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The National Land Podcast is the go-to show for landowners, ranchers, farmers, rural investors, and outdoor stewards who want straight talk and field-tested insights. In each episode, host Mac Christian sits down with economists, lenders, ranchers, wildlife pros, policy leaders, and elite land brokers to unpack market forces, risk, and opportunity across America’s land, then turns it into clear takeaways you can use on your acreage tomorrow. Expect smart explainers and real stories on farm and ranch operations, timber and wildlife management, hunting access and leases, water and mineral rights, easements, 1031 exchanges, FSA/USDA programs, carbon credits, conservation monetization, rural financing, and the ag economy. If you buy, sell, manage, or dream about land, follow now and make better decisions, season after season.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Gabe Goodson, a National Land Realty agent in Alabama, breaks down exactly how to design, build, and manage small duck impoundments that actually hold birds. We cover ideal water body size (start around 2 acres), target depths (12–16"), clay-based soils (plus when bentonite makes sense), drawdown timing, pump/ice strategies, and moist-soil management that feeds ducks all season. Gabe also outlines realistic acreage needs (often 10–15 acres to support ~2 acres of water), common permitting paths (NRCS, local water-rights holders), and current land costs in his part of Alabama ($8k–$11k/acre) to help buyers budget the full project, not just the dirt. If you’re a landowner, buyer, or waterfowl hunter looking to add dependable duck habitat, this is a step-by-step playbook from soil test to first flights.
Episode takeaways:
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Start with soils & water: Target clay subsoil to hold water; avoid sand. Bentonite is a Plan B, not the plan.
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Right-sized water: About 2 acres of water at 12–16 inches depth shows well from the air and is ideal for dabblers.
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Acreage math: Plan on 10–15 total acres to comfortably support a ~2-acre impoundment and buffers/blinds.
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Moist-soil > monoculture: Staggered drawdowns (e.g., pull boards every couple weeks) promote diverse natural feed; rotate light disking every ~3 years.
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Plant strategy: Use natural seedbank where possible; supplement with Japanese/browntop millet when needed. Don’t mirror neighbors, be different if they all flood corn.
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Budget with eyes open: In Gabe’s market, raw land often runs $8k–$11k/acre; clay on-site saves real money on levees and sealing.
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Permits & neighbors: Start with NRCS and local water-rights owners; place blinds/shot angles to avoid 6:15 a.m. neighbor conflicts.
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Timeline: A well-planned impoundment can be built over one summer if the site is dry enough for dirt work.
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Common failure: Skipping soil tests and design, then discovering the “pond” won’t hold water.
Contact Gabe Goodson
https://nationalland.com/real-estate-agent/gabe-goodson
National Land Realty
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