Foggy's Deertopia Proving Grounds - Happenings

[Foggy47]

Will have a 12 + foot wide sand road over that 100 yards of low land. I wonder if I can grow switch grass on the sides of this? May find a little black dirt too....could use some "binder" in that sand. Any opinions on how to grow something there? May find some cuttings too....and stick them alongside the roadway.....I'd sure like the game to use this road at some point.

If I could sneak across this trail.....I'd be in a real honey-hole on the other side. pew, pew, pew.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I like that project a lot. You actually covered my first suggestion and that is to taper the pond edges as the steep walls in sandy soil will collapse and fill in the bottom of your pond. I don't have an actual angle to give you, but I'd try to keep it under 45 degrees for sure. My neighbor dug a steep pond on sandy ground and he had some washout issues.

I'd also add some mud minnows to that pond if possible. They are a great walleye bait, and maybe some day you can get some other type of fish to live there.

I'm sure SD can give you a soil building seed mix to plant on your swamp road. Just skip the thistle seed no matter what he says-

 

[Foggy47]

A few more pics from today. They really did a nice job on my road and I have a thick blanket of sand over the corduroy and have some geo-fabric under the corduroy. I think it is built right. I could use some "binder" or clay in the top coat.....but maybe next summer I can use up some piles of top soil that are left from logging times. That road will last a long time.

Also they tapered the water hole and the water is nearly 3 feet deep now. Kinda liking it. Should be a great place to hunt.

 

[SD51555]

Did u trench water to it?


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[Ben.MN/WI]

That looks great and your project killed 2 birds with one stone.

 

[Foggy47]

Did u trench water to it?


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Nope. Just took some time to seep in at the water table. This is close to the water level I will have going forward. You could see the change in soil colors when they found the water depth. It’s about three feet deep.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

That area around your pond sure looks like a great spot to shoot a grouse or two.

 

[Foggy47]

That area around your pond sure looks like a great spot to shoot a grouse or two.

Yesterday I was driving around with my UTV at my land. Was picking the heaters out of a few blinds and brought my cameras in for the winter. I think I flushed a half a dozen grouse while driving about. This is the most grouse I have had on my land since owning it. I likely should shoot a few for the table.....hate to do so before the rifle season.....and lack time after rifle season as we go to OZ. I think I find more pleasure in creating habitat for critters than shooting the critters these days. Strange how that works.

 

[SD51555]

Nope. Just took some time to seep in at the water table. This is close to the water level I will have going forward. You could see the change in soil colors when they found the water depth. It’s about three feet deep.

That’s ok. We can do that next year and keep a land space between the two and trash pump the water over the berm to keep the perch in there.


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[Foggy47]

That’s ok. We can do that next year and keep a land space between the two and trash pump the water over the berm to keep the perch in there.


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NOT! SD....I am 1/4 mile from a large lake with a marina where my pontoon is moored in well protected waters. The lake is well known for panfish, bass and walleye. Why on earth would I spend time and money to put perch in there? MN....land of 10,000 lakes (and a few fish ponds).

Maybe next summer I will offer a land tour at Deertopia and 'toon cruise at the lake. Pelican Lake and Deertopia are only about 6 miles apart. e Maybe we could invite the Pequot Lakes Chapter of the QDMA. (Have yet to meet a member.). Fun? I could get a special rate for rooms at the resort....stay the night after party time dockside at night with Elvis (impersonator). lol

 

[SD51555]

NOT! SD....I am 1/4 mile from a large lake with a marina where my pontoon is moored in well protected waters. The lake is well known for panfish, bass and walleye. Why on earth would I spend time and money to put perch in there? MN....land of 10,000 lakes (and a few fish ponds).

Maybe next summer I will offer a land tour at Deertopia and 'toon cruise at the lake. Pelican Lake and Deertopia are only about 6 miles apart. e Maybe we could invite the Pequot Lakes Chapter of the QDMA. (Have yet to meet a member.). Fun? I could get a special rate for rooms at the resort....stay the night after party time dockside at night with Elvis (impersonator). lol

I'm just pullin yer leg.

Private fish ponding is the sport of kings. It's kind of like 'why would Mike Tyson buy a tiger when there are zoos everywhere?' Private pond fishing is about privacy, excellence, no intrusive government or careless public to deal with, and a quality experience you cannot have in public waters. The ideal setup I've been dreaming of is two ponds that meet at a campsite. In one pond, there are perch and walleye in abundance and size. In the other is perch and catfish of abundance and size.

Between them is a campfire, patio furniture, a shelter nearby with an awning and storage, light, power (solar), tables for gear and snacks, friends and family. While sitting at that campfire, you can fish lighted bobbers in both ponds, one for walleye, one for catfish. During the day you can fish for perch. And you're just a 60 second ride back to the cabin with no cops waiting to pop you for having a few beers.

If you need to cull a bunch of one species, you can. There is no need to have to complain about government management, or others taking too much or not enough. Most importantly, you can do what you want, and you can do what you know is right, without having to deal with those that don't share those values like the public and the government.

 

[Brian662]

I'm just pullin yer leg.

Private fish ponding is the sport of kings. It's kind of like 'why would Mike Tyson buy a tiger when there are zoos everywhere?' Private pond fishing is about privacy, excellence, no intrusive government or careless public to deal with, and a quality experience you cannot have in public waters. The ideal setup I've been dreaming of is two ponds that meet at a campsite. In one pond, there are perch and walleye in abundance and size. In the other is perch and catfish of abundance and size.

Between them is a campfire, patio furniture, a shelter nearby with an awning and storage, light, power (solar), tables for gear and snacks, friends and family. While sitting at that campfire, you can fish lighted bobbers in both ponds, one for walleye, one for catfish. During the day you can fish for perch. And you're just a 60 second ride back to the cabin with no cops waiting to pop you for having a few beers.

If you need to cull a bunch of one species, you can. There is no need to have to complain about government management, or others taking too much or not enough. Most importantly, you can do what you want, and you can do what you know is right, without having to deal with those that don't share those values like the public and the government.

You've clearly put some thought into this. How big of ponds and how deep would you need to pull off something like that?

 

[SD51555]

You've clearly put some thought into this. How big of ponds and how deep would you need to pull off something like that?

About a quarter acre for each pond. Size is the tricky part. You'd think bigger is better because there'll be more fish. Truth is, you could fish every day and not keep up with your population goals or run out of fish to eat. It's a constant battle to keep one fish from starving or being wiped out.

If you have too many small perch, you add more walleyes. If you have giant perch and skinny walleyes, you eat more walleyes. Same goes with catfish. If you've got no perch and skinny catfish, eat more catfish and throw every perch you catch out of the walleye pond into the catfish pond, and then make some more perch cover in the catfish pond.

Walleyes don't reproduce in a pond, so you have control there. Perch never stop reproducing, and make fantastic walleye food for years because of their breadstick shape. They can fit in a walleye's mouth for a long time. If it's working, the walleyes will eat 99% of your perch, and you will eat 1% of your perch.

Keeping them smaller enables you to maintain the ability to shift control without outrageous interventions. The southern guys that have acres of private ponds/lakes have their hands full trying to kill enough bass to keep them in enough food to reach trophy potential. Or in the north where a guy has crappie and sunfish, it's impossible to kill enough crappies and sunfish to keep them growing to jumbo size. You can grow giant panfish with feeders, but there is a cost. Every bag of fish food becomes fish manure, and fish manure become phosphorus and algae blooms and oxygen crashes.

Depth? I'd like to keep it no shallower than 8 feet at the deepest, and no more than 12.

 

[Brian662]

Good stuff. Good point on the walleyes not reproducing and making them more manageable. However I think for them to flourish in the summer time without running water, I think you make want it deeper than 12'?

 

[Foggy47]

I just did a Facebook search on corduroy roads.....and I gotta say....mine may be the finest example of such in those many pages. I think my road will be there for a long, long time. 12 feet wide x 100 yards long, geo textile under well placed tamarack logs. This thing would carry a tank! Really well built. I did not anticipate such a great outcome.

 

[T-Max]

Well, you had a desire, access to resources, and let’s be honest you are a brilliant guy. I’m not surprised in the least. Looks great!


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