I hadn’t been checking the website lately due to extensive travel for work since January 1, but the camera set up Dr. Luke has is excellent. We had bought one at the last Pond Boss conference auction but have never gotten it put up. Seeing the results from Dr. Luke’s may prompt me to install it this coming winter. I have 8 current boxes up, in most years past they have all been active. I haven’t had much time to watch the boxes since I flew back into town last Sunday but Grant said he’s seen activity in at least a few. Last night the kids also pointed out a goose that has been sitting on eggs since at least April 11 when they noticed it. I had some field tiling done very close to her nest, I was somewhat surprised she hadn’t been scared off. I think incubation is about 29 days for Canadian geese.
I usually try to face the openings south or south east but I don’t ever recall seeing a direction recommendation on this in any reading I’ve done. If they are placed on land it is recommended they face the water. I had seen woodies earlier this year in one of our plots of Japanese millet, I watched them foraging for some time. In the fall I’ve shot several woodies stuffed full of acorns, I could feel the acorns in their necks when I picked them up. We often jump woodies in the dry woods during the fall (we have lots of oaks) and I always thought it would be fun to hunt them on land like upland birds!
CC, I think it might be a good idea to try a box deeper in the woods. If you had a group of standing dead timber near the water that would be an ideal location. I’ve read that a clear, unobstructed flight path to the box is a key.
I have 4 boxes dropped off from a friend who went to the Macatawa Bay Duck Hunters Association banquet this year and I’ll be putting these up sometime. I have several 20’ sticks of new 3” stainless steel tubing I’m going to use for poles, I think it is smooth enough to keep anything from climbing up (free from work!). When adding some boxes by me the next locations will be on land.
All the boxes I have are wood, I just replace them when they get rotten but most of the time they seem to last around 10 years here. The plastic ones have all the slots for ventilation, the first models roasted several hens during testing. I think I had read after they found some dead hens they put a thermometer in one and recorded 130F. Thanks.

Bryan

Last edited by bryani289swmi; 04/17/20 02:53 PM.