Anyone ever tried growing wild rice and wild celery to attract ducks ??

K

Kid Java

Member
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Location
in the boonies near Aylmer, Ontario
A friend of mine has property on the Bruce Penninsula that includes frontage on a small inland lake. We were wondering if anyone has experience growing wild rice (Zizania aquatica) and wild celery (Vallisneria americana) to attract ducks. I hear canvasbacks especially like the wild celery:D

How do you go about it? What conditions are best? Where do you get seed or rootstock?

Thanks for your help !!
 
I have been trying to get rice seed now fo thee years.The local seed/feed outlets said they could get it.Still no seed.
 
So ya would be breaking the law by hunting in farm fields as the crops planted attract geese/duck?
 
Last edited:
captonion said:
So ya would be breaking the law by hunting in farm fields as the crops planted attract geese/ducks?
There is a pond not but a mile from me that the MNR sewed wild rice in some years back.So its ok for them to plant it but not anyone else?
Click to expand...

I remember reading a book (I don't remember WHICH book:redface: ) and he talked about hunting over harvested corn fields and such. He said that you sometimes see some pretty sloppy corn harvesting just before hunting season. Also said that you had better have your permits in order, because even if the field is legal, it is going to attract attention from the Conservation Officer
 
Well if hunting in a harvested cornfield is considered baiting, then just about everyone I know is breaking the law:eek:

Our intention is to establish these native plants in the lake. Once established, there would be no way to tell they were planted. They would provide food and nesting habitat (the wild rice anyway:D ) to a variety of species, not just ducks. I am not trying to take unfair advantage here, okay:mad:

"If you build it, they will come" sort of a thing. Ducks and geese use the lake already, we just think it could be way better with a good food source.

Thanks!
 
My .02... For Migratory bird hunting...

Hunting over crops and native foods IS NOT BAITING!!!

But...

Placing a cob of corn in front of each decoy or dumping bags of corn etc, IS BAITING!!!

So... You can't "move" food to a location to attract ducks, but you sure as heck can hunt where the food is...

Cheers
Jay
 
Its not baiting :rolleyes: , hunting corn fields is baiting:D
If you can plant food for ducks and geese in a marsh , thats great.
I would hunt outside the area (pass shooting) and in the morning only.
You start shooting an area up in the evening, and the birds will not come back.
 
Here in Sask. hunting any field that has crop left in them from normal agricultural practices is not considered baiting. That applies to any animal that is in season. To the best of my knowledge, planting food that a particular species may eat is not baiting either. If it was, 50% of this province would be off limits to hunters.
 
Yes, we obtained wild rice seed and spread it in a marsh of about 100 acres. It has been there over 10 years and there are now substantial patches of it, from half an acre to an acre or 2 in size.

Note that for the seed to take, it needs to be kept damp.

Problems are that carp in the marsh destroy the wild rice. The outlet to the marsh now has a substantial grate on it to keep the carp out. An earlier grate made out of rebar was not strong enough and the carp bent the rebar and got through. :eek:

The harvests of wild rice in Rice Lake, north of Peterborough, Ontario, were destroyed long ago by the introduction of carp, I believe when they build the Trent Canal system through the lake.

Muskrats also like the rice and feed on it, cutting it down to just above water level.

It is not baiting, Duck Unlimited has helped to manage the marsh. There is also a sancturary pond nearby where the ducks and geese are fed, but there is no hunting within (I think) half a mile.

It is quite feasible if you can get the seed and don't have carp.
 
Nope, no carp that I know of and no connection for them to get in. I haven't seen muskrat but there are beaver. I don't mind feeding them too, unless they get TOO numerous in which case we know a local trapper who would be delighted to assist us in beaver # control.

That is the best thing about habitat improvement/creation, you benefit so many species besides the "game" species.

Thanks!
 
We own a camp near Timmins in Ontario and never had wild rice until the local trapper and (not sure who, maybe natives) people who can only harvest it every 2nd? or 4th? year. This is not baiting and ducks love it. We now have wild rice every where in the water near shore and lots of ducks and duck hunters. The rice will only grow in water up to about 5 feet deep with little to no current and we have a muddy bottom. I believe it was the MNR that gave the rice seed to the trapper to get it started back about 10 years ago. Hope this helps.
 
I know Alderville First Nation has done some rehabilitation of wild rice on Rice Lake. On the basic end of operations I think you just need the right soil on the lake bottom and depth, embed the seed rice in a ball of mud and drop it in the water on the more sophisticated side you can start the plants in a green house and out plant in fenced pens to keep the carp away. I suggest you try some GOOGLE searches (wild rice rehabilitation) and try a search on the MNR website (www.mnr.gov.on.ca)

FYI, Technically you are modifying fish habitat, for the better probably, however big brother will want to involve the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Which would probably require you do some background reports (was there rice there historically), develop a rehab plan of some sort and involve 10s of thousands of dollars in consulting fees. Once Fisheries and Oceans is happy then you may then have to deal with MNR, like you said, beaurocrats need something to do.

There is actually on Ontario Wild Rice Act which you may also want to read although it just covers the harvesting of wild rice I believe.
 
Yes, both.

In the classifieds in the back of the "Big 3" outdoor mags ( Field & Stream, Oudoor Life & Sports Afield) there is invariably advertising for a company in Minnesota that sells & specializes in seed & tuber stock for wild rice & wild celery and other aquatics to attract wildlife.

The biggest factors for propogation of these plant species seem to be habitat type, location, soil type, water quality and water movement. Generally, these species do not do well in say, beaver ponds, but rather in shallow lakes with certain water movement characteristics (inflow-outflow) and of specific soil type & ph levels.

In short, you really can't make it grow in conditions unfavourable to the species of plant. ( Strawberries won't grow well on land more suitable for onions !) Do some homework with the experts before you go & spend money on seed & planting that may not have a chance from day 1. Your MNR Biologists may be of some help, as might the appropriate staff at your nearest DU field office. Wild rice "seed" which must be kept wet ( and is very "stinky" ) may be obtained from a number of native sources, but you are already too late in the year for it.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom