December 17, 2009

Birds finally pouring into
SoCal public hunting areas

By JIM MATTHEWS
Outdoor News Service

     A flood of new migrants and rainy weather all shoot days last week led to the best averages of the season at all of the public hunting areas in Southern California, but bluebird weather by mid-week this week brought the averages down a little for the Wednesday shoot day.
     At the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, the Saturday average was over three birds per hunter for the best average of the season, with a big flood of wigeon and shovelers moving south and making up a big portion of the duck bag. By Wednesday this week, the averages dropped back down to 1 1/2 birds per hunter.
     Refuge manager Scott Sewell said there were around 20,000 ducks on San Jacinto and surrounding areas, along with a good number of honkers. In fact, there have been from one to five geese taken just about every shoot day over the past month.
     The Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area has its best shoot day last Wednesday when the average was over four birds per hunter. This was Wister’s best shoot day of 2009. The average was just under three birds on Saturday and half that on Sunday. A glut of feed has kept the snow geese in the closed feeding fields, but increasing numbers of new birds mean a few light geese are in the bag each shoot day.
     Lake Henshaw opened to duck hunting Wednesday, Dec. 2, and only had fair shooting until the big storms last week when a lot of new migrants jumped the averages for those reporting back to over four birds per hunter. Glen Murofushi, San Diego, had a limit last Wednesday with five wigeon and two greenwings in his bag, while Joe Dike, San Diego, had a limit with the same make-up on Saturday. Aaron Remy, Carlsbad, shot two mallards, a pintail, a gadwall, and a honker on Saturday.
     What follows is the area-by-area breakdown for public hunting areas the past week:
     At the SAN JACINTO WILDLIFE AREA, there were 144 hunters on Wednesday, Dec. 9, who shot 324 ducks, 16 coots, five Canada geese, and one Ross’ goose for a 2.33 average. The duck kill included 84 wigeon, 72 northern shovelers, 32 ringnecks, 25 greenwing teal, 22 redheads, 17 gadwall, 16 mallards, 16 bufflehead, 15 ruddies, nine pintail, eight cinnamon teal, three canvasback, three scaup, and two bluewing teal. On Saturday, Dec. 12, there were 134 hunters who shot 408 ducks, five coots, and one Canada goose for a 3.09 average. The duck kill consisted of 148 shovelers, 98 wigeon, 29 gadwall, 28 redheads, 25 mallards, 24 ringnecks, 19 ruddies, 10 scaup, nine bufflehead, six pintail, five cinnamons, four greenwings, two bluewings, and one canvasback. On Wednesday, Dec. 16, there were 131 hunters who shot 189 ducks and nine coots for a 1.51 average. The duck take was made up of 76 shovelers, 48 wigeon, 12 ruddies, 11 ringnecks, nine bufflehead, eight redheads, seven greenwings, six gadwall, five pintail, four scaup, two mallards, and one cinnamon. San Jacinto is open to waterfowl and pheasant 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 until 2 p.m. Shoot days are Wednesday and Saturday for waterfowl, and Mondays for pheasants during the pheasant season. For more information, contact the wildlife area at 951-928-0580.
     At the WISTER UNIT of the IMPERIAL WILDLIFE AREA on the Salton Sea, there were 108 hunters Wednesday, Nov. 9, who shot 414 ducks, 21 coots, and 11 snow geese for a 4.13 average. The duck kill consisted of 127 shovelers, 109 wigeon, 74 pintail, 50 greenwings, 19 gadwall, 15 cinnamons, seven mallards, five scaup, five ruddies, one redhead, one canvasback, and one ringneck. On Saturday, Nov. 12, there were 261 hunters who shot 636 ducks, 11 snow geese, six Ross’ geese, and one coot for a 2.51 average. The duck bag was made up of 175 shovelers, 160 greenwings, 117 pintail, 68 wigeon, 39 cinnamons, 16 gadwall, 16 scaup, 15 mallards, 13 bufflehead, nine ruddies, three redheads, two goldeneye, two mergansers, and one bluewing teal. On Sunday, Dec. 13, there were 112 hunters who shot 113 ducks, 11 snow geese, and two coots for a 1.13 average. The duck take consisted of 43 pintail, 28 shovelers, 17 wigeon, six gadwall, five greenwings, four cinnamons, four scaup, two ruddies, one mallard, one ringneck, one goldeneye, and one merganser. Wister is 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. For more information, contact the unit at 760-359-0577.
     At the SONNY BONO-SALTON SEA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, there were 15 hunter on Wednesday, Dec. 9, who shot 21 ducks and three snow geese for a 1.6 average. The duck kill included seven shovelers, six mallards, four greenwings, three pintail, and one cinnamon. On Saturday, Dec. 12, there were 33 hunters who shot 40 ducks, one snow goose, and one Ross’ goose for a 1.27 average. The duck take consisted of 12 greenwing, eight shovelers, seven pintail, six cinnamons, five mallards, one gadwall, and one ruddy. On Sunday, Dec. 13, there were 18 hunters who shot 23 ducks and six snow geese for a 1.61 average. The duck bag was made up of eight pintail, eight shovelers, three scaup, two mallards, one bufflehead, and one ruddy. The refuge is managed as part of the Wister Unit. For more information, contact the Wister Unit at 760-359-0577.
     At the FINNEY-RAMER UNIT of the IMPERIAL WILDLIFE AREA on the Alamo River south of the Salton Sea, there were a total of 14 hunters from Monday, Dec. 7 through Sunday, Dec. 13 who shot a total of eight shovelers, five greenwings, one mallard, one gadwall, one wigeon, and one cinnamon for a 1.21 average. Finney-Ramer is open to hunters seven days a week under a self-registration and self-reporting system. For more information, contact the Wister Unit at 760-359-0577.
     At the KERN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, in the Southern San Joaquin hunting zone, there were 108 hunters Wednesday, Dec. 9, who shot 361 ducks and a coot for a 3.35 average. The duck take included 114 gadwall, 77 shovelers, 41 pintail, 34 mallards, 27 greenwings, 19 wigeon, 16 redheads, 16 cinnamons, 13 ringnecks, two canvasback, and two bufflehead. On Saturday, Dec. 12, there were 108 hunters who shot 337 ducks for a 3.12 average. The duck kill consisted of 72 shovelers, 70 gadwall, 68 cinnamons, 46 greenwings, 24 pintail, 15 redheads, 14 wigeon, 13 ringnecks, 11 mallards, two ruddies, one canvasback, and one bufflehead. On Wednesday, Dec. 16, there were 105 hunters who shot 285 ducks, three Canada geese, and two coots for a 2.76 average. The duck bag was made up of 56 gadwall, 51 shovelers, 50 cinnamons, 47 greenwings, 22 pintail, 19 mallards, 10 ringnecks, nine redheads, seven wigeon, six bufflehead, four ruddies, two canvasback, one scaup, and one bluewing. Kern 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, call 661-725-2767 or the comprehensive hunter's hotline at 661-725-6504, normally updated after each hunt day.
     At the SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES, there were seven hunters at BARRETT LAKE on Wednesday, Dec. 2, who shot six ducks for a .86 average. The bag included three wigeon, two redhead, and one greenwing. On Saturday, Dec. 5, there were 21 hunters who shot 44 ducks, for a 2.1 average. The bag consisted of 17 ringnecks, six mallards, six wigeon, four gadwall, three shovelers, two bufflehead, two canvasback, two greenwings, one ruddy, and one pintail. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, there were 12 hunters who shot 19 ducks for a 1.58 average. The duck kill included seven ringnecks, three wigeon, two scaup, two mallards, two pintail, one canvasback, one greenwing, and one redhead. On Saturday, Dec. 12, there were 21 hunters who shot 45 ducks for a 2.14 average. The take included 26 ringnecks, five scaup, four canvasback, four wigeon, two mallards, two greenwings, one bufflehead, and one gadwall. For more information and to request a hunting information packet, hunters should call the lake’s office at 619-668-2050 or e-mail ssmith@sandiego.gov.
     At LAKE HENSHAW, there were 25 hunters opening Wednesday, Dec. 2, with 11 hunters reporting back in with 30 ducks and two Canada geese for a 2.91 average. The duck bad included 10 mallards, eight shovelers, five wigeon, three cinnamons, two greenwings, and two gadwall. On Saturday, Dec. 5, there were 25 hunters and six reported bagging 10 ducks and one Canada goose for a 1.83 average. The duck bag was made up of seven wigeon, two shovelers, and one pintail. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, there were nine hunters with three reporting taking 13 ducks, including one limit, for a 4.33 average. The bag included eight wigeon, three greenwings, one mallard, and one ruddy. On Saturday, Dec. 12, there were 26 hunters, with six reporting 31 ducks and one honker for a 5.33 average and one limit. The duck kill consisted of 19 wigeon, four mallards, three greenwings, two pintail, two gadwall, and one shoveler. Henshaw is open to public hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The fee is $25 per hunter per day ($10 for juniors) with boat rentals $35. Hunters can also launch their own boats for a $5 fee and a $5 quagga mussel washdown charge. For more information, contact Lake Henshaw at 760-782-3501.
     At RAAHAUGE'S DUCK CLUB in PRADO BASIN, there were 12 hunters on Wednesday, Dec. 2, who shot 33 ducks for a 2.75 average. The bag included 10 greenwings, five shovelers, five wigeon, four cinnamons, four mallards, three gadwall, one pintail, and one redhead. On Saturday, Dec. 5, there were 17 hunters who shot 51 ducks for a 3.0 average. The kill consisted of 16 greenwings, nine shovelers, seven cinnamons, six mallards, five wigeon, three ringnecks, two gadwall, one pintail, one goldeneye, and one wood ducks. On Sunday, Dec. 6, there were seven hunters who shot 21 ducks for a 3.0 average. The duck bag was made up of five wigeon, four shovelers, three cinnamons, three gadwall, two greenwings, two mallards, one scaup, and one canvasback. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, there were 24 hunters who shot 72 ducks and six Canada geese for a 3.25 average. The duck kill included 16 greenwings, 16 wigeon, six shovelers, five ringnecks, four cinnamons, four gadwall, three redheads, two wood ducks, and one canvasback. On Saturday, Dec. 12, there were 31 hunters who shot 92 ducks, four honkers, and three snow geese for a 3.19 average. The duck take was made up of 21 wigeon, 19 greenwings, 15 gadwall, nine cinnamons, eight mallards, seven shovelers, three pintail, three canvasback, two bufflehead, two redheads, two mergansers, and one wood duck. On Sunday, Dec. 13, there were nine hunters who shot 25 ducks and three Canada geese for a 3.11 average. The duck bag included six wigeon, four greenwings, three cinnamons, three redheads, two shovelers, two gadwall, two mallards, one bufflehead, one ringneck, and one canvasback. Public blinds are available for $200 per day for a two-person blind. An adult with a junior hunter is just $100. All reservations must be made in advance by telephone. No walk-ons this year for the public blinds. For information, call Raahauge’s at 951-735-7981.

January 31, 2009 - Brandon and Amber Mendoza, both San Bernardino, with a cinnamon teal and ruddy duck they shot at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area on the youth waterfowl day.

January 31, 2009 - Billy and Bill Lindenberg, Ontario, with Billy's bag of two greenwings, one cinnamon teal, and a bufflehead on the juniorwaterfowl hunting day at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area.

January 31, 2009 - Chad Bloxhan, 14, of Brea shows of his female bufflehead he shot on the junior waterfowl hunting day at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area.

January 31, 2009 - Emily Thomas and her dad Mike, both San Jacinto, show off Emily's bag of a big gadwall and three greenwing teal taken from blind site E-1 at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area on the junior waterfowl hunt day.

January 31, 2009 - San Jacinto Wildlife Area's junior waterfowl hunt drew 69 junior hunters, filling 50 of the area's 52 blind sites. This is the highest number of junior hunters participating in this hunt ever and more than double last year's record turnout.