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Joined: Jun 2002
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Building the Wood Duck House was the easy part.
I was in three feet of water on a ladder mounting the duck house when I gently tilted over and into the water. The post is strong, a hexagon shaped 1 1/2" treated wood inside a PVC tube and that inside a larger PVC tube and all of that was slipped over a steel 7 foot fence post driven three feet into the pond bottom. If the fence post is bent I am screwed but if it just slanted side ways I may be able to salvage it.
As I was in the water dozen of minnows were swimming around me. When the muddy water faded they left. I took a few steps and here came the minnows, they were feeding in the sediment I stirred up like birds do when you mow or plow. So wouldn't it be beneficial to have a few bottom feeders in a pond to slightly roil the bottom and release more readily the food?
One other thing I noticed,,, there were tiny white bugs half the size of a pin head that jumped around on the water and the minnows were eating them like crazy.
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Joined: May 2009
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
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I don't think that you need to mount it that high if the post is in 3 feet of water? Nice looking spot though!
Last edited by RAH; 09/10/11 06:25 AM.
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Fingerling
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Fingerling
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This is great activity while ponds are down and banks are exposed. You can put in boxes where there is water in "normal" conditions.
Also good time to repair docks and piers.
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RAH the information for mounting a wood duck house is to keep the house at least 6 feet high. My pond is 3 feet low so when the high water mark is reach probably next spring the bottom of the house would have been 6 feet above the water.
Sniper if I can't get the house lifted into vertical and perhaps guyed I will do what you suggest and get a wood post in an exposed bank while the water is down. Maybe I should just do that.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Fingerling
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Fingerling
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Sure; it is pretty tough working in open water. Good luck.
The ducks are fabulous to watch.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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John:
I like working at the pond doing things like that when it's frozen. Bore a hole in the ice and work off of the top of the ice. Easy to get it vertical and it's a lot easier to find tools that you drop too!
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Esshup I was considering working on the ice if all else failed. Luckily I managed to right the birdhouse yesterday using the ladder, 2 2x4x16', a come a long, rope and 4 fence steel fence posts surrounding the pole in a one foot circle to wire to and the boat to use as my tool bench. Going out today and plumb it a little better and use heavier wire from pole to steel fence posts. I had chest waders on and it was just beautiful standing in the water working. Really it's playing.
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Don't forget some squirrel baffles for your wood duck boxes! I learned the hard way...Raccoons can swim and will climb that pole. Many baffles online for around $20.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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teehjaeh from what I have read, the slickness of the pvc pipe is supposed to keep critters from climbing it. But I will do some more checking to see if they can. I have also read that the 3"x4" oval entrance hole is just the right size to keep Raccoons from reaching in and grabbing the ducklings. If it takes a baffle I will get one. I thought I was home free out in the water and with the pvc pipe. Thanks.
Last edited by John Monroe; 09/14/11 04:50 AM.
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Fingerling
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Fingerling
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I've got 4 inch PVC and haven't had any predator problems.
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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I used PVC and the same sized hole but maybe my coons are especially skilled. I thought I was safe, but I wasn't. Just a suggestion, it broke my heart to see broken eggs and coon scat in my boxes two years ago. Never came back, but at least now I have baffles up. Good luck.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Agreed with TJ. 4" PVC and the 3 x 4 hole is no guar of raccoon preclusion.
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I did some more checking and some even greased their PVC mounting pole, but I am going to take your advise and put on a baffle. I know there are raccoons around the pond because I have see their footprints in the mud. Thanks for alerting me about this.
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Fingerling
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Fingerling
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I am not against erring on the side of prevention. I am just saying that I haven't had any problems with the 4" PVC. In fact, the plans came from a PB article of several years ago. And we have hoards of raccoons (some living) and snakes (none-living). Lots of brass on the ground, tho.
Good luck.
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Joined: May 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
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I used 1 inch galvanized metal pipe and have no coon problems, although my shotgun is probably the biggest reason for lack of coons. Speaking of ducks, here's a strange one. The day before the opener of the MN duck season I saw a female mallard with 6 newly hatched ducklings. First time I've ever seen that.
Gotta get back to fishin!
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Good call on the baffle...why not be 100% certain. They cannot get past a baffle without major ninja skills and grappling hooks.
BZ that's crazy - I have never heard of such a late hatch...have you?
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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