We don't have "duck holes" north of the Mason-Dixon line, we hunt migrators at passes or marshes or in boats or fields. Many Southern duck hunters use techniques of moist soil management to create flooded crop "honey-holes" that consistently produce great waterfowl hunting. It works so well that it can't be legal, but it is as long as you follow the Federal migratory bird regulation regarding baiting (Google it) .I would not have considered this approach up till now since the birds always came through in good numbers during the great migrations and shooting was good. With the declines in our MN waterfowl hunting quality I felt I could either hit the road to ND or try to improve what I was fortunate to own already (13 acres of land adjacent to a flight lake). So I am going to try and create my own duck hole and I will share my experience as I go along. I am no farmer just a duck hunter so bear with me! The basic elements needed for moist soil management are a crop area that will hold 6"-24" of water, a source of water, and drainage.My first step was to do an elevation survey and review the drainage and water source issues (be cautious if wetlands are present as any modifications are regulated, if you have questions contact your local SCS or DNR offices). These elements checked-out for me so our first step this June was to remove the existing trees, bushes, and grass in order to create a seed bed. The attached image shows the grass at my site about 10 days after the herbicide was applied. As it turns out I have a long donut shaped depression in this field that will hold water with a high spot in the middle that I intend to mow and use for layout blinds.Next I will describe the seed selection, soil preparation, and planting.
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