One Day's Wetlands WorkThis picture represents just one aspect of our private Missouri wetlands lease development and just a one small point in the process. Below the picture are the details of what is shown. Repeat this one example several time for each of our waterfowl areas that we built and maintain each season and most will agree they are getting what they pay for.
CannelThe canal shown in this photo was dug to an adjoining drainage ditch as a water source for the 10 acre marsh type wetlands. Marsh - The Central Wetlands Element
In 1982 this 80 acre farm was part of a 1200 acre lease, leased primarily for quail hunting. When the landowner showed us this property he said we might want to duck hunt the back 20 acres since it held water at times and the ducks used it quite a bit in the fall when there was water. Several waterfowl hunters discovered this property and hunted it with success for a couple of seasons. Knowing we had a potential waterfowl property on a prime waterfowl flyway we decided to make some improvements to enhance the waterfowl hunting through wetlands enhancements proven effective based on our past experience. In 1985 we built a levee to hold 7 acres of water that receded with the overflow water as it returned to the river. Building such a levee is no simple tasks requiring earth movers, survey, dry times to access the marsh area, rocked overflow flood release and on and on and on. Once the levee was built we temporarily posted duck blinds in the most likely spots. The next year after draining we planted select duck attracting grain producing millets, cut trees and reposition blinds. This cycle was repeated several more years until the basic marsh was to our satisfaction. This past year 2004, the marsh behind the levee is what we worked to improve. Later, 2005, that levee was expanded to make a 10 acre marsh and our recent work to expand that even further. And, it continues - such is Missouri wetlands development. Never a one shot deal. Missouri Wetlands SizeIt is never the amount of surface water that is the key for the best duck hunting on any Missouri wetlands private or public. It is all about the Missouri wetlands location within the three sub basins and habitat composition. This 10 acre soon to be larger not only allows for more water during dry years it also allows for greater vegetation coverage, duck attracting vegetation. The other advantage is the continued separation of duck blinds. Just as we are adding surface water, that alone is not justification for more blinds. Separating or increasing the distance between the blinds is the goal on this project. This is along the lines that our hunters have continually told us through the years they are willing to pay more for better quality hunting than simply more places to hunt. While the Missouri wetlands picture at the page top may seem inconsequential the amount of work behind it is more than can readily be appreciated. We have a lot of pride in our Missouri wetlands development and this one page helps show the duck hunter will be satisfied with the MAHA waterfowl areas, after that it is all dependent on the migration.
|
|
|
|
