Duck hunting is an ancient sport that can still put a delicious meal on the table, and many property owners eventually grow tired of competing with other hunters at public lakes, ponds, and marshes. Buying a private pond in a secluded area can not only provide you with exclusive access to your own population of ducks but also allow you to control your hunting environment to increase your odds of success. Whenever you are buying and renovating hunting land for sale, keep these four points in mind to ensure you never go home empty handed.
Finding the Right Property
Obviously, any land that your purchase for duck hunting should contain a body of water. Ducks prefer shallow marshes and ponds with plenty of vegetation and privacy, and they follow roughly similar migratory paths each year. Your hunting land should be far enough away from homes, roads, or other public areas to pose no threat to passerby but should still be accessible enough to visit regularly. Consult with your real-estate agent to go over your criteria for hunting land and find the perfect property for your needs.
Encouraging a Healthy Ecosystem
Once you have purchased your land, you can start building duck blinds and improving the environment to attract more game. Ducks primarily care about food and safety. They are primarily vegetarian, so be sure your pond is well stocked with duck favorites such as aquatic grasses. Some hunters plant corn and grains along the banks of their pond as well to draw birds in with a particularly tasty treat. By keeping your pond lush and healthy, you signal to passing ducks that it may be an ideal place to stop, rest, and maybe even raise a few ducklings.
Deterring Local Predators
When your goal is to bring home as many delicious ducks as possible, you don't need other predators acting as competition. If you live in an area with particularly aggressive carnivores like coyotes or foxes, populations may need to be controlled through hunting and trapping, which requires one or more special licenses but can be an enjoyable and lucrative form of recreation on its own. Another option is to sow a mix of barrier plants around the pond to block the view of predators and keep local ducks safe. Many barrier mixes rely on grass seeds that can also serve as a food source for your ducks, making this a win-win solution.
Staying Patient as Populations Grow
Even after you begin to see a steady stream of visiting ducks, it may be wise to wait a year or more before you begin hunting regularly. Too much stress and pressure on their numbers can cause ducks to leave a body of water and avoid it in the future, meaning you'll have more long-term success if you first establish your hunting land as a safe and prosperous place for local wildlife. By only taking what you need and allowing your duck population to build over time, you should be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor for many decades to come.
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