The average waterfowl bag at the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Wednesday shot up into the good range as compared to Sunday’s usual low averages. Shovelers took over first place for number of ducks bagged with Green Wing Teal holding on to the second spot, but just barely, beating out the Pintails by 1 bird. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 1/11/17 were as follows:
138 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter checked in 7 Mallards, 32 Gadwall, 18 Widgeon, 82 Pintails, 83 Green Wing Teal, 12 Cinnamon Teal, 124 Shovelers, 1 Scaup, 5 Bufflehead, 2 Goldeneyes, 3 Blue Wing Teal, 9 Ruddy Ducks and 1 duck listed as “Other”. In addition 2 Snow Geese were harvested at Wister on Wednesday. There were no Coots checked in at Wister on Wednesday. This came out to an average take of 2.73 ducks per person or, with the Geese added in, 2.74 waterfowl per hunter. Out of 100 reservation cards issued 32 showed up on time to claim their spot.
The average waterfowl take for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Saturday dropped quite a bit compared to Wednesday’s good bag averages. Shovelers remained in the first position for number of birds taken at Wister with Green Wing Teal holding on to the second spot again. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 1/14/17 were as follows:
214 adult and 39 junior hunters bagged 15 Mallards, 25 Gadwall, 14 Widgeon, 64 Pintail, 83 Green Wing Teal, 39 Cinnamon Teal, 111 Shovelers, 2 Redheads, 1 Canvasback, 6 Ring Necks, 4 Scaup, 5 Bufflehead, 4 Blue Wing Teal, 5 Ruddy Ducks and 2 duck identified as “Other”. There were also 2 Snow Geese and 2 Canada Geese downed at Wister on Saturday. 2 Coots were also added to the count at Wister on Saturday. This worked out to an average harvest of 1.50 ducks per gun or, with the Geese and Coots added in, 1.53 waterfowl per person. Out of 100 reservation cards issued 35 arrived on time to claim their spot.
The average harvest of waterfowl for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Sunday, as usual, dropped back down even more from Saturday’s average bag numbers. Shovelers, again, held the first position for number of birds checked in and Pintail overtook the Green Wings by one bird to take over the second spot on Sunday. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sunday, 1/15/17 were as follows:
70 adult and 4 junior hunters bagged 2 Mallards, 6 Gadwall, 1 Widgeon, 12 Pintail, 11 Green Wing Teal, 8 Cinnamon Teal, 15 Shovelers, 3 Redhead and 1 Goldeneye. In addition, a lone Snow Goose was taken at Wister on Sunday. 10 Coots were also brought checked in at Wister on Sunday. This figured out to a 0.80 average ducks per hunter and, with the Goose and Coots included, 0.95 waterfowl per person. Out of 100 reservation cards issued 16 arrived on time for their spot.
Wister is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays only. At this point in the season it is now too late to put in for reservations on-line through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS). You can still get in on the daily “sweat line” drawing for the remaining blinds by arriving at Wister to get in on the drawing by 10:30 PM the night before. Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweat line” spots given out after that.
Don’t forget that all licenses and 1 day, 2 day or season passes must be purchased at a DFW Office or a license agent before your arrive at the refuge. These can be purchased on-line via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you’re the actual licenses and passes which can take up to 15 days. If you purchase your license and passes in person at a DFW office or license agent you immediately get them without the wait for the mail. No licenses or passes will be sold at the check stations this season. You can also show up for an afternoon refill hunt but the last refill is at 2 PM. For more information, contact the staff at Wister Staff at 760-359-0577.
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