you to have a bunch of birds to hunt this year. It looks like ducks on your place never migrate and why would they.
> 
> on another note do you know what varieties of smartweed you have growing? I plant Pennsylvania smartweed and have had great success with it. I’m alway impressed with the amount of seeds it puts out. However If there’s a better variety that you know of let me the forum know.



Man I appreciate that. It’s been a weird summer. I have no idea why all the teal are here with the odd mallard and grey duck mixed in. I hate to even speculate how many birds I just kicked up while on the tractor but it’s just doesn’t make sense. Has anyone been experiencing this? Kind of worried me how things are changing. 
As far as smartweed, Pennsylvania is at the top...they love it and it lasts long after planted foods are gone. Main varieties I manage for are Pennsylvania and Nodding...simply because that’s what’s in the soil bank here. Would love for you to share your experiences with smartweed etc...more folks growing duck food and learning from each other the better. Best of luck.


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## Mexican Squealer

mizzippi jb said:


> Invitation for December accepted.  Thanks pal!



Be ready to roll out and I’ll let you know if it gets right.  Due for a good one.


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## Mexican Squealer




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## ghadarits

Mexican Squealer said:


> View attachment 1028709View attachment 1028704
> 
> Man I appreciate that. It’s been a weird summer. I have no idea why all the teal are here with the odd mallard and grey duck mixed in. I hate to even speculate how many birds I just kicked up while on the tractor but it’s just doesn’t make sense. Has anyone been experiencing this? Kind of worried me how things are changing.
> As far as smartweed, Pennsylvania is at the top...they love it and it lasts long after planted foods are gone. Main varieties I manage for are Pennsylvania and Nodding...simply because that’s what’s in the soil bank here. Would love for you to share your experiences with smartweed etc...more folks growing duck food and learning from each other the better. Best of luck.



Squealer its been a strange year for sure. As recently as last week I saw at least 50 probably a lot more on a water supply lake here in north metro Atlanta. I'm not sure what species they were I couldn't get very close. That's been a common occurrence this year when on a normal year by May I don't see any large flocks hanging around like this in summer. I also saw a lot of Mallards more than the usual bread eaters hatching broods at Lake Hartwell and in certain spots in north metro area one of which is a small containment pond at Dunwoody High school I threw a table spoon of seed in about 10 years ago. If I could only hunt there it pulls in an amazing number of birds to be a 100ft by 100ft little nothing pond. I guess there not a lot of smartweed in metro Atlanta they can feed on.

Readers: If you don't take anything from this small blip in the thread this is important more important than most realize. "*they love it and it lasts long after planted foods are gone."* If you don't have at leasta small amount of experience with planting for waterfowl you can't possibly appreciate how much seed smartweed puts out and how long it lasts in the system for all birds to take advantage of. 

Pennsylvania smart weed has by far been my most successful planting for waterfowl. Its really a no brainier just plant it up stream or wind direction of where you want it to grow and if you have even a small modicum of success you're going to have a really good spread in the next couple of years. I just take the seed and fold it up in a small piece of paper napkin and thats really so I have something to contain it while I'm planting it and push it down in the mud. I've only had to plant it at most two springs in any place I've planted it to get it going on its own. I also harvest the seed to replant. I go out to a a dense area where its almost flowered (small pink to pale pink) out and in 10 minutes I can have a quarter of a pound in cleaned seeds. That quarter of a pound of clean seed will require a pound of raw un cleaned seed to have that much and the seeds are tiny almost like celery seed maybe a little bigger. The way I clean it is I take the harvested seed and spread it out on paper plates. Then I put it a warm enclosed area to dry out for a couple of days. My wife hates this. Once its good and dry I rub the seeds between my hands while holding them over another plate and that will remove 90% of the stuff you don't need or want. She hates this too but don't do it outdoors if its windy. You'll have a nice stand of smartweed in your yard.  If you harvest yourself its a meticulous process to separate the seeds but is a labor of love so its not too bad.  I have come to learn that in a small confined hole it can and will take over and then you really have something but the stuff can be a real challenge to wade around in if it grows really thick.
I've also learned that if you plant it and the water comes up and covers it it will still germinate so thats a bonus for places you can't control water levels. I've asked a few different biologist and DNR folks and have had most of them suggest smartweed as a waterfowl attracting food source and I have to say they were right I've seen birds come to smartweed holes over 10 other close by swamps so that tells me they know what and where it is and they like it. I suspect when the birds are in the area and they're not  coming to the smartweed holes someone is baiting them because its for only a few days here and there that they won't hit the smartweed first thing. Last thing I've learned about planting smartweed is that if birds aren't in the area it doesn't matter how much stuff you plant you aint shooting no birds!!


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## Mexican Squealer

Man that’s some great info! Smartweed is definitely a great duck food and at the top of my list on wild food. Thanks for the details on how you plant it.  Good stuff...


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## hrstille

Where is this duck meca located? State?


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## Mexican Squealer

Just across the line in SC


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## Mexican Squealer

Pics from the tractor this evening


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## guido5221

When do you start flooding the areas you can control the water


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## Para Bellum

You oughta start seein some teal numbers soon!  Gettin close!


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## Mexican Squealer

guido5221 said:


> When do you start flooding the areas you can control the water



I’ll turn on the wells about the second or third week of October. Kind of got a rotation in place to keep around 25 acres flooded year round. I’ll pump up a couple of additional holes for early teal.


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## Mexican Squealer

Metro Trout said:


> You oughta start seein some teal numbers soon!  Gettin close!



That’s right.... won’t be long. I had a bunch the last few weeks that seem to have moved on. Still a few around and hopefully some big flocks in Sept.


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## Mexican Squealer

Jap Millet


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## Mexican Squealer

Barnyard Grass


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## ghadarits

*Squealer is that barnyard grass in your picture a variety that puts off beneficial seed it doesn't look like you've tried to deter it? I think Jap millet is considered a species of barnyard grass also.*


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## Mexican Squealer

ghadarits said:


> *Squealer is that barnyard grass in your picture a variety that puts off beneficial seed it doesn't look like you've tried to deter it? I think Jap millet is considered a species of barnyard grass also.*



Yes sir...I put as much attention into my byg as I do my smartweed....it’s an awesome food source and you are correct. Jap Millet is nothing more than “domesticated”  byg.  The wild Millet (byg) seems hardier though. Ducks love it.


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## Mexican Squealer

Walters Millet is another wild food I try to help along by spot spraying, harrowing and water level management. Should have a bunch of acres headed out in the next couple weeks.


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## Mexican Squealer

Smartweed. Should start flowering in the next couple of weeks


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## jdgator

Mexican Squealer said:


> Smartweed. Should start flowering in the next couple of weeksView attachment 1032789


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## jdgator

How is the wood duck hatch looking this year, Mexican Squealer? And do you have any sense of whether they compete with black-bellied whistlers?


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## Mexican Squealer

Wood ducks appear plentiful...at first I believed the wood ducks and black bellies competed but the opinions of biologists and personal observation shows that the wood ducks are out of the box before the black bellies use them.  I’m installing a whole bunch of boxes this winter so next year I’ll have a better gauge on it...assuming the whistlers return.


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## Shadowgrass

Just joined this club!  Looking forward to the 20-21 season!


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## Mexican Squealer

Got good stands of nut sedge (wild chufas). Hopefully the hogs don’t move in on it before the flood.


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## Mexican Squealer

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CEDEfe_pXhY/?igshid=1oqn2i6n7bw7c


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## Mexican Squealer

Several new flocks of blue wings at the farm today. I’d guess 150 or so seen.


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## mizzippi jb

You'll have to take time out of your busy day in mid October to go fish with us around barn and post office.  If you're too busy to fish, maybe you can point us in the direction of some good seafood


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## Mexican Squealer

mizzippi jb said:


> You'll have to take time out of your busy day in mid October to go fish with us around barn and post office.  If you're too busy to fish, maybe you can point us in the direction of some good seafood



You just tell me when pal


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## Mexican Squealer

Black Bellies eating bugs


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## Mexican Squealer

Smartweed starting to bloom


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## Mexican Squealer

Pennsylvania Smartweed


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## Mexican Squealer

Nodding smartweed


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## Mexican Squealer

Barnyard grass


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## Mexican Squealer

Yellow Nut Sedge


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## ghadarits

Mexican Squealer said:


> Smartweed. Should start flowering in the next couple of weeksView attachment 1032789


I've seen a few pink blooms already but you're right in the next two weeks they will really start showing up.


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## ghadarits

Mexican Squealer said:


> Nodding smartweedView attachment 1036541


I always called that swamp smartweed. Its good to know the real name. That seems to be the most prevalent type thats naturally occurring below the fall line in GA.


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## ghadarits

Mexican Squealer said:


> Pennsylvania SmartweedView attachment 1036540


Is this a recent picture? If it is its way ahead of any I've seen so far this year.


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## Mexican Squealer

Yep, I took those pics yesterday afternoon. Biggest difference in swamp smartweed and nodding is that swamp is  a perennial and nodding is an annual like Pennsylvania. Swamp is considered inferior as a food source to annual smartweeds but I know ducks still like it


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## MudDucker

Where do you get your smartweed.  I tried it one year from a supplier in Texas if I remember right and was not impressed.


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## ghadarits

MudDucker said:


> Where do you get your smartweed.  I tried it one year from a supplier in Texas if I remember right and was not impressed.



When planting smartweed its best to plant a lot in a relatively small area to get it going. Once you get a good patch established its there until you put in a lot of effort to get rid of it or kill the whole area with pre-emergent. It took me a couple of years to get it dialed in but now I'll put down a thimble full of seed in a 10ftx10ft area to get a stand established and it seems to work 75% of the time on the first try. It'll take care of it self spreading out in that area from there. I bought my first 1/4 pound of seed from a supplier for like $30 a long time ago but now I harvest it from big stands for replanting in the spring. Its around a lot more than you probably realize. It grows everywhere not just in wetlands. Keep your eyes open for what Squealer posted above. Find the pink blooms and you'll most likely find more than you thought would be around and then you're in business. One of my best places to harvest smartweed seeds was at Peachtree Middle school in Dunwoody until they built the new baseball fields. It would grow 6ft tall in the ditches around the field where they didn't mow.


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## Mexican Squealer

I pick mine from established stands (mostly already on my farm) then freeze it or just spread it by the pocket full through out the winter.  You can buy it on line from native nursery and probably some other suppliers. Picking your own is more efficient if you have a kid to do it for you. Just pull the flowers off and the black seeds will drop out when you rub it between your fingers.


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## Hooked On Quack

Mexican Squealer said:


> I pick mine from established stands (mostly already on my farm) then freeze it or just spread it by the pocket full through out the winter.  You can buy it on line from native nursery and probably some other suppliers. Picking your own is more efficient if you have a kid to do it for you. Just pull the flowers off and the black seeds will drop out when you rub it between your fingers.





Coming to see you this winter bro, I'll bring steaks n likker, not able to hunt


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## Mexican Squealer

Hooked On Quack said:


> Coming to see you this winter bro, I'll bring steaks n likker, not able to hunt



I’ve been known to skip a hunt after a good night of steaks and likker pal....waiting on you


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## ghadarits

Mexican Squealer said:


> Yep, I took those pics yesterday afternoon. Biggest difference in swamp smartweed and nodding is that swamp is  a perennial and nodding is an annual like Pennsylvania. *Swamp is considered inferior as a food source to annual smartweeds but I know ducks still like it*



*Swamp is considered inferior as a food source to annual smartweeds but I know ducks still like it*[

I agree theyll eat probably 20 different plants or seeds in most places that are more natural than not for variety if nothing else.

You can’t have steaks and likker every meal some times you have to mix it up and go with beer and wings.......


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## Mexican Squealer

Solid teal hunt this am. Good to be back at it.


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## Mexican Squealer

Great crop of Panic Grass this year


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## Hooked On Quack

Mexican Squealer said:


> Solid teal hunt this am. Good to be back at it.View attachment 1038167




That'll be some fine eating Squealerbro !!!


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## guido5221

you ever had any luck with row planted corn in your dryer fields


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## Mexican Squealer

guido5221 said:


> you ever had any luck with row planted corn in your dryer fields



Yes the previous owner planted corn every year for many years. With the deer, flooding, drought, hurricane, having to fence it and other unpredictable issues, I don’t plant it. No doubt about how much the ducks love it though.


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## Core Lokt

Hooked On Quack said:


> Coming to see you this winter bro, I'll bring steaks n likker, not able to hunt




Quack will pick me up along the way and I'll hunt with you  while he cooks for us!


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## Core Lokt

Looking great as usual.


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer

Might be my favorite pic since starting the club. Good friend with his son and nephew this am...


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## paulito

That last pics is what its all about. Makes all the hard work worth it don't it?


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer

Sun is setting on a fun teal season. Had birds decoy on every hunt and managed to kill a few here and there...didn’t hunt this am. Spent it shooting milk jugs and cans with my 8 yr old daughter.  We saw plenty of teal messing around on the farm but watching her work the lever on that Red Ryder was about as good as it gets.


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## Mexican Squealer

Thursday sunrise...


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## Mexican Squealer

This season I decided to leave water on 3 ponds all year in hopes of getting some desirable aquatic plants going for the ducks.  It’s good to see results as I now have solid stands of Southern Naiad and Duck Weed.  Hopefully this will add more diversity to the buffet I’m trying to set.  My next step is going to be to stock 40,000 scuds per acre in these ponds come around March (think Sea Monkeys for those old enough to remember them?).  Scuds are fresh water shrimp and add a big source of invertebrate protein to the project.  Their success will depend on PH and a few other factors. I look forward to seeing benefits in having  year round food/water plus the moist soil units that will flood each October.


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## Mexican Squealer

Southern Naiad


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## Mexican Squealer

Common Duck Weed


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## Mexican Squealer

Had first grey ducks of the year mixed in with bwts, few mallards, wood ducks and whistlers this weekend. Checked moist soil and everything is mature and ready to roll.  Smartweed and barnyard grass look great....tons of yellow nut sedge absolutely loaded with chufa nuts in my experimental plots. Club work day next weekend to brush blinds and mow food...flooding will start just before Halloween. Got several holes with water and aquatic food sources ready for the early birds.


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## mizzippi jb

Sounds good man!  Hate we're gonna miss each other this weekend..... I'm actually gonna be down Friday mid day to catch a good tide. Put in a good word for me and the boys with the hostess at the fish camp


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## Mexican Squealer

Me too JB! My good word doesn’t go far down there unfortunately ?....hope y’all slay ‘em buddy.


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## Mexican Squealer

Great work day at the club Saturday. Blinds are brushed and mowing food has begun. Whistling ducks are gone now. Nice bunch of blue wings this am.


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer

Prime time to harvest and transplant/store smartweed is when the seeds look like this...


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## Mexican Squealer




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## deermaster13

Great thread and thanks for sharing.


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## Mexican Squealer

Continued experimenting with soil disturbance and timing has been interesting. I decided to harrow up some strips and a couple of acres of plots at the first of September to see what would be released. My expectations were that that the hot soil would produce undesirables such a coffee weed or sesbania.  It was a cool surprise to see the majority of the experiment come up in awesome stands of yellow nut sedge...they are loaded with Chufa nuts and will hopefully look like bream beds once the ducks find ‘em...


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## jdgator

Love it! I’ve learned more about waterfowl habitat management in this thread than 20 years of reading ducks unlimited.


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## Mexican Squealer

Thanks JD, there are so many relatively easy  ways to improve waterfowl habitat here in the south. We will always be weather dependent as far as the migration down here but we can have the plate set when they get here.  I get a lot of pms asking for ideas on different management techniques and I appreciate every one of ‘em.  It would be really awesome to see more and more wet spots and barren beaver ponds turned into aquatic food or moist soil units.Good luck to all this season.


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## ghadarits

Mexican Squealer said:


> Prime time to harvest and transplant/store smartweed is when the seeds look like this...View attachment 1044534


Just for the record that picture is probably blown up 100 times. Think poppy seed or maybe twice the size of a poppy seed for scale. That’s some serious smartweed in those picture. Looks to be about a bizillion individual seeds.


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## ghadarits

_"Love it! I’ve learned more about waterfowl habitat management in this thread than 20 years of reading ducks unlimited." _

Me too! Mexican Squealer puts a lot of his hart and soul into his place. Way more effort than the average hunter would be willing to do. Of course most people don't have a place thats as conducive to improvement as he's got either. I say kudos to him for doing what he does I like to read about it and am always hoping the birds migrate for him and the rest of us too. Its a shame to set a table like he does and not have the guest show up for dinner but if you want them to come to your place when they are in the area they have to have a reason to be there and not two miles down the road.

Good on you Squealer!!


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## Mexican Squealer

ghadarits said:


> Just for the record that picture is probably blown up 100 times. Think poppy seed or maybe twice the size of a poppy seed for scale. That’s some serious smartweed in those picture. Looks to be about a bizillion individual seeds.



I’d say most of my Pennsylvania seeds are closer to hemp seed size...Pic is definitely enlarged though. Nodding seeds are a somewhat smaller though. This was definitely the best smartweed crop I’ve ever seen.  The table is set, we will see what comes to eat soon!


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## Mexican Squealer

Started pumping Saturday...


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## Mexican Squealer

Cut the smartweed in rows away from the blinds so I can run crawfish traps easier when the time comes. Mowed better landing areas around the blinds. Doing all I can to make a big footprint so the ducks can see it from way up. The food is so thick that you could flood it to the right depth and never see water.


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## Para Bellum

Mexican Squealer said:


> Cut the smartweed in rows away from the blinds so I can run crawfish traps easier when the time comes. Mowed better landing areas around the blinds. Doing all I can to make a big footprint so the ducks can see it from way up. The food is so thick that you could flood it to the right depth and never see water. View attachment 1045799



Shoot yeah.  They need to be able to see that water at night.  Looks awesome.


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## Mexican Squealer

Started pumping up about 14 acres of Willow trees this evening. Saw some grey ducks, blue wings and 8-10 mallards. This willow pond is probably my favorite. Whole understory is smartweed then open out front with a good stand of byg, Walters millet, panic grass and sprangletop.


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Mexican Squealer

Grey ducks are showing up. More blue wings and a handful of chicken mallards.  Not many wood ducks yet. More ponds flooded and more to go.


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## Mexican Squealer




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## Core Lokt

Looking good man!


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## Mexican Squealer

Still pumping


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## Shadowgrass

Hey squealer their is a honey bee hive in this tree FYI


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## Mexican Squealer

Ha good deal, I couldn’t remember where you said it was. Look forward to catching ‘em...?


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## Mexican Squealer

Wood ducks finally showing up. Have seen some big flocks from the deer stand this am.


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## bobbyguyfilms

Mexican Squealer said:


> Wood ducks finally showing up. Have seen some big flocks from the deer stand this am.


How many acres do you have total? Is this contiguous acreage? How many birds did u kill the last 3 years? How much $ spend every year on this?


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## Para Bellum

bobbyguyfilms said:


> How many acres do you have total? Is this contiguous acreage? How many birds did u kill the last 3 years? How much $ spend every year on this?



Also if I could get your social and the 3 on the back of the card...


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## Core Lokt

What's up squealer?

How are things going. Odd not seeing you post in over a month.


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## deermaster13

Yeah this has been a good thread.


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## Mexican Squealer

Hey guys,
It’s been a while no doubt! After a good teal season and an ok first season, things have tanked and since losing ducks early first week of second split. As usual, we have killed a decent variety but the numbers are terrible. Hopefully this front changes things. Went to La last week and hunting the same places I’ve hunted past 20 years. Killed one teal and 2 specks. Hope everyone is having a great season!


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## ghadarits

Good luck Squealer I’ve saw a bunch of birds in middle to south GA last weekend hopefully there'll be a bunch stopping by your place With this last front I sure would if I was a species of waterfow.


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## Mexican Squealer

Duck numbers continue to be weak at PDC. Don’t see much that will bring about change to salvage the season. Think I’m going to just take up golf....

Ok maybe not on the golf...snipe are showing up and should continue to pile in over the next couple of weeks. They will provide sporty shooting and some fine eating in February. Couple more weeks and I’ll start the process over. Ponds will be slowly drawn down, wood duck boxes will be installed and efforts to produce quality food for ducks will begin again.


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## ghadarits

Squealer I’d be curious to know if you keep a record of when and what types of waterfowl you draw to your place. I’d like to compare that to what and when I had birds on my places. There were 3 weeks not consecutive that I didn’t see more than 20 birds over all my spots in one weekend. There were others that there were OK numbers and a few weekends that were great in one spot and barren in others. Last weekend there seemed to be birds everywhere this weekend they were central and south we‘ll see what NE GA has in the morning.


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## Mexican Squealer

Yes sir I keep a record. This season we have only killed 5 species of birds compared to last two seasons killing 11 species per season. We have not had a substantial number of ducks on my place at all since the end of first season other than the Friday before last. We had 1,000 plus wood ducks that came in just before dark and left before first light the next am. That same pond that had 1,000 plus birds had 10 last evening. Roosting birds just gives me an idea of birds in the area. My neighbors and I are simply at a loss...as most are, to what has happened to the ducks. Places that have historically been solid are duckless.  Hopefully the cold comes back and brings the ducks. Bunch of years of imprinting are being wiped out I’d imagine.


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## jdgator

I don’t think they are migrating south like they used to. I believe they staying in the northern prairie.


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## mizzippi jb

Same story I've heard everywhere south of the Mason Dixon.   Good first split..... Down the drain since.
Feeling pretty good that someone is gonna come on here and tell us how we didn't hunt em right and that killed 25000 plus this yr from Canada to Venezuela


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## rnelson5

Overall numbers have been in a steady decline over the past 5 years in my opinion this far south. As we all know there are pockets of birds and some good hunts to be had, but I am talking as a whole. There are so many factors involved you could debate the reasoning all day. Even a lot of the photo migrators have been off from what I have seen. The overall lack of quality habitat in this state is a big factor and obviously weather is another huge factor. Most fronts have been associated with a hard west or SW wind this year. The jet stream has been funky and I think that can play a role as well. One of my life goals has been to acquire and maintain an impoundment or waterfowl property here and i now think my money would be much better spent continuing to travel to where the ducks are instead. There are still huge numbers of birds on big lakes in southern Canada and a lot of seasons in the northern tier in the states have been closed for a few weeks now. With open water, lack of snow and ice, and no pressure there is no reason for those birds to move. Most birds are already thinking about pushing north so it would take a major weather event at this point in the game to push them south and it’s just not there. In my travels from the east coast to the west coast it just seems that bulk of the migration is continuously shifting westward and northward. I suppose it is just the reality of modern day waterfowl hunting. That’s my .02 for what it’s worth and it’s not worth a whole lot....


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## mizzippi jb

Like button.  I can tell a lot of thought, research, and experience has gone into your post.


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## ghadarits

I agree with Robby. I travel a good bit for work and see the birds still above the Mason Dixon line from November through March in huge numbers all along the east coast. If snow isn’t covering the ground and the water ways aren’t frozen there’s no reason to leave. I don’t usually see anything but Wood Ducks, mergansers, Ringnecks and Mallards in that order and that held true again this year other than two gadwall that I saw and shot one of this morning. It’s been a while since I shot a gadwall in GA my spots don’t seem to draw them. There were three weeks this season after the split that there were significant numbers in my spots from north to south. Other than those three weekends there were not an abundance of birds across the state from my observations and that’s just my observations nothing scientific.


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## ejm

I agree with all previous posts. Just out of curiosity, what were the five species that y'all did see this year?


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## Core Lokt

Yesterday makes 2 weeks ago since the ducks have really shown up. Been having some really good hunts. Hope they stay around for this final weekend.


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## ghadarits

ejm said:


> I agree with all previous posts. Just out of curiosity, what were the five species that y'all did see this year?



In order of abundance that I've seen. Nothing scientific just one mans observations.

Woodies - have seen 100s

Hooded Merganser - Have seen 100's

Canadas - At least 5 every hunt. Not all close but could see them.

Ring neck - have seen a lot but not a lot in range.

Mallards - I've seen a bunch for me (maybe 50) but most were on their somewhere else. Saw fewer Mallards this year than last two years.

Gadwall - two confirmed that I saw. This is a rare bird for me in my spots.


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## ghadarits

mizzippi jb said:


> Same story I've heard everywhere south of the Mason Dixon.   Good first split..... Down the drain since.
> Feeling pretty good that someone is gonna come on here and tell us how we didn't hunt em right and that killed 25000 plus this yr from Canada to Venezuela



I sometimes am around a certain guy that kills mallards every time he goes duck hunting in Georgia. He makes fun of me mostly shooting woodies. He hunts Skeeter Branch exclusively and thinks he's the man because he's a mallard killing machine. I'm not sure if he's just a dumb butt and doesn't realize he's shooting basically tame birds or if he's trying to be funny. I don't like him regardless and always try to avoid talking to him if at all possible. The main point is he's always willing to offer up unsolicited advise because he so successful like the guy Mizzippi jb is referring to.


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## mizzippi jb

ghadarits said:


> I sometimes am around a certain guy that kills mallards every time he goes duck hunting in Georgia. He makes fun of me mostly shooting woodies. He hunts Skeeter Branch exclusively and thinks he's the man because he's a mallard killing machine. I'm not sure if he's just a dumb butt and doesn't realize he's shooting basically tame birds or if he's trying to be funny. I don't like him regardless and always try to avoid talking to him if at all possible. The main point is he's always willing to offer up unsolicited advise because he so successful like the guy Mizzippi jb is referring to.


What guy? ? I will offer up that I made a generalized statement "some guy" ?


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## ghadarits

mizzippi jb said:


> What guy? ? I will offer up that I made a generalized statement "some guy" ?


I’ve met the some guy. He’s a dork.


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## Mexican Squealer

ejm said:


> I agree with all previous posts. Just out of curiosity, what were the five species that y'all did see this year?[/QUOTE
> 
> Species killed have been Ring necks, wood ducks, blue wings, green wings, and boot lips. I’ve seen gadwall, pintails and mallards in very small numbers but no one has killed them this season.


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## Core Lokt

Lots of ducks coming in yesterday evening.


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## jdgator

Its going to be snipe time soon!


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