40 wood duck boxes so far

anthony m coons sr

Well-known member
Well I'm happy to report that we put up forty wood duck boxes so far. With the help of my friends! one being over eighty we have placed forty boxes in the wild. In swamps ,ponds , on lakes and in the Hudson River. We have twenty more to go until they are all out. In the last three years we have put out over one hundred and twenty or so boxes, I very proud of the people that help me. And thank all of you who do your part to help our sport. View attachment December 2018 photos from Galaxy 243.jpg
 
P Taylor

Thanks buddy, over the past three years a group of us have placed about 140 boxes into the wild. Lets hope they will work for years to come. Over the past 37 years we have placed close to seven hundred boxes give or take. Many were checked and a bunch of them produced over the years. Some years we can't get to all of them to check. High water trees down etc. But we do what we can to help the wood duck population. pictures of one of our work parties.
View attachment December 2018 photos from Galaxy 1128.jpg
 
We've had hooded mergansers beat the woodies to the boxes here a couple years. That, and bees turning the box into a hive...didn't realize how many critters find a box attractive. Nice work on your end.
 
Great work Anthony. We put out three last week and hope to do a few more next weekend. Will be fun to see if any birds use the boxes.

Zane
 
Good to see that P Taylor's photo includes a predator guard...unfortunate to see other photo with raccoon getting ready to attack.

I don't mean to rain on anybody's parade, but according to Wood Duck Society and other expert groups, installing a wood duck nesting box without a predator guard on either a tree or even a wooden 4x4 is a probable death sentence for Mama Woodie and her chicks (unless installed in an area void of raccoons--unlikely). As a matter of survival, raccoons will sit on the box as long as necessary to kill the hen and eat the chicks or eggs. If not using a metal cone-shaped predator guard, it is OK to install on a slick metal round (not square cross-section) pole. Companies who drill water wells are a good source for free steel poles. HVAC companies often give used ductwork for free--easy to make cone-shaped guards by piecing-together used ductwork after flattening. Another consideration is that even with a cone-shaped predator guard the box should be placed beyond "leaping distance" from any nearby trees--this prevents squirrels (and raccoons) from getting on/in the box. There is evidence that even with smooth metal poles, snakes will prey on the eggs/chicks--so wooden carpet tack strips must be used just below the box.

Overall, to do everything perfectly on wood duck boxes it's "a real pain". I installed a couple boxes then quit (sold all my remaining materials including predator guards). And I am sure other folks on this site have examples where doing less-than-perfect installation produced successful broods of ducklings. This might be the case where trappers and coon hunters are keeping the raccoon population down.

Some additional resources:

http://www.abirdshome.com/wdnbox.htm

http://www.woodducksociety.com/
 
Black rat snakes are the biggest problem for us down here in SC.

I won't restore or repair an old wood duck box or install a new box unless the predator guard is intact or a new one installed. I have pulled two 5-6 foot black rat snakes full of duck eggs out of one box before. If I relocate the snake and don't repair / replace the predator guard the same snakes will be back to eat the eggs.
 
Tom
Snakes like the boxes also. You never know what you might find in them. We put out six more on Tuesday and check a bunch of old one and re bedded them. Some were used and some were not. That is how it goes. But if we don't try then we will never know. Thanks
 
P Taylor said:
Black rat snakes are the biggest problem for us down here in SC.

I won't restore or repair an old wood duck box or install a new box unless the predator guard is intact or a new one installed. I have pulled two 5-6 foot black rat snakes full of duck eggs out of one box before. If I relocate the snake and don't repair / replace the predator guard the same snakes will be back to eat the eggs.
Momma Woodie has got it hard enough hatching a brood without snakes and coons destroying nests. Koodos to you for using the predator guard. At least they survive long enough hopefully to get to water and cover before the bass, pike and snapping turtles prey upon them.
 
Steve

It happen lots of times, Its just part of the food chain I guess. That why we have been putting so many boxes out over the years. Your not going to stop animals from eating. That is just a fact! But I have found out over the years. That the more boxes the better chance of getting some good production out of them. I have seen boxes with guides on them get attacked. So nothing is fool proof. Remember these bird nest in hollows of trees . Boxes are a way of keeping them safe during production. When they hit the water they come under even more of a chance of attack. Bass, rats, turtles, just to name a few. But some how mother nature comes through for some of them. I checked a swamp out the other day near me. It was loaded with wood ducks. So just maybe they were birds we helped last year. Thanks as always . I always enjoy reading your post.
 
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