# How to get ducks to start using pond?



## 10 ptr (Mar 18, 2017)

My son wants to get into duck hunting and tough to find spots. However, We have a small 3.5-4 acre pond and want to try there but haven't seen too many...We have seen a couple that landed in there but not a lot.

Is there anything we can do to make it more attractive to ducks using it?


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## rnelson5 (Mar 19, 2017)

10 ptr said:


> My son wants to get into duck hunting and tough to find spots. However, We have a small 3.5-4 acre pond and want to try there but haven't seen too many...We have seen a couple that landed in there but not a lot.
> 
> Is there anything we can do to make it more attractive to ducks using it?



That can be a tricky one. Do you have access to control the water level? How deep is the pond? What kind of vegetation does it have now?


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## Hooked On Quack (Mar 19, 2017)

Corn.


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## mizzippi jb (Mar 19, 2017)

If it's a fishing type pond (deeper water) it's probably not gonna be much good for ducks.  Dabbling ducks need shallow water to feed, that's why they are found mostly in swamps around here.   Deep ponds may get a few divers, but that's gonna be about it.


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## Duckbuster82 (Mar 19, 2017)

There are lots of options, it all depends on depth of water, and if you can control the water level: unfortunately if there are not many birds using the pond now it will take some time to get good numbers once you make it a desirable place for the ducks. You may not even want to shoot it the first year you change it, let birds imprint on the pond and the next year bird numbers will increase dramatically.


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## Barebowyer (Mar 19, 2017)

Good advice above but I wouldn't think it would hurt to have plenty of food around either.  That's what I am working on.  If nothing else, you may end up have a decent shoot on the resident geese, doves, etc....


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## across the river (Mar 19, 2017)

If it is in a field or has an open area beside it, you would probably have much more success if you make it appealing to geese.  Geese are grazers, so it you can  keep a field or area adjacent to the pond mowed fairly low, plant some wheat, etc...., you can draw geese without affect the fishing or recreational aspect of the pond. It is nearly impossible(legally) to turn a small fishing/recreational pond into a pond that is even marginally good for duck hunting without affecting the fishing/recreation aspect of it.


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## 10 ptr (Mar 19, 2017)

Thanks everyone. If anyone knows any areas to try in middle ga please send a pm. Not asking to give up specific spots, just maybe a suggestion for river, creek, or WMA that may be worth trying.  not afraid to scout and put in the work. I'm new to the area, moved here a couple years ago. I haven't waterfowl hunted in 20 years, my son wants to go and we just got a puppy to train. Thanks.


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## kevbo3333 (Mar 19, 2017)

Do you have a boat? If so you can scout on the river a little
But and kill a couple wood ducks and the very occasional mallard flying by


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## MudDucker (Mar 20, 2017)

Feed!, but ducks may take years to pattern to the pond.


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## Barebowyer (Mar 22, 2017)

I'm in the same county and may be able to help ya out a bit. PM when u can


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## sportsman94 (Mar 22, 2017)

Im from Warner Robins and have a decent duck hole when we get enough rain. I can carry y'all out there next season if thats not too far for y'all


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## bcspinks89 (Mar 23, 2017)

Sent you a pm about hunting the salt marsh in January


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## 10 ptr (Mar 24, 2017)

Some nice offers from several members willing to help out. Thanks, appreciate your good nature.


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## king killer delete (Mar 25, 2017)

Corn them up and dont hunt it this year. Next year have some food source in your pond.


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## 27metalman (Mar 26, 2017)

LOL at Hooked On Quack... Simple and to the point!   Nothing better than brutal honesty. 

Really though, like others have said, they need a reason to come.  Feed a bit, plant something that they will want to come to.  Create a nice sand bar for them.


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## king killer delete (Mar 26, 2017)

27metalman said:


> LOL at Hooked On Quack... Simple and to the point!   Nothing better than brutal honesty.
> 
> Really though, like others have said, they need a reason to come.  Feed a bit, plant something that they will want to come to.  Create a nice sand bar for them.


Yes but he is right. Now that doesn't mean hunt over corn because that will get you in trouble with the Game Wardens and rightfully so. But if you control a pond and you want ducks to start to use it , feed them for a year until you can get some natural food source started. Then you would have a very good place to hunt. But like I have said do not hunt it with the corn. One kernel can get you a very hefty bill from the court.


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## kingfish (Mar 29, 2017)

This is a tough call.  I have a buddy who dug about a 1 acre pond on his property probably 6 years ago.  At full pool, it's only about 2 feet at its deepest.  Other than the occasional wood duck pair and a family of black belly tree ducks, nothing you could consider a reason to start duck hunting on it.  Then for some reason this year, the teal invaded the pond.  Enough to where we got 2 good hunts off of it.  Woodies, green wing and blue wings.  After the second hunt, we scooped up some water where the teal had been tipping and noticed a bunch of tiny little things wiggling around.  There was also duck weed on the pond, minnows and snails.  Now because of the lack of rain, the pond is just about dry.  That may actually help.  Go figure.  I'm thinking the little invertebrates are what drew the teal in.  Other than letting nature take its course over the last 6 years, he hasn't done anything to his pond.  I guess the point I'm making is you may not need to do anything other than wait the process out.


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## Duckbuster82 (Mar 29, 2017)

Invertebrates make up a huge portion of a ducks diet. They can out perform some vegetation at time. It takes the right ph level and oxygen content to house them. You can buy scuds to put into your pond.


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## king killer delete (Mar 29, 2017)

Duckbuster82 said:


> Invertebrates make up a huge portion of a ducks diet. They can out perform some vegetation at time. It takes the right ph level and oxygen content to house them. You can buy scuds to put into your pond.


What is a good PH level?


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## across the river (Mar 29, 2017)

Duckbuster82 said:


> Invertebrates make up a huge portion of a ducks diet. They can out perform some vegetation at time. It takes the right ph level and oxygen content to house them. You can buy scuds to put into your pond.



Scuds need clean cold water, and most farms ponds don't qualify.  Even if you have a clear pond and buy some to put in there, the fish will et thump if you have any in there.  Like I said before, it is almost impossible to have a small pond you can use for fishing and kill ducks on.


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## Duckbuster82 (Mar 29, 2017)

All I have read and taught in college was that 6.5-8.5 was good for aquatic ecosystems. Acidic water is harder on them. If there is a bunch of hardwoods and the water gets that red tint it's usually acidic and not good for them. But you will have acorns then so it's a trade off.


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## Duckbuster82 (Mar 29, 2017)

across the river said:


> Scuds need clean cold water, and most farms ponds don't qualify.  Even if you have a clear pond and buy some to put in there, the fish will et thump if you have any in there.  Like I said before, it is almost impossible to have a small pond you can use for fishing and kill ducks on.



You can put some thing like naiads into your pond they won't grow in deep water and can still allow fishing and the more vegetation there is the more there is to house inverts. Now granite not all ponds will be able to grow certain plants and be a good duck pond but you can always improve what you have. If it brings 10 more birds there, then that is more than you started with. As far as scuds I wa just using that as a reference to the previous post. He may have scuds, mayfly nymphs, dragonfly nymphs, or anything else. I have found scuds on my decoys in variety of waters.


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## Old Bart (Mar 29, 2017)

Move your pond West 

In all seriousness start with some wood duck boxes and plant with ducks in mind. Look into Arrow Arrum, Duck Potato, Sago Pondweed etc.. Give a good look onto a website such as kesters nursery and find a plant that fits your criteria. Not ALL plants need a dry down, if you can get some decent year-round food going that will surely bring some in. 

That's a good start without having to do some serious excavation/cash shelling.


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## king killer delete (Mar 30, 2017)

Duckbuster82 said:


> All I have read and taught in college was that 6.5-8.5 was good for aquatic ecosystems. Acidic water is harder on them. If there is a bunch of hardwoods and the water gets that red tint it's usually acidic and not good for them. But you will have acorns then so it's a trade off.


 We are testing our surface water at our plant all the time checking for Salt water intrusion and that is the range we look for.  Salt water would be on the high side and thats what we look for is higher that 8.


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## Duckbuster82 (Mar 30, 2017)

Same as what all the impoundments on the coast look at when they flood. They check ph and salinity levels when they flood their fields. High salinity or ph will kill off vegetation and inverts. Florida lost a lot of habitat along the coast last year from hurricane surge.


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## king killer delete (Mar 30, 2017)

We test our well water for the same. The Salt water Intrusion around Savannah and Hilton head is becoming a real problem and has cost a great deal of damage to the habitat around here.


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