duck pond crops

[oregonoutdoors]

So my good hunting buddy bought a farm last fall that borders Fern Ridge wildlife area down in Eugene. The geese absolutly love the place but we are wanting to attract more ducks. There is a low spot (1/3-1/2 acre) that floods late in the season. We scraped the spot a little deeper and piled some of the soil up to help berm the edges.
We did not get around to planting it yet and were wondering if there is anyting that we can get into the ground now that will actually come up and help attract birds before the end of the season? Millet maybe? He does have water rights and the ability to flood it.

[sprigkiller09]

Well it is late but there is hope. But you will NOT be able to hunt it until it comes up.

Usually about 3 weeks before season we would plant some barley in an area. They really like the new chutes.

Millet: that will be tough to grow with how wet it will become and if we get a hard freeze that will put it out of commission.

So if it were me i would try the barley trick.

[spurcrazy]

Remember too that is a tiny area. If you get any number of birds on it they will eat you out in a very short time. Less than a week easily. So shoot it every chance you get cuase it will be short lived. If it's warm, they might just eat you out at night and never really matter during the day.

That said, it never hurts to try what Kelly said. If I were you I would be looking forward to next year. Plant as much corn as possible around that wet spot and let things happen!!!

[Tvfowlhunter]

Let the duck lake grow with natural vegetation. Be more concern about controling your water levels. To much water as you probably already know makes hunting "puddle ducks" tougher.

[crownpoint54]

Without seeing it I would guess there's plenty of feed already. Most puddle ducks, while in the Willamette Valley, like feeding in flooded rye grass or winter wheat fields, if that's what is there now.
I would leave it open water, you don't need feed to attract birds. Sometimes they just want a open place to R&R.
If you plant a seed crop, when they find it, they'll clean it out quick.