Should I take my duck kayaking with me in Lake Michigan?

[Parrotchick]

I too have been wondering about having a duck buddy to take kayaking, except I'm a whitewater boater. I've seen plenty of wild ducks, geese, and cormorants go through class II rapids, maybe even an easy class III but certainly never a class IV or V (although I did see some panicked goose parents at the top and bottom of a four foot waterfall made by an old dam, waiting to save their wayward gosling. It caught the last eddy at the top fortunately, or the hydraulic at the bottom would have been pretty rough on it, though my friend who's an excellent gnar boater was prepared to save it). Waterfowl always seem to know where to go on the rivers and creeks. THEY never get jammed up in shallow areas or pick the channel that turns out to be impassable. My only duck that is attached enough to me to take out is a Muscovy though, so I don't think rivers are his thing. Maybe one day I'll have a water duck imprinted enough on me to take on Antietam Creek, which is class II- under normal conditions. But only if I'm 1000% sure it'll stick with me.

I don't know from sea kayaking, but I would think the big waves on a lake would make it easier for you to get separated from your duck. Even if he normally comes when you call him, he might not be able to hear you or might panic and fly off. Or find the duck mate of his dreams. With trimmed wings, he might feel all out of whack on the water. And the predator issues that others mention would certainly be a concern. I would err on the side of caution and stick to the familiar creek.

 

[Rainbow1036]

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Captain Cluck, I respect your rank, sir, but did you read the original post at all? OP is talking about kayaking on Lake Michigan, not hanging out at home.

I think he was responding to my post about having a hawk that lives in my yard.

My duck does have a pen that we put him in at night but during the day he is free to go wherever he wants (although the pen door is always open during the day). its not uncommon for him to swim up or downstream and disappear for a couple of hours so it would be kinda hard to always protect him from the hawks around my home.

 

[Captain Cluck]

Ranchhand, I think you missed Rainbow's post about having a hawk's nest in their yard. Go back and read post #6.
Go ahead, it's OK... I'll wait... :

Hawk nests mean Hawks, Hawk Eggs and Hungry Baby Hawks.

Hungry Baby Hawks are fed by Quick As Lightening hunting Hawk Mommies and Hawk Daddies.

Unprotected ducks are a free and easy meal

for Hawk Mommies and Hawk Daddies to bring home to Hungry Baby Hawks at home screaming their hungry little heads off for "FOOD! NOW! MOMMY!!!! FEED ME! DADDY!!!!"

Thus the information on protecting his little quacker while at home.

By the way, I do hope you tone was of the helpful, friendly and informative kind

and not of the haughty, indignant and "boy are you stupid!"

kind...

As for my rank... well, This old Gramma Earned it!

Carry on....

 

[Captain Cluck]

RAINBOW, I am assuming you have trees and bushes/shrubbery for your duck to hide in when he feels the need.
I have my ducks at home, and would feel very uncomfortable if I could not find them within 5 minutes of looking for them, but that's just me. I think if we lived in a more rural area, I might not worry as much over my birds.

We have hawks, eagles and owls in our area.
There is a man who feeds the hawks on purpose about a mile or 2 away from me.
This encourages them to hunt the neighbors' chickens rather than hunt for mice and other wildlife.
2 miles is nothing for a hawk to fly. Hardly a stretch of the wings.

I also let my birds free range. They have their covered pen that is open during the day, and some bushes and a picnic table to hide under when necessary. Since I am in a neighborhood, they can only range as far as the property line which is fenced. I still watch for hawks and owls, etc.

Just keep an eye on your duck, however you keep him.

 

[ranchhand]

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I am responding to the original post and question. It didn't concern the hawks in the yard, it concerned the kayaking on Lake Michigan.

"By the way, I do hope you tone was of the helpful, friendly and informative kind and not of the haughty, indignant and "boy are you stupid"

No Gramma, it was intended to redirect attention to the Original Post question.

 

[Captain Cluck]

That's nice.

This is a discussion board, though and discussions, by their very nature, have a habit of progressing to other related (or not) topics.

Anyone can respond to the original question, or not.

I chose to respond to the question about hawks.

You sounded rather curt and haughty in your comment to me.

It was totally unnecessary, as the discussion was going along nicely, with the original and follow up questions being answered.

If you want to be the topic police, that's fine with me (pun intended).

So, Where's your badge and where's my ticket?

 

[Wifezilla]

I once took a cat camping with me because I couldn't find someone to feed her while we were gone. I was terrified she was going to run off. Once we got the tent set up she circled our camp spot a couple of times, decided that was "her" territory and then spent the week chasing chipmunks away from HER tent

 

[Rainbow1036]

I live in a rural area so we don't have a fence or anything. We don't mow near the creek so all the grass and weeds are about waist tall near the creek if he feels the need to hide and the creek winds through some pretty thick woods once out of our property so I don't think a hawk could hunt very good because of the forest.

I originally thought my duck would fly away once grown and join the wild ducks since I found his egg in my yard and hatched it with only a desk lamp but he has decided that he is human and wont associate himself with the wild ducks that sleep in our yard every day

Thank you for your replies everyone, and Captain Cluck, I appreciate the information you gave me

 

[Rainbow1036]

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that's funny! My cat would have just curled up and slept the whole time. She's 15 pounds of laziness lol

 

[Captain Cluck]

You're welcome, Rainbow.

Wifezilla, you have some cool cat!

Ranchhand, I appreciate your passion. Just relax and lighten up a little 'K?