deer crack Mineral for deer

In many areas, wood ducks have difficulty finding suitable natural nesting sites. Wood duck boxes provide a man-made alternative, where hens can nest in relative safety from predators.
The first wood duck box's, bark-covered slab wooden boxes which were thought to be designed by biologists Gil Gigstead and Milford Smith at Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge in central Illinois. This represented the first recorded use of artificial nesting structures for wood ducks. Since those pioneering efforts, thousands of wood duck boxes have been built and erected by a diversity of people and groups, from wildlife agencies to conservation-minded private citizens.
Wood duck boxes provide an excellent opportunity for anyone to become involved in wildlife management. By building, installing, and maintaining nest boxes, individuals can gain insight into the interesting aspects of wood duck nesting and reproduction, while helping to boost local populations.
While many types and styles of wood duck boxes have been produced from a variety of materials over the years, those made from rough-cut lumber, like the original prototypes built by Gil Gigstead and Milford Smith, seem to work best.
In pre colonial times, the wood duck was likely the most abundant waterfowl species in North America. Unfortunately, their distribution within densely settled regions made them readily accessible to market hunters throughout the year. Over harvesting coupled with the destruction of bottom land habitats drove these colorful birds to the brink of extinction by the early 20th century. The dramatic rebound of wood duck populations since that time can largely be attributed to the advent of artificial nesting structures, or wood duck boxes.

a four-inch layer of wood shavings or sawdust should be added to each box for nesting material. The female will use this to cover the eggs during laying or when she takes feeding breaks during incubation. Boxes should be cleaned out and replenished with fresh nesting material every year in late winter, before hens initiate nesting in early spring.

Several important factors must be considered when selecting sites to place wood duck boxes. Suitable brood habitat must be available within a couple of hundred yards for the ducklings to survive once they exit the box. Shallow, fertile wetlands with thick cover and an abundance of invertebrates typically provide the best habitat for broods.