Falls Lake Impoundments

trjr3700

Button Buck
I was in the Raleigh/Durham area over the weekend and spent a few hours viewing the Falls Lake impoundments on Brickhouse Road. These are really good looking impoundments, if only they had some water in them. Any idea when or if NCWRC will flood these facilities?
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
So many hunters apply for depot and beaver dam that it is always hard to get a tag. When you do get one you end up having to share them with lotsa other hunters. I quit applying for them. The good years were when we had a hurricane in october that filled them up good. I've seen them full and I have seen them with almost none in them. Many years ago before I knew what they were I deer hunted bluff impoundment and it was dry. Last year depot could have been full but one of the gates stayed open and it never filled up where it should have been. I don't know if it was by accident or on purpose but beaver dam was full but depot was less than a foot high even after the rains in late september. The condition report comes out the first week in November. Last year they reported that they were nearly full and would be full by the dec/jan hunts. They can say they were full but I hunted flat rive 3 years in a row and I can tell you the levels were not the same form year to year. I couldn't hunt my honey hole because there was no water in it. Also, they quit planting them like they used to. Years ago they would plant sourgum and then flood it. The birds would roost in the impoundments and you would run them out when you went in. Now there is only weeds growing in them. Some might have some corn rows. I read that there are 3 non permit impoundments that will not be included in the flooding schedule. I don't know if that means they won't be filled or what.
 

jopel

Four Pointer
Contributor
I've never had much luck with those, I'd avoid putting in for weekend hunts, it gets packed.
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
We use to smoke the birds in FR years ago. Weren’t many people in there either but totally diff now. I quit a applying years ago when they couldn’t guarantee water. Showed up one time and there was only one pool that had water. Birds just don’t seem to be there anymore too, save some woodrows.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
You can go to Google Earth Pro and pull the impoundments up and scroll through the history and see the disparity from year to year of the water levels. Check out these images and the dates.Screen Shot 2019-10-03 at 3.57.15 PM.pngScreen Shot 2019-10-03 at 3.56.49 PM.pngScreen Shot 2019-10-03 at 3.56.32 PM.pngScreen Shot 2019-10-03 at 3.56.20 PM.png
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
So many hunters apply for depot and beaver dam that it is always hard to get a tag. When you do get one you end up having to share them with lotsa other hunters. I quit applying for them. The good years were when we had a hurricane in october that filled them up good. I've seen them full and I have seen them with almost none in them. Many years ago before I knew what they were I deer hunted bluff impoundment and it was dry. Last year depot could have been full but one of the gates stayed open and it never filled up where it should have been. I don't know if it was by accident or on purpose but beaver dam was full but depot was less than a foot high even after the rains in late september. The condition report comes out the first week in November. Last year they reported that they were nearly full and would be full by the dec/jan hunts. They can say they were full but I hunted flat rive 3 years in a row and I can tell you the levels were not the same form year to year. I couldn't hunt my honey hole because there was no water in it. Also, they quit planting them like they used to. Years ago they would plant sourgum and then flood it. The birds would roost in the impoundments and you would run them out when you went in. Now there is only weeds growing in them. Some might have some corn rows. I read that there are 3 non permit impoundments that will not be included in the flooding schedule. I don't know if that means they won't be filled or what.
I hunted Beaver Dam and was hunting in pretty prime looking area. Not that it ultimately mattered as I didn't see anything but I was hunting flooded corn.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
I went by Bluff on Saturday and while there is corn planted none of the plants I saw had ears. Will run by Beaver Dam and Depot and check on Saturday.
 

JWH15

Six Pointer
So many hunters apply for depot and beaver dam that it is always hard to get a tag. When you do get one you end up having to share them with lotsa other hunters. I quit applying for them. The good years were when we had a hurricane in october that filled them up good. I've seen them full and I have seen them with almost none in them. Many years ago before I knew what they were I deer hunted bluff impoundment and it was dry. Last year depot could have been full but one of the gates stayed open and it never filled up where it should have been. I don't know if it was by accident or on purpose but beaver dam was full but depot was less than a foot high even after the rains in late september. The condition report comes out the first week in November. Last year they reported that they were nearly full and would be full by the dec/jan hunts. They can say they were full but I hunted flat rive 3 years in a row and I can tell you the levels were not the same form year to year. I couldn't hunt my honey hole because there was no water in it. Also, they quit planting them like they used to. Years ago they would plant sourgum and then flood it. The birds would roost in the impoundments and you would run them out when you went in. Now there is only weeds growing in them. Some might have some corn rows. I read that there are 3 non permit impoundments that will not be included in the flooding schedule. I don't know if that means they won't be filled or what.

Why did you apply this year if you quit applying? Just in case?
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
I quit applying for depot and beaver dam because I wasn't getting drawn AND the hunts I did get drawn for were never any good when I did get drawn more than 10 years ago. Started applying for another impoundment and got regularly drawn and had at least one good hunt there. Then after the water levels dropped and the birds didn't show up I had a couple bad hunts that were a total waste of time, effort and money and at least two that I didn't go on because of ice over an inch thick. This year I decided to try beaver dam again and got one draw. It was a kind of "go for broke" thing. We'll see how it goes.
I heard from a depot employee that despite the drought he expects the impoundments to be full. Their idea of full and mine are different.
 
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JWH15

Six Pointer
I understand, my views are about the same as yours. Was just curious if we had similar thoughts
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
I quit applying for depot and beaver dam because I wasn't getting drawn AND the hunts I did get drawn for were never any good when I did get drawn more than 10 years ago. Started applying for another impoundment and got regularly drawn and had at least one good hunt there. Then after the water levels dropped and the birds didn't show up I had a couple bad hunts that were a total waste of time, effort and money and at least two that I didn't go on because of ice over an inch thick. This year I decided to try beaver dam again and got one draw. It was a kind of "go for broke" thing. We'll see how it goes.
I heard from a depot employee that despite the drought he expects the impoundments to be full. Their idea of full and mine are different.

Drought is not a bad thing if the water in the swamps dried up or got low. Should be a great crop of smartweed and or barnyard grass growing. IF the water returns there will be a lot of food available.
 

Hevi 13. Anson

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Drought is not a bad thing if the water in the swamps dried up or got low. Should be a great crop of smartweed and or barnyard grass growing. IF the water returns there will be a lot of food available.
I was at our lease in Bladen water was low but tons of grass seed has grown. Just need some rain in the next month.
 

TomstoSwans486

Four Pointer
I really don't get why the wildlife department doesn't really take care of these impoundments, like before. I saw that DU put money into Butner-Falls but I don't know what they did?? I have not heard good things in a long time on these impoundments. Anyone still hunt the main lake? I did several times years ago and always had a decent hunt, we'd shoot ringnecks, a few mallards, even Ruddy's now and then. It was fun, and usually never had anyone near us. . All the kids were in the creeks chasing the same wood duck.
 
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