Ok guys…just a reminder to all of you PM Landlords. It’s about time to get those houses and gourds back up!
2nd year PM landlord here. Last year I purchased a cheap S&K 12 room house and pole at Tractor Supply. I closed off half the entrances making 6 larger compartments and bought 4 gourds, installing them below the house. I filled the 10 cavities with pine needles, raised the house and started my first gig looking for tenants the weekend after the ice storm here in N TX.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to have much if any success our inaugural year. I was told not to be disappointed if PMs just visited without nesting overnight or even if they didn’t make an appearance at all. Still, I thought I will buy and play the Dawn Song CD on a boom box every morning before leaving for work. I did this religiously for a week to 10 days. Then one evening, to my surprise, I hear that VERY distinctive sound that those of us now in the know can never mistake…my first PM scout! He liked what he saw enough to invite several friends back over the next few weeks and by mid April we were enjoying daily morning and evening entertainment. We were now successful PM Landlords!! I gave the starlings and house sparrows a good working over with a pellet rifle and a shotgun and by mid summer 8 of the 10 cavities were being occupied most nights.
To say that I have officially become HOOKED is an understatement. The wife and I both literally became depressed when that sound left us for good in early August.
So, enter YEAR 2!
My goal was to double our cavities but I actually tripled them. Did I say I was hooked? I purchased 2 Birds Choice metal 3-tier houses and 8 two piece Heath gourds. So we have gone from 10 to 30 total cavities. Again, I closed off half the house entrances making the compartments larger. The build is stupid heavy so I won’t embarrass myself by providing too many details but let’s just say it involves 2 3/8” heavy wall drill stem and an ugly welding job!
Anyway, I fought the cold and wind yesterday to finally get everything up in time for the self imposed Valentines Day deadline. All entrances are plugged up except for 3 of last year’s gourds in anticipation of the first scouts to arrive. I will build 2 new predator guards with netting next weekend. I used a metal baffle last year but it was a hassle and I hated it.
Good luck to everyone this year and show us your setups.
2nd year PM landlord here. Last year I purchased a cheap S&K 12 room house and pole at Tractor Supply. I closed off half the entrances making 6 larger compartments and bought 4 gourds, installing them below the house. I filled the 10 cavities with pine needles, raised the house and started my first gig looking for tenants the weekend after the ice storm here in N TX.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to have much if any success our inaugural year. I was told not to be disappointed if PMs just visited without nesting overnight or even if they didn’t make an appearance at all. Still, I thought I will buy and play the Dawn Song CD on a boom box every morning before leaving for work. I did this religiously for a week to 10 days. Then one evening, to my surprise, I hear that VERY distinctive sound that those of us now in the know can never mistake…my first PM scout! He liked what he saw enough to invite several friends back over the next few weeks and by mid April we were enjoying daily morning and evening entertainment. We were now successful PM Landlords!! I gave the starlings and house sparrows a good working over with a pellet rifle and a shotgun and by mid summer 8 of the 10 cavities were being occupied most nights.
To say that I have officially become HOOKED is an understatement. The wife and I both literally became depressed when that sound left us for good in early August.
So, enter YEAR 2!
My goal was to double our cavities but I actually tripled them. Did I say I was hooked? I purchased 2 Birds Choice metal 3-tier houses and 8 two piece Heath gourds. So we have gone from 10 to 30 total cavities. Again, I closed off half the house entrances making the compartments larger. The build is stupid heavy so I won’t embarrass myself by providing too many details but let’s just say it involves 2 3/8” heavy wall drill stem and an ugly welding job!
Anyway, I fought the cold and wind yesterday to finally get everything up in time for the self imposed Valentines Day deadline. All entrances are plugged up except for 3 of last year’s gourds in anticipation of the first scouts to arrive. I will build 2 new predator guards with netting next weekend. I used a metal baffle last year but it was a hassle and I hated it.
Good luck to everyone this year and show us your setups.
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