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SOCAL WATERFOWL ROUNDUP -- ONS-Jim Matthews 17oct03
Waterfowl season looks much better than last year
With the waterfowl season opener on Saturday for much of the region, refuge managers in the southern part of the state are working through limited budgets and water shortages to provide hunters on public areas as much habitat and opportunity as possible. With a forecast increase in duck numbers, both migrants and locally produced birds, and diligence of federal and state staff, hunters can expect to see a season that was better than last year.
"They're getting water on Wister as we speak," said Ty Nay of Birds Incorporated, a guiding service in the Imperial Valley. "We have a tremendous amount of waterfowl in the valley right now. I'm out in the field nearly every day and I've seen really good numbers of pintail already."
Guides, hunters, and refuge staff from throughout the region are saying similar things. The following is rundown of public areas in this region and the news that will be of interest to hunters for the Saturday opener:
The WISTER UNIT of the IMPERIAL WILDLIFE AREA on the southeast end of the Salton Sea remains the most popular destination for Southern California waterfowl hunters, and area manager Jim Chakarun said the area will not be flooding some places "due to budget considerations."
"We're not going to flood lesser quality sites until later in the season, but we'll have 100 sites available for opening day," said Chakarun. He noted that S20 would not be flooded this season.
Thanks to Safari Club International, Chakarun also noted that there is a new handicap hunting site (U10) available this year with both green feed and wetlands on opposite sides. The site had a concrete pit blind with a wheel-chair accessible ramp.
Wister and the Hazard Unit of the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge are open to waterfowl hunting through the state reservation system and a daily drawing for sites after all reservation holders are admitted to the area. Refills are permitted. Shoot days are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The state manages the waterfowl hunting program for the federal refuge. For more information, contact the unit at (760) 359-0577.
The SAN JACINTO WILDLIFE AREA, located in western Riverside County near Lake Perris, is perhaps the second most popular hunting area next to Wister for hunters in this region. The addition of the Walker Duck Club to the refuge two years ago added nine sites to the area, and area manager, Tom Paulek, said he expected a good season this year.
While funding for water is a problem here, too, Paulek said they were flooding up the major hunting areas -- the A, B, C, and D ponds -- and that there would be from 30 to 35 sites available for opening weekend.
Hunters need to remember that the only access to the area is from the south this year. Davis Road has been closed from the north, eliminating access off the 60 freeway. The best access is now off the 215 freeway at Ramona Expressway. Take Ramona Expressway east to Davis Road, and then take Davis north to the refuge headquarters.
There is a concern that budgets may run out and that spring flooding will not be able to take place, and Paulek said this could impact local production on the spring wetlands.
"We have to decide if we're going to spend all our money in the fall or try to save some for spring," said Paulek.
San Jacinto is open to waterfowl hunting through the state reservation system or a daily drawing for remaining sites after all reservation holders are admitted to the area. Refills are also permitted throughout the shoot day. Shoot days are Wednesday and Saturday. For more information, contact the wildlife area at (909) 928-0580.
The LAKE PERRIS STATE RECREATION AREA, adjacent to San Jacinto and managed by the staff there, is a neglected spot for waterfowl hunters with boats, and there is some concern it will not be open this year, according to Paulek.
"We still haven't confirmed funding for a seasonal aide position for Lake Perris," said Paulek, and he was entertaining the idea of getting a hunter-volunteer to run the hunt each Wednesday and Saturday. Anyone interested should call Paulek at San Jacinto at the number above.
Perris has hunting until noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Only hunters with boats and motors can hunt the area, and the check-in station is at parking lots 11 and 12 at the jet ski launch ramp inside the state recreation area. There were 10 sites last year open on a first-come, first-serve basis each shoot day, and its blind site quota never filled last year, even on opening day.
The KERN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE is also having water problems this year -- water availability problems. Jihadda Govan, the assistant refuge manager, said that water will not be available to flood up the two new areas -- units 5 and 6. The new units had generated much interest from hunters who were thrilled with the expansion work being done. And other areas may not get water this year. Govan said that Unit 1A would have water for sure for the opener, and a new dike in Unit 1 would allow for the eastern 1/3th of that unit to be flooded. She also said that units 2, 2a, and most of the blind sites should have water by the opener. There will be at least 50 spots available opening day, and perhaps quite a few more than that.
While Kern is closer to many Southern California hunters than Wister, and it always carries some of the best bird-per-hunter averages in the state, it is less hunted than other waterfowl spots in this region.
Hunting at Kern is allowed on Wednesday and Saturdays through the state reservation system or a drawing for leftover sites after all reservation holders are admitted to the area. Refills are permitted. At least half of the sites available for opening day will be reserved for walk-ons. For more information, call (661) 725-2767 or the hunter's hotline at (661) 725-6504, which is normally updated after each hunt day.
RAAHAUGE'S DUCK CLUB in PRADO BASIN is one of the few private clubs that offers a minimum of 15 blinds daily to public hunters. The 2003 fee for a two-person blind is $135 and reservations in advance are required. To encourage hunters to bring juniors, Mike Raahauge has a special on Sundays where an adult paying just $75 can bring up to two junior-licensed hunters free. Raahauge was giddy about the number of birds in the basin. "There are several thousand birds in the basin -- a little bit of everything," said Raahauge, who actually said there was -- with slight editing -- a manure load of ducks. Shoot days are all day Wednesday and Saturday and half-days on Sunday. For more information, call the club at (909) 735-7981 or check the club's web site at http://www.raahauges.com .
At the SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES, hunting is allowed at BARRETT LAKE and SUTHERLAND RESERVOIR. Barrett is open Wednesday and Saturdays, while Sutherland is open Thursday and Sunday. There is a mail application deadline to apply for reservations each September and an in-person lottery in early October at San Vicente Reservoir. Hunters can reserve up to eight reservation dates for waterfowl hunting during this in-person lottery and all Barrett reservations are filled, but spots are still available for Sutherland. The city has an information packet it mails to hunters that explains all of the details of the program and includes application forms. Hunters can call the city lakes at (619) 668-2050 to request a packet.
LAKE HENSHAW, when the water level is up, is one of the best places in the region to hunt, and it is a scull boater's dream. This San Diego County water holds a good number of geese each year and a wide variety of big ducks, especially wigeon. The lake traditionally opens to duck and goose hunting later in the fall, and the tentative time frame is mid-November after the first rains. Hunt days are Wednesdays and Saturdays. The fee has been upper to $40 per hunter per day this year. For more information, contact the lake at (760) 782-3501.
LAKE CUYAMACA has a late, short waterfowl hunt. Usually opening around Dec. 1, there are 20 to 22 blind sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reservations for the 2003 season will be taken this month. Shoot days are Wednesdays and Sundays until noon. For more information on reservations, write Lake Cuyamaca Waterfowl Hunt, 15027 Highway 79, Julian, CA 92036, or contact Hugh Marx at (760) 765-0515. The website address is http://www.lakecuyamaca.org .
Waterfowl season looks much better than last year
With the waterfowl season opener on Saturday for much of the region, refuge managers in the southern part of the state are working through limited budgets and water shortages to provide hunters on public areas as much habitat and opportunity as possible. With a forecast increase in duck numbers, both migrants and locally produced birds, and diligence of federal and state staff, hunters can expect to see a season that was better than last year.
"They're getting water on Wister as we speak," said Ty Nay of Birds Incorporated, a guiding service in the Imperial Valley. "We have a tremendous amount of waterfowl in the valley right now. I'm out in the field nearly every day and I've seen really good numbers of pintail already."
Guides, hunters, and refuge staff from throughout the region are saying similar things. The following is rundown of public areas in this region and the news that will be of interest to hunters for the Saturday opener:
The WISTER UNIT of the IMPERIAL WILDLIFE AREA on the southeast end of the Salton Sea remains the most popular destination for Southern California waterfowl hunters, and area manager Jim Chakarun said the area will not be flooding some places "due to budget considerations."
"We're not going to flood lesser quality sites until later in the season, but we'll have 100 sites available for opening day," said Chakarun. He noted that S20 would not be flooded this season.
Thanks to Safari Club International, Chakarun also noted that there is a new handicap hunting site (U10) available this year with both green feed and wetlands on opposite sides. The site had a concrete pit blind with a wheel-chair accessible ramp.
Wister and the Hazard Unit of the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge are open to waterfowl hunting through the state reservation system and a daily drawing for sites after all reservation holders are admitted to the area. Refills are permitted. Shoot days are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The state manages the waterfowl hunting program for the federal refuge. For more information, contact the unit at (760) 359-0577.
The SAN JACINTO WILDLIFE AREA, located in western Riverside County near Lake Perris, is perhaps the second most popular hunting area next to Wister for hunters in this region. The addition of the Walker Duck Club to the refuge two years ago added nine sites to the area, and area manager, Tom Paulek, said he expected a good season this year.
While funding for water is a problem here, too, Paulek said they were flooding up the major hunting areas -- the A, B, C, and D ponds -- and that there would be from 30 to 35 sites available for opening weekend.
Hunters need to remember that the only access to the area is from the south this year. Davis Road has been closed from the north, eliminating access off the 60 freeway. The best access is now off the 215 freeway at Ramona Expressway. Take Ramona Expressway east to Davis Road, and then take Davis north to the refuge headquarters.
There is a concern that budgets may run out and that spring flooding will not be able to take place, and Paulek said this could impact local production on the spring wetlands.
"We have to decide if we're going to spend all our money in the fall or try to save some for spring," said Paulek.
San Jacinto is open to waterfowl hunting through the state reservation system or a daily drawing for remaining sites after all reservation holders are admitted to the area. Refills are also permitted throughout the shoot day. Shoot days are Wednesday and Saturday. For more information, contact the wildlife area at (909) 928-0580.
The LAKE PERRIS STATE RECREATION AREA, adjacent to San Jacinto and managed by the staff there, is a neglected spot for waterfowl hunters with boats, and there is some concern it will not be open this year, according to Paulek.
"We still haven't confirmed funding for a seasonal aide position for Lake Perris," said Paulek, and he was entertaining the idea of getting a hunter-volunteer to run the hunt each Wednesday and Saturday. Anyone interested should call Paulek at San Jacinto at the number above.
Perris has hunting until noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Only hunters with boats and motors can hunt the area, and the check-in station is at parking lots 11 and 12 at the jet ski launch ramp inside the state recreation area. There were 10 sites last year open on a first-come, first-serve basis each shoot day, and its blind site quota never filled last year, even on opening day.
The KERN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE is also having water problems this year -- water availability problems. Jihadda Govan, the assistant refuge manager, said that water will not be available to flood up the two new areas -- units 5 and 6. The new units had generated much interest from hunters who were thrilled with the expansion work being done. And other areas may not get water this year. Govan said that Unit 1A would have water for sure for the opener, and a new dike in Unit 1 would allow for the eastern 1/3th of that unit to be flooded. She also said that units 2, 2a, and most of the blind sites should have water by the opener. There will be at least 50 spots available opening day, and perhaps quite a few more than that.
While Kern is closer to many Southern California hunters than Wister, and it always carries some of the best bird-per-hunter averages in the state, it is less hunted than other waterfowl spots in this region.
Hunting at Kern is allowed on Wednesday and Saturdays through the state reservation system or a drawing for leftover sites after all reservation holders are admitted to the area. Refills are permitted. At least half of the sites available for opening day will be reserved for walk-ons. For more information, call (661) 725-2767 or the hunter's hotline at (661) 725-6504, which is normally updated after each hunt day.
RAAHAUGE'S DUCK CLUB in PRADO BASIN is one of the few private clubs that offers a minimum of 15 blinds daily to public hunters. The 2003 fee for a two-person blind is $135 and reservations in advance are required. To encourage hunters to bring juniors, Mike Raahauge has a special on Sundays where an adult paying just $75 can bring up to two junior-licensed hunters free. Raahauge was giddy about the number of birds in the basin. "There are several thousand birds in the basin -- a little bit of everything," said Raahauge, who actually said there was -- with slight editing -- a manure load of ducks. Shoot days are all day Wednesday and Saturday and half-days on Sunday. For more information, call the club at (909) 735-7981 or check the club's web site at http://www.raahauges.com .
At the SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES, hunting is allowed at BARRETT LAKE and SUTHERLAND RESERVOIR. Barrett is open Wednesday and Saturdays, while Sutherland is open Thursday and Sunday. There is a mail application deadline to apply for reservations each September and an in-person lottery in early October at San Vicente Reservoir. Hunters can reserve up to eight reservation dates for waterfowl hunting during this in-person lottery and all Barrett reservations are filled, but spots are still available for Sutherland. The city has an information packet it mails to hunters that explains all of the details of the program and includes application forms. Hunters can call the city lakes at (619) 668-2050 to request a packet.
LAKE HENSHAW, when the water level is up, is one of the best places in the region to hunt, and it is a scull boater's dream. This San Diego County water holds a good number of geese each year and a wide variety of big ducks, especially wigeon. The lake traditionally opens to duck and goose hunting later in the fall, and the tentative time frame is mid-November after the first rains. Hunt days are Wednesdays and Saturdays. The fee has been upper to $40 per hunter per day this year. For more information, contact the lake at (760) 782-3501.
LAKE CUYAMACA has a late, short waterfowl hunt. Usually opening around Dec. 1, there are 20 to 22 blind sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reservations for the 2003 season will be taken this month. Shoot days are Wednesdays and Sundays until noon. For more information on reservations, write Lake Cuyamaca Waterfowl Hunt, 15027 Highway 79, Julian, CA 92036, or contact Hugh Marx at (760) 765-0515. The website address is http://www.lakecuyamaca.org .
