Scouted my new duck lease today, kicked up about 50 gaddys, this what they were eating on!







Me and my son hunted this place last day of the season, and just had ducks pouring in on us, probably 150 ducks poured in first 30 minutes, at least half were pintails, we did not even pull the trigger 1st 30 minutes of legal, we were worried about going over our limit of pintail! Today was the first time I got to check it out up close and see what them ducks are eating.

hmm almost looks like some died off smartweed to me

Don't think it is smartweed, I know that pretty well. I have seen the plant before, just never knew what it was. Pic below of a public lake of me and Ryan near the lease in 2006, same plant I think but still green!!

dont know, but ducks like it and fishing lures get hung in it fast!!

Can't say for sure from what is pictured, but I am pretty sure it is sheep sorrel. Were there long skinny arrowhead shaped leaves at the bases below the long flower/seed stalks shown? If so, that is what it is. Leaves have a lemon taste.

Guy ... Might want to save this site ... http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/index.htm

I didn’t see it under emergent plate visual ID.
http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/index/visual_id_emergent_plants.htm

All the leaves were dead and gone, but I think you are right, sheep sorrel.

Sheep Sorrel it is. Good call Sniper!! Not an aquaplant.

I would image the grey ducks were feeding on the algae attached to plant stems.

Really, I would think they would be eating the seeds.

Or even more likely snails and other invertebrates on and around the stems IMHO.
Next year before the leaves die, you can pull them and eat them as greens, make a lemon tea out of them, or even use them to season your duck when you cook it next year. So if you ever get stranded at your lease you will have no excuse for going hungry. I was very big on survival skills when I was in Boy Scouts and Order of the Arrow.

On the wintering grounds grey ducks are almost complete vegetarians, with seeds being a tiny portion of that. On the breeding grounds it's about 50/50 plant and animals. See the link below and it's abstract covers specific diet.

I was at our moist soil impoundment last weekend and found several hundred birds, mostly grey ducks. The vegetation that has been sunk for 6 months is now coated in algae. They would not leave as we rode by several times working on areas of the property.


http://www.jstor.org/pss/3808409

Thanks, I learned something there!

Tooth Cup

Yeah, I think you are right, what little research I did on it, looks like the ducks like it. I can tell you the pintails were eating on that stuff as well. I will need to research that more.

Thanks for the post and welcome to the forum!

Thanks for the Welcome. Long time lurker. Just signed up this week.

this is like highlander... There can only be one PerchJerker...
I suspect you are a transplant from Southern LA

HA HA We may be Brothers from different Mothers. West Central Texas for me. Live out of my truck days Home at night. Own a Remington Wingmaster and a FlyRod. Drive by 30 tanks everyday. Always sneaking up on Ducks, Perch, Quail, Turkeys.

A battle to the death!