Hunt Results for Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Wednesday – 10/30/18

The average bag of waterfowl at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge rose a bit compared to Saturday’s already good averages. Shovelers jumped into first place for number of ducks checked in with Green Wing Teal sliding back to the second position.  The Kern NWR Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 10/30/19 were as follows:

47 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter checked in with 47 Shovelers, 4 Mallards, 16 Gadwall, 24 Widgeon, 21 Pintail, 32 Green Wing Teal, 6 Cinnamon Teal, 8 Redheads, 2 Canvasbacks, 6 Ring Necks, 1 Bufflehead, and 1 Ruddy Duck.  Again there were no Geese or Coots brought in to the check station at Kern on Wednesday.  This worked out to an average bag of 3.50 ducks per gun and, of course, with no Geese and Coots to add in, 3.50 waterfowl per hunter. Out of 7 reservation cards issued 6 arrived on time for their spot.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing.  Hunters with reservations must present their reservation at the Hunter Check Station on the Refuge 2 1/2 hours before local shoot time. Vacancies occurring from no-show reservation holders and from hunters leaving the area shall be filled according to the order established in the standby drawing which occurs 2 hours before shoot time, the day of the hunt, and is performed at the Refuge Hunter Check Station. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link – Additional information may be obtained by calling their Kern’s office at (661) 725-2767.

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you 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.  As in past seasons, no licenses or passes will be sold at the check stations this season.

 

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Wednesday – 10/30/19

The average waterfowl harvest for the San Jacinto Wildlife Area rose a bit from Saturday’s poor numbers on a day with Extremely windy weather conditions with temperatures in the mid-60s with clear skies. Ring Necks jumped up into first place for the number of birds downed on Wednesday with Shovelers found the second position.  Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Wednesday, 10/30/19 were as follows:

129 adult and 5 junior hunters bagged 47 Northern Shovelers, 25 Mallards, 20 Gadwall, 17 Widgeon, 1 Pintail, 8 Green Wing Teal, 33 Cinnamon Teal, 4 Redheads, 55 Ring Necks, 3 Bufflehead, 7 Mergansers, and 17 Ruddy Ducks. There were 2 Ross’ Geese bagged in at San Jacinto on Wednesday. In addition, 28 Coots were checked in at San Jacinto on Wednesday.  This resulted in an average bag of 1.77 ducks per person or, with the Geese and Coots figured in, 1.99 waterfowl per gun. Tom advised that out of 50 reservation cards 27 arrived on time for their hunting spot.

San Jacinto Wildlife Area has begun its annual Toy Drive for the Bryant Park Head Start Preschool.  If you’re able, please bring a new, unwrapped toy for the kids.  Toys for donation should be targeted for 3 to 5-year-old boys and girls.  This is a great program and a chance to show that hunters have a heart. Details of this year’s toy drive can be seen here:

https://socalhunt.wordpress.com/2019/10/23/san-jacinto-wildlife-areas-annual-bryant-park-head-start-preschool-toy-drive-launches/

Also, San Jacinto’s 26^th Annual Junior Hunt is coming up on February 8^th, 2020.  New state regulations, which went into effect 4 years ago, regarding donations for this great event are in effect again this year.  It’s a great cause to donate to as the Junior Hunters are the future of our sport. Details on the procedures for donating can be found at the below link:

https://socalhunt.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/new-procedures-for-donations-for-the-annual-junior-hunt-at-san-jacinto-wildlife-area/

Also, don’t let a little paperwork stop you from donating.  It’s not that hard, I know, I’ve done it every year since DFW started this requirement.

San Jacinto is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of. Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done after that. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you 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.  As in past seasons, 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 San Jacinto at 951-928-0580.

 

SoCalHunt San Jacinto Hunting Report 10/30/19

If you’ve been following SoCalHunt for a while you know it has been just over a year since I’ve been able to get out on San Jacinto Wildlife Area and pursue the wily waterfowl.  This was due to a variety of reasons, which I won’t bore you with, but suffice to say today I was FINALLY back at it.

My 2019/20 Waterfowl Season started with a solo afternoon refill hunt. Wind was predicted along with temperatures in the mid-60s which translated into good conditions for pursuing the web-footed critters so I figured I would give it a try.  Coupled with the fact that Mystic Lake is still very much in existence it looked to be good chances for a few ducks, at least.

When I drove up Davis Road towards the Check Station, I was kind of expecting to see a lot of hunters’ trucks in the check station lot as their owners waited for refill spots.  I figured the poor counts at Wister and the windy conditions would attract some of the Wister hunters to SJ. To my surprise, there were only about 7 or 8 trucks in the lot as I pulled in, so chances looked good for a spot already.  When I walked into the Check Station to put my name on the refill list, I first deposited my toy donation for the Bryant Park Head Start Preschool in the donation box.  This is a great cause and gives hunters a chance to show they have a heart.  (details for the Bryant Park Preschool Toy Drive can be found here…   https://socalhunt.wordpress.com/2019/10/23/san-jacinto-wildlife-areas-annual-bryant-park-head-start-preschool-toy-drive-launches/ ).  Once that was done I signed in on the refill list on the number 6 spot, and two hunting parties had already refilled so I was, in essence, in the fourth position.  There were already a few blinds available, so I figured I’d wait a bit and see what came in.  As I waited, the wind, which was whipping at about 30 miles an hour at least, stirred up dust in the check station lot.

About noon I was ready to pick a spot and get started when the hunters from one of the blinds I was hoping for came in.  I hadn’t hunted this blind for several years and I figured I’d give it a shot as the last time Mystic Lake was around it was a pretty good spot to be as the birds traded back and forth between the Wildlife Area and Mystic Lake.

When I reached the blind, I was kind of disappointed to see that the pond was fairly overgrown with tules and there was very little opened water.  I would have to be careful picking my shots so as not to lose any birds I might drop in the reeds.

It wasn’t long until I had my first opportunity, a hen Shoveler passed right over the blind well within range and I fired three shots at her.  She climbed and kept going, untouched.  The strong wind, while stirring up the birds and keeping them moving, was also throwing a big complication into lead estimates.

As I waited it was a big contrast to the afternoons the last couple of seasons.  I don’t think more than 15 or 20 minutes went by that I didn’t see some ducks flying in the immediate area.  I could also hear shooting from various parts of the Wildlife Area off and on all afternoon.  Another interesting thing was the variety of other things flying around SJ today.  Due to the Southern California fire situation lately several (but not all) of the non-waterfowl flying things were firefighting aircraft.

Unfortunately, due to the overgrowth of the pond, there were several ducks I had to let pass that I probably could have harvested (if I could have hit them, LOL) because they would have fallen into the tules and would have been unrecoverable.  I’m not going to kill a bird if I know I can’t retrieve it.

I did have a few other chances but blew those also, a couple just plain missing them and one by tripping over something in the blind as I stood up to shoot at a beautiful trio of Mallards, well within range.

So, today I considered a success.  Not because of the birds I shot, because I failed at that pretty bad, but because I actually got to do a little shooting today and got to enjoy watching quite a few ducks flying in the area all day long.  It beat the hell out of staring at the empty sky like I did most of the times I went the last couple of seasons.  I also considered it a success because I was able to get out there and actually hunt, unlike last season.

As quitting time rang on the cell phone alarm, I started picking up my gear for the walk back to the truck.  Once again, San Jacinto displayed a beautiful sunset.

So, there’s my start to the 2019/20 season.  A success in a couple respects but no so much in the bird department, but I can’t blame that on lack of waterfowl this time.  I’ll be back soon to give it another try, maybe I’ll see you out there.

 

 

Hunt Results for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area, Wednesday – 10/30/19

The average bag of waterfowl for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Wednesday jumped up into the very good range compared to Sunday’s slightly improved poor average numbers.  Gadwall climbed into first place for the most numerous bird harvested with Pintail and Widgeon tied for the second position.  The Wister Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 10/30/19 were as follows:

60 adult hunters and no junior hunters bagged 6 Northern Shoveler, 12 Mallards, 51 Gadwall, 29 Widgeon, 29 Pintail, 3 Green Wing Teal, 13 Cinnamon Teal, 3 Redheads, 4 Ring Necks, and 3 Blue Wing Teal. Once again, no Geese or Coots were downed at Wister on Wednesday.  This resulted in an average of 2.55 ducks per gun and, of course, with no Geese or Coots to work into the totals, 2.55 waterfowl per hunter. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 22 hunters showed up on time to pick their spot.

Wister is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of.  Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done the night before at 10:30 pm, with sign-up for the drawing between 7:30 and 10:30 pm. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online 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.

 

 

Hunt Results for Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Saturday – 10/26/18

The average bag of waterfowl at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge dropped by slightly more than one bird per hunter compared to Wednesday’s great average take numbers. Green Wing Teal held on to first place for number of ducks bagged with Cinnamon Teal climbing into the second position.  The Kern NWR Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 10/26/19 were as follows:

53 adult and 3 junior hunters checked in with 24 Shovelers, 6 Mallards, 22 Gadwall, 11 Widgeon, 18 Pintail, 54 Green Wing Teal, 27 Cinnamon Teal, 15 Redheads, and 2 Ruddy Duck. Again, no Geese or Coots were taken at Kern on Saturday.  This worked out to an average bag of 3.20 ducks per gun and, obviously, with no Geese and Coots to add in, 3.20 waterfowl per hunter. Out of 7 reservation cards issued 5 arrived on time for their spot.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing.  Hunters with reservations must present their reservation at the Hunter Check Station on the Refuge 2 1/2 hours before local shoot time. Vacancies occurring from no-show reservation holders and from hunters leaving the area shall be filled according to the order established in the standby drawing which occurs 2 hours before shoot time, the day of the hunt, and is performed at the Refuge Hunter Check Station. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link – Additional information may be obtained by calling their Kern’s office at (661) 725-2767.

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you 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.  As in past seasons, no licenses or passes will be sold at the check stations this season.

Hunt Results for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area, Sunday – 10/27/19

The waterfowl average take for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Sunday bucked the usual trend and actually rose slightly from Saturday’s very low average take.  However, there were so few hunters at Wister the actual count of waterfowl taken actually went down 33%.  Pintail came in first for the most numerous bird bagged with Widgeon found in the second position.  The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sunday, 10/27/19 were as follows:

36 adult hunters and no junior hunters bagged 2 Northern Shoveler, 2 Mallards, 7 Gadwall, 9 Widgeon, 16 Pintail, 2 Green Wing Teal, 6 Cinnamon Teal, and 2 Blue Wing Teal. There were no Geese or Coots harvested at Wister on Sunday.  This resulted in an average of 1.28 ducks per person and, of course, with no Geese or Coots to figure in, 1.28 waterfowl per hunter. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 16 hunting parties arrived on time for their spot.

Wister is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of.  Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done the night before at 10:30 pm, with sign-up for the drawing between 7:30 and 10:30 pm. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online 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.

 

 

Hunt Results for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area, Saturday – 10/26/19

(NOTE: Wister has started to send out the weekend waterfowl counts as separate reports for Saturday and Sunday the morning after the hunt day.  Last season SoCalHunt was receiving Wister weekend hunt results reports as a single report on Monday or Tuesday.  SoCalHunt will publish these reports ASAP as soon as they are received so this report will cover Saturday only.  Sunday’s report will be published as soon as possible after it is received, most likely Monday.  If the reports are sent out as a single report for the weekend SoCalHunt will go back to publishing one report for the weekend as soon as possible after it is received.)

Waterfowl harvest totals for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Saturday reflected a slight upward tick in the continued low averages.  For Saturday Cinnamon Teal climbed back into first for number of birds checked in with Mallards and Pintail tied for the second position.  The Wister Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 10/26/19 were as follows:

64 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter bagged 33 Cinnamon Teal, 8 Mallards, 3 Gadwall, 5 Widgeon, 6 Green Wing Teal, 8 Pintail, 1 Redhead, 1 Blue Wing Teal, and 3 Ruddy Ducks.  There were no Geese downed at Wister on Saturday.  8 Coots were also added to the count on Saturday.  This resulted in an average harvest of 1.05 ducks per hunter or, with the Coots added in, a 1.17 waterfowl average for each person. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 26 showed up on time for their spot.

Wister is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of.  Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done the night before at 10:30 pm, with sign-up for the drawing between 7:30 and 10:30 pm. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online 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.

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Saturday – 10/26/19

Waterfowl numbers for the San Jacinto Wildlife Area dropped from Wednesday’s fair numbers on a day with calm weather conditions that just touched 90 degrees with clear skies. Cinnamon Teal held on to first place for the number of birds taken on Saturday with Shovelers jumping into the second position.  Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Saturday, 10/26/19 were as follows:

155 adult and 9 junior hunters bagged 36 Northern Shovelers, 9 Mallards, 2 Gadwall, 5 Widgeon, 2 Pintail, 19 Green Wing Teal, 89 Cinnamon Teal, 2 Redheads, 20 Ring Necks, 1 Bufflehead, 1 Wood Duck, 1 Blue Wing Teal, 1 White Wing Scooter, 1 Merganser, and 6 Ruddy Ducks. There were no Geese checked in at San Jacinto on Saturday. Also, 18 Coots were downed at San Jacinto on Saturday.  This resulted in an average bag of 1.19 ducks per gun or, with the Coots worked in, 1.30 waterfowl per person. Tom advised that out of 50 reservation cards 34 showed up on time to claim their spot.

San Jacinto Wildlife Area has begun its annual Toy Drive for the Bryant Park Head Start Preschool.  If you’re able, please bring a new, unwrapped toy for the kids.  Toys for donation should be targeted for 3 to 5-year-old boys and girls.  This is a great program and a chance to show that hunters have a heart. Details of this year’s toy drive can be seen here:

https://socalhunt.wordpress.com/2019/10/23/san-jacinto-wildlife-areas-annual-bryant-park-head-start-preschool-toy-drive-launches/

Also, San Jacinto’s 26^th Annual Junior Hunt is coming up on February 8^th, 2020.  New state regulations, which went into effect 4 years ago, regarding donations for this great event are in effect again this year.  It’s a great cause to donate to as the Junior Hunters are the future of our sport. Details on the procedures for donating can be found at the below link:

https://socalhunt.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/new-procedures-for-donations-for-the-annual-junior-hunt-at-san-jacinto-wildlife-area/

Also, don’t let a little paperwork stop you from donating.  It’s not that hard, I know, I’ve done it every year since DFW started this requirement.

San Jacinto is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of. Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done after that. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you 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.  As in past seasons, 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 San Jacinto at 951-928-0580.

 

Hunt Results for Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Wednesday – 10/23/18

The average bag of waterfowl at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge slipped just a little from opening day’s numbers but still showed great average take numbers. Shovelers and Green Wing Teal swapped spots with Green Wing Teal taking over first place for number of ducks bagged with the Spooneys slipping back to second place.  The Kern NWR Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 10/23/19 were as follows:

42 adult and 3 junior hunters checked in with 40 Shovelers, 10 Mallards, 15 Gadwall, 16 Widgeon, 16 Pintail, 63 Green Wing Teal, 12 Cinnamon Teal, 13 Redheads, 2 Ring Necks, 1 Blue Wing Teal, 3 Wood Ducks, and 1 Ruddy Duck. No Geese or Coots were bagged at Kern on Wednesday.  This worked out to an average bag of 4.27 ducks per gun and, of course, with no Geese and Coots to add in, 4.27 waterfowl per hunter. Out of 7 reservation cards issued 5 arrived on time for their spot.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing.  Hunters with reservations must present their reservation at the Hunter Check Station on the Refuge 2 1/2 hours before local shoot time. Vacancies occurring from no-show reservation holders and from hunters leaving the area shall be filled according to the order established in the standby drawing which occurs 2 hours before shoot time, the day of the hunt, and is performed at the Refuge Hunter Check Station. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link – Additional information may be obtained by calling their Kern’s office at (661) 725-2767.

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you 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.  As in past seasons, no licenses or passes will be sold at the check stations this season.

 

Hunt Results for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area, Wednesday 10/23/19

The waterfowl count for Wednesday for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area ticked back up slightly from Sunday’s dismal totals.  For Wednesday Pintail were found in first place for number of birds taken with Gadwall taking the second spot.   The Wister Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 10/23/19 were as follows:

51 adult and no junior checked in with 5 Mallards, 7 Gadwall, 1 Widgeon, 11 Pintail, 5 Green Wing Teal, 6 Cinnamon Teal, 2 Ring Necks, and 2 Ruddy Ducks.  No Geese were taken at Wister on Wednesday.  10 Coots were checked in at Wister on Wednesday.  This resulted in an average take of 0.76 ducks per person or, with the Coots figured in 0.96 waterfowl average for each gun. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 19 showed up on time for their spot.

Wister is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of.  Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done the night before at 10:30 pm, with sign-up for the drawing between 7:30 and 10:30 pm. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online 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.

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Wednesday – 10/23/19

The bird count for San Jacinto Wildlife Area headed downward from the good numbers of opening day under calm weather conditions that got into the low 90’s with clear skies.  Cinnamon Teal held on to first place for the number of birds bagged today with Green Wing Teal still in the second position.  Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Wednesday, 10/23/19 were as follows:

151 adult and 9 junior hunters bagged 22 Northern Shovelers, 10 Mallards, 5 Gadwall, 3 Widgeon, 1 Pintail, 43 Green Wing Teal, 168 Cinnamon Teal, 4 Redheads, 13 Ring Necks, 3 Buffleheads, 5 Wood Ducks, 6 Blue Wing Teal, and 9 Ruddy Ducks.  7 Snow Geese and 1 Ross’ Goose were harvested at San Jacinto today.  In addition, there were 10 Coots brought in to the check station at SJ on Wednesday.  This resulted in an average harvest of 1.83 ducks per hunter or, with the Geese and Coots included, 1.94 waterfowl per gun. Tom advised that out of 50 reservation cards 35 showed up on time to claim their spot.

San Jacinto Wildlife Area has begun its annual Toy Drive for the Bryant Park Head Start Preschool.  If you’re able, please bring a new, unwrapped toy for the kids.  Toys for donation should be targeted for 3 to 5-year-old boys and girls.  This is a great program and a chance to show that hunters have a heart. Details of this year’s toy drive can be seen here:

https://socalhunt.wordpress.com/2019/10/23/san-jacinto-wildlife-areas-annual-bryant-park-head-start-preschool-toy-drive-launches/

Also, San Jacinto’s 26^th Annual Junior Hunt is coming up on February 8^th, 2020.  New state regulations, which went into effect 4 years ago, regarding donations for this great event are in effect again this year.  It’s a great cause to donate to as the Junior Hunters are the future of our sport. Details on the procedures for donating can be found at the below link:

https://socalhunt.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/new-procedures-for-donations-for-the-annual-junior-hunt-at-san-jacinto-wildlife-area/

Also, don’t let a little paperwork stop you from donating.  It’s not that hard, I know, I’ve done it every year since DFW started this requirement.

San Jacinto is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of. Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done after that. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you 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.  As in past seasons, 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 San Jacinto at 951-928-0580.

 

San Jacinto Wildlife Area’s Annual Bryant Park Head Start Preschool Toy Drive Launches

San Jacinto Wildlife Area has begun their Annual Toy Drive to benefit the Bryant Park Head Start Preschool!  Tom Trakes and San Jacinto WA Staff are once again conducting a toy drive for the kids at the Bryant Park Head Start Preschool.

SoCalHunt encourages all the hunters that hunt at San Jacinto in the next several weeks to bring along a new, unwrapped toy to donate for the kids.  This is a chance to show the general public that hunters really do have a heart.  Hunters should bring in toys for the Head Start Preschool that are intended for 3 to 5-year-old boys and girls.

Donations for the Bryant Park Head Start Program will be accepted until December 18^th. Santa Claus and the San Jacinto Staff will deliver them to the children shortly after.  These donations do not need to go through the state procedures for donations (such as the donations for the Junior Hunt) as San Jacinto is not receiving the donations but is just a collection point for them.

Please take this opportunity to show that hunters really have a heart and do care. Donate to the San Jacinto Annual Toy Drive and support this great effort.

For further details please contact Tom at (951)-236-3040 or the San Jacinto Wildlife Area Office at (951)-928-0580.  Toys can be donated at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area Office at 17050 Davis Road, Lakeview, CA 92567.

Thank you for your support!

Hunt Results for Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Saturday – 10/19/19

The average take for the 2019/20 waterfowl season opener for the Kern National Wildlife Refuge showed great averages for the hunters in attendance. Shovelers were found way out in front for first place for number of birds harvested with Green Wing Teal in the second spot.  The Kern NWR Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 10/19/19 were as follows:

60 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter checked in with 146 Shovelers, 14 Mallards, 25 Gadwall, 23 Widgeon, 26 Pintail, 37 Green Wing Teal, 12 Cinnamon Teal, 16 Redheads, 1 Canvasback, 6 Ring Necks, and 2 Ruddy Ducks. There were no Geese bagged at Kern on Saturday.  Also, a lone Coot was checked in at Kern on Saturday.  This worked out to an average take of 5.05 ducks per hunter and, with the Coot included, 5.07 waterfowl for each person. Out of 7 reservation cards issued 6 arrived on time for their spot.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing.  Hunters with reservations must present their reservation at the Hunter Check Station on the Refuge 2 1/2 hours before local shoot time. Vacancies occurring from no-show reservation holders and from hunters leaving the area shall be filled according to the order established in the standby drawing which occurs 2 hours before shoot time, the day of the hunt, and is performed at the Refuge Hunter Check Station. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link – Additional information may be obtained by calling their Kern’s office at (661) 725-2767.

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you 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.  As in past seasons, no licenses or passes will be sold at the check stations this season.

 

 

Hunt Results for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area, Saturday – 10/19/19 and Sunday – 10/20/19

The 2019/20 season opening waterfowl harvest totals for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for the weekend came in extremely low, especially for an opening weekend.  For Saturday Green Wing Teal took the lead in number of birds harvested with Cinnamon Teal holding the second place.  The Wister Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 10/19/19 were as follows:

298 adult and 25 junior hunters bagged 7 Northern Shovelers, 83 Cinnamon Teal, 20 Gadwall, 30 Widgeon, 127 Green Wing Teal, 70 Mallards, 66 Pintail, 3 Redheads, 1 Ring Neck, 1 Merganser, and 1 Ruddy Duck.  There were 2 White Fronted Geese checked in at Wister on Saturday.  In addition, 43 coots were brought in on Saturday.  This resulted in an average take of 1.27 ducks per gun or, with the Geese and Coots figured in, a 1.41 waterfowl average for each hunter. Out of 105 reservation cards issued 66 showed up on time for their spot.

The waterfowl take for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Sunday, dropped off even further from Saturday’s pretty dismal season opening numbers.  Mallards took over for the most numerous bird taken with Green Wing Teal sliding back to the second position.  The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sunday, 10/20/19 were as follows:

127 adult and 2 junior hunters bagged 1 Northern Shoveler, 15 Cinnamon Teal, 2 Gadwall, 3 Widgeon, 21 Green Wing Teal, 26 Mallards, and 11 Pintail. There were no Geese checked in at Wister on Sunday.  There were also 18 coots included in the take on Sunday.  This resulted in a per hunter average of 0.61 ducks and, with the Coots included, 0.75 waterfowl per person. Out of 105 reservation cards issued 33 hunting parties arrived on time to claim their spots.

Wister is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. You can put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of.  Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done the night before at 10:30 pm, with sign-up for the drawing between 7:30 and 10:30 pm. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW website at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online 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.

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Saturday – 10/19/19

Hunters were treated to an outstanding opening day at San Jacinto Wildlife Area for the start of the 2019/20 waterfowl season.  A great average bird harvest was taken under clear skies and temperatures just topping 80 degrees.  Cinnamon Teal were the number one bird harvested for the opener with Green Wing Teal being found in the second position for number of birds taken on the opener.  Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Saturday, 10/19/19 were as follows:

234 adult and 25 junior hunters bagged 80 Northern Shovelers, 479 Cinnamon Teal, 20 Gadwall, 2 Widgeon, 125 Green Wing Teal, 73 Mallards, 2 Redheads, 9 Ring Necks, 2 Blue Wing Teal, 6 Wood Ducks, and 16 Ruddy Ducks.  There were no geese bagged at San Jacinto on Saturday.  There were also 35 coots checked in on Saturday.  This resulted in an average take of 3.14 ducks per hunter or 3.28 waterfowl per person with the coots figured in. Tom advised that out of 50 reservation cards 45 showed up on time to claim their spot.

San Jacinto is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. You can put in for reservations on-line through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS).  Your reservation request has to be to the ALDS system 17 days in advance to get in on the drawing or you can get in on the daily “sweatline” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of. Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweatline” drawing is done after that. The ALDS can be accessed through the DFW web site at the below link –

https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales

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 arrival at the refuge.  These can be purchased online via the ALDS system also, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you 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.  As in past seasons, 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 San Jacinto at 951-928-0580.

 

Report on Wister Conditions – Access via highway111 – Version II – Update as of 10/17/19

This is a follow-up report to update the report SoCalHunt posted on 10/12/19 with new information on Wister and Highway 111. Anybody going to go to Wister for the opener of the waterfowl season Saturday (10/19/19) here is updated information as of 10/17/19 at about 4 PM regarding conditions at Wister and the road conditions that might affect your ability to get there.

Scott Sewell, Senior Fish and Wildlife Habitat Supervisor with the Department of Fish and Wildlife gave the following information and reported the conditions for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area:

“I would like to thank you all for your support and I appreciate the feedback. First off, Hwy 111 is open and there is access from the north and south. As many of you know we have been faced with challenges at IWA and as I have said before “we will overcome them”. Even with Wister being 80-85% full we are still higher than the majority of WLA’s in the State in the flooding to acreage ratio. The ponds that are filling will provide new habitat and forage for the coming months. Social media has not accurately described our current position and forecast. Wister does have vegetation management issues but overall is looking good and will be ready for the season. Some of the comments made are simply inaccurate. We have very hard-working employees that are doing the best they can. I currently have a smaller crew than usual, but I have just hired 2 new FWT, I still have 1 FWT out on leave, I will be hiring a new WHS1, and I will be hiring a new seasonal or two. We will rebuild and will be stronger. Thank you for your support and good luck this weekend and season.

Wetland Units
514 ponded
513 ponded
413 East ponded
413 West 1&2 ponded 3 finishing 4 filling
312 A &B ponded C filling
115 A, B & C ponded
114 A &B ponded
Y15 A ponded B 2&3 ponded 1 filling
Y16 A 1&2 ponded B ponded
W11 A reservoir ponded B 1&3 ponded
W11 D 2 &4 ponded, 1&3 dry and will fill, 5 filling
U10 ponded
U12 ponded with 1 filling
U14 2,3,4&5 filling
T10 water ordered for Green feed 2&4
T10 1,3&5 will pond after Green feed
T12 ponded
T14 2,3,4&5 filling
S20 ponded
S22 2&4 filling
Hazards all ponded
Green Feed Fields
413 dry wheat
312 A Dry wheat
115 B 2&4 Rye irrigated
U10 2&4 Rye irrigated
S20 2&4 Rye water ordered
T10 2&4 Millet water ordered
Y14 1st Rye, prepping the next phase”

As for the concerned about access to Wister due to the “mud volcano” that appeared a while back in an area across highway 111 from the check station, Scott reported that Highway 111 will be opened with access to Wister from north and south.  SoCalHunt checked with the CalTrans website and as of 9:15 PM on 10/17/19 CalTrans is reporting:

Highway 111 – 1-WAY CONTROLLED TRAFFIC AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS FROM 7.8 MI NORTH OF CALIPATRIA /AT BUGWASH BRIDGE/ TO 8.3 MI NORTH OF CALIPATRIA /AT NILAND CREEK BRIDGE/ (IMPERIAL CO) FROM 0400 HRS TO 1000 HRS THURSDAY THRU FRIDAY THRU 10/18/19 – DUE TO MAINTENANCE”

So, it sounds like CalTrans will be finished Friday night but, worse case, even if they aren’t done it appears the worst there will be a slight delay due to traffic control so you might want to give yourself a little extra time if you can.

If you want to check of the current conditions for highway 111 before you leave for Wister you can check on the CalTrans Road Conditions web site at:

https://roads.dot.ca.gov

Just enter “111” in the box for the highway number or you can call and get recorded info at 1-800-427-7623.

If SoCalHunt learns of anything further regarding Wister or anything about the road conditions on highway 111 which may have an impact on hunters’ ability to get there we’ll try to get the info to you if time permits.

San Jacinto Wildlife Area Ready for the 2019/2020 Season – New Maps Available – Info for Opener

Once again, due to the efforts of the best Staff of any Wildlife Area in the state, the San Jacinto Wildlife Area is primed and ready to go for the 2019/2020 waterfowl season.  At 3 am, Saturday, October 19^th the first reservation holder will belly up to the bar, so to speak, and pick their spot kicking off another great season at San Jacinto.

Tom Trakes, Wildlife Habitat Supervisor at San Jacinto Wildlife area wanted me to pass along a few tips and get the info out there that there are additional blinds this season (thanks to Mystic Lake) and provide a download link for anyone wishing to get a copy of the maps and area regulations.

First off, due to the extra blinds this season, it will be important for the reservation line, and the sweatline after that to move through the check station as quickly as possible.  It is important, to speed things along, that hunters have their fed stamp signed and their type A day pass filled out when they come up to the counter to pick their spot.  A table and pens will be provided just outside the check station for hunters to fill out their type A waterfowl passes and to make sure the federal duck stamp is signed before entering the check station.  Also, if you have a fishing license and maybe a deer tag or a pig tag it would also speed things along if those were separated into another part of your wallet, or wherever you keep that stuff, so you don’t have to dig through a pile of those skinny l-o-n-g license forms to find your hunting license and type A pass.  The more efficient everyone is the quicker they can get out to the blinds to set up.  This will be even more important after the time change when start time will be an hour earlier.  There are 65 blinds this season compared to the 50 we had last season and some of them are a good distance from the check station so it’s important to get everybody going in the morning.

Tom also wanted me to mention that they’ll have a coffee pot going for the opener and anyone that wants to bring a box of donuts or some muffins or whatever to share should feel free to do so.

Also, Tom provided SoCalHunt with new blind maps for San Jacinto’s usual duck hunting area along with a detailed map of the new Mystic Lake blinds and the access roads/trails to each of them.  Also, for the Mystic blinds Tom provided a page of GPS locations for the blinds so you can use a GPS to get to the exact spot. (Last year’s GPS page for the regular blinds is still the same).  You can download a copy of everything at SoCalHunt’s web page at:

www.socalhunt.com

…got to the “Maps and Downloads” page and scroll down to find what you need.  Just click on them to download a copy.

Everything is ready to go at SJ and its t-minus about a day and a half until the ducks begin to fall as I write this.  Hope you have a great season out at good old San Jacinto Wildlife Area!

11/30/21 – Mystic Lake map and GPS blind locations have been removed as Mystic Lake has mostly evaporated (it’s about 1/4 of the size it was when this was written) and these are no longer accurate.  See SoCalHunt’s website Maps and Downloads page for up to date maps at… http://www.socalhunt.com/maps-and-downloads.html

Report on Wister Conditions – Access via Highway 111

If you’re going to go to Wister for the upcoming waterfowl season opener next Saturday (10/19/19) here some information regarding conditions at  Wister and the road conditions that might affect your ability to get there.  As you most likely have heard there have been some road closures and construction off and on in the area of the Wister entrance and check station due to a “mud volcano” which popped up a while back across the highway from the check station.

Scott Sewell, Senior Fish and Wildlife Habitat Supervisor with the Department of Fish and Wildlife reported the following conditions for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area:

North End
514 All ponded
513 Ponded trying to get water to Disable Site
413 Still Ponding, 413W2 dry, 413W3 half ponded, 413W4 dry
312 312B2,4 ponded, the rest still dry but filling.
312C 2,4 just getting water, 312C 5 just getting water.
115 B1 just getting water, B3 East is ponded B5 ponded.
114 All ponded

South End
Y15 Last 2 ponds near Davis Rd Dry.
W11 Last 2 ponds near Davis Rd Dry.
U14 2,4 ponded, 5 is filling, 1 is dry.
U12 2,4 filling, 5 ponded, 3,1 filling
U10 Ponded
T10 All Dry due to no pipeline.
T12 Ponded
T14 1,3 Dry, 5 low water in swell, 2,4 Ponded
S20 1,3 Ponded

Scott advised that Wister staff is currently flooding as much as possible and the above information is as of this past Monday.

In addition, for those concerned about access to Wister due to the “mud volcano” that appeared a while back in an area across Highway 111 from the check station, CalTrans is reporting as of Saturday, October 12th, 2019 at 02:13 PM:

“Highway 111 – 1-WAY CONTROLLED TRAFFIC AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS FROM 0.6 MI NORTH OF MUNDO TO 2.3 MI SOUTH OF WISTER /AT NILAND CREEK BRIDGE/ (IMPERIAL CO) FROM 1600 HRS ON 10/11/19 TO 2200 HRS ON 10/12/19 – DUE TO CONSTRUCTION – MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE”

There is no indication on the CalTrans web site if there will be any closures or restrictions past 10 pm (2200) tonight (Saturday 10/12/19).  So, right now it sounds like you can get to Wister, although there may be some minor delays.  Hopefully, it will be completely opened by next Friday night/Saturday morning.

If you want to keep on top of the current conditions for Highway 111 you can check on the CalTrans Road Conditions web site at:

https://roads.dot.ca.gov

Just enter “111” in the box for the highway number or you can call and get recorded info at 1-800-427-7623.

If SoCalHunt learns of any further reports on any changes to either conditions at Wister and/or road conditions on Highway 111 which may have an impact on hunters’ ability to get there, we will post a new report.

UPDATE!: As of 6:28 PM on 10/14/19 CalTrans reported the following –

SR 111

[IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA]
NO TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ARE REPORTED FOR THIS AREA.

Info for Kern National Wildlife Refuge Waterfowl Opener, Saturday October 19th

Kern National Wildlife Refuge Staff has released info on the expected conditions for the 2019/2020 waterfowl season opener on Saturday, October 19th. This information appeared on the Kern Refuge website on 9/26/19 at:

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Kern/visit/Hunt-Program.html 

“Please see the waterfowl opener quotas, blinds, and units open to hunting. Due to this year’s lower water allocation, our hunter quota numbers are also lower than last year. As we flood up more habitat the quota numbers will change, so continue to check the website for updates. 

***The following is a projection of what is going to be open for the opener. Hunting areas and quotas are subject to change.***

Free Roam: 2 

Space Blinds: 11, ADA 1

Assigned Ponds: 2 and 4

Hunter Capacity: 42

Number of Reservations: 7”

SoCalHunt reached out to Kern National Wildlife Refuge Complex Project Leader Nick Stanley regarding their water allocations and projections for the coming season and Mr. Stanley was kind enough to get back to me within just a couple of hours with the following information:

 “This upcoming waterfowl opener is going to be exactly the same as last year, this is all based off of our annual water allocation which is given to us from the Bureau of Reclamation. The amount of water available to the Bureau of Reclamation for this area this year is about 19,000 acre-feet. For us, this is an average/normal water year with that amount of water. We start fall flood up in August and we will continue to flood habitat until late January. During this flood up period as we flood more habitat, more areas will open for hunting opportunities. When we are fully flooded this year, we are projecting the hunter quota will be between 120-130 hunters and we will continue to refill until 2 pm. Thanks for your time and let me know if you have any other questions good luck this waterfowl season.”

So, there you have it. It looks like, due to the water allocation from the Bureau of Reclamation, Kern is going to have to start out with only a few areas opened by October 19th but will continue flooding throughout nearly the entire season, opening areas and increasing hunter quotas as the flooding progresses, and will eventually be around or at their full capacity at some point.

This sounds like an improvement over last season as we didn’t really get most of our rain until after the season ended and near the end of the season the most hunters accommodated any one hunt day at Kern was 120. Considering that probably a few of these were refills it sounds like they might have had a capacity of around 100 at the most. Of course, we did have the federal government shutdown in mid-December, which may have affected the hunter capacity also.

Fortunately for the Kern hunters, the California DFW actually runs the hunting program at Kern, so hunters were still allowed access to hunt, but most other things there didn’t get done during the shutdown. If you followed SoCalHunt’s hunting results reports last season you already know that Kern did not submit any reports from the middle of December until after the shutdown ended, which was after the season ended, as the hunt results reports are one of the things that the federal staff handles there.

If you’d like to see what areas are proposed to be opened for the October 19th opener, SoCalHunt has the current Kern hunting map, I’ll post a screen capture of it here.  You can also go to the SoCalHunt webpage maps and downloads page if you want to download a copy. Just scroll down near the bottom of the page and you’ll find it. You can view it there or click on it to download a copy if you’d like. Go to:

www.socalhunt.com

…and go to the “maps and downloads” page. SoCalHunt will try to keep this updated on the “maps and downloads” page with new maps as Kern NWR opens new areas and issues new maps.

Bottom line, checking last year’s stats on Kern it appears they started out with about the same, or just slightly higher, hunter quota as proposed this season. The 2018/2019 season opener had 63 hunters accommodated and then they went down to 53 the next Saturday (as we all know there’s always more hunters for the opener than a regular hunt day). Considering some of these were almost certainly refills it looks like they’re starting out nearly the same as last season. If projections hold (and the government doesn’t go through another shutdown this season) it sounds like there will eventually be a little more room to hunt at Kern than last season as the season progresses.