Duck food plot

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

Hey guys, newbie to the board. A buddy of mine and I have a big swamp that we duck hunt and we're trying to figure out what kind of seed, if there is any, that we could broadcast out into the swamp and it would take root thru the water. There's no way of draining it b/c we don't have access to the whole swamp, so rice is out. Any ideas? Thanks guys!

[JABIII]

Stop thinking about rooted grains and start thinking about SAV's.

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

Oh okay...makes sense.

[YoungBuckTX]

look here http://www.kestersnursery.com/Wetland%20Plant's.htm

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

Thanks a lot. So I'm assuming it's too late to plant any type of SAV?

[XHailGC]

It's never too late.

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

I guess I should've asked, would the ducks that come thru this year benefit from it if I plant it now or should I wait and plant it in the spring of next year? We have a bunch of woodies that hang out pretty much all year so I'm assuming they would benefit from it this winter if I plant it now...right?

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

you can kind of see what I'm working with in the back ground there. That's just a small portion of it.

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/video/embed...51370030112604" width="720" height="1280" frameborder="0"></iframe>

here's another part of it...after a rain.

[killzone]

Stay outta my damn hole

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

hahaha...it looks good, but honestly, we didn't kill many ducks at all out of it. About a month before season, there were hundreds of woodies flying in but when season started, they were gone. I'm assuming some of the fellows that have land that join it we're putting out some of that yellow gold.

[Murray]

You can start most submergents anytime. The best overall submergent is sago pond weed. You can find it growing and transplant or buy tublers/seed for a nursery like kesters that youngbuck linked.

Start Arrow Arrum and Duck Potato and other perennials in early spring of next year.

Its not too late to plant Jap millet this year either, but you need to get moving. You cannot just broadcast it throughout the swamp, some preperation is required.

[DJP]

Also, use the forum search tool to search for similar topics. You can restrict it to the habitat forum. You will get a lot of good advice there.

[Murray]

Here is a thread I started earlier this year. Will be updating again soon...

http://scducks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109462

[Murray]

I guess I should've asked, would the ducks that come thru this year benefit from it if I plant it now or should I wait and plant it in the spring of next year? We have a bunch of woodies that hang out pretty much all year so I'm assuming they would benefit from it this winter if I plant it now...right?

The only thing you can plant right now that will produce food for later this year is Jap Millet.

The submergents will take a year or longer to fully establish and start really producing any considerable food.

Too late for the other perennials to make it this year...

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

what would be the best way to plant the millet? I'm assuming I could plant it on the edge of the swamp, or plant it on a few of the little islands out in the water?

[Murray]

It takes work to prepare areas to plant.

I've spent the last 3 weekends in our swamp spraying, tearing up ground with 4 wheelers, weed eating, burning, and then repeating.

[Murray]

It is pretty critical to kill the existing vegetaion and find some bare ground. You cant just throw it out in areas with other vegetation growing. The planting depth for millet is very shallow so broadcasting works fine. A gallon zip lock back of millet will plant a 40'x40' area.

[MolliesMaster]

This is the most productive thread I have ever seen for a newb.

I'm so proud of you guys.

[WaterfowlWidowMaker]

yeah, I could tell it's going to take a good bit of work to start off with. I guess I'll have to break the ole snake chap/hip boots out and get at it Saturday morning.