# Hunting > Game Bird Hunting >  New pond

## ocean-hunter

Hey team,

I'm after some advice,  
So my mother in law has just brought the neighbors 20 acres with 3 ponds on it, she's told me I can do what I want with them. My question is how do you go about cleaning them up and what to plant and where? And when would you start feeding them? 
 Abit of a project to get it ready for next season 

Cheers 
Bevan

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## Sarvo

Residential or Rural

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## ocean-hunter

Rural in taumarunui

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## jakewire

Photos mate, that would help.

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## ocean-hunter

> Photos mate, that would help.


I'll try and get some up soon, should be heading down there in a couple of weeks

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## Hautapu

As you are in Hamilton contact Kevin Hutchinson (Operations Manager) at Waikato Rivercare.  He has more experience building ponds and habitats than most and is a very good waterfowl hunter.  He also knows his way around the grant process, which would be handy.

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## Sarvo

> Rural in taumarunui


Where in Taumaranui - can I ask ??
My old stamping ground

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## Kiwi Greg

Bevan the most important question is how many flowers & quantity you should buy her ?

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## Russian 22.

Would be good to start trapping and feeding the ducks now. I think you can get some traps from the local council or doc.

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## Mathias

> Bevan the most important question is how many flowers & quantity you should buy her ?


Yeah Bevan, don't forget the big thank you bud! Lucky bastard

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## Sideshow

@ocean-hunter right go out and sit and watch how the ducks come into land. Then you can figure out where to plant your Maimai. Then plant some honeysuckle at its base. Cheap camouflage that grows quickly. Also saves on the cutting down of Manuka that doesn't grow that fast.
Once you have built this then plant flax on the walk in paths to the Maimai to give you cover to get in and out.
Leave a few beaches ducks like to feed on these. Weeping willows are nice maybe one our two they also grow fast. Some natives Kah,haca,tear (sorry don't know correct spelling)
Pritty close to this season so I'd just shoot it and then see after for all of the above as by then you would have a better idea.
If you are going to feed start now. Get a few rat traps possum traps and run these also.
Try and avoid pampas grass as it's a pain when you get a runner burying itself in there.
An island is also not bad so long as it's not in there main landing zone.
I'll post up how to build some nesting boxs that predators can't get into later. This helps you get a resident duck population going which in turn pulls in more ducks.
Also if it's not fenced do so nothing ruins ponds faster than stock! They eat all your planting's kill your Maimai and push in the pond banks.
If the pond's are silted up a bit then also before you go ahead with the above work I'd drain them and desilt them, again after the season.
 self feeder  :Thumbsup: 

Edit sorry I see you want to start this for next season. Great then feed it and shoot it this season and your good to go for next if you do half of the above.
There's nothing better than mucking around on ponds :Thumbsup:

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## Russian 22.

I'd be keen to see how the pest proof nesting box goes together.

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## Bryan

Bay of Plenty Regional Council have a good guide to wetland / pond planting to improve habitat for wildlife and water quality:

https://www.boprc.govt.nz/media/2954...ationGuide.pdf

I think Fish & Game have some basic information on their website too.

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## Micky Duck

SARVO....me too Mate.even went to high school there.
you will have loads of parries but there are good number of mallards there now too.
this season go with camo net and just see what happens and get stuck in during later months of winter and set your self up better.most important to keep on sides with your wife and mother in law,private ponds are getting harder and harder to get so look after it.

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