Planting an area for ducks?

[WSU]

I'm planning to plant an area for ducks and geese.  I will plant this summer.  I'm curious what others have tried?  What has worked and what hasn't?

The area is about 10 to 15 acres depending on how much I plant.  It has been at least partially flooded for about a month, so it has quite a bit of moisture.  I'm thinking some mix of millet in the low areas and corn in the drier areas if I can get it to grow and mature in time (I'm not sure when it dries out so I don't know if corn will have time to mature).

[HuntinCrazy]

What side of the mountains you live on depends on what you plant and if you have to irrigate during summer months. I planted Japanese Millet, wheat,vetch, peas and white clover.The deer and elk loved my food plots though LOL  All grew great until it flooded. Living on the West side (Eatonville area) my lower pasture has a creek that overflows every winter. Im thinking corn is the way to go.  Now the ducks and geese dont have any feed down there . I only planted an area the size of a football field in the corner of 5 acres.   

I also need to figure away to keep all the eel grass from taking over  ....

Good Luck

[WSU]

This will be on the west side.  The ducks will be using it for feed, as they don't loaf or roost there in great numbers.

[h2ofowlr]

I would plant millet and corn.  Corn for the higher ground, you may have to irrigate.  Make sure you plant it early enough as it needs about 70+ days to mature.  Millet is considerably less time to grow, but gets ate out quickly given a fair amount of birds.  Check your cost to plant.  Depending on your funds will determin how much you plant.  The costs add up quickly.

[Farmer]

If you can get your corn in by the 22nd of May I would plant the whole thing to corn, if not go with barley

[BiggLuke]

Millet is a great choice. but it has reletively short grow time.
Rice is another excellent option if you have water year round.
Ducks LOVE rice.......
And there are all kinds of wild rices you can get that are easy to grow.

[ICEMAN]

Is this for your own private property?

And this area will be dedicated to the ducks, with no hunting...

[WSU]

Not my property but it is private, and I plan to hunt it.  I assume you are hinting that my plan is illegal?  If so, it is my understanding you can hunt unharvested crops as long as you do not manipulate them, meaning it is fine if you just plant it and leave it alone.  You know something I don't?

[ICEMAN]

Not my property but it is private, and I plan to hunt it.  I assume you are hinting that my plan is illegal?  If so, it is my understanding you can hunt unharvested crops as long as you do not manipulate them, meaning it is fine if you just plant it and leave it alone.  You know something I don't?

Well, you are the lawyer, not me...   My interpretation is that if bait is left intentionally to attract, this is illegal.

Normal crops are intended to be crops for harvest/sale... with some loss at harvest....this is a normal occurence.  In your scenario, it appears you are purposefully baiting waterfowl, the intent of the crop is to bait them in... 

[WSU]

Not my property but it is private, and I plan to hunt it.  I assume you are hinting that my plan is illegal?  If so, it is my understanding you can hunt unharvested crops as long as you do not manipulate them, meaning it is fine if you just plant it and leave it alone.  You know something I don't?

Well, you are the lawyer, not me...   My interpretation is that if bait is left intentionally to attract, this is illegal.

Normal crops are intended to be crops for harvest/sale... with some loss at harvest....this is a normal occurence.  In your scenario, it appears you are purposefully baiting waterfowl, the intent of the crop is to bait them in...

It was an honest question on my part.  I'm asking the questions here to figure out what to do before I go and do it! 

I was relying on this, from page 31 of the regs:

However, nothing in this paragraph prohibits:
1) The taking of any migratory game bird,
including waterfowl, coots, and cranes, on
or over the following lands or areas that
are not otherwise baited areas:
• Standing crops or flooded standing
crops (including aquatics); standing,
flooded, or manipulated natural
vegetation; flooded harvested
croplands; or lands or areas where
seeds or grains have been scattered
solely as the result of a normal
agricultural planting, harvesting, postharvest
manipulation or normal soil
stabilization practice.
• From a blind or other place of
concealment camouflaged with natural
vegetation.
• From a blind or other place of
concealment camouflaged with
vegetation from agricultural crops, as
long as such camouflaging does not
result in the exposing, depositing,
distributing or scattering of grain or
other feed.
• Standing or flooded standing
agricultural crops where grain is
inadvertently scattered solely as a
result of a hunter entering or exiting
a hunting area, placing decoys, or
retrieving downed birds.

[PlateauNDN]

Not my property but it is private, and I plan to hunt it.  I assume you are hinting that my plan is illegal?  If so, it is my understanding you can hunt unharvested crops as long as you do not manipulate them, meaning it is fine if you just plant it and leave it alone.  You know something I don't?

Well, you are the lawyer, not me...   My interpretation is that if bait is left intentionally to attract, this is illegal.

Normal crops are intended to be crops for harvest/sale... with some loss at harvest....this is a normal occurence.  In your scenario, it appears you are purposefully baiting waterfowl, the intent of the crop is to bait them in...

It was an honest question on my part.  I'm asking the questions here to figure out what to do before I go and do it! 

I was relying on this, from page 31 of the regs:

However, nothing in this paragraph prohibits:
1) The taking of any migratory game bird,
including waterfowl, coots, and cranes, on
or over the following lands or areas that
are not otherwise baited areas:
• Standing crops or flooded standing
crops (including aquatics); standing,
flooded, or manipulated natural
vegetation; flooded harvested
croplands; or lands or areas where
seeds or grains have been scattered
solely as the result of a normal
agricultural planting, harvesting, postharvest
manipulation or normal soil
stabilization practice.  I think this answers your question about legality.• From a blind or other place of
concealment camouflaged with natural
vegetation.
• From a blind or other place of
concealment camouflaged with
vegetation from agricultural crops, as
long as such camouflaging does not
result in the exposing, depositing,
distributing or scattering of grain or
other feed.
• Standing or flooded standing
agricultural crops where grain is
inadvertently scattered solely as a
result of a hunter entering or exiting
a hunting area, placing decoys, or
retrieving downed birds.

[ICEMAN]

Define baited please.

This answers the question IMHO....

[92xj]

Seed/feed placed on the ground.

[92xj]

The state and fed guys plant fields of millet and corn for the sole purpose of killing ducks.  You plant it and it grows you can hunt it.  Dont dump seed out and hunt it.  Dont hunt a feed that has been seeded and no growth has started.  Dont chop down or buhshog corn stalks that have not been harvested.  dont pick corn and throw it on the ground. 

[WSU]

The state and fed guys plant fields of millet and corn for the sole purpose of killing ducks.  You plant it and it grows you can hunt it.  Dont dump seed out and hunt it.  Dont hunt a feed that has been seeded and no growth has started.  Dont chop down or buhshog corn stalks that have not been harvested.  dont pick corn and throw it on the ground.

This is my understanding.  It would be planted and left with no manipulation from me or anyone else.  Hopefully I can get the right mix to get a couple months of good hunting out of it.