Planning for Waterfowl Season

Migrating birds are dependent on two things: food and cover. Ensure you have both with the right seed and resources.

When it comes to planting food for ducks, it can be tricky, hard work, and time spent away from leisure activities like fishing, camping, or just hanging out in the air conditioning. However, it can be the difference between a successful duck hole or another season of watching them migrate right past you.

When it comes to waterfowl, they are similar to other wildlife in that they are always searching for their next meal and will steadily utilize a good location until it’s either gone, or they are forced out by migration and hunting pressure.

Ducks are gregarious, too. Overtime, with consistent food and good, safe cover, more birds will utilize your plots. If you have food to last, and you don’t over-pressure these spots, each duck season will continue to improve.

More than just a food plot

When it comes to waterfowl, you’re going to want water. Ideally it would be controllable water that you can drain to plant and release it over time to offer food at a pace that will extend your season, but keep birds on your spot and not somewhere else. The important thing is to maximize your hunting season with food all year long.

When you need to plant will depend on your conditions and what you choose to plant. If you have consistent moisture or standing water and no way to drain it, you can either wait until it dries during the summer, or, if the water depth is shallow you can plant rice or Japanese millet directly into it. If it does dry up, but not until the summer, you can plant a combination of millet and sorghum, which will allow you to spray with a broadleaf herbicide, controlling pesky weeds like cockleburs, sicklepod, and water hemp. Corn is always a favorite and provides good structure, but needs around 100 days to mature and is dependent on added nitrogen.

Design wetlands perfect for your hunting venture

With a team of agronomic experts who are avid hunters and sportsmen, we stand ready to help you strategize for a successful fall season. We collaborate with wetland and refuge projects dedicated to establishing and nurturing habitats essential for flourishing waterfowl populations. Our team members are experts in crafting tailored habitat solutions and food plots to support the growth of waterfowl populations. Let us guide you through the program enrollment processes and help you develop the best waterfowl hotspot around. Get in touch with a team member to get started today.

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