# Tall cattails



## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

I was out checking water levels and looking at some places to duck hunt this coming weekend and found that a lot of the sloughs have very tall cattails around them. The high water levels this spring created a good enviorment for vegitation to grow tall and create a thick ring of 10' tall bullrushes and cattails. Some of these surround the slough with a 75 yard buffer of jungle.This vegitation will freeze down but that is a long way off. Some of you will find your favorite sloughs tough to hunt.
good luck :beer:


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

I was thinking the same thing. I'm going to try convincing the uncles to give field hunting a whirl, but the old duffers get their kicks being knee deep in muck. Oh well, who can blame 'em? :wink:


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

This has been going on for a long time. On the family farm most of the sloughs that had only a fringe of cattails 30 years ago now probably only have 25% open water. I personally feel this is due to the extensive use of fertilizers over the last 50-75 years.


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## Bisbee Hunter (Apr 8, 2009)

The use of fertilizers in my opinion has lil effect of the growth of cattails. They grow where there is moisture and this spring was bad for that.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

As a waterfowler you have to be able to adapt. Water or field. I guarantee you no amount of cattails would stop me from duck hunting.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Wingmaster said:


> As a waterfowler you have to be able to adapt. Water or field. I guarantee you no amount of cattails would stop me from duck hunting.


Amen to that! I remember when I was younger and living back home, me and a buddy used to head to Montrose where there was a large WMA. The only problem was that it was surrounded by about 200 yards of cattail bog. We'd drag two canoes, one empty and one full of decoys and gear, out to the middle of the slough. The entire way we'd be busting through the cattails, getting stuck in muck and water up to our butts. It was a lot of work and usually the payoff was a teal or two. Of course, that was before we knew about North Dakota. God, were we naive :lol:


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Duckslayer100 said:


> Wingmaster said:
> 
> 
> > As a waterfowler you have to be able to adapt. Water or field. I guarantee you no amount of cattails would stop me from duck hunting.
> ...


That is what you call fun. I bet you two cussed the whole time you did it, but you made alot of memories so it was well worth it.

I did the same thing when I was younger and I would still probably do it now.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

You guys are probably going to needs boats oke:

I saw last weekend where open water was between the cattails and shore so if a person wanted to stand in the cattails for cover it was going to be maybe too deep.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

That's why you need to find the little potholes that are over looked. They are at the most knee deep full of food for puddlers. I love those types of set ups. You can put your layout blind right on the edge and get ready for some fun. I have never used a boat in my life to hunt waterfowl in ND. Not saying I wouldn't on really big water for divers though.


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## niener (Jan 7, 2008)

The worst thing about cattails is all the little cottons that get everywhere


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Gotta love cordless hedge trimmers!!!!!!!!!


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## Hockeyhunter99 (Oct 11, 2007)

and machettes


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Could bring a ladder :beer:


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## Traveler (Oct 24, 2006)

Dont inhale while you walk thru the fluff...I almost gagged to death last year on a mouth full of cotton. My buddies also almost died from laughing so hard while I caughed up fluff balls. Also stuck to my face paint and mad me look like a white wolf-man. this year a mask that covers my mouth.


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## wyogoose (Feb 11, 2006)

We have the same probleem with a few ponds out here. My solution was an Avery Ruff stand and two homemade marsh seats. The water is about two feet deep so I built two marsh seats that are a little more comfy. I set up the ruff stand for my dog and we set up at theedge of the cat tails. Since were are the only ones that hunt that part of the lake we always tear the ducks up.


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## Billyhcc (Jan 9, 2009)

I don't know why but a dead bird falling from the sky and making a splash makes a kill that much better. It definatley is a lot more work, but there is a side benfit - excerise - I would rather walk through muck hunting than taking the dog for a jog for excercise.


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## sniffasaurus (Sep 25, 2009)

The recent increase in cattail vegetation is mainly due to a hybridization of Common Cattail (Typha Latifolia) with an eastern native Narrow-Leaved Cattail (T. Angustifolia). The result is a very aggressive plant tolerant of many conditions either singular species could not tolerate before (T. "glauca").


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## Jmnhunter (Feb 9, 2009)

blhunter3 said:


> Duckslayer100 said:
> 
> 
> > Wingmaster said:
> ...


 :thumb: thats how we used to do it in college, now I'm out here and hope to stay in a field or potholes, but I will miss the wild rice lakes with my best friends


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## bornlucky (Jul 24, 2007)

sniffasaurus said:


> The recent increase in cattail vegetation is mainly due to a hybridization of Common Cattail (Typha Latifolia) with an eastern native Narrow-Leaved Cattail (T. Angustifolia). The result is a very aggressive plant tolerant of many conditions either singular species could not tolerate before (T. "glauca").


I will be watching for that answer on Jeopardy.


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