Leveling a duck hole!

[Popcorn]

or you have no idea how much dirt 18 inches over 8.4 acres is till you move it. We cut half and filled half (approximately) to finish with level east to west and 1% slope north to south. Also reinforced and raised levees while widening the base and reducing levee slope for better servicing and access. This pic is finished, limed, fertilized and planted with japanese millet, buckwheat and short milo and then cultipacked. Praying for some rain.
Never knew ducks were so picky.

My advise to the youth wanting a career in the outdoors, study agriculture and wildlife biology and start working toward a biz for wildlife management specializing in duck properties! Duck hunters outspend deer hunters 30 to 1 and then they buy a duck hole!

 

[Crazyeye]

Looks awesome. You have a beautiful place.

 

[Popcorn]

Looks awesome. You have a beautiful place.

Thank you although I am fortunate enough to not own this but lucky enough to get to manage it for the owner. Its just over 200 acres total with 6 floodable holes totaling about 70 acres, 15 acres of levees, 40 acres of dry open ground mostly food plotted for deer and the rest is wetland, river slough and corps of engineers riverside no alter ground. His goal is to make it a shining gem on the Cumberland. I am 58 and doubt I will finish before I die! lol

 

[Displaced_Vol]

@Popcorn how many hours you have in that one hole right there? Did you do all the dozer work yourself?

 

[Popcorn]

@Popcorn how many hours you have in that one hole right there? Did you do all the dozer work yourself?

Fortunately I had help. I have a Case 650 dozer with a lazer that I improved the levees with and trimmed in as well as did cleanup on grade, I have 5 days in that. We borrowed a John Deere 750 (a true work horse) to move large volumes of dirt with that I ran for 3 days and another operator ran for 3 days. We also brought in a D6 with GPS and sat elevation controls with operator that worked for 4 days. Its amazing to see the D6 and the 750 pushing in tandem. The east end of the hole was the high end (above average) and the southwest corner had a deep low spot. We used an excavator as a loader and a dump truck to move over 400 loads from one end to the other in 4 days. In all honesty I worked 12 to 14 hours a day for two weeks but have no idea how many man hours we have in this project. I estimate we moved between 25,000 and 30,000 cubic yards of dirt.

 

[double browtine]

That looks great! And you are correct, it is amazing how much people spend on a duck hole! And it's for a migratory bird. I'm assuming that it has to be pumped full of water. That is not cheap either. Is that in Stewart or Montgomery county?

 

[Popcorn]

That looks great! And you are correct, it is amazing how much people spend on a duck hole! And it's for a migratory bird. I'm assuming that it has to be pumped full of water. That is not cheap either. Is that in Stewart or Montgomery county?

Stewart County north side of the river just east of Cross Creeks. Yes it is pumped. We have a 12 inch pipe in the river, 350 horse diesel driven pump.

 

[kopter doktor]

Stewart County north side of the river just east of Cross Creeks. Yes it is pumped. We have a 12 inch pipe in the river, 350 horse diesel driven pump.

do you need any help, or do you need any body to go in on your lease....I live less than hr. from there, and I have another friend that lives in Indian mound.

 

[tickweed]

Very nice. Does this farm already have a history of waterfowl using it? Believe me, I've worked on many tracts for waterfowl, owned several. Its almost impossible to "make" a duck hole. Many times I've wondered when looking at two fields side by side, what's the difference. Ducks use one every year, fly over the other one. Weeds in the one they use, corn in the other, won't touch. Spot's on the Mississippi river in willow thickets. All look the same to me. I can be set up with 500 decoys in one willow hole, ducks a mile high set up, fall into another hole , no decoys 100yds away, every year, same spot. Something they either can see from the air, have imprinted, just hard to figure. I wish I could speak there language, maybe get some tips. I'd be a Millionaire! LOL

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Fortunately I had help. I have a Case 650 dozer with a lazer that I improved the levees with and trimmed in as well as did cleanup on grade, I have 5 days in that. We borrowed a John Deere 750 (a true work horse) to move large volumes of dirt with that I ran for 3 days and another operator ran for 3 days. We also brought in a D6 with GPS and sat elevation controls with operator that worked for 4 days. Its amazing to see the D6 and the 750 pushing in tandem. The east end of the hole was the high end (above average) and the southwest corner had a deep low spot. We used an excavator as a loader and a dump truck to move over 400 loads from one end to the other in 4 days. In all honesty I worked 12 to 14 hours a day for two weeks but have no idea how many man hours we have in this project. I estimate we moved between 25,000 and 30,000 cubic yards of dirt.

That's some serious work. Im not terribly familiar with your part of the world but have heard people smarter than me compare west KY to say southeast MO. As a kid that grew up in the mountains west KY is flat, but compared to SEMO or NE AR it ain't all that flat. Altering even finite amounts of grade can be a big job.
Sounds tiring and incredible all at the same time. I'd love to follow along on here if you were so inclined to show pics of it as it's planted/flooded/drained/etc.

 

[JhnDeereMan]

Popcorn
Is that on the east side of the ferry or back to the west.

I think the east side use to or still does have a spring that keeps the water open. I have heard some special stories from years past about that place

We flood on the Cumberland as well not too far from you and can consistently hold roost birds but can't consistently move birds during daylight hrs.

 

[double browtine]

Stewart County north side of the river just east of Cross Creeks. Yes it is pumped. We have a 12 inch pipe in the river, 350 horse diesel driven pump.

I know right where that is. It must be between Lehman and rivers bend. I used to hunt the old Webb bottom before Tipton bought it. I first thought it was that big spot up by levi rd.

 

[Popcorn]

I know right where that is. It must be between Lehman and rivers bend. I used to hunt the old Webb bottom before Tipton bought it. I first thought it was that big spot up by levi rd.

It must be between Lehman and rivers bend.

Yes, Mr. Lehmans place is on our east. Tipton is where I got the D6 with the sat / GPS

 

[Popcorn]

Popcorn
Is that on the east side of the ferry or back to the west.

I think the east side use to or still does have a spring that keeps the water open. I have heard some special stories from years past about that place

We flood on the Cumberland as well not too far from you and can consistently hold roost birds but can't consistently move birds during daylight hrs.

West of the ferry. by about 1/4 mile. We have been improving these holes a little at a time over the past few years and the ducks have responded. We have a willow hole that has resident woodies many others join there early season and in mild weather they stay plus some hooded birds. We roost quite a few but those move east often and we get irregular flights from or returning to cross creeks. Holding those roosting birds and improving daytime inbounds is our goal by opening everything up, leveling and flooding more. More food, more water hopefully equals more ducks.

 

[Popcorn]

That's some serious work. Im not terribly familiar with your part of the world but have heard people smarter than me compare west KY to say southeast MO. As a kid that grew up in the mountains west KY is flat, but compared to SEMO or NE AR it ain't all that flat. Altering even finite amounts of grade can be a big job.
Sounds tiring and incredible all at the same time. I'd love to follow along on here if you were so inclined to show pics of it as it's planted/flooded/drained/etc.

I will try to update as things go along. We are actually in Tennessee on the Cumberland. From what little I know its not like Ballard County, KY but has its good days and great years. This most recent past season was not to bad, the one before was horrible and the one before that was awesome! Stewart county, TN dont get many blizzards but when they do you wanna be in a duck blind on food.

 

[JhnDeereMan]

I know right where that is. It must be between Lehman and rivers bend. I used to hunt the old Webb bottom before Tipton bought it. I first thought it was that big spot up by levi rd.

Did you hunt Webb bottom when Levi owned it. Those are the days I heave heard about growing up. Back in the willows in the spring cut when everything else froze up.

 

[Popcorn]

Does this farm already have a history of waterfowl using it?

Yes, a long history with varied success. It was allowed to grow up pretty bad, still functional. Then the current owner had me start cleaning it up, filling in some deep holes, pushing out overgrown trees, creating more plant-able area. So far the ducks approve

 

[JhnDeereMan]

Yes, a long history with varied success. It was allowed to grow up pretty bad, still functional. Then the current owner had me start cleaning it up, filling in some deep holes, pushing out overgrown trees, creating more plant-able area. So far the ducks approve

How many days a week do you guys hunt. Always set days or do you let the weather decide.

 

[Popcorn]

do you need any help, or do you need any body to go in on your lease....I live less than hr. from there, and I have another friend that lives in Indian mound.

I do not need help, the owner and the neighbors provide so much help I have trouble keeping everyone busy and the projects are sporatic. I do appreciate the offer. I am not leasing, I just work for the owner and if I do good, I get to waste a few rounds.

 

[Popcorn]

How many days a week do you guys hunt. Always set days or do you let the weather decide.

I have watched them hunt 3 days a week early on but when the cold dives southward and the snow flies, all bets are off