Duck hunting question?

**Iwannafish** · 08-05-2015, 02:06 PM

I know, I know. This is way of topic but....

I have a 40 acre hunting spot in the MS delta. It consists off 20 acres in ten year old hardwood, 10 acres in old growth bottom-land cypress and oak, and ten acres in food plots and open field. This joins a 300 acre cypress and gum slough on one side, and one of the states elite duck clubs on the other side. One four acre plot has a levee and a drain allowing us to flood it for ducks in the fall and drain it to plant forage in the spring. We have always used natural flooding to fill the hole (rain), but am thinking about putting in a well to make sure we have water early in the season? What size well and pump would be needed to put a couple of feet of water on 4 acres in a reasonable time frame? How expensive would something like this be?

This is the spot I am talking about....

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Any of you gewbers into wells or ducks?

**M R Dux** · 08-05-2015, 02:54 PM

What will power your pump. Electricity, propane, diesel, tractor PTO?

I would think a medium sized PTO pump would do it , 4-6 inch or so in a couple of days. The rice fields we hunt in SEMO get 5-6 inches of water over 80 acres with 10-12 inch turbine pumps in 2-3 days.

You're looking at a sizable initial investment. Your best bet might be to go into rice country for a farm auction where the equipment is being sold and buy an in-line 6 motor and PTO pump. Still not going to be cheap.

**ducker** · 08-05-2015, 03:21 PM

Dang that's a pretty hole!!
Is there a creek or anything to pump out of nearby? If so you could get a lift pump fairly cheap.. If not I'd go electric well I believe, I know a guy that has one in greenwood, just flip the breaker and its pumping!

**MrGoodtime** · 08-05-2015, 04:08 PM

6in well if eletric, if water is avalible near enough, buy a used camel back pto pump.

**Iwannafish** · 08-05-2015, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by MrGoodtime

6in well if electric, if water is avalible near enough, buy a used camel back pto pump.

Oh, water is nearby, and lots of it. But i bet the owners of the duck club would be unhappy if I pumped water out of their holes into mine!!!!

I was thinking electric pump, or maybe buy a diesel power unit at a sale this spring. Sold three of em at the estate sale this spring and am kicking myself in the butt now!

Just wondered how much well I was looking at having drilled. Wanted some idea about cost before I went to a driller.

**MrGoodtime** · 08-05-2015, 05:59 PM

Bout $8-10grand should get it done for drilling. Call Robert Ratliff in Holcomb,dont think he does private wells now, but can put you in touch with the right people.

**bird down** · 08-05-2015, 06:14 PM

I dug one with a 5 ft section at a time thru gravel and hard dirt in the hills. Can't remember how far I went before I hit water but man I was worn out. It was free though. This water was not drinkable and we just used it to clean deer and equipment. Def wouldn't be big enough to flood a duck hole in a timely fashion. I would just keep catching water if t were me. Pumped duck holes are ok early but the best holes are flooded by Mother Nature. Fresh food and the waters not clear. They know the difference

**MrGoodtime** · 08-05-2015, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by bird down

I dug one with a 5 ft section at a time thru gravel and hard dirt in the hills. Can't remember how far I went before I hit water but man I was worn out. It was free though. This water was not drinkable and we just used it to clean deer and equipment. Def wouldn't be big enough to flood a duck hole in a timely fashion. I would just keep catching water if t were me. Pumped duck holes are ok early but the best holes are flooded by Mother Nature. Fresh food and the waters not clear. They know the difference

If you dont hunt it everyday, they dont care. I pump every yr and have pleanty of ducks...the love dat millet and barnyard grass

**bird down** · 08-05-2015, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by MrGoodtime

If you dont hunt it everyday, they dont care. I pump every yr and have pleanty of ducks...the love dat millet and barnyard grass

with just a few acres I would spend my 8 or 10 thousand on something else before I put in a well. That's 1 good rain to soak in the ground and 1 more rain to fill her up. Shut the pipe nov 1 if u want to. With the savings u could hire a dozer driver and build ur levee up higher and push out a couple more holes. But your right, if they got food, low pressure, they don't care about much else

**rebranger** · 08-10-2015, 08:56 AM

AMEN! Been there, dun that, Nowadays, there's a lot of paper work, EPA, Soil Conservation, FSA, State Water permits, etc. I have 29 wells on my plantation, most were drilled before all the regs came in. Also costs have gone out of site. I'd say you have to spend around $20K to get 700 GPM, plus the added costs of fuel.
I put in several little 8 inch wells, 130 feet, plastic, with 6 inch 10 hp electric submersible pumps, 600 GPM, and they ran about $10 K each. They would pump up 80 acres of rice slowly. But weren't capable of watering beans or corn. And that was 20 years ago.
Plus, the ducks are smarter than we are sometimes. He's right about the clear water. Clear or black plastic is cheaper, LOL

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