???? About standing corn????

[Dutch Dog]

I posted a reply to "Jay's" post about standing corn. I basically stated that I don't see what good standing corn would do for duck hunting except for the fact that it could provide natural cover. My questions are these...can a duck shuck an ear of corn? Once they do succeed in shucking it, can they get it off the cob (they don't have "teeth")? How do the ducks get TO the corn to get it off the stalk to begin with? I mean they don't fly like hummingbirds and at best, a duck will stand (and this is just a guesstimation) about 18", so with the majority of the corn being above that level on the stalk I think they would have quite a bit of trouble getting at it. As you can tell, I don't hunt fields and I am no biologist I am just wondering about this whole standing corn thing. It would seem to me like you would want it harvested and then have about a foot or so of water covering it for best results. [img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]

[Wingman]

My experience....the harder it is for them to get, the longer it lasts and the longer the ducks keep coming back to try and get it. Usually, the field will be flooded, the corn will break over and the ducks will magnetize to it. Just my observations. I have thrown out whole ears on fishpond levees for the Canadian geese, and the next morning, nothing is left but a cob. They know how to and will get it off the cob.

Wingman

[ November 06, 2001: Message edited by: Wingman ]

[acornman]

Ah...standing corn..the legal grain of choice. I do work as biologist (scary thought by itself)..and I do advise landowners to plant corn and leave it standing in their duck holes. If is flooded, the ducks can get to it easier; but they will often walk up to it on dry land and pull it down within reach particularly if snow geese help them a little bit. Weather (wind and rain) will help it lodge (fall over) and time is on the ducks' side...also, there are some varieties that do not grow as tall and are suited for duck holes...all that said, corn alone does not provide a balanced diet for ducks; it mainly provides quick metabolizable energy and hardly any protein...acornman

[goosebruce]

Whut did ya expect from someone who signs on as a corn man??? bwhahaha.

You surprised a duck can eat corn cause they can't reach it? Ever seen a duck with a goober hanging down? I aint and cleaned a bunch of them. But i watch em every spring 'reach' it with an ole susie they pulled the feathers off her neck. Gets so bad sometimes I tell the kids to stay indoors. travis

[4-EYED GADWALL]

goose have you ever thaught about the duck porn business hell they got poro for everything else.

back to the standing corn I got a couple of wholes with it and what I prefer. is put about 6-10 inches of water on it about 2 months before the season. let the water rot the stalk down low. then a 5-10 mile per hour wind will blow it over a little at a time. but hopefully not all at once it last a good while like that.

If anyone went through Holcomb on hwy 8 east last year during the season you saw what I'm talking about. there was a constant funnel of ducks in a corn field off the side of the hwy all season long.

[Greenhead22]

Goose, you just have to learn how to "dickbreak" those greenheads, and I don't have to even tell you what that means since you are from Arkansas. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

My dad uses one decoy, a 22" Flambeau Super B!tch most of the time when he hunts by himself and when they come through that timber they almost break it off on the tree limbs. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[gwall]

we had about 40 acres of uncut corn last year in 4 holes - the rain and wind make the dead stalks fall over - the ducks will absolutely will eat every kernel on every ear. Befoe the season began, the woodducks and blackbirds were trying to clean us out- beleive me, ducks love corn