My duck hole question

[bowbird]

This summer we cleaned up around 3 acres of swamp and planted brown top millet. The millet grew great and just recently browned up full of seeds. After Lee passed thru Monday, our hole is full of water and most of the millet is either under water or barely above.

My question is: Will this place still have any attraction to ducks as far as a food source during the season since it is flooded now? Will the millet ruin if it stays submerged?

[jdbuckshot]

most of it will probably resprout when it gets a little warmer, then drowned out.


but there will probably be some food there for the ducks.

[ALfwlmth]

Bowbird,
I just lived your exact scenario as Lee came through AL. I have a swamp with about 3 acres in Jap Millet and it was just starting to head out. After Monday, it was full pool, and everything was under water. I went in yesterday afternoon and busted a large opening in the beaver dam. I had to go back last night and clear out the hole after the beavers had tried to repair it. I checked it this afternoon, and all my millet is out of the water or sitting in small puddles. I asked several people your same question and I got the same answer. "Get the water off, or most of it, or your going to have a total loss." I don't know how its going to turn out, but I feel alot better after seeing the water gone today. I'm really anxious to see how it turns out in the next few weeks. Good luck!

[bowbird]

Bowbird,
I just lived your exact scenario as Lee came through AL. I have a swamp with about 3 acres in Jap Millet and it was just starting to head out. After Monday, it was full pool, and everything was under water. I went in yesterday afternoon and busted a large opening in the beaver dam. I had to go back last night and clear out the hole after the beavers had tried to repair it. I checked it this afternoon, and all my millet is out of the water or sitting in small puddles. I asked several people your same question and I got the same answer. "Get the water off, or most of it, or your going to have a total loss." I don't know how its going to turn out, but I feel alot better after seeing the water gone today. I'm really anxious to see how it turns out in the next few weeks. Good luck!

Well Im gonna check my place tomorrow, it was bone dry before Lee and then got completely flooded! Maybe the water will back off soon, if not I guess I can hunt those canadians that are there!

[ALfwlmth]

Bow,
I was just wondering how your Jap Millet looks now? After getting the water off mine, and a week of sun, it has taken off. Everything is headed out and it appears that I didn't lose anything. Even the areas in 2" of water are still alive. The stuff still in water has a very small head on it and probably won't be near as big, but at least its not dead.

[Plainsman04]

Jap millet can grow in standing water as long as a certain % of the plant remains out of the water, but I can't remember that number right now. Brown top millet likes drier conditions and can't take flooding. If your brown top has already headed out and is under water then it won't be any good come duck season. It might attract some early teal, woodrows, geese, etc. Keep an eye on it though. You might get some good submergent vegetation that ducks will like during the regular season or the rotting millet may provide some good substrate for invertebrates.

[bowbird]

Alot of the water has gone down, but it still 4-8" deep in most places. Some millet has laid over but the majority of it is looking pretty good. Glad yours is looking good AL, if all else fails at mine, we can get some geese out of it.

[ALfwlmth]

Bow,
Just wondering how the Jap turned out with the water problem you had. Mine ended up turning out pretty good, but it took several "dam busting" trips to keep the water off. However, I just got kicked in the nuts for all my hard work. Went and checked it yesterday, and 60% was eaten off below the head, or looked like it had been bedded in by cows. My question is, "What point in the growth cycle do the deer decide the free lunch program has started?" My guess, and crop beatdown, tell me its right at maturity. Just wanting to anticipate this in the future.

[aweyerman]

Bow,
Just wondering how the Jap turned out with the water problem you had. Mine ended up turning out pretty good, but it took several "dam busting" trips to keep the water off. However, I just got kicked in the nuts for all my hard work. Went and checked it yesterday, and 60% was eaten off below the head, or looked like it had been bedded in by cows. My question is, "What point in the growth cycle do the deer decide the free lunch program has started?" My guess, and crop beatdown, tell me its right at maturity. Just wanting to anticipate this in the future.

Need me to come take care of your deer problem?

[ALfwlmth]

No, needed you to come help plant what is causing my deer problem. Really do need to ride out, but you better hurry, the crop is going quickly. Handing a stand today on their neat little path they have been using. Free lunch program ends.....................6am tomorrow!!