# 2019-2020 Plantation  Duck Club Thread...



## Mexican Squealer

Going to do a play by play from planting till the end of the season at Plantation Duck Club Garnett, SC.  We will be mowing, spraying and drilling corn, rice, chufa and millet over the next couple of months. Feel free to follow along, make suggestions and share your waterfowl management ideas. The more we can help each other the better....


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## Mexican Squealer

Saw something cool today....rode through the club this evening and caught a glimpse of something up in the willow trees....turned out to be close to 30 wood ducks sitting in the trees. Figured they were young’uns and adults as I’ve seen several clutches the past few weeks. Watched them through the binoculars and it seemed to be all adults in some kind of courtship deal...the Drake’s were bobbing their heads up and down non stop. Pretty cool. Never seen that many wood ducks up in the trees before.


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## Hooked On Quack

Mexican Squealer said:


> Saw something cool today....rode through the club this evening and caught a glimpse of something up in the willow trees....turned out to be close to 30 wood ducks sitting in the trees. Figured they were young’uns and adults as I’ve seen several clutches the past few weeks. Watched them through the binoculars and it seemed to be all adults in some kind of courtship deal...the Drake’s were bobbing their heads up and down non stop. Pretty cool. Never seen that many wood ducks up in the trees before.




That is cool !!!  Pics ??


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## Mexican Squealer

I wish, Quack....I watched them through the binoculars and never got where I could have gotten a pic.


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## Hooked On Quack

Mexican Squealer said:


> I wish, Quack....I watched them through the binoculars and never got where I could have gotten a pic.




Good eye !


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## mark29860

Following on GON is good but being there at shooting time is unreal.


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## jdgator

I'm in for the ride.


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## brackett33

i got the woodies eating good in the back yard. i see them walking on dry land to feed with the doves and turkeys.


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## Mexican Squealer

Rough work in the 100 degree heat today and yesterday. Sprayed impoundments, unclogged a water control pipe, limbed roads, spayed wells for wasps ( After getting Lit Up by several) tested pumps and began work on a new duck hole. The pictured impoundment is one I’ve let grow up thick in willows and left as bedding area for deer.  Bushwhacked out into it yesterday and found some sweet secluded blind spots. Gonna plant in rice and chufa and let the pine goats find somewhere else to lay up.


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## Mexican Squealer

Pretty much sums up the weekend....


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## Mark K

We need rain down here in SWGA in a bad way!!


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## flatsmaster

The glamorous life of a duck plantation owner ? a lot of work for hopefully some winged filled skies during season ... can't wait for pics as the hard work blossoms into tons of duck food !!!


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## Mexican Squealer

got some tractor time in this evening. Got a couple more ponds prepped for planting and worked on a new hole out in some thick willows. Had 50 bags of rice delivered and a few more bags of corn. Fertilizer truck comes Thursday. Planting starts Thursday evening and will go until it’s done. Praying for rain....this time last year we were praying for it to stop raining.


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## kevbo3333

How many impoundments / holes are you hoping for this year.


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## Mexican Squealer

kevbo3333 said:


> How many impoundments / holes are you hoping for this year.



shooting for a total of 16....


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## jdgator

Awesome. I am praying for rain too. The Louisiana marshes I hunt need to flush out that salt water.


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## Mexican Squealer

Three acres of corn planted in the pouring rain. Has been pouring since about 5:30.


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## Mark K

Maybe some of that rain will filter South. The only thing I noticed this evening checking traps was very little dust behind the truck, lol. Hopefully in the morning I’ll find a little mud. 
Hoping you get plenty of beneficial rains for your upcoming season.


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## Mexican Squealer

Today was a washout as far as planting. Got one dove field mowed and ready to drill millet when things dry out. Rain like we have had the last few days and expect over the next few will test the nerves of anyone planting for ducks in impoundments....


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## Hooked On Quack

That's a sweet drill, you got it looking good Squealer.  Alotta hard work and $$$.


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## Mark K

Got an inch since Thursday...and still kicking up dust, lol!


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## Mexican Squealer

I hear ya Mark, bet we have had 8” in the last 3 days with a bunch more on the way....crazy to go from dry to flooded that fast! Hope y’all get some soon.


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## Mexican Squealer

Hooked On Quack said:


> That's a sweet drill, you got it looking good Squealer.  Alotta hard work and $$$.



Thanks Quack, man it is a ton of work for sure. Drill makes it easy when it’s dry but bout worthless right now.


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## Mexican Squealer

The continuous rain has put a halt to all work at the club. Going to need a minimum of a week with no rain to get back to planting. The few acres of corn already planted is most likely drowned.  Gonna regroup and hit the ground running in about 7 days. I plant short term corn so time wise, we are still ok....as long as the rain stops.


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## Mexican Squealer

Club is still under water with over 12” in the past two weeks. No tractors can get in the impoundments. Planted corn has drowned.  More rain falling as I type.


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## QuailJunkie

Sounds tough. Our soybean farms and rice farms are having a tough time this year too. Dry dry dry in Arkansas


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## Mark K

We got .5” Friday and 1.4” yesterday evening. All the water holes have standing water which should last 3-4 weeks with no rain.


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## Mexican Squealer

Checked the impoundments today and they are still wet. The smart weed we sprayed and got such a good burn on has come back thick.  We hope to be dried out enough to plant some rice Thursday on if things stay dry. Gonna harrow, broadcast and cultipack in places that will allow for it. Found some fresh hog rootin’ in one impoundment. Going to hold off on drilling corn in hopes of dryer weather. Pics are from an impoundment we call the willow. 14 acres with half in willows with Pennsylvania smartweed under the canopy, half in freshly drowned corn?. Smart weed has exploded since the spraying and rain....


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## Long Cut

My broke self lives vicariously through you Squealer. 

Out of curiosity, how do your hunts turn out? I’m fully aware this isn’t Louisiana or Nodack, but I’m curious how managed impoundments in the SE fare


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## Mexican Squealer

Long Cut said:


> My broke self lives vicariously through you Squealer.
> 
> Out of curiosity, how do your hunts turn out? I’m fully aware this isn’t Louisiana or Nodack, but I’m curious how managed impoundments in the SE fare



Thanks for your interest LC,
Last season was the first year I owned the place. We closed late and only planted a little jap millet. The hunting in our area was the worst on record. The season before, the property had around 5,000 birds at peak migration.  The man I got the place from also owns a neighboring plantation.  He had over 16,000 birds on that place year before last.  They also had very few last year.  The place has a solid record of drawing all species so I’ve got my fingers crossed that it gets cold enough to bring the birds...


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## Long Cut

Mexican Squealer said:


> Thanks for your interest LC,
> Last season was the first year I owned the place. We closed late and only planted a little jap millet. The hunting in our area was the worst on record. The season before, the property had around 5,000 birds at peak migration.  The man I got the place from also owns a neighboring plantation.  He had over 16,000 birds on that place year before last.  They also had very few last year.  The place has a solid record of drawing all species so I’ve got my fingers crossed that it gets cold enough to bring the birds...



Impressive numbers without a doubt for GA/SC if you ask me, especially on “smaller” waters. 
Any tips for a future land owner-duck rancher? I have aspirations for doing similar here  Georgia.
I hope the weather cooperates for us all this season brotha, it was a rough season for us No question.


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## Mexican Squealer

Long Cut said:


> Impressive numbers without a doubt for GA/SC if you ask me, especially on “smaller” waters.
> Any tips for a future land owner-duck rancher? I have aspirations for doing similar here  Georgia.
> I hope the weather cooperates for us all this season brotha, it was a rough season for us No question.



Thanks LC...the biggest challenge is the weather. Even with good ditching (something I need more of) impoundments take so long to dry out. The whole process is frustrating but rewarding in many ways. I’m doing this thread so folks learn from my mistakes and successes along the way. I’m no pro but I am committed to the project.  I’m glad to help anyone interested in doing their own thing. I don’t have all the answers but I do have a network of folks doing the same thing and we help each other as much as possible.  I wish you great success and am glad to answer any questions you may have.


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## Mexican Squealer

Got 8 acres of rice planted this evening. Muddy ground and thankful for 4wd. Saw nine fawns with several being close to newborns. Guess they are products of the secondary rut? Rain likely tomorrow pm and isolated showers for the weekend.  Bunch of fresh hog rooting in the nut grass. Plenty of cold beer and some thick ribeyes for supper. Back at it when the sun comes up.


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## jdgator

I love this. Maybe you could make some youtube videos...


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## Barebowyer

great stuff


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## Mexican Squealer

Ol’ girl is always bedded by this blind...


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## Mexican Squealer

Cattle Egrets put on quite a show...watched ‘em eating everything from snakes to mice to grasshopppers behind the harrow...


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## Mexican Squealer

Few rice plots and corn plots in the ground before the rain hit today.


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## Mark K

Good deal! We got 3.7” last night!!! Water, water, everywhere! But with this heat it’ll be dry again in about 3-4 days with no rain.


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## Mexican Squealer

Mark K said:


> Good deal! We got 3.7” last night!!! Water, water, everywhere! But with this heat it’ll be dry again in about 3-4 days with no rain.



Good deal...we didn’t get much and looks like we have a dry spell lining up this week. I’ll be working every day after my real
Job in hopes of getting most of it done. Then the trick is to have it dry enough to get the fertilizer truck in there?....


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## Mexican Squealer

Moist soil food sources are doing well. Smartweed is starting to bloom.


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## Mark K

And another .3” makes a total of 4” for the weekend. Come duck season you’d be loving this.


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## Inspector12017

Mark K said:


> And another .3” makes a total of 4” for the weekend. Come duck season you’d be loving this.


Do you have any openings in your club? My name is Matt 321-863-0792


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## Mexican Squealer

Matt, pm sent.


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## Mexican Squealer

3 acres of corn in the ground this evening.  More rice planting tomorrow evening.


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## jdgator

Do you ever get snipe? I understand some people like the hunt them. I have never shot one but my hunting area is full of them.


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## Mexican Squealer

jdgator said:


> Do you ever get snipe? I understand some people like the hunt them. I have never shot one but my hunting area is full of them.



Tell you the truth, I look as forward to snipe season as I do duck season. I pull most of the boards at the last hunt then it’s Snipe time. We had thousands last year.


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## Mexican Squealer

Ground was too wet to do much today. Got 4 acres of rice broadcast and rolled.  New corn plots are starting to come up.


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## king killer delete

Good job .


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## Duckbuster82

Mexican Squealer said:


> Tell you the truth, I look as forward to snipe season as I do duck season. I pull most of the boards at the last hunt then it’s Snipe time. We had thousands last year.View attachment 974790


 
You ever think about leaving water in longer? Being a newer club it could help birds imprint on your ponds and also gives them more nutrition before the flight home.


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## Mexican Squealer

Duckbuster82 said:


> You ever think about leaving water in longer? Being a newer club it could help birds imprint on your ponds and also gives them more nutrition before the flight home.



Absolutely DB,
I keep two impoundments flooded year round. This place has actually been managed for ducks 30 years so we got some good imprinting going on. Good suggestion for sure.


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## Mexican Squealer

Headed to the club in the am. Hope to sling some nitrogen, mow some dikes, put out some trail cameras and maybe spray some rice with 2-4d or round up on the corn. Been getting so much rain in the evenings I might not be able to even get my smaller tractor in the ponds. Need to buy a 4 wheeler with a spray rig and a pull behind spreader for times like this....


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## trad bow

Thanks for taking us along.


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## Mexican Squealer

Heavy afternoon downpours kept me from turning dirt this weekend unfortunately. Hope to get more bags of corn planted this week after work. Luckily I was able to fertilize everything I have in the ground. Planned on having the local co-op do do bulk fert with their spreader truck but it’s just too wet. Corn and rice are doing well, probably got some rice plots too thick. Volunteer jap is growing all over. Smartweed, barnyard grass and severa wild millets are starting to head out. Had a few summer ducks and about 20 mallards (tamies I guess) in one of the year round ponds.


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## Backwoodsbowhunter

How long has your smartweed been in the ground? Do you think it is to late to plant smartweed?Thanks


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## Mexican Squealer

Backwoodsbowhunter said:


> How long has your smartweed been in the ground? Do you think it is to late to plant smartweed?Thanks



The smartweed on my place been there for many years and the former owner was big into moist soil management.  If I were going to plant some, I’d sling it this fall/winter and it should be rolling next spring. It will just lay dormant then start growing next spring. Once you get it going, it will spread like wildfire.  The seed seems to work best when it has a chance to go through a freeze while dormant.


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## Mexican Squealer

Got the last corn in the ground this evening.


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## tayjack1987

what maturity corn did you plant? also curious how you manage pressure? is it set, or do you decide based on what your seeing? looks like you got a good thing going. hope you have a lot of luck this winter


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## Mexican Squealer

tayjack1987 said:


> what maturity corn did you plant? also curious how you manage pressure? is it set, or do you decide based on what your seeing? looks like you got a good thing going. hope you have a lot of luck this winter



Thanks! I planted the 75 day Legacy corn.  We hunt on Saturdays with a couple of Wed hunts around the Holidays. This year we are going to have a couple of wild card hunts where we can put together  an unscheduled hunt if a big front is coming or we have a bunch of birds. This is only my second year having the place so managing pressure is definitely something that I am monitoring and learning about.  Generally, the place was hunted by the previous owner each Saturday of the season.


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## Mexican Squealer

Corn is jumping up pretty good. Planting crops is enjoyable and there is no doubt that ducks like crops.  I get more excited about moist soil management and seeing what will be produced by just disturbing the seed bed at different times. Got a bunch of good stands of barnyard grass making seed right now. Saw some good stands of Walters millet but they are just starting to put on a head. Gonna do pics of different wild foods as they get right.


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## oochee hunter

so how do you flood these fields?  I have a farm and have considered creating waterfowl habitat, but have not been able to get a plan together that I think would be economically feasable.


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## Mexican Squealer

oochee hunter said:


> so how do you flood these fields?  I have a farm and have considered creating waterfowl habitat, but have not been able to get a plan together that I think would be economically feasable.



I’ve got 3 wells pumping about 400 gallons per minute each (10hp pumps, 8” wells)  Takes about 3 weeks to pump up 180 acres.  Much more ideal to be able to flood with a creek or tidal as opposed to electricity and wells. Would love to hear more about your plans.


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## mguthrie

Mexican Squealer said:


> I’ve got 3 wells pumping about 400 gallons per minute each (10hp pumps, 8” wells)  Takes about 3 weeks to pump up 180 acres.  Much more ideal to be able to flood with a creek or tidal as opposed to electricity and wells. Would love to hear more about your plans.


I would think continuous pumping would run a well dry. Do you have to stop and start regularly to let the well recover? I'm definitely enjoying following along


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## Mexican Squealer

mguthrie said:


> I would think continuous pumping would run a well dry. Do you have to stop and start regularly to let the well recover? I'm definitely enjoying following along



Thanks, I turn the wells on around October 15th and they will run till all the impoundments have good water levels (about three weeks straight). After that, I may tweak a pond here and there but generally, that’s it for the season.


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## Mark K

Heck the rain we’ve had over the last year and still continuing would help some I’m sure. Surprised you didn’t have to pull any off last year.


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## Mexican Squealer

Mark K said:


> Heck the rain we’ve had over the last year and still continuing would help some I’m sure. Surprised you didn’t have to pull any off last year.


 
True...I did have to pull a board here and there... if I had been smart (and had things ready to roll) I could have caught a considerable amount of rain and gotten a break on that power bill.
This year I’ll be ready if the rains come at the right time.


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## oochee hunter

My farm is half upland and the rest river bottom.  It breaks off rapidly toward the river bottom.  I have 3 different spring fed creeks running in to river bottom.  I have been trying to devise a way to clear a few acres at the foot of the hill and divert the water into where the duck pond would be.  Problem one is I have been advised of potential problems with fooling around with creeks, wetlands etc., so I need to get the skinny on what I can and cannot do.  Problem two would be the dykes necessary to hold said water.  Where can one find info on building a duck pond that covers the ins and outs concerning these issues?


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## oochee hunter

another idea is to clearcut some small tupelo that floods naturally each year and plant jap millet or manage for wild plants .  What would be an acceptable size of opening that could be planted that would attract ducks?


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## Mark K

oochee hunter said:


> another idea is to clearcut some small tupelo that floods naturally each year and plant jap millet or manage for wild plants .  What would be an acceptable size of opening that could be planted that would attract ducks?


I would think you need to make sure ducks are using the area that floods before cutting. And if they are, there’s already an opening somewhere.


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## Mexican Squealer

oochee hunter said:


> My farm is half upland and the rest river bottom.  It breaks off rapidly toward the river bottom.  I have 3 different spring fed creeks running in to river bottom.  I have been trying to devise a way to clear a few acres at the foot of the hill and divert the water into where the duck pond would be.  Problem one is I have been advised of potential problems with fooling around with creeks, wetlands etc., so I need to get the skinny on what I can and cannot do.  Problem two would be the dykes necessary to hold said water.  Where can one find info on building a duck pond that covers the ins and outs concerning these issues?



Sounds like you have some good options. Might could put a green tree reservoir in the low lands if you have some good oaks...then an open impoundment on the high ground. You might need a well for a water source on the high ground. First thing I would do is find a reputable pond builder and show them what you have in mind. They can let you know if what you have in mind will work and advise you on any needed permits. If it looks like a go, I’d talk with the county agent who will then get you to the NRCS office. That way you are doing your due diligence on permits and the cans and cants.  You definitely want to follow the law so it doesn’t end up costing you in the long run. An upland impoundment can be awesome on a river system the birds are already using...good luck and let us know what you find out.


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## marshallknight

Awesome thread!  Just read thru the whole thing, keep them post coming!


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## Mexican Squealer

Been high mowing sesbania and other pests to allow the wild foods to thrive. Going to do a picture inventory of wild foods we manage by spraying, mowing and harrowing.  Will also be spraying and getting some Jap in the ground this weekend. Planting is cool but the seed bank has all the food the ducks need if you can just cut back or eliminate the undesirables.


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## jdgator

The nice thing is that you can also make some solid dove hunts from these fields. Doves love those small natural seeds as much as they love millet.


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## Mexican Squealer

Natural foods are doing great in the impoundments...got great stands of slough grass, barnyard grass, flat sedges, smart weed and walters millet.  If you have the ability to control your draw down, have a harrow or something you can disturb the soil with follow the suggestions in the NRCS handbook, you can have great duck food without ever planting a seed.


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## WishboneW

Mexican Squealer said:


> Thanks Quack, man it is a ton of work for sure. Drill makes it easy when it’s dry but bout worthless right now.



Will that drill do Chufa as well?


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## Mexican Squealer

WishboneW said:


> Will that drill do Chufa as well?



Not real sure. Haven’t tried any yet


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## Mexican Squealer

Got some jap broadcast tonight.
Need rain bad...tropical rain is hanging up 20 miles away. This pond is a combination of rice, slough grass, volunteer jap and new jap.


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## Hooked On Quack

Big boys with toys and lots 'o $$$$$$  !!!  You're doing it up right broSquealer !!!


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## Mexican Squealer

Hooked On Quack said:


> Big boys with toys and lots 'o $$$$$$  !!!  You're doing it up right broSquealer !!!



Ha no man, I couldn’t afford to do this without my club members...


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## Hooked On Quack

Mexican Squealer said:


> Ha no man, I couldn’t afford to do this without my club members...




Lemme know if you need another member !!!


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## Mexican Squealer

Got two blinds available for this season.?


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## Hooked On Quack

Mexican Squealer said:


> Got two blinds available for this season.?




Send me a PM with info and price ???


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## Mexican Squealer

Just sent


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## Mark K

Once had access to a little branch we could manipulate the water on and planted jap millet. That stuff came up thick! So thick in fact that the local GW caught wind of it and said if we even walked through it once we flooded it that he would write us a ticket for baiting. Any manipulation of a planted crop is apparently considered baiting. 

So we did a deer drive through the surrounding woods straight through the branch...the ducks were plentiful that year, lol.


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## Mexican Squealer

Mark K said:


> Once had access to a little branch we could manipulate the water on and planted jap millet. That stuff came up thick! So thick in fact that the local GW caught wind of it and said if we even walked through it once we flooded it that he would write us a ticket for baiting. Any manipulation of a planted crop is apparently considered baiting.
> 
> So we did a deer drive through the surrounding woods straight through the branch...the ducks were plentiful that year, lol.


 
Good idea, that’s one reason I love the natural foods and trying to make them do right...so you can manipulate them any way you want.  I plant in my “problem areas” (that usually means places grown up in Sesbania or other non desirable things.


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## Mexican Squealer

Planted this mud flat in jap today...the teal like this pond and should start showing up in a few weeks....


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## oochee hunter

Where is a good place to buy a flash board riser in ga.  How much could I expect to pay for one?


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## paulito

U can buy them direct in various sizes online from a place called agridrain


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## oochee hunter

Thanks.  Just after I posted I found a co in mid ga called pond dam systems that has them. Thanks again,


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## Long Cut

Mexican Squealer said:


> Got two blinds available for this season.?



Send me a PM on blinds & price if y’all have any openings please


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## Mexican Squealer

Done thanks


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## huntindawg

Squealer, saw you mentioned sesbania...was out in LA talking ducks w/ a local earlier this month and he mentioned getting some weevils from LSU Ag Coop that specifically target it.  Said they were unbelievable and had eaten through about 5 acres that were solid in about a month time.  When they get done, apparently he can catch them back up and give them back.  First i'd heard of it.


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## Mexican Squealer

huntindawg said:


> Squealer, saw you mentioned sesbania...was out in LA talking ducks w/ a local earlier this month and he mentioned getting some weevils from LSU Ag Coop that specifically target it.  Said they were unbelievable and had eaten through about 5 acres that were solid in about a month time.  When they get done, apparently he can catch them back up and give them back.  First i'd heard of it.



Man that is about as cool as it gets....gonna have to do some research on this! Thanks for the info.


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## Mexican Squealer

Finally got a little rain at the club...rice has suffered, some corn plots are toast and jap is coming up well...rain greened the rice back up but you need to have about 1” of rain per week to grow it well on dry land. Next year I will definitely put water on it. This is a new pond for the club. There will be a blind set up in that willow clump. Pond has jap, rice and some of the best wild millets and slough grass stands I’ve ever seen....I’ll pump it up first week of Sept. for the teal.


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## Mexican Squealer

@huntindawg Was at the farm this evening and noticed that something is absolutely stripping the sesbania (my nemesis)....I found some small aphid like bugs here and there but could not find anything that I felt was doing this (army worms was what I though but couldn’t find evidence.) I found this occurring in probably 10 of the 16 impoundments. Anybody have any ideas what would do this? Crops are unaffected....so far.


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## Mexican Squealer

Found out from Clemson that the Sesbania is being mowed down by Sesbania Clown Weevils....the larvae eat the roots and the adults eat the whole plant. Got folks coming to get some for their properties as apparently they aren’t too common. Pretty cool.


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## Mark K

I’ve seen those before. Don’t remember where or on what, but I have seen those before.


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## Mexican Squealer

Planted some more jap in the mud today. What I slung a week ago is up and going. Water dropped so I could get some more out. Broadcasting on foot will sure make you appreciate a tractor.....


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## huntindawg

Those are them, the clown weevils, that i was talking about.  Pretty cool they just showed up for you on their own!


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## mose

Great thread!


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## Mexican Squealer

Saw two shooter bucks this evening while on the tractor. Going to get legal and start hunting Friday PM. Deer and drought have decimated my duck corn. The corn that is doing well doesn’t stand a chance against the deer population on this property.  Bout decided that rice, millet and chufa will be my crops moving forward. Promoting moist soil food sources will always be my favorite part of this. The table is set. Just need the ducks to come.


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## Mark K

Just need the North to freeze up solid about the middle of November!


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## Mexican Squealer

First teal of the year showed up this am. 25-30 birds


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## Mark K

You have flooded fields already?


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## Mexican Squealer

Mark K said:


> You have flooded fields already?


They were in the pond I’ve been planting the jap in the mud. I keep a little water in it year round. Finished cutting two ponds yesterday that I’ll pump up this week for the teal and will gradually put more water in the pond the birds were in (as my jap grows).  I won’t pump up the other impoundments till the third week of October.


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## jdgator

This is fantastic! I've really enjoyed joining you on your journey to create a duck Valhalla.


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## Mexican Squealer

Rain and and good dose of fertilizer has the millet jumping up well. Rice plots have been invaded with sicklepod, barnyard grass and slough grass. Planning to nuke the sicklepod on Saturday . I’m good with the byg and slough grass as both are great food sources. Got three teal ponds prepped and ready to flood. Watching this hurricane for a chance at some free water.  Definitely getting excited to see what’s to come. Plenty of pine goats to render down to sausage when thing cool off a bit.


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## trad bow

Looking real good. Could use the rain but not the wind from a hurricane.


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## Sixes

This is a great thread, really enjoy watching the progress


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## Mexican Squealer

Got by the club this afternoon. Jap is doing awesome, rice is seeding out, corn is 90% gone due to the pine goats..natural foods are as good as it gets. Smartweed, barnyardgrass, slough grass, panic grass, rice cut grass and several wild millets are putting out more seed than the ducks can eat. It’s all about the weather now. We only got 3/4 of an inch of rain so I’ll turn on the well after I deer hunt Sun am. Will run till Tues pm and put about  10 inches water in 3 ponds.


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## Gut_Pile

Going to put up a fence next year for the corn?


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## Mexican Squealer

Yep Will, won’t have a choice looks like.


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## Gut_Pile

Let me know when you start. After this past summer, I'm a professional at running fence. I need to come down and check out the place anyways!


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## Mexican Squealer

Sounds good Will-I appreciate it. Come on anytime.


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## Mexican Squealer

Planted browntop in some ponds, starting to put on seed.


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## Mexican Squealer

Good weekend at the club. Tractor work, blind brushed for teal season, steaks, boudin, beer, football and deer hunting. Small flock of teal in the only puddle on the place this am. Got two wells pumping and hope to see the numbers pick up this week. Jap I slung on the mud flat is making seed.


----------



## Mark K

Looking good. Good luck this season. Hoping the weather finally pushes a good number of birds down.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Thanks Mark. It’s a good feeling to turn the water on. Hope you have a great season as well.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Shut the wells off after 28 hours of pumping. Got three teal spots about 8” deep. Two out of three ponds had a handful of teal in ‘em.


----------



## flatsmaster

Looks like a 5 star duck spa !!! You da man MS


----------



## Mexican Squealer

flatsmaster said:


> Looks like a 5 star duck spa !!! You da man MS



Ha thanks buddy, just wish we could control the weather?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

We’ve got much more panic grass this year than last. The biggest stands are in areas I harrowed in May.  I put a little nitrogen on some stands just as an experiment. It’s just starting to seed now.


----------



## brackett33

Beautiful work man, now that im in GA duck hunting takes longer for me to get excited about since all my blinds are in NC. Looking through this thread made my morning.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Report from the club: 2 hunters. 60 teal came in before legal light, couple shots after shooting time but no dead birds. Also 12 mallards and 30 wood ducks in the pond. So stupid to not able to shoot 30 minutes before sunrise.


----------



## Mark K

“So stupid to not able to shoot 30 minutes before sunrise.”

Rules change or something since the last time I’ve been duck hunting?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Mark K said:


> “So stupid to not able to shoot 30 minutes before sunrise.”
> 
> Rules change or something since the last time I’ve been duck hunting?



Ha I doubt it....unfortunately SC doesn’t let you shoot till sunrise during teal season. Absolutely ridiculous....


----------



## Mark K

Guess to keep from shooting Wood Ducks?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

I guess.


----------



## Duckbuster82

Mark K said:


> Guess to keep from shooting Wood Ducks?


Yes, half the idiots out there can’t tell a wood duck from a teal at mid day. Good luck at low light.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Army worm assault averted thanks to pesticide application. Seems to be no damage to crops.?


----------



## kevbo3333

Duckbuster82 said:


> Yes, half the idiots out there can’t tell a wood duck from a teal at mid day. Good luck at low light.




Speaking of idiots out there, I went and tested out push polling my new sneak/layout boat at a local lake and I notice at the little check station the DNR posted a picture of a grebe and a cormorant saying “not legal game”. If 1/2 the hunters out there can’t tell the difference between a cormorant and a duck they sure as heck won’t be able to
Tell the difference in a Teal and woodie early morning.


----------



## across the river

kevbo3333 said:


> Speaking of idiots out there, I went and tested out push polling my new sneak/layout boat at a local lake and I notice at the little check station the DNR posted a picture of a grebe and a cormorant saying “not legal game”. If 1/2 the hunters out there can’t tell the difference between a cormorant and a duck they sure as heck won’t be able to
> Tell the difference in a Teal and woodie early morning.




I have seen water turkeys, grebes, seagulls, a blue herron, and even a dang Ibis get shot during duck season at one point an time hunting public land over the years.  One of the many reasons I don't do it much anymore.


----------



## king killer delete

across the river said:


> I have seen water turkeys, grebes, seagulls, a blue herron, and even a dang Ibis get shot during duck season at one point an time hunting public land over the years.  One of the many reasons I don't do it much anymore.


Rhetts during teal season


----------



## DRBugman85

king killer delete said:


> Rhetts during teal season


RETTS every day it gets hunted


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Saw several flocks of blue wings coming in while I was getting ready for work this am. Ponds were all fogged in at daylight so I guess they waited till the fog lifted to come eat.


----------



## Duckbuster82

So, are y’all going to shoot them tomorrow?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Nope


----------



## Duckbuster82

You lease all the blinds out to the Audubon society?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Great work weekend at the club. Got blinds brushed, ate some good bbq and had a good dove shoot. Gonna give the natural food a couple of more weeks to finish out then start mowing. Will start pumping by Nov 1.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Good solo dove shoot this am, breakfast sausage processed and ready for club breakfasts. Blinds brushed. Natural foods and planted crops ready. Will spend the next week mowing food and start pumping the following week. Felt good to be outdoors this am.


----------



## jdgator

This is so satisfy to read. Please keep the pictures and updates coming.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Pumped up the first two ponds over the last few days. Happy to see grey ducks, bwts, mallards and wood ducks already.


----------



## trad bow

Looking like some good hunting getting ready to happen.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

The number of ducks quadrupled from yesterday to today. Lots of quacks heard from the deer stand this evening.


----------



## jdgator

You have some serious groceries!


----------



## GaHunter31602

Getting excited.  Cant wait for season to get here.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

More pumping, plugging leaky risers and getting ponds prepped for flooding.


----------



## king killer delete

Looking good to me


----------



## Duckbuster82

Do you have multiple blinds in each pond, foe different wind directions or if birds are favoring different areas?


----------



## Nitram4891

Looking awesome


----------



## Dustin Pate

That is an absolutely gorgeous place! A ton of hard work invested for sure!


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Duckbuster82 said:


> Do you have multiple blinds in each pond, foe different wind directions or if birds are favoring different areas?


We only have one blind per impoundment, pretty much all set up for a NE wind but with only one group per impoundment,  folks can move or set up anywhere they want.  I don't really like hunting out of a blind but some folks do.


----------



## Duckbuster82

Mexican Squealer said:


> We only have one blind per impoundment, pretty much all set up for a NE wind but with only one group per impoundment,  folks can move or set up anywhere they want.  I don't really like hunting out of a blind but some folks do.



I hate a blind too. I am short and can’t comfortably shoot out of one and feel like you can hide in trees or grass better. Do y’all have a set rotation for who shoots which pond, or do you draw each day?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Duckbuster82 said:


> I hate a blind too. I am short and can’t comfortably shoot out of one and feel like you can hide in trees or grass better. Do y’all have a set rotation for who shoots which pond, or do you draw each day?



We draw at the first hunt then each blind rotates each hunt. I put individual members in groups of 4 (a blind) then members with whole blinds just rotate the same way.


----------



## Core Lokt

Squealer, when can I come shoot once? I'll bring all the food and the booze. Womens too if need be. I poor man hunt so I won't bother again.  Thanks!


----------



## Core Lokt

Double post...


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Core Lokt said:


> Squealer, when can I come shoot once? I'll bring all the food and the booze. Womens too if need be. I poor man hunt so I won't bother again.  Thanks!



You got any pictures of da wemens??


----------



## flatsmaster

Hilarious Squel


----------



## Core Lokt

Mexican Squealer said:


> You got any pictures of da wemens??



I like hanging around here. I can't post them


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Got two more ponds pumping and checked duck numbers this evening. Figured we would have a big increase in numbers but instead, only saw a grand total of
5 wood ducks. Guess the front sent the birds we had on down to Fla.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Got a family of Eagles that enjoy harassing the ducks. This fella was on patrol today.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Bunch of wood ducks out at the club today.


----------



## Core Lokt

I saw a big group of ring necks Saturday on the FL/GA line


----------



## Mexican Squealer




----------



## Mexican Squealer

Exciting stuff happening next week....


----------



## brackett33

yeah its still bunches on the move, NC is seeing good numbers, i seen some ruddys in st marys ga last saturday.


----------



## trad bow

I lost my lease that I’ve had for last ten years. Finding ducks gonna be tough. Looks like it’s back to rivers and beaver ponds.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Great push of ducks since Thurs. Several hundred in this new flood this am. Wood ducks, Greys, Gwt’s, Bwt’s, Mallards all feeding heavy on rice and millet. Will be interesting to see if this weeks weather adds to the numbers or pushes them out. Neighbors have Widgeon and Pintails so hopefully we have some too. This has now become my favorite deer stand.

59499399513__2D779D36-0F2F-41EB-BB60-25A67828C0E4.mov


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Divers showing up Ringnecks, Redheads and Canvasbacks. Birds seen so far include these plus Gadwalls, Wood ducks, Mallards, Bwt, Gwt.


----------



## Mexican Squealer




----------



## Chris 195 7/8 B&C

I’ve really enjoyed this thread and watching your progress.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

thank you.


----------



## Hooked On Quack

I've heard hawks and eagles taste just like cheekun !!


Looking good Squealerbro !!!


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Glad to see the snipe show up by the thousands this week. Didn’t see them till very late last season.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Cold weather added a bunch of these too....


----------



## trad bow

Looks like a great place for birds. Enjoy this thread a lot.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Thanks Trad, it’s frustrating because my dove fields are loaded and the season starts Saturday. Not going to shoot ‘em though because they are so close to the duck impoundments I’m afraid it might foul up the ducks. I look as forward to the snipe hunting as the duck hunting, once duck season ends.


----------



## trad bow

Going to try and find some quail tomorrow. Be tough up here in piedmont. I’ll be headed somewhere closer to the coast come December.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Best of luck to you. I sure miss wild bird hunting. Grew up in a quail hunting, bird dog raising family and seemed to just catch the very end of wild birds being “plentiful”....at least on our farm. My best childhood memories.


----------



## Core Lokt

Mexican Squealer said:


> Best of luck to you. I sure miss wild bird hunting. Grew up in a quail hunting, bird dog raising family and seemed to just catch the very end of wild birds being “plentiful”....at least on our farm. My best childhood memories.



I live in the middle of a working wild quail plantation and have them come in the yard often. They are doing something right because they are loaded with them.  Spring is a hoot watching them run each other around front yard. They quit using feeders several years ago and started broadcasting the feed. I got a few feeders from the plantation and put them out.

Like this post as well. Sure wish I had the opportunity to do something like this.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Core, that’s awesome! Love dem bobs...


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Got an unreal amount of rain last night/this am. Spent the am catching water in some holes and dropping levels in others. Good handful of mallards showed up last night and would estimate around 2,000 ducks on the property today. We watched bwts gwts, spoonies , grey ducks, wood ducks ,mallards,  ringnecks redheads and canvasbacks feed heavy all over the farm. There was rarely a time when you couldn’t hear mallards quacking or see wads of ducks working the impoundments. This would have been the perfect opener with the strong NE winds and ducks wanted to work. This week will be nerve racking with the forecasted blue bird days and warmer weather. The ducks are there today. Just hope they hold on till next Sat.?


----------



## GaHunter31602

Keeping my fingers crossed.  This week will go by so slow.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

This is a new hole I made in an old impoundment grown up in willows. Mowed a big hole out in the middle of the willows in the spring. The hole grew back in smartweed , barnyard grass and panic grass. Cut the seed a couple of weeks ago, repaired the busted up water control issues and caught the rain Friday and Saturday. Looking forward to seeing how the ducks like it. We have a big willow impoundment that we also plant several acres of on the other side of the club that the ducks love.


----------



## flatsmaster

You da mad Squel


----------



## flatsmaster

Ok I'll change that to da man


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Ha thanks Flats. Just hope they hold on.


----------



## Foster

Thanks for taking the time and for the pic's and post. I do love the management and thinking about birds. Any cool non-game species besides the Eagles?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Foster said:


> Thanks for taking the time and for the pic's and post. I do love the management and thinking about birds. Any cool non-game species besides the Eagles?



Foster, we have pretty much any shorebird/wading bird out there. Our location gives a pretty cool overlap of coastal birds and inshore waders. Coolest to me is the Roseate Spoonbills. I’ve only seen them twice on the property but they are cool birds. We have a big migration of Painted and Indigo Buntings that are cool as well.


----------



## Foster

I hoped you would get some Painted Buntings. I don't know why I get so excited to see them. The Roseate Spoonbills and Indigos are really something special as well. Do you get many woodcock? If so, it sounds like you have a great excuse to get a bird dog.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Foster said:


> I hoped you would get some Painted Buntings. I don't know why I get so excited to see them. The Roseate Spoonbills and Indigos are really something special as well. Do you get many woodcock? If so, it sounds like you have a great excuse to get a bird dog.



Been seeing Woodcocks every evening the past few weeks. Got piles and piles of snipe. Bout my favorite thing to hunt.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Easiest way to stop leaks in riser boards...works faster if you soak the sawdust or shavings before you pour ‘em in.


----------



## trad bow

Used that a lot to seal stop logs in the hydro units and water intakes at fossil fuel plants when I use to work. Only difference is we used it by the dump truck load.


----------



## Nitram4891

Great tip!


----------



## oops1

I don’t even want to hunt..I just want to ride around your place to have a look-see. Awesome thread.thanks for taking the time.


----------



## Para Bellum

Mexican Squealer said:


> Foster, we have pretty much any shorebird/wading bird out there. Our location gives a pretty cool overlap of coastal birds and inshore waders. Coolest to me is the Roseate Spoonbills. I’ve only seen them twice on the property but they are cool birds. We have a big migration of Painted and Indigo Buntings that are cool as well.



We had a big group of Roseate Spoonbills hang around a flat here on the Chattahoochee River last year.  It was funny listening to the buzz around town about the new group of "flamingos."


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Looks like duck numbers have gone down a good bit. Hopeful for the opener but bummed about the weather.  This is the most frustrating part of this project. Couple of thousand ducks down to a couple hundred. Rain and hot for the opener. Good luck to all Sat am....


----------



## Core Lokt

Same thing around here. mid 70's today.....


----------



## Mexican Squealer

The willow pond and pond 4 blinds


----------



## Duckbuster82

Pics of the ponds are great, but dead birds would be better


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Slow morning. 5 blinds 17 birds. Blue wings green wings, Gadwalls, ringnecks and wood ducks. My blind didn’t fire a shot.


----------



## Core Lokt

The ducks were in the area Saturday morning but not where we were. 11 yr olds first season being a shooter shooter in the boat. Made the best of it and he wacked some coots and we got 1 of the 3 ringnecks that came in.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Congrats! I know y’all had a blast


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Well, first season was a bust. 5 hunters on the club today, one wood duck killed. Hopeful for cold weather and frustrated as it gets. Just part of it.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Saw a few birds in a couple of impoundments this evening. 77 woodducks, 4Gwt, 1 Grey, 15 ringnecks and  7 hairy heads...not much but hopefully birds showing back up this week.


----------



## trad bow

Hope they come back in for y’all. Got to wait for deer season to go out before I can hit the river.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Counted birds in 3 impoundments this pm. 100 or so wood ducks and three flocks of greenwings totaling about 65-70 birds.  Hopeful about next weeks cold front...?


----------



## jasper181

Mexican Squealer said:


> Counted birds in 3 impoundments this pm. 100 or so wood ducks and three flocks of greenwings totaling about 65-70 birds.  Hopeful about next weeks cold front...?


Hey man, I've been gone for 2 weeks but got back yesterday. I went by my property in Scotia, we had about 100 woodies and a few ringers too. Hoping for a little push, we shall see. I still want to come check out your place.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

jasper181 said:


> Hey man, I've been gone for 2 weeks but got back yesterday. I went by my property in Scotia, we had about 100 woodies and a few ringers too. Hoping for a little push, we shall see. I still want to come check out your place.



Dusty, I’m right there on Tin Cup, just off Pleasant Hill. Come anytime! Ol’ lady (well she ain’t that old?) got me jammed with a Christmas commitment the 13th but I’m heading to camp around 10:00pm.  Planning on staying through Sunday so come on by. Gonna have a big breakfast around 10:00 am opening am then stick around and deer hunt Sat eve/sun am. Drinks and steaks Sat pm.  Would love to catch up with you and compare notes. Front next week is definitely encouraging. Gimme a shout when you can.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Never seen the snipe so thick, especially this early. I’d estimate over 2,000 on the place right now. They are safe till duck season ends. Didn’t see big numbers till I pulled boards last season.


----------



## jasper181

Mexican Squealer said:


> Dusty, I’m right there on Tin Cup, just off Pleasant Hill. Come anytime! Ol’ lady (well she ain’t that old?) got me jammed with a Christmas commitment the 13th but I’m heading to camp around 10:00pm.  Planning on staying through Sunday so come on by. Gonna have a big breakfast around 10:00 am opening am then stick around and deer hunt Sat eve/sun am. Drinks and steaks Sat pm.  Would love to catch up with you and compare notes. Front next week is definitely encouraging. Gimme a shout when you can.


Sounds good man, I've been back and forth out of town. I've been over in SW GA guiding some quail hunts for a buddy of mine but I'll be home through the weekend. I was up today putting in a few new blinds we built, it definitely looks ducky! I'll definitely give you a shout.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Looking good man, hopefully they are on the way back down.?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Duck numbers continue to be weak at the club.


----------



## Dustin Pate

Mexican Squealer said:


> Duck numbers continue to be weak at the club.



It is very interesting to watch this thread. It goes to show that even with a massive amount of work to make an amazing place, you need the stars to align to get ducks in the south. 

Hope the numbers pick up soon!


----------



## jasper181

Still had a great time but it's going to happen!


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Good forecast for us in the south....https://schummerlab.weebly.com/uplo..._22_december_2019_duck_migration_forecast.pdf


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Duck numbers remain weak at PDC..variety remains good. just need the numbers. Don’t see it happening this season.  Had a few Pintails around on Sunday.


----------



## jdgator

Honestly I wouldn't be discouraged. I think the birds are going to imprint on your wetland if you don't pressure them too much. Especially if you continue the moist soil management. It's a long game.


----------



## oops1

Do you keep track of birds taken per season? Just curious


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Yep, we have only shot 34 birds. 4 Wood Ducks and the rest being BWT, GWT, Pintails, Greys, Ringnecks and Mallards. The place has been managed and planted for over 30 years. “Normal” seasons the former owner would kill 800-1200 birds a season.  Last two years have been far from normal.


----------



## Core Lokt

Looking like a cold week next week . Crossing my fingers to get some good shoots the last week. A man has to wish right??


----------



## oops1

Mexican Squealer said:


> Yep, we have only shot 34 birds. 4 Wood Ducks and the rest being BWT, GWT, Pintails, Greys, Ringnecks and Mallards. The place has been managed and planted for over 30 years. “Normal” seasons the former owner would kill 800-1200 birds a season.  Last two years have been far from normal.



Wow..that’s unbelievable what a crap shoot it is! Those 34 are some high dollar ducks. Still, if I had the means and property, I’d roll the dice as well.


----------



## DeweyDuck

Mexican Squealer said:


> Yep, we have only shot 34 birds. 4 Wood Ducks and the rest being BWT, GWT, Pintails, Greys, Ringnecks and Mallards. The place has been managed and planted for over 30 years. “Normal” seasons the former owner would kill 800-1200 birds a season.  Last two years have been far from normal.


Wow, that's too bad. Just remember, "no good deed goes unpunished".  Your season is like my usual; results are inversely proportional to effort used.


----------



## WaterwackerSiah

Mexican Squealer said:


> Yep, we have only shot 34 birds. 4 Wood Ducks and the rest being BWT, GWT, Pintails, Greys, Ringnecks and Mallards. The place has been managed and planted for over 30 years. “Normal” seasons the former owner would kill 800-1200 birds a season.  Last two years have been far from normal.



That makes me feel better... .We have a 7 acre duck impoundment full of millet, but it is vacant of birds. However a natural .22 acre slough with duckweed has produced multiple two man limits this year. Go figure...


----------



## DeweyDuck

WaterwackerSiah said:


> That makes me feel better... .We have a 7 acre duck impoundment full of millet, but it is vacant of birds. However a natural .22 acre slough with duckweed has produced multiple two man limits this year. Go figure...


****** man; look at the money you've saved by staying home to hunt.


----------



## WaterwackerSiah

DeweyDuck said:


> ****** man; look at the money you've saved by staying home to hunt.



You mean by staying "home" in GA?


----------



## bigbasschaser09

Will somebody enlighten me on when duck hunting became about saving money? I hadnt quite figured that one out myself.


----------



## Duckbuster82

Mexican Squealer said:


> Yep, we have only shot 34 birds. 4 Wood Ducks and the rest being BWT, GWT, Pintails, Greys, Ringnecks and Mallards. The place has been managed and planted for over 30 years. “Normal” seasons the former owner would kill 800-1200 birds a season.  Last two years have been far from normal.




I feel like at some point in the season there has to of been birds to shoot. If you could get enough people to show up on a short notice numbers would be better. I mean 30 birds is a decent hunt not a season. There has to be more to it than not having birds. I know bird numbers have not been great but there have been pushes of birds. You have the food for sure it looks like it should hold birds if they come through.


----------



## mizzippi jb

*The professor has spoken again. It's not duck numbers.  Something you've done is wrong. And your group is  not a group of good hunters.  *Should have put more time, effort, or scouting into it.


----------



## Duckbuster82

mizzippi jb said:


> *The professor has spoken again. It's not duck numbers.  Something you've done is wrong. And your group is  not a group of good hunters.  *Should have put more time, effort, or scouting into it.



Not at all what I, was getting at. Only saying that if birds are here Monday and you only shoot Saturday’s birds may leave befor then. Would it not be a good idea to try and shoot Tuesday. I am only asking what the reasoning is, he says that he sees birds and all.  I Mean if there are 4 blinds and we are 8 Saturday’s into the season. That is one bird a day. How do you go from 800-1200 birds a season to 35? There has to be more to it than no birds. I Have plenty of friends that own impoundments or guide at them. But they have killed birds even with low numbers. I find it hard to believe that with all the food he has there there has not been an opertunity to kill more birds. Just feel as though the opertunity has not been capitalized on. I feel as though in a down year you may have to work harder and try new things not show up on Saturday walk to your blind and hope something comes by.

Not criticizing, just asking. This is a public forum to share knowledge and to learn.


----------



## mizzippi jb

The location of this spot is surrounded by thousands of acres of prime duck habitit for the east coast along with several hundreds of years old duck clubs. They are all having down years, 2 or 3 yrs strong. Not all of them hunt 1 day a week.  Some of the surrounding habitat is public.  All of the areas south of the Mason Dixon line are not what they were 6 or 7 years ago as far as consistency and numbers. No other way to spin it


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Duckbuster82 said:


> I feel like at some point in the season there has to of been birds to shoot. If you could get enough people to show up on a short notice numbers would be better. I mean 30 birds is a decent hunt not a season. There has to be more to it than not having birds. I know bird numbers have not been great but there have been pushes of birds. You have the food for sure it looks like it should hold birds if they come through.


 With all due respect kid, you don’t have a clue as to what you are talking about.


----------



## oops1

Mercy


----------



## Duckbuster82

Mexican Squealer said:


> With all due respect kid, you don’t have a clue as to what you are talking about.



Guess you got it all figured out. Good luck filling those blinds.


----------



## Para Bellum

Mexican Squealer said:


> With all due respect kid, you don’t have a clue as to what you are talking about.



I think "kid" is the key word in this sentence.


----------



## Core Lokt

32* this morning and I think the cold pushed the 12 ducks we had away. Didn't see a duck today....didn't even get one up running the lake to and from. I'll be glad when Sunday comes...


----------



## rnelson5

It’s not over until next Friday.


----------



## Quackmasterofgeorgia

rnelson5 said:


> It’s not over until next Friday.


For Florida it’s over on Sunday.


----------



## mizzippi jb

Metro Trout said:


> I think "kid" is the key word in this sentence.


Hey boy..........


----------



## Duckbuster82

seems like I have offenended a few of y’all


----------



## mizzippi jb

Nah I just used an opportunity to make an inside  joke.  No need to flatter yourself


----------



## Duckbuster82

Wouldn’t be flattered it was not my intention to offend anyone.


----------



## Mexican Squealer

And so another season comes and goes. My buddy and
I ended the season with a grey duck and a few teal to put our grand total at 44 ducks. Slow but fun....time to pull the boards, kill some snipe and get rolling for next season.  The ducks will be back.  I do believe that....and when they return, the habitat will be there waiting. Thanks to all who followed this thread.


----------



## WaterwackerSiah

Enjoyed reading through the thread this year and the work you put into it. Hope you will make a 2020-2021 plantation duck thread, and this time next year you will be talking about the hundreds of ducks that were harvested.


----------



## Duckbuster82

Do you have a set date that you are going to wait to pull boards or just pull them after the last hunt?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

I start taking a little off at a time on some, go ahead and dry out some (corn ponds) leave 30 acres ( three impoundments) full and fed up till March for the birds moving back through.


----------



## Duckbuster82

When birds were around, Did you see birds favoring one crop over another? Did temps make a difference?


----------



## Mexican Squealer

Didn’t really see a standout favorite. Most ponds had rice, millet, smartweed, panic grass and nut sedge in ‘em. Only real weather effect I saw was the week before the season when we had around 3,000 birds. Best hunt I had was the hottest morning of the season. I can only assume it was birds drifting back north.


----------



## rnelson5

Mexican Squealer said:


> Didn’t really see a standout favorite. Most ponds had rice, millet, smartweed, panic grass and nut sedge in ‘em. Only real weather effect I saw was the week before the season when we had around 3,000 birds. Best hunt I had was the hottest morning of the season. I can only assume it was birds drifting back north.


What I find interesting about that is the best hunt I had was also during the hottest week of the season. I was standing in Waders with a light long sleeve shirt on. Birds showed up out of no where without a front. It was a full moon though, but getting late in the season. It had me scratching my head for sure.


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## Long Cut

Do y’all leave any standing water on the property to hold ducks and hope they “imprint” on the area for future years?


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## Mexican Squealer

Long Cut said:


> Do y’all leave any standing water on the property to hold ducks and hope they “imprint” on the area for future years?


 
Yes, I’ll keep 3 impoundments with water and corn till April. One pond keeps water year round, with wood ducks raising in it.  Going to be adding some more desirable aquatic vegetation to it this year. A % of ponds will be drawn down slowly till last  week of March to promote smartweed and other wild foods. Some ponds will be drawn down and dried out faster in order to prep for corn planting/ soil amending. I’m starting a crawfish business so will be keeping water in the two crawfish ponds till June (stocking crawfish in April), then drawing them down and planting rice for the crawfish and teal to eat.  Biggest difference this season will be way more corn (fenced in) and many more acres of rice. Also going to focus more on manipulating the seed bank at the correct times to produce the best moist soil foods and doing more to decrease undesirables (generally caused by disturbing the seed bank in the hotter months). Not one bit of this would have made much of a difference this season but I want to do the best I can with the place.  Still a lot to learn and definitely a work in progress.


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## Long Cut

Mexican Squealer said:


> Yes, I’ll keep 3 impoundments with water and corn till April. One pond keeps water year round, with wood ducks raising in it.  Going to be adding some more desirable aquatic vegetation to it this year. A % of ponds will be drawn down slowly till last  week of March to promote smartweed and other wild foods. Some ponds will be drawn down and dried out faster in order to prep for corn planting/ soil amending. I’m starting a crawfish business so will be keeping water in the two crawfish ponds till June (stocking crawfish in April), then drawing them down and planting rice for the crawfish and teal to eat.  Biggest difference this season will be way more corn (fenced in) and many more acres of rice. Also going to focus more on manipulating the seed bank at the correct times to produce the best moist soil foods and doing more to decrease undesirables (generally caused by disturbing the seed bank in the hotter months). Not one bit of this would have made much of a difference this season but I want to do the best I can with the place.  Still a lot to learn and definitely a work in progress.



The reason I asked is the birds may want a place to loaf, or even eat aquatic vegetation/invertebrates outside of the flooded impoundments. 

I don’t know how close to the ocean or other large bodies of water you are, or how your property lies... but maybe a 10-20 acre pond loaded with hydrilla/aquatic vegetation may help set y’all apart for migrating ducks? 

Just spitballing ideas that you’ve probably thought of. I just like seeing you post up stringers of dead ducks


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## Mexican Squealer

Long Cut said:


> The reason I asked is the birds may want a place to loaf, or even eat aquatic vegetation/invertebrates outside of the flooded impoundments.
> 
> I don’t know how close to the ocean or other large bodies of water you are, or how your property lies... but maybe a 10-20 acre pond loaded with hydrilla/aquatic vegetation may help set y’all apart for migrating ducks?
> 
> Just spitballing ideas that you’ve probably thought of. I just like seeing you post up stringers of dead ducks



Yep, I’m with you. The one impoundment I leave flooded year round is full of Sago and some other aquatic plants. It’s 13 acres. Going to put some other aquatics in this year just to add some variety. I’m about 25 miles from the Savannah NWR and 4 miles from the Savannah river. Just across the line in SC.


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## Core Lokt

For the last 5 days there have been thousands of ducks on the lake here. Some may be new birds but many are getting off planted ponds and hitting the lake with no pressure now.


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## Duckbuster82

Core Lokt said:


> For the last 5 days there have been thousands of ducks on the lake here. Some may be new birds but many are getting off planted ponds and hitting the lake with no pressure now.



Every year it’s the same thing, reason people want the season to run longer. I always believe the influx of birds you see on public water after season is due to a multitude of reasons. The main being less pressure, no one is baiting private swamps and ponds and that private impoundment have begun to drain their ponds.


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## Core Lokt

Bud there are 13 planted duck ponds around it (plantation country)  from just off of it to 10 miles away and I know 7 of them haven't pulled the plugs yet. 

I agree no pressure is the main reason for them coming back to the lake to roost at normal times.


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## ghadarits

mizzippi jb said:


> The location of this spot is surrounded by thousands of acres of prime duck habitit for the east coast along with several hundreds of years old duck clubs. They are all having down years, 2 or 3 yrs strong. Not all of them hunt 1 day a week.  Some of the surrounding habitat is public.  All of the areas south of the Mason Dixon line are not what they were 6 or 7 years ago as far as consistency and numbers. No other way to spin it


It hurts when you go above and beyond to have something like Mexican Squealer is doing. It was an off year for most people even in the Central and Mississippi fly ways. Guys I know in Missouri and West Tennessee said they saw about half the birds they have had in the not too distant past. I wasn’t hurt too bad this year but I hunt alone mostly and don’t expect to see much more than woodies and a fair number of ring necks where I hunt.


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## Mexican Squealer

Pretty good buck I found dead in one of the impoundments a while back...Mother Nature finally finished her euro mount.


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## Core Lokt

Found a young fella to take hunting for youth day this past Saturday. Good friends son.  He's 11. first time shooting at flying ducks. He's water swatted some in the past couple of years. He shot at 7, knocked 4 out of the sky and we picked up 2. 2 dove before he could reload not to be seen again.

We've been taking him since he was 6. He said this was his favorite duck hunt of all times. I think he's hooked...


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## Mexican Squealer

Went to pull a couple of boards today and had a pond absolutely loaded with Blue Wings. Colors were unreal. Stopped counting close to 300.  Didn’t see any other species.


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## Pointpuller

Im busy catching trout and reds on the forgotten coast and am surprised at the amount of Scaup and Buffleheads here right now.  Like you said, their plumage is spectacular right now.


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## Swamprat

I was down in Apalach last week working and saw a good amount of birds in the bay. Mostly Scaup, was surprised since we have had some pretty mild weather for a few weeks. Would have thought they would be gone by now.

Mexican Squealer....I am not a duck hunter by any means, mostly if I do is jump shoot woodies from a creek but thanks for your dedication to your passion, improvement of habitat and taking us along for the season. Best of luck for next season and let all of us know when the crawfish boil is happening.


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## Mexican Squealer

Appreciate that @Swamprat...and will do on the crawfish.  Looking like stocking will be in June at this point. Will start harvesting at the end of next duck season.


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