texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed, Trappernewt, casyoo
71987 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,416
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,769
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics537,009
Posts9,719,403
Members86,987
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Drawing Down Wetlands #5802173 06/23/15 07:22 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
M
muddyz Offline OP
Tracker
OP Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
Well I finally got my leased all worked out and now I am trying to figure out what to do with it. Last year we added some berms to catch water but the dozer guy got kind of messed up on time and somehow the drain pipes were never installed. So now I've got a bunch of full wetlands after all these rains and no drain pipes. But I do have a pump and can get them drained down a bit. I also have the water and pump to get them filled back up in the fall if it doesn't rain again.

Drawing Down Wetlands
single choice
Votes accepted starting: 06/23/15 07:21 PM
You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5802995 06/24/15 03:02 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
M
muddyz Offline OP
Tracker
OP Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
Those that are saying leave it, why?

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5802999 06/24/15 03:03 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
M
muddyz Offline OP
Tracker
OP Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
Someone commented to make the dozer guy fix things. The owner gave me a discount this year due to the work not being completed as before. Once i get it drawn down I do plan to install the drains to fix the problem going forward.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5803817 06/24/15 06:27 PM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,594
F
Featherduster Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
F
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,594
I planted a crop of millet last year around July and had some darn good seed in duck season.

If have access to water and can pump it back in, this is a no brainer.

Not sure why anybody is saying to leave it.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5803818 06/24/15 06:29 PM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 10,404
R
Ramball36 Online Content
THF Celebrity
Online Content
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 10,404
Not sure either, that's the whole reason you set that up

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5803930 06/24/15 07:46 PM
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 8,570
M
Marcstar Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
M
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 8,570
I didn't vote because I forget what the rules are about planting food and how long you have to wait before you can hunt over it. Do you guys know? I'd just be concerned with baiting rules.


Originally Posted By: wal1809
Dear Lord please bullwhip me for saying this but I agree, Marcstar is in the lead. Please nobody use this as a quote!!!
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804159 06/24/15 10:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
#
#Hayraker Online Happy
Chihuahua
Online Happy
Chihuahua
#
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
Troll


#sigline
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804160 06/24/15 10:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
#
#Hayraker Online Happy
Chihuahua
Online Happy
Chihuahua
#
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
#poorattempt


#sigline
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804196 06/24/15 10:42 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,228
Jeff Elder Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,228
#herewego #marsbarsexpertinput


North central TX duck and dove hunts
www.silvercreekguideservice.com

Cell 817-597-0781
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804211 06/24/15 10:52 PM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 10,404
R
Ramball36 Online Content
THF Celebrity
Online Content
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 10,404
You have to wait until it grows to hunt over it....

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: Ramball36] #5804257 06/24/15 11:29 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
#
#Hayraker Online Happy
Chihuahua
Online Happy
Chihuahua
#
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
Originally Posted By: Ramball36
You have to wait until it grows to hunt over it....


#sigline
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804281 06/24/15 11:52 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
M
muddyz Offline OP
Tracker
OP Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
Okay then a few questions.

1) I have always seen folks drawing down in the spring, was just concerned since I am a bit late compared to that

2) Brown top millet first since it can take the heat and then jap millet later on? A combo of both in July and again in August? Just Jap millet?

3) Is it possible to transplant smartweed and what timing/tips do you have?

And last, I will obviously be leaving runways in the millet so we can walk back and forth to the blind and to retrieve the ducks. I want to make sure I don't "manipulate" any of it in the first year by walking through it since it can only be manipulated if it is regrowth or a second year planting. At least that is what the guy that sold me my teal tags said so I'm going with that.

Last, got any tips for keeping the pump running? It's going to be a pain going out there and filling up the tank all the time.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804322 06/25/15 12:23 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
#
#Hayraker Online Happy
Chihuahua
Online Happy
Chihuahua
#
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
If you are using a gasoline pump to pump it down AND pump it back I would probably change my vote to just leave it alone. Money would be better spent at the crap tables


#sigline
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: #Hayraker] #5804363 06/25/15 12:58 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
M
muddyz Offline OP
Tracker
OP Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
Yes but part of the reason I want to pump it down is to actually install the drains so it is done properly for the future.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804375 06/25/15 01:04 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
#
#Hayraker Online Happy
Chihuahua
Online Happy
Chihuahua
#
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
How deep is it?


#sigline
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804383 06/25/15 01:07 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
M
muddyz Offline OP
Tracker
OP Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
Ankle to knee in the important areas, maybe 50x150 yards each. There are three of them like this.

Last edited by muddyz; 06/25/15 01:16 AM.
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5804593 06/25/15 02:50 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
#
#Hayraker Online Happy
Chihuahua
Online Happy
Chihuahua
#
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,915
By late July when it's time to plant it may be drawn down anyway. As soon as shallow water gets warm and we have a string of 100 degree days that shallow water will disappear quick.


#sigline
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: Jeff Elder] #5804974 06/25/15 01:21 PM
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 8,570
M
Marcstar Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
M
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 8,570
Originally Posted By: Jeff Elder
#herewego #marsbarsexpertinput


I was actually being sincerer with my question and the fact that I didn't vote should tell you along with the question that I actually don't know. It's not always about trolling or trying to be funny.


Originally Posted By: wal1809
Dear Lord please bullwhip me for saying this but I agree, Marcstar is in the lead. Please nobody use this as a quote!!!
Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5805091 06/25/15 02:24 PM
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 446
W
woodduckhunter Online Content
Bird Dog
Online Content
Bird Dog
W
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 446
if you only have a small 2 or 3 inch pump which is what it sounds like you have a couple options to drain. I would for sure drain and plant the ponds in millet. You see all kinds of times on the net, but from experience I would say that 60 days +/- 7 days is a good mean maturity time from germination. Sometimes longer, but have also had some ready to go in 45 days under perfect conditions. the only way I would remotely consider leaving them full of water and just hunting is if they had more than a fair amount of duckweed, some sort of aquatic moss, smartweeds, etc. Since you are wanting to drain to add water control structures, I would probably just cut a hole in the levee since you are going to have to do that anyway. Another option is to get some 2-3 inch black poly pipe however long is need to rig up a siphon, use you trash pump to get the siphon started. I know people that choose not to drain ponds in fear of not having water for season. But if you have a water source to flood from definitely plant. By leaving water year to year, that often promotes unwanted and invasive plants to thrive.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5805514 06/25/15 07:07 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 691
T
Texan1554 Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
T
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 691
Pumping isn't going to help you.

In this weather pattern you will end up spending time and money to pump off a few inches of water just in time to throw seed out and have a new rain come and flood you right back up.

Do you have an overflow in place? Or is too much water just gonna go over the top of your berms and likely wash them out? If you don't have a safe place for overflow you have one option to save your current work and plant... Knock out a section of the levee and install your pipes now.

If you do have a good overflow, leave it. If in fact the sun comes out and evaporation does its job then you can plant. If not, water on shallow soil and dead vegetation will breed snails and other invertebrates giving you some solid late season duck food.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5806650 06/26/15 03:25 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 297
T
Teamjefe Offline
Bird Dog
Offline
Bird Dog
T
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 297
What kind of pump do you have to drain it? I prefer hunting over native plants but millet is good too if you can get a good stand. You should be able to spark some sprangletop and panic grass growth with a late drawdown. Both of those are great to hunt over and have led to some of my best shoots.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5808601 06/28/15 04:14 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
M
muddyz Offline OP
Tracker
OP Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
It's a 10k gph pump. Tank runs about 12 hours on 5 gallons. I went and looked at it today and I don't think it will take more than 3 days to do what I want to.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5809886 06/29/15 03:02 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 297
T
Teamjefe Offline
Bird Dog
Offline
Bird Dog
T
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 297
Go buy a 40 gallon tank and rig up a gravity feed for that pump and be done with it. Lots of people do this with good success.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5810057 06/29/15 05:00 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 691
T
Texan1554 Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
T
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 691
Sounds like you've got a 2" trash pump. As far as time for pumping... 1 acre/inch of water is 27,154 gallons. Your 50x150 flooded areas you mention about measure out to be 1.5 acres a piece. If you've got an average of 2 feet in each of them that's a little under 98,000 gallons per flooded unit. With a 160 gpm 2" pump you're looking at 4 days of non-stop pumping, per unit. You can rig up a gravity feed gas can and do it. Problem I've always had with this situation, I don't live on the property. If you do, you're still baby sitting your pump for about 2 weeks to draw down your 3 units. If you don't then you're driving out there for the next month at least running that pump.

Believe me, do the work now and install a drain pipe. You can plant in late July/August and still be good for this year.... and next and next and next.

You can rent a little back hoe for like $200/day. I would bet you could dig out and set new drain pipes in a day on all three dams, maybe two at the most.

Re: Drawing Down Wetlands [Re: muddyz] #5815634 07/03/15 02:29 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
M
muddyz Offline OP
Tracker
OP Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 732
Well I wanted to give my siphon idea another try and I got it working tonight. I estimated the flow rate at 150 gpm, or 9k gph. That is pretty impressive considering the cost was so low.

I hear you guys on installing the drain pipes, but that requires losing a whole lot more water than the amount I am trying to draw down here. At least this way ai get to keep my base water in there so the fall runoff doesn't have to fill the thing from ground zero.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]




Last edited by muddyz; 07/03/15 02:48 AM.
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3