# My Swamp



## Hunter/Mason

Last year my brother and I bought our 1st piece of land. It's 52ac of mostly swamp land. It was absolutely loaded with ducks and deer. We hunted it and did pretty good. Gadwall, wood ducks, mallards, geese, mergansers,ect. We wanted to drain it soon as season ended but got so busy with work we never got to do it. I stopped by in June and it was only 1' from being full. Stopped again tward the end of July and it was completely out of water. It's a beaver swamp with a huge long mud dam. 




This is at the last of January. 












End of July, also the day I seeded with millet, sorghum, and buck wheat.













A couple weeks after I planted. I hope we have enough rain to fill it back up in november. If not we'll be pumping out of the towaliga river.


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## nchunterga19

Ya'll got it going on!!


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## hrstille

Good looking place. Pray for rain!


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## Gut_Pile

That should hold some birds. Good luck


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## king killer delete

hrstille said:


> Good looking place. Pray for rain!


X2x2


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## smoothie

I'm so pumped you you guys.....very nice!


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## MudDucker

Suweet!


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## krazybronco2

just a heads up be careful drawing water out of a river.


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## kevbo3333

What county is your land? It looks good and hope you got some of that 2" of rain I just got in Macon


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## Hunter/Mason

It on the butts Spalding co. Line. Went back yesterday to check and see if the hogs were still around. Got to noticing all the millet and other plants looked to be eaten off. We have a army worm invasion the whole ground was moving. Within a week they've ate almost everything.  I'm going to try and replant if I have time.


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## HuntDawg

I m pretty sure a buddy of mine and myself looked at that property when it was for sale.  I could not get him to pull the trigger with me.  Are you real close to the river and is the road a straight one on the left hand side of the property?

If so, you have a very fine piece of Duck property.  While we were walking it we had a pair of Mallards and about 10 wood ducks land in it in the middle of the day.


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## Hunter/Mason

Yes that's it.


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## Hunter/Mason

And yes it backs up to the towaliga river


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## mattech

Very nice, I know yall will enjoy it.


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## dom

Hunter/Mason said:


> It on the butts Spalding co. Line. Went back yesterday to check and see if the hogs were still around. Got to noticing all the millet and other plants looked to be eaten off. We have a army worm invasion the whole ground was moving. Within a week they've ate almost everything.  I'm going to try and replant if I have time.



did you spray to kill the worms?


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## Hunter/Mason

Not yet just saw em yesterday afternoon and now I'm at the dr. With a 102° fever. I'm afraid it's the flu and I won't be able to kill em until it's too late. If I have to I'll re plant 
Something else


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## HuntDawg

Awesome hole. I even envisioned of putting a shed to sleep in at the end of the road, but my buddy would not go in on it. Looking from the back over to the left there was a nice point to put a blind. 

It will not be like out west, but you should have some dang good hunts there. Good luck. I hope you feel better.


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## Hunter/Mason

We're gonna build a blind soon and we found a 2 room office trailer were gonna put over there. We have a grading business just haven't had time to work on our own stuff. We've been getting pics of several decent bucks and hogs. Last year we killed plenty of ducks. I went 1 day when my brother slept in. I didn't even own a call much less know how to use 1. I killed a limit by myself just standing there by a tree.


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## DLH_Woodstock

Hunter/Mason said:


> We're gonna build a blind soon and we found a 2 room office trailer were gonna put over there. We have a grading business just haven't had time to work on our own stuff. We've been getting pics of several decent bucks and hogs. Last year we killed plenty of ducks. I went 1 day when my brother slept in. I didn't even own a call much less know how to use 1. I killed a limit by myself just standing there by a tree.



That's what I'm talking about! 
Very Happy for you and have a great safe year.


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## Josh923

Beautiful. You guys are doing it right!
Where in GA is it at?


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## bruiserbuckgrower

Good looking spot bud, hate the army worms gotcha. If you replant hit it with a good fertilizer, something that has quick release and a fair amount of moderate to slow release to feed it for about 8-12 weeks. If you can get your hands on it I like a lebanon turf 20-0-5 for milo and millet


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## Duckhunter19

If you have a fear for army worms when you replant buy Talstar, you can buy it online very cheap and it will not hurt the seed or plants that grow. It will kill all the armyworms within 15 minutes of contact of the Talstar. I think it is $32 for 1 gallon and that one gallon will last you a LONG time. You can spray it from a backpack sprayer or you can spray it from a sprayer behind an ATV or whatever you have.


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## Hunter/Mason

10-4 I use granular talstar around the house. It's the best stuff I've ever seen. Kills everything! Had fleas ant and ticks bad this year. 1 treatment and all gone in 1 day. They were dead all over the driveway. I get it at the do it yourself pest place in conyers. I've used both spray and granular it's just coated sand. But the granular seems to last longer. Thanks for the post though. Thanks for all the posts yall. Actually we just ate some grilled bacon wrapped wood duck and mallard breast. My wife and kids loved em too.


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## Hunter/Mason

Posted this before but my son at 8 got his 1st duck this past January. 





Got this old fiberglass sail boat for free. Filled up and glassed the skeg hole, painted it up. Makes a perfect kid dog and gear skiff. It's a little deep in places for the boys to wade at their height.


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## Hunter/Mason

Even shot a ugly old Muscovy duck. We back up to Noah's Ark. You can hear Tigers, Wolves, Monkeys, and all kind of kritters.


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## bruiserbuckgrower

Another thought, while its low you should install some sort of drain in the beaver dam where even on wet summers you can drain it to do your planting


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## Flaustin1

Dang, nothing buy envy on my end.  Awesome spot!


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## Hunter/Mason

We have a plan for a flash board riser. We have have been so busy since January we haven't had a spare few days to put it in. I never realized how little time is in a week, especially working for yourself.


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## Hunter/Mason

Army worms didn't get all my Millett, got alot of seed heads


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## Hunter/Mason

We deer hunted the other morning and my brother saw about 80 get up off our roost swamp. Which is the rigjt side of our property. Gonna start pumping next week and installing a gate drain, ordered it from Osceola machine works.


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## Hunter/Mason




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## hrstille

Do you have the ability to pump water in there?


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## Hunter/Mason

Yes the river is less than 100 yds away and our property touches it. I'm going to rent a 5 or 6" pump


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## GSURugger

Better not get caught ^


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## across the river

GSURugger said:


> Better not get caught ^



If he is pumping from a  river, he falls un riparian rights, so as long as he doesn't install a permanent pump with the 25 foot buffer zone, or pump over 100,000 god, he shouldn't have an issue.   If was damming up a small creek and pulling it dry, he would have issues.


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## GSURugger

across the river said:


> If he is pumping from a  river, he falls un riparian rights, so as long as he doesn't install a permanent pump with the 25 foot buffer zone, or pump over 100,000 god, he shouldn't have an issue.   If was damming up a small creek and pulling it dry, he would have issues.



you are correct.


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## hrstille

GSURugger said:


> Better not get caught ^



Sounds like a plan. Great looking spot. Best of luck to you y'all this season.


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## Hunter/Mason

We're only gonna pump enough for em to land in. We're not trying to fill the whole 40+ acre beaver swamp, and it won't be in the buffer can't get it that close anyway. I'll post more pics we took our Trackhoe in today so we can install the gate drain and 24" pipe.  Had the kids in there with us this evening and ducks poured into the roost pond on the opposite side of our land. Now the deer are putting a hurt on the millet since the other day


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## mattech

Looking good, I'm expecting some great pics in the next few months.


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## Hunter/Mason

Osceola machine works, screw Gate 24"


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## Hunter/Mason

Installed with a beaver guard. Also going to put a fence all the way around it. Just to make sure they don't try and stop it up.


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## Hunter/Mason




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## Hunter/Mason

Just need to add water now. Also figure out how to lock the gate handle to make sure nobody drains it or messes with it.


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## bcspinks89

Sry nice. Would love to do this with my pond.


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## GLS

Very nice, but never underestimate the enthusiasm and work ethic of beavers.   Gil


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## Hunter/Mason

It's getting a fence around it as well. The guy I bought it from told me I'd probably need it. And gonna section off the back of the pipe to keep em out too. We have alot of beavers when the swamp is full. There are 5 or so huts. We figured they built the dam so we best leave em alone. Figured they were best to keep repairs up on the dam.


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## Hunter/Mason

I stepped in this 1st time we went to this side of our swamp. Went way over my waders.


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## Hunter/Mason




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## Hunter/Mason




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## Hunter/Mason

Not shure what this plant is. Loaded with little white seeds and these plants are everywhere that floods in here. I think that's why we held so many ducks. Could anyone tell me what they are


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## Hunter/Mason

There is several acres of these plants


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## GAGE

I think you have a bunch of smart weed. Awesome project you have, and good luck this season!


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## Hunter/Mason

Thank you for the info. I was going to guess that but wasn't sure even looked into buying seed I have read alot about it.


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## Hunter/Mason




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## Hunter/Mason




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## oops1

Looks pretty ducky to me.. Nice work.


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## across the river

Hunter/Mason said:


> Thank you for the info. I was going to guess that but wasn't sure even looked into buying seed I have read alot about it.



That is indeed smart weed.  Since you can control the water level, you can really make the place explode with it.  Once drained, you just need to disturb the soil to get it to really take off.  A light discing (or raking if that is the only option you have) and it will come back thicker and thicker.  A some point it will get so thick that you will likely need to burn it off to get rid of all the dead growth in the spring when you drain it.


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## Hunter/Mason

Thanks for the info, we have rubber track skidsteers and tractors. Now that we can drain it we will definitely be planting more next year, corn, milo or sorghum.  And now that I know how to spread the smart weed I'll leave space for it too. I'll add more pics in the morning. Can't wait to see how much more water is in it.


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## Hunter/Mason

Watched at daylight to see if they'd come in this quick. Went from dry and dusty yesterday at 10am. To almost right this am. Had to put fuel in the pump it held 40 gallons!


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## cr00241

Looks good! I like your setup, yall should have a good season.


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## Coach Reynolds

Looks awesome! Now get you 2 or 3 wood duck nesting boxes out there on it!!! Let me know I can help you with that part.


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## GAGE

Man that is looking awesome!


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## Hunter/Mason

Stopped on the way home and checked the pump just before dark and decided to stay and see how many would fly over on there way to the roost side of our place. Had about 40+ buzz right over hopefully the saw all they needed to see.


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## flloridaboy101

looks good


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## Nitram4891

I believe there's gona be some limits outa that hole.  Nice work and very jealous!


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## deast1988

I like that trail cam on a tree we've done that before post some pictures


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## Hunter/Mason

This was from the 1st split. Pumped all that water and just didn't have many ducks.





Fom this am. 12/10/16 Probably had 75 or more come in but wanted to be on the other side from us. Still a good morning. Only birds we saw were wood ducks.


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## krazybronco2

nice to see someone else with a dog box! and birds will get here the first real good cold front just got here.


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## Hunter/Mason

The dog box is my buddies as is the dog. It's nice though.


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## Dub

That is an awesome project you have undertaken.  

The place is going to be unreal.  Well done.


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## MudDucker

Looks like smart weed.  If you plant it, you need to leave walking lanes.  Some Wardens take it real serious that if you even walk through planted food, it is illegal manipulation.  Feeding ducks is FAR more restricted that feeding dove.  You might want to use a dog as well to retrieve your ducks.

Looks like a great pond!


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## Hunter/Mason

12/22/16  6 geese, 3 gadwall,  3 wood ducks. 1 wood duck with a band from Hampton Ga, in 2015


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## Hunter/Mason

Thanks for the info mudducker


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## CassGA

Nice haul. Looks like things are starting to shape up for you


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## bdavisbdavis727

Do everything you can to kill all the geese you see, they will eat up your food quick


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## Hunter/Mason

7 came in only 1 got away today. They had been coming for about a week now.


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## GAGE

I am so jelly!


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## Redman54

You guys did a great job. I'm jealous!!


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## g0nef1sshn

Keep the thread goin! Wish i had that in my back yard! Nice work.


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## Hunter/Mason

Thank yall it's a work in progress. Hunted this am me and my buddy sat on the side w 10ac of bullrush and my brother and his buddy sat where we put the drain. I saw 50+ wood ducks but they were roosted in there w us. And my brother saw 15-20 but we never shot once. Our neighbors shot at 1 group. All the birds in w us got up about 10mins after shooting time and headed to the big reservoir. Merry Christmas


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## Josh923

Great setup you guys have going. Nothing beats putting work into something and seeing it shape up. Merry Christmas.


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## Hunter/Mason

We went by the swamp yesterday to start draining it. There we about 50 wood ducks, and some mallards sitting on the our big open pond. We raised the gate and released the water. Me and my son's went buy this afternoon and it was nearly done draining. The beavers had tried to pack mud into the beaver guard so we dug it back out to finish draining. There were more ducks today as well. Ever single 1 circled the pond and flew right over us just because they knew we couldn't shoot em. Soon as it dries out enough to plow were gonna get started,  hopefully Dwarf  corn , sunflowers, and WGV sorghum. Also scratch up the areas with all the smart weed.


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## BigSwole

Awesome. 

Don't forget to take pictures for us to see


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