Wood Duck Box help

[Fishing With Larry]

Little Help Please

The kids and I want to make 15-20 Wood Duck boxes for the creek behind the house. I've gotten several versions of plans and have started collecting material. There are currently 7-9 along the creek placed by a Eagle Scout back in '77? The boxes are starting to rot, come loose, and fall. Who ever put them up made a metal name plate on the front of the box identifying the project. Real nice job.

The only problem is this. All the boxes are full of moss and haven't been being used. They need to be replaced. One problem is that the boxes weren't cleaned and didn't have a hinged top to do so. The plans I found all call for 3-5" of shavings in the bottom, hinge the top of the box, and clean annually. They don't however give any indication of the best way or material to hinge the box top with to provide a weather resistant, predator resistant top.

Anyone in the know that could offer some advice please let me know. Also, I would like to run into someone with a bunch of 5/4 x 12" cedar pieces 32" or smaller that would like to help with the cause.

Thanks

[klr kut]

I've built several boxes all I did was put two screws in the top. Take a cordless drill when it time to clean.

[lor]

Hey Onemove, this topic gets discuss every year.
You can probably search for old threads and find the answer.
Here is an old thread which might have an answer.
http://www.ifish.net/board/showthrea...=wood+duck+box

Here is a complete list of all wood duck box discussions.
http://www.ifish.net/board/search.php?searchid=843513

[Fishing With Larry]

Thanks Lor,

I've gotten several versions of the plan here before, just didn't see a hinged version. Most plans have some sort of overlap and like klr kut said, a couple of screws in the top should work fine. Any idea where to get 12-14' x 2" alum mounting poles like Ethical Hunter suggested in one of those prior posts?

[Old Coot]

My son made three dozen wood duck boxes for his eagle project about ten years ago. They ended up at Ankeny Refuge, Baskett Slough, and Fisherman's Bend Park. The game bio that he consulted with suggested that a hinged top is bad news because some of the more talented coons and possums could get into them.

He ended up installing a box front that is flush with the sidewalls, and using two opposing large nails towards the top to secure the front to the sidewalls. They act as hinges. The he drilled a downwardly-angled hole through each sidewall and into the side of the box front and dropped a galvanized nail into each. The angled nails act as locking pins and no tools are needed to remove them. Once out, you can swing the front open, sweep out the contents and replace the bedding if desired.

He also textured the inside of the box front so that the ducklings have something to use for traction in crawling up to the hole for that initial bailout.