Beaver ponds

[corydd7]

I have an itch to buy a 12 acres piece of property with about an acre of which is a beaver pond. My question is being connected to a large ADK stream do I run the risk of the property being junk? If used strictly for hunting would this be a piece of property you would go after or avoid?

This piece is surrounded by large woods which is a huge plus.

[turkeyfeathers]

Imo which doesn't mean a bunch. Deer may bed close as sanctuary and feel content. I know they do with small swamp on area we hunt.Crszy trails in and out of it but no way to hunt it.  You hunt ducks ? Woodies and blacks are always in there.Maybe some brook trout ?!  It's a water source to hunt near too. My fleeting thoughts 

[corydd7]

On 10/13/2017 at 6:19 PM, turkeyfeathers said:

Imo which doesn't mean a bunch. Deer may bed close as sanctuary and feel content. I know they do with small swamp on area we hunt.Crszy trails in and out of it but no way to hunt it.  You hunt ducks ? Woodies and blacks are always in there.Maybe some brook trout ?!  It's a water source to hunt near too. My fleeting thoughts 

So what stops you? To thick, wet, loud, windy? All problems hunting swamps and I have hunted them growing up but I'm going in blind Saturday to a new spot and not sure what to expect other then Google earth. Just a general question I know each situation is different.

[turkeyfeathers]

6 hours ago, corydd7 said:

So what stops you? To thick, wet, loud, windy? All problems hunting swamps and I have hunted them growing up but I'm going in blind Saturday to a new spot and not sure what to expect other then Google earth. Just a general question I know each situation is different.

Downwind end of it is off property line so can't get in undetected . It's very quick in there too so I just don't disturb it. 

[Robhuntandfish]

if its a good deal why not.....  sounds good to me with a trout stream ?  in the dacks deer population can really differ.  Just depends on the location.  If its for sale and owners dont care, trail cam it and see whats out there. Then figure out how to get them after.  Thats the fun of owning land! 

And yeah might be an option for bear, geese , ducks as well.  The land I lease is a nice setup for ducks but since i deer hunt it so much i cant bring myself to shoot the shotgun in there during deer season.  I dont like ducks that much..

am betting it is thick if there is a beaver pond , might be a good bedding area near the big woods.  

[GreeneHunter]

I've always found that any property with water on it is usually more attractive to wildlife ! Be it a pond , stream or lake ! Everything alive needs water !

[sailinghudson25]

Swamp edges and ridges.....

 

This is how I hunt the dacks.  Look at ridges more so on the south face for rubs.  Follow streams until you see crossing tracks, then follow them.    Where does travel, bucks like to have a path 50 yards or so downwind.

the beavers clear trees, so smaller growth.  The deer thrive on smaller growth. 

The nicest buck on our 800 acre lease was harvested by a guy with a horrible hangover.  Woke up to use the outhouse, and the deer was 20 yards from the cabin.  Nailed him through a window around 930am veterans day weekend.

You got big open woods, but in public land areas they do hold close to roads for undergrowth to eat.

IF anything else, you got a beautiful base camp with a beaver pond.......

 

Check out the area's rules.  aDK has funny rules about clearing land, adding buildings, amoung other special issues.  Another one is disturbing beaver ponds.  MAybe talk to the town about rules a bit.  The general DEC rules require a permit over an acre.  that's state wide and not ADK specific. 

 

You get the property and want some beavers gone, there plenty of folk who do that one here.

 

 

Edited October 20, 2017 by sailinghudson25

[corydd7]

Stinking beautiful but Im out of my element. This pond doesnt appear to be active so my question is where would you sit? One view you oversee the pond area and newly made driveway. The other is by the dam but thats all the prevailing wind allows you to hunt. Seems like they cross or drink at the dam. I walked the edge quite swampy with a hundred foot bowl in every direction but the dam and stream.

[sailinghudson25]

The edges of the pond are gold.  Plant Adler, red dogwood, and maybe willow.  Deer will go there.

 

Deer think they're hunted by coyotes when they think they're hunted.  They cross water and feel safe.  They think wind and water is a way or being secure.

Go for it.

Improve the land for them and you'll get much more sightings.  

[rachunter]

I have a beaver pond on my 10 acres it’s a wildlife magnet. I also have a small creek up in the front of my property that the deer walk along. You can always remove the beaver and dran out the pond. But I doubt you will want to. 

[stoneam2006]

What makes you think the pond is not active? Is water running over the dam? Is there any greenery in the water that looks out of Place or even plant life growing? Is the water source on your property too where the water flows into the pond or is it dammed at both ends?

When I hunt the big woods up north I hunt alot of beaver ponds. Deer and other game will wander around and over the dam for drinks and in the underbrush for rodents. If you can when it ices up this winter take a walk around that will tell you more about what's going on.

I'd be all over this if it was me.

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[corydd7]

4 hours ago, stoneam2006 said:

What makes you think the pond is not active? Is water running over the dam? Is there any greenery in the water that looks out of Place or even plant life growing? Is the water source on your property too where the water flows into the pond or is it dammed at both ends?

When I hunt the big woods up north I hunt alot of beaver ponds. Deer and other game will wander around and over the dam for drinks and in the underbrush for rodents. If you can when it ices up this winter take a walk around that will tell you more about what's going on.

I'd be all over this if it was me.

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All great advice thanks everyone. I did walk the entire pond, it didn't seem like a lot of water compared to Google earth which is a 3 year old picture. Dam was very small and had a constant trickle of water. Deer do drink or cross at the dam it looked active with deer. Yes the water source is a large stream from Kayuga Lake. It runs adjacent it the bottom of the property.  As a disclaimer it's not mine yet I own 40 acres down the road and I'm thinking of adding to my collection and from what has been said it seems like a good idea. Hope my wife doesn't ever go on this site and see what I read.

 

There are tons and tons of coyote on a preserve very close I hear them every night. Tons of pictures so that advice hits home Sailing.

[stoneam2006]

All great advice thanks everyone. I did walk the entire pond, it didn't seem like a lot of water compared to Google earth which is a 3 year old picture. Dam was very small and had a constant trickle of water. Deer do drink or cross at the dam it looked active with deer. Yes the water source is a large stream from Kayuga Lake. It runs adjacent it the bottom of the property.  As a disclaimer it's not mine yet I own 40 acres down the road and I'm thinking of adding to my collection and from what has been said it seems like a good idea. Hope my wife doesn't ever go on this site and see what I read.
 
There are tons and tons of coyote on a preserve very close I hear them every night. Tons of pictures so that advice hits home Sailing.

If the dam is leaking your right the dam is inactive more than likely....sounds like a beautiful piece of property

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