HellOe jOe. All but three nesting boxes18/21 had wood ducks in them this year. What is a nesting box but a hole in a tree or box or cylinder in which a bird can nest? We keep the opening small to keep out ratcoons. Give them some shaving or straw and put it where they want to be. I painted the boxes so they did not look like an oversized beer can. I own the farm but I dont even hunt ducks there. I just want them to multiply. Wood ducks are one of the most beautifully colored drakes in my opinion. Tasty too.
I am mad that some jerk was on my land, had the balls to steel something of so little value but of great utility for increasing the number of Wood Ducks. And the number of boxes required either multiple trips or a planned theft. You dont carry that many off under your arm. It was done in the last few weeks we figured. So thats an active trespasser who better not get caught. My land is all posted for liability reasons and by hunters who have permission to hunt it. They actually do a good job watching it for me. Point of fact is that a friend noticed them missing for me.
The duct pipe I can easily find. The steel post I can buy. It pisses me off that someone steals them in the first place. This time I wont just drive the post down so some awhole can just pull them up. Ill add a 6-12 section of concrete on the post, use a post digger to get the concrete a foot or more below ground level. Then they will play hell getting them up.
