Giving Back

[Frank Good]

Spent the day on the ice however instead of ice fishing we were giving back to the one resource that fuels our biggest passion, waterfowl hunting.
So today was spent trying to help out the ducks.
My buddy Ben is a member of a Delta Waterfowl chapter and after a couple years has gotten Delta on board to invest some $ and materials in our area to help bolster duck numbers through their duck nest box initiatives.
These "boxes" are actually a round wire mesh tube filled with flax straw. They are mounted in a cradle attached to a post driven into the mud of a slough, pond, marsh, creek etc. positioned over water to help prevent predators like raccoons, coyotes, skunks etc. from easily accessing them and raiding their nest to take the eggs or kill the hen and the eggs both.
Hens nesting in the nesting box are also protected from the prying eyes of hawks, owls, eagles, crows, ravens and assorted other avian predators that would also kill the hen and her eggs or newly hatched chicks.
The boxes are built by volunteers at various chapters and one of the programs for building them involves having new or youth hunters who get to participate in Delta mentored hunts take part in a day or weekend of constructing the houses and various parts of them as a way of paying their way so to speak in exchange for going on these mentored hunts cost free. It's a win-win for all involved and the rewards are marshes and skies filled with ducks.
Successful nesting rates with the use of the Delta nests run around 80% compared to the average normal 10% success rate where ducks nest in grass and other cover and are much more exposed to predators so it's another win-win for the ducks and the people who enjoy the ducks whether they be bird watchers, hunters or casual observers.
Ben took on the task of helping build, transport and find areas to put up 100 nesting boxes for this season. We have been well received with entusiastic approvals by the local landowners we've approached seeking permission to place boxes on sloughs, ponds etc. on their lands and in the past three outings this week have placed 84 boxes on 4 waterbodies with 16 boxes left to go for this season after committing to place 100.
The entire procedure start to finish to set out the nests is very easily accomplished. It starts by loading up the nests and tools then heading out on the ice. After arriving at the chosen location a hole is drilled through the ice with the use of a power auger with an auger flyte that drills a hole roughly 2 1/2" in diameter. Then an 8' length of 1" square steel tubing is set in the hole, pushed into the mud and with the use of a post hammer driven a few feet into the mud. Next the cradle that holds the nest is inserted into the 1" square tubing post and the nest "box" or tube is then wired to the cradles arms to keep it secured. To finish the job a little interior remodeling is done to try to appeal to a curious hen looking for a safe from predators home to hatch her brood.
We have acquired permission on enough acreage wetlands to easily put out 1000 nests and have committed to putting out another 100 next season or if the weather holds out so that we can still get on the ice by quad(neither of us own a snowmobile) then we may put another 100 out this winter. We are really looking forward to viewing our nests this spring with spotting scopes to check for occupancy. Here are some photos.

[mobirdhunter]

Frank, thank you!

[Phil C]

What a great way to give back. Thanks for doing this.

[Dean Romig]

Kudos to you guys !! What a great and worthy effort.





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[J. Scott Hanes]

Great service to the community and the waterfowl! With many locales either prohibiting "predator control" or the lack of trapping, the ducks need any assistance they get. What species are most attracted to these nests?

[Frank Good]

Originally Posted by J. Scott Hanes

Great service to the community and the waterfowl! With many locales either prohibiting "predator control" or the lack of trapping, the ducks need any assistance they get. What species are most attracted to these nests?

The nests average an occupancy rate of 80% with 95% being mallards and the success rate of hatching a brood is 80% compared to 10% in natural cover.

[Harold Pickens]

Thanks for your efforts Frank, a worthy cause.

[Bill Murphy]

Will the ducks use the boxes with a black Labrador guarding them?

[Frank Good]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Will the ducks use the boxes with a black Labrador guarding them?