Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management H20 enhanced Corn Field

I am in the concept phase for constructing a small scale (1-2 acre) flooded corn field for ducks. It would be be right off my current 2.5 acre duck slough. I am looking for do's and dont's for this project. Anybody here have experience building one of these and like to share some of their knowledge?

Thank you

Sorry MN I don't have any advice for you, but I would like to request we officially ban the following words from the forum:

Flood
Rain
Droplet
Mist
Thunder
Lightning
Cats
Dogs
Noah
Ark

....and any other words that remotely suggest precipitation in any manner until our drought has ended.

Thank you.

Corn plants will not take standing in (two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen) for more than a day or two, so basically you'll have to plant the corn, (pump or drain a lot of the aforementioned clear, colorless odorless substance) on it about this time of year when ears have developed kernels, and then get it dried out again in time to plant the next spring.
After the first year you'll likely need to use an insecticide to prevent rootworms.

Is that any better TJ?

Obviously Richard has elected to disregard the ban, and included the worst offending word of the bunch: WATER. Consider yourself on secret probation...care to go for double secret?

fixed it

You just think your drought is bad. We are going on year 3 or 4 of ours.....

Thank you, vast improvement, BH. Did you hear we may actually receive some of the afforementioned sky juice this week?

Us too. Crossing my fingers...

I'm pulling for all you guys who are in much need for that anti-dryness substance!

Be careful on what is done to crops that are in the area where waterfowl is hunted. I'll do some digging to show you what Indiana says about it.

Found it:

This is from the Indiana DNR. Federal laws on baiting waterfowl are strict. In talking with a Conservation Officer, he said that if waterfowl is under the influence (i.e. flying to a baited area) then the hunter, even if they didn't know the area 1/4 mile away (or more) was baited, could be in trouble.

Entry Description
Before dove and waterfowl hunters take to drought-affected fields this hunting season, they should take time first to review baiting laws.

Baiting can be a complicated issue. It can become more complicated in years in which drought conditions have pushed many farmers to destroy their standing agricultural crops. It is imperative that hunters keep in mind what is legal and what is not legal during waterfowl and dove hunting seasons.

What is legal?

You can hunt waterfowl on, over, or from:

• Standing crops or flooded standing crops
• Standing, flooded, or manipulated natural vegetation
• Flooded harvested croplands
• Lands or areas where grains or top-sown seeds have been scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural practices.

You can hunt doves on, over or from:

• Standing crops
• Lands where seeds or grain have been scattered solely as a result of normal agricultural practices
• Lands planted as wildlife food plots
• Lands planted as pasture improvements or for the purpose of grazing livestock.
• Standing or manipulated natural vegetation
• Agricultural crops that have been manipulated.

What is illegal?

You cannot hunt waterfowl in:

• Areas where grain or seed has been top-sown.
• Crops that have been harvested outside of the recommended harvest dates.
• Unharvested crops that have been trampled by livestock or subjected to other types of manipulations that scatter, distribute or expose the grain.
• Freshly planted wildlife food plots that contain exposed grain.
• Areas where grain is present or stored.
• Croplands where a crop has been harvested and the removed grain is redistributed or “added back” onto the area where it was grown.

You cannot hunt doves in:

• Areas where grain, seed, salt or feed has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed or scattered.
• Areas where grain is in piles or other concentrations.
• Freshly planted wildlife food plots that contain exposed grain.

**Reminder: It is legal to hunt doves on, over, or from manipulated agricultural lands. It is NOT legal to hunt waterfowl on, over, or from manipulated agricultural lands.

Below are a few potentially common scenarios for the upcoming dove/waterfowl seasons.

• If a farmer mows his agricultural fields in September due to crop insurance payments, a hunter cannot hunt it for waterfowl because waterfowl cannot be hunted over manipulated agricultural lands. However, this field can be hunted for doves.
• If a wildlife food plot is planted a few weeks before you are going to dove or waterfowl hunt, can you hunt it? Yes, if the grain is not exposed.
• You decide to put out grain to attract birds. It has been eight days since you last put out grain. Can you hunt this area? No. An area is considered baited until 10 days after all the grain has been removed from the area.

Thanks for the info. The laws can be gray and difficult to interpret some times that's for sure. And this year with farmers turning under crops, drought, it has become even more gray. For me, I wouldn't hunt any fields that weren't harvested by normal means. Not worth the risk.

As long as the crop has not been manipulated before or after flooding, all is legal. And that is what I'm planning on doing. I have wild rice and sago growing in my duck pond just wanted to add another level of management.

Wisconsin and minnesota it is perfectly legal,, not grey . Normal cultivation or farming practices , it's no different than planting a food plot and putting a tree stand next to it,,,,, now you dump a pile of beans or corn on that field , you are then baiting .( not legal for waterfowl.) I'n Wisconsin we can put out 2 gallons per 40 for deer. I'n some counties there is no baiting or feeding laws for deer.

Federal migratory birds laws make my head hurt.

The definition of wetlands make mine hurt...

Jamie,
I am only talking about waterfowl (federally regulated as well as state). I am not a law expert but from what I've gathered this year it is very grey. The word that is causing the question is "normal". Tilling under a crop of stunted corn to get paid on crop insurance could be argued as not "normal" farming practices. If a field has not been harvested before knocking it down or turning it over the seed out in the field can be considered bait. Of course, the field can be hunted 10 days after the seed has been consumed.

Also, there are a lot of conversations this year between state CO's federal CO's. I believe they are having a tough time agreeing. Like I stated, I don't want to end up in court arguing a case. To me, it wouldn't be worth the hassel and potential costs.

I think what you are proposing is 100% legal and would work fine.

But, the grey area would come into play if cornstalks w/ears were knocked over and laying in the water even if during the course of normal hunting/retrieving practices.

The state of Indiana gave the example of livestock knocking over the crop. I wonder if hunting could do the same thing.

I know it all depends on the individual officer, but grey areas are just that, grey and open to interpretation. I'd hate to have to hire an atty just to get the charges dropped and get my hunting gear back. I'd talk to the local officers that would be patrolling the area and ask them just to be sure.

I would call your local conservation warden, what can it hurt. Then he's the guy that write the ticket anyways.