Developing a new duck hole

[Donk]

Been looking for a spot to develop for duck hunting. finally found one .It,s not a done deal yet,but a little closer.Any suggestions on pumps,levees,drains. Don't know about cost of such things. This developing duck holes is new to me.

 

[CBU93]

Kind need a little more info....

Depends on the situation, could be really high! Or as simple as a tarp blocking the flow of water at a culvert.

 

[Wildwings]

Can be very expensive, area to flood, depth needed and water source info would help.

 

[Donk]

Was planning on a 5ft levee,flooding it 3 ft deep.Water sorce will most likely have to be a well around a 4 inch. was thinking around a 5 acre hole.

 

[MickThompson]

permits, permits, permits. permission is much cheaper than forgiveness when USACE, TVA, and TDEC are involved. NRCS can help design the structures and walk you through the permitting process.

 

[UpperTully]

I'd be sure the hole would support holding water and not drain out like a sift before I invested anything.

 

[nick2720]

permits, permits, permits. permission is much cheaper than forgiveness when USACE, TVA, and TDEC are involved. NRCS can help design the structures and walk you through the permitting process.

I agree if it were me id do it right and spend money up fron and consult with someone, depending on where you are but the guys I worked with at the national wildlife refuges in west tn are master manipulaters of duck habitat and I learned alot front them. The refuge managers are cool and will give you any tips advice cost estimates. I personally would put a well in with a buttefly or alfalfa valve and a water control structure with a near zero grade as possible , so it takes less water to flood a larger area. Plant as much corn as possible and see how it goes. Sounds easy right lol

 

[nick2720]

This is what the refuges use. The have aluminum boards that slid down and keep water at water height. When you wanna drain you use a rod and stick it in a hole on the top of the board and pull up one at a time. They liked them bc no debris would stop the control of water unlike a screw gate or flap. O yeah they sell the flash risers in tiptonville tn

 

[Donk]

Thanks guys,this is gonna be a real learning curve.

 

[RobbyW]

This is what the refuges use. The have aluminum boards that slid down and keep water at water height. When you wanna drain you use a rod and stick it in a hole on the top of the board and pull up one at a time. They liked them bc no debris would stop the control of water unlike a screw gate or flap. O yeah they sell the flash risers in tiptonville tn

Pretty much the same thing as a rice gate.


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[tickweed]

I wish you the best but the truth is you can't make a duck hole. Yes, you can put water an food, but duks sometimes will use fields, sometimes not. Same in timber.you can sometimes improve spots, sometimes mess them up. I hope it works for you. Good luck

 

[MudIslandMemphis]

I wish you the best but the truth is you can't make a duck hole. Yes, you can put water an food, but duks sometimes will use fields, sometimes not. Same in timber.you can sometimes improve spots, sometimes mess them up. I hope it works for you. Good luck

Lol this isn't true at all as long as you know what you are doing. I have a friend that does this for a living. Buys farm land, builds levees, floods it, hunts it a couple seasons to prove it's a solid hole, then doubles or triples his money on whatever he has in it. And I'm not talking about killing 100 ducks on it a season. These spots it's rare they don't fill a 5 or 6 man limit every single time they go out. His latest one they had 2 or 3 days with 10 man limits. Biggest caveat is it takes money, lots of money.

 

[tickweed]

Not trying to argue, but the fact is, unless it's bitter cold and duks have to feed, they are using fields more and more at night.is your buddy doing this in West tn? I can name group after group who have built holes, spent lots of money, and the duks just don't use it. Put in the food, they will come. I can show you fields that have food every yr. The duks come up the bottom,fly over them and go to the next field, yr after yr. Also, many times a person has a spot they are killing duks then they change it, clean it up. Then then duks quit using it. It's not as easy as buying a field, building levees, putting food and water and then stomping em. If it was, then it would be a sure nuff way to make a fortune. It's much better if duks have already imprinted it. I wish I could see pontential spots thru a duks eyes. I would be a millionaire

 

[Ironsmith-Jared]

I agree with tickweed. It's hard to manufacture a good duck hole.

 

[MudIslandMemphis]

I'm not saying it's easy and I've never done it, but I've hunted multiple times on land that a year before was nothing but a dry corn field. It's definitely a lot of work and takes a lot of money, but it can be done

 

[double browtine]

Unless you have money to blow, You would be better off taking the money you are going to spend and put it in a jar. A big jar! Then just use it to go hunting the best spots every year. Take a guided trip to Missouri, Arkansas, reelfoot, and you will kill more, and save money. Or try to join an already established club. I know a couple of places were guys lease a blind every year on private land for 7500 to 8000 per season. Blind is camouflaged, standing corn, and flooded. Blinds shoot 8 people. All they have to do is show up and put out their decoys.