2011 Wrap-up and Units A and B Update

On January 20th, 2012 at 7:59pm Hunter said:

Duck Creek and Mingo areas are idea locations to help maintain a healthy Feral hog population. Some people like to sling insults when they disagree on any subject but I am a big man and and can take it. I enjoy hog hunting and do not see why I and others like me should have to drive to another state to hunt. The sale of a hog hunting license would generate as much money as the sale of Deer hunting permits if we stop waisting money trying to kill all the hogs and start using them to our benifit. Texas, Arkansas and other hog hunting states have not ground to a hault due to there hog population. And farmers have always blamed wildlife weather and every other thing they can think of when a crop fails, or stock dies. As you are aware you had to have the Elk checked seven ways come sunday before they could be brought into Missouri, and then there is still several people who want all the Elk killed or removed from our state for all the same reasons stated about wild hogs. Perhaps some day you managers will come to reason.

On January 17th, 2012 at 1:23pm Darin said:

I believe u guys have a good plan!!! Keep up the good work and don't forget to let those willow trees grow across the habitat to at least provide some cover vs to being an all open area to try and hunt. I hunt in willow sloughs to the south and they seem to attract birds that are looking for cover out of the elements.

On January 17th, 2012 at 11:50am cordek said:

Darin - Unit A and B will managed primarily for desireable species of native moist soil vegetation consisting of millets and other grasses, smartweeds, bidens, etc.  Food plots will be utilized to achieve some of this management objective, not so much for a source of food, but for the rotational areas they provide for soil disturbance which is necessary to provide the robust response of annual vegetation the following year.  Cockleburs, unfortunately, are and ever will be established in these wetland pools.  They will respond to moisture conditions in the soil and the amount of other established vegetation more than anything else.  We can mostly eliminate the growth of cockleburs by properly drawing the water from these pools and promoting the desireable plants but there are always problem areas which require additional treatment, either with herbicide, water, or fall discing.  Typically we will plant 15% to 25% of the area in food plots, fall disc 25% to 50%, and leave 35% to 50%  standing moist soil.  It doesn't always work out this neatly and it is going to take a few years to figure out the individual characteristics of each of these new areas as well as establish areas where we want trees to grow vs. areas we want to remain free from trees.  Unit A and B will be managed similarly in the future to how we have managed Unit A the past 5 years.

On January 17th, 2012 at 11:47am Anonymous said:

Darin please understand that cockleburs are very difficult (and expensive) to control. They would never be purposely planted. They easily could show up with high water.

On January 16th, 2012 at 10:32pm Darin Hudgens said:

What kind of crops will be planted for the waterfowl next year in Unit A and B? Millet, Corn, Milo, Winter Wheat, etc.?? Just don't want to see those cucoburs establish themselves again. Thanks!!!

On January 4th, 2012 at 10:34am frank said:

In regards to Mingo, the fact that they are reviewing their hunt program and are taking public comments certainly lends itself to some potential changes.

On January 4th, 2012 at 9:47am frank said:

We’ll have to see how the new design works out, but there should be a couple additional spots. Also, as I’ve mentioned before, prior to this renovation work many of the goose blind pits in Unit B didn’t have the means to be flooded regularly other than by heavy rainfall.  We will now be able to flood these areas with the help of 2 wells, our contour levees, and distribution channels.  This will enhance the waterfowl hunting potential of these old positions that typically didn’t get much action.

On January 4th, 2012 at 12:09am Anonymous said:

I know this is still about a year away, but can you tell how many spots are going to be in unit a and b? More or less than before?

On January 3rd, 2012 at 8:53pm Anonymous said:

With the change in management at Mingo, can we expect a shift towards a more hunter friendly management plan in adjacent NWR areas to Duck Creek?