My lease has about 12 ponds on it, but we really only hunted 4 of them this year. Several of the others are pretty dry and overrun with cattails. It's turned into a perfect hide out for the hogs, but we want to reclaim them and get some water in the other ponds during the offseason.

Is there an affordable way to get control of cat tails that have taken over a pond? I'm sure we could just go in with a brush hog, but I doubt that would keep them from coming back. It's nice having them along the bank for cover, but several of the ponds are completely overgrown.

Wish I knew the answer. One place I hunt out of state is getting literally taken over by them. It gets worse and worse every year!

Burn them out.

Get a pump sprayer for 10 bucks at Home Depot, fill it up with diesel, start throwing matches.

Now is the perfect time since they are dry.

get some water back in there and they will control themselves. They grow in the wet, not in standing water.

and grass killer (round up) will kill them while they are actively growing.

Yep.

Burn them down now, then when they start to come back this spring, hit them with roundup.

Look at Texas A&M Aquaplant site here:

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/management-options/cattail/

I started to say Round-up wouldn't work, but glyphosate is one of the excellent killers they recommend. I use it, but it does not kill all aquatic plants effectively.

This is a great place to consult for your aquatic plant management needs.

they list glyphosphate as the second chemical in their list.

glyphoshpate=round up.

just saw your edit

Shovel.

Roundup is the trade name for glyphosate, an herbicide commonly used to control grassy and broadleaved weeds in the lawn and garden or in agricultural crops. Glyphosate also sells under the names Rodeo and Pondmaster. As with all chemicals, although a relatively safe product, Roundup requires careful handling around water so that it doesn't harm wildlife or nontargeted species.

DO NOT USE ROUNDUP use RODEO. The EPA will make Your worst day look like cookies and cream if You get caught using Roundup in a marsh.

On our tank we had that problem with the cattails just exploded. We did burn them out but we did naturally using grasses and other such flamable material. We thought about using diesel or gas to start it but didnt want to have an adverse effect on the marine wildlife. then took the shovels and turned the roots and unburned stock over. That was 5 years ago and havent had a problem with them yet.

Round up. Sprayem when they turn green. They will turn brown in 2-3 weeks. Then u can mow or burn them. Gone.

[quote= Roundup requires careful handling around water so that it doesn't harm wildlife or nontargeted species.

DO NOT USE ROUNDUP use RODEO. The EPA will make Your worst day look like cookies and cream if You get caught using Roundup in a marsh.

Only if TDA doesn't get you first!


[/quote]

I own a landscaping company and we clear ponds for golf courses. The best way is to pull them out roots and all. I have waders for all my workers and they simply get after it. Don't cut them, pull em' out roots and all.
If they have not germinated yet, you will not have any more problems. Pull em' put before late spring.