Hunt Results for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, Saturday – 10/22/22, Sunday – 10/23/22, Wednesday – 10/26/22, Saturday – 10/29/22, and Sunday – 10/30/22

NOTE – It has been brought to my attention that I have neglected, over the years, to include the bird counts from the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge in the Wister bird counts. Although the Sonny Bono hunting blinds are on a Federal Wildlife Refuge that is contiguous to Wister they are still administered by Wister when it comes to hunting. HOWEVER, Wister does not include the Sonny Bono bird counts in their totals and they actually issue a separate report for the harvest on Sonny Bono. Henceforth I will begin a separate bird count report on Sonny Bono. I have decided to do this separately from the Wister report as, #1 – Wister issues a separate bird count for Sonny Bono from their bird count, and, #2 – so I don’t skew the yearly totals at the end of the season with Sonny Bono birds. This is so we get a good comparison of Wister between last season and this season. I will do a separate yearly report on Sonny Bono at the end of the year. Yes, it would be easier just to add them to Wister’s totals but I’m going to do it this way. BTW – this means the Sonny Bono report will come out shortly after the Wister report each week (usually Sunday night) as I will receive both reports at the same time.

The 2022/23 season opener average harvest of waterfowl for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge came in with an outstanding average take for the opener. Green Wing Teal took first place on Saturday for number of birds bagged with Cinnamon Teal one bird behind for the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Saturday, 10/22/22 were as follows:

10 adult and no junior hunters bagged 4 Mallards, 1 Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 23 Green Wing Teal, and 22 Cinnamon Teal. There were no Geese or Coots taken on Saturday. This resulted in an average take of 5.20 ducks per hunter and, of course with no Geese or Coots to add into the total, a 5.20 waterfowl average per gun. Reservations are done through the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area and can be used for either Wister or Sonny Bono. Out of 105 reservation cards issued 70 showed up on time for their spot.

The waterfowl take for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge for Sunday, dropped off quite a bit from Saturday’s outstanding season opening average but was still very good. Green Wing Teal remained in the first spot for most birds bagged with Pintail taking the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Sunday, 10/23/22 were as follows:

3 adult and no junior hunters bagged 1 Pintail, and 7 Green Wing Teal. Again no Geese or Coots were checked in at Sonny Bono on Sunday. This resulted in a per person average of 2.67 ducks and, of course, with no Geese or Coots to include, 2.67 waterfowl per hunter. Reservations are done through the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area and can be used for either Wister or Sonny Bono. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 61 hunting parties arrived on time to claim their spots.

There were no hunters utilizing the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge blinds on Wednesday, 10/26/22.

The waterfowl take for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge for Saturday, dropped off a little more from Sunday’s good average. Mallards took over the first spot for most birds bagged with Cinnamon Teal found in the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Sunday, 10/29/22 were as follows:

5 adult and no junior hunters downed 7 Mallards and 2 Cinnamon Teal. Once again, no Geese or Coots were bagged at Sonny Bono on Saturday. This resulted in a per gun average of 1.80 ducks per hunter and, of course, with no Geese or Coots to include, 1.80 waterfowl per person. Reservations are done through the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area and can be used for either Wister or Sonny Bono. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 39 hunting parties arrived on time to claim their spots.

The waterfowl take for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge for Sunday, ticked upward a bit from Saturday’s good average. Mallards retained the first spot for most birds bagged with Pintail and Green Wing Teal tied for the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Sunday, 10/30/22 were as follows:

2 adult and no junior hunters bagged 2 Mallards, 1 Pintail, and 1 Green Wing Teal. There were no Geese or Coots taken at Sonny Bono on Sunday. This resulted in an average of 2.00 ducks per hunter and, of course, with no Geese or Coots to include, 2.00 waterfowl per gun. Reservations are done through the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area and can be used for either Wister or Sonny Bono. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 18 hunting parties arrived on time to claim their spots.

Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. If you would like a reservation for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge you have to request a Wister reservation through the California DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS) which can be used at Wister or Sonny Bono (check-in for your spot at Sonny Bono at the Wister Check station). 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 at Wister 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.

Also, just a reminder. Kern NWR has delayed their opener until Saturday, November 19, 2022, due to water issues so there will be no report on Kern’s results until after that date.

Hunt Results for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area, Wednesday – 10/26/22, Saturday – 10/29/22, and Sunday – 10/30/22

The average waterfowl harvest for Wednesday at the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area rose a bit over what Sunday’s hunt produced. Green Wing Teal retained first place on Wednesday for number of birds checked in with Cinnamon Teal again in the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 10/26/22 were as follows:

115 adult Hunters and 1 junior hunter checked in with 5 Northern Shovelers, 12 Mallards, 2 Gadwall, 2 Widgeon, 43 Pintail, 93 Green Wing Teal, 86 Cinnamon Teal, 17 Ring Necks, 4 Blue Wing Teal, and 10 Ruddy Ducks. A lone Greater White Fronted Goose was checked in on Wednesday. 3 Coots were also taken on Wednesday. This resulted in an average bag of 2.36 ducks per hunter or, with the Goose and Coots added in, 2.40 waterfowl per gun. Out of 105 reservation cards issued 37 showed up on time for their spot.

The waterfowl average bag for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Saturday dropped some from Wednesday’s great averages. Cinnamon took over the number one spot for most birds bagged with Green Wing Teal sliding back to the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 10/29/22 were as follows:

129 adult and 2 junior hunters bagged 6 Northern Shoveler, 8 Mallards, 4 Gadwall, 3 Widgeon, 16 Pintail, 41 Green Wing Teal, 112 Cinnamon Teal, 10 Ring Necks, 1 Bufflehead, 3 Blue Wing Teal, 1 Surf Scooter, and 5 Ruddy Ducks. There was a single Cackling Goose taken at Wister on Saturday. In addition, 2 coots were checked in on Saturday. This resulted in an average harvest of 1.60 ducks per hunter or, with the Goose and Coots included, 1.63 waterfowl per person. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 39 hunting parties arrived on time to claim their spots.

The waterfowl take for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Sunday, dropped off quite a bit from Saturday’s averages. The Green Wings and Cinnamons swapped paces again with Green Wing Teal jumping up into first place for most birds bagged with Cinnamon Teal slipping back into the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sunday, 10/30/22 were as follows:

67 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter bagged 1 Widgeon, 4 Pintail, 17 Green Wing Teal, 14 Cinnamon Teal, 3 Ring Necks, 1 Blue Wing Teal, and 13 Ruddy Ducks. There were no Geese taken at Wister on Sunday. 5 coots were also, brought in on Sunday. This resulted in a 0.78 average bag of ducks per person and, with the Coots added, 0.85 waterfowl per hunter. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 18 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 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.

Also, just a reminder. Kern NWR has delayed their opener until Saturday, November 19, 2022, due to water issues so there will be no report on Kern’s results until after that date.

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Saturday – 10/29/22

The waterfowl average take at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area for Saturday revealed an average down quite a bit compared to Wednesday’s good average under partly cloudy skies and temperatures that started in the mid-40s and ended up just touching 80. Green Wing Teal took over first place for the number of birds bagged with Shovelers holding onto the second spot. Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Saturday, 10/29/22 were as follows:

163 adult and 14 junior checked in with 40 Northern Shovelers, 16 Mallards, 2 Gadwall, 5 Widgeon, 1 Pintail, 46 Green Wing Teal, 12 Cinnamon Teal, 1 Redhead, 26 Ring Necks, 1 Blue Wing Teal, and 16 Ruddy Ducks. A lone Greater White Fronted Goose was downed at San Jacinto on Saturday. Also, 6 Coots were checked in on Saturday. This worked out to an average take of 0.94 ducks per hunter or, with the Goose and Coots added in, 0.98 waterfowl per hunter. Tom advised that out of 52 reservation cards issued 36 arrived 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:

San Jacinto Wildlife Area’s Annual Bryant Park Head Start Preschool Toy Drive Begins – Donations Needed

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.

Also, just a reminder. Kern NWR has delayed their opener until Saturday, November 19, 2022, due to water issues so, obviously, there will be no report on Kern’s results until after that date.

Hunt Results for Lake Perris, Wednesday – 10/26/22

The average waterfowl harvest for the boat hunters at Lake Perris dropped slightly compared to Sunday’s dismal average take. John Rowe of Lake Perris reported that the results for Sunday, 10/26/22 were as follows:

17 hunters checked in with 7 Mallards, 2 Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 3 Green Wing Teal, and 2 Widgeon. This resulted in an average bag of 0.94 waterfowl per person. Out of 9 reservations issued 7 boats showed up on time for their spot.

Lake Perris is open for waterfowl hunting every Wednesday until noon. Hunting is done from BOATS ONLY and the drawing for this season’s hunting spots has already occurred. There will be no “sweat line” or alternates on the day of the hunt. There will be (9) boat in buoy locations each Wednesday that will be awarded by lottery in early August. For details on how to get in on the drawing for next season, the boat requirements, and other info for the Lake Perris waterfowl hunting program go to:

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24697&fbclid=IwAR1qv7vt9_1HBOhfK9pRsNDxicHMqFFbbDwcwk9jFT5yiH0WPTShixSBEk8

Don’t forget that all licenses must be purchased at a DFW Office or a license agent before your arrival at Lake Perris. 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 which can take up to 15 days. If you purchase your license in person at a DFW office or license agent you immediately get them without the wait for the mail. No licenses will be sold at Lake Perris.

Also, just a reminder. Kern NWR has delayed their opener until Saturday, November 19, 2022, due to water issues so there will be no report on Kern’s results until after that date.

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Wednesday – 10/26/22

The waterfowl average at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area for Wednesday 10/26/22 revealed an average down a bit compared to Saturday’s good opener under mostly clear skies and temperatures that started in the mid-40s and ended up in the low 70s. Cinnamon Teal held on to first place for the number one bird checked in with Shovelers advancing into the second spot. Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Wednesday, 10/26/22 were as follows:

174 adult and 5 junior hunters came away with 68 Northern Shovelers, 9 Mallards, 7 Gadwall, 13 Widgeon, 5 Pintail, 60 Green Wing Teal, 70 Cinnamon Teal, 1 Redhead, 2 Canvasbacks, 41 Ring Necks, and 14 Ruddy Ducks. There were 11 Greater White Fronted Geese checked in at San Jacinto on Wednesday. In addition, 38 Coots were taken on Wednesday. This resulted in an average bag of 1.62 ducks per gun or, with the Geese and Coots worked into the total, 1.89 waterfowl per person. Tom advised that out of 52 reservation cards issued 37 arrived 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/2022/10/19/san-jacinto-wildlife-areas-annual-bryant-park-head-start-preschool-toy-drive-begins-donations-needed/

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.

Also, just a reminder. Kern NWR has delayed their opener until Saturday, November 19, 2022, due to water issues so, obviously, there will be no report on Kern’s results until after that date.

Hunt Results for Lake Perris, Sunday – 10/23/22

After a 17-year hiatus, the 2022/23 season waterfowl hunting opener at Lake Perris revealed a poor average bag for the boat hunters in attendance. (Note – this is the only Sunday hunt day for the season. All other hunts will be on Wednesdays.) John Rowe of Lake Perris reported that the results for Sunday, 10/23/22 were as follows:

20 hunters checked in with 20 Mallards and 1 Widgeon. This resulted in an average harvest of 1.05 waterfowl per person. Out of 9 reservations issued 7 boats showed up on time for their spot.

For the rest of the season, Lake Perris is open for waterfowl hunting every Wednesday until noon. Hunting is done from BOATS ONLY and the drawing for this season’s hunting spots has already occurred. There will be no “sweat line” or alternates on the day of the hunt. There will be (9) boat in buoy locations each Wednesday that will be awarded by lottery in early August. For details on how to get in on the drawing for next season, the boat requirements, and other info for the Lake Perris waterfowl hunting program go to:

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24697&fbclid=IwAR1qv7vt9_1HBOhfK9pRsNDxicHMqFFbbDwcwk9jFT5yiH0WPTShixSBEk8

Don’t forget that all licenses must be purchased at a DFW Office or a license agent before your arrival at Lake Perris. These can be purchased online via the ALDS system, however, you will have to wait for the DFG to mail you the actual licenses which can take up to 15 days. If you purchase your license in person at a DFW office or license agent you immediately get it without the wait for the mail. No licenses will be sold at Lake Perris.

Also, just a reminder. Kern NWR has delayed their opener until Saturday, November 19, 2022, due to water issues so there will be no report on Kern’s results until after that date.

Shotgun and Hunting Equipment Raffle at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Murrieta to Benefit San Jacinto’s 29th Annual Junior Waterfowl Hunt

Sportsman’s Warehouse in Murrieta is sponsoring a raffle to raise money to purchase prizes for San Jacinto’s 29th Annual Junior Waterfowl hunt, which will be held on Saturday, February 4th, 2023. Raffle tickets are available at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Murrieta (see below for a Google Maps link to the Sportsman’s Warehouse location):

https://www.google.com/maps/place/25070+Madison+Ave,+Murrieta,+CA+92562/@33.5584117,-117.2017253,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80dc823f9b185f55:0xa92fc1a000ad293d!8m2!3d33.5584072!4d-117.1995366?hl=en

There will be four winners in this raffle. One winner will take home a brand-new Benelli Nova Field Pump Shotgun, another winner will be awarded a Landing Gear Bare Bones Blind Bag in Max5 Camo, a third lucky winner will take home a MOJO Elite Series Pintail Decoy, and the final winner will be awarded a Mojo Mud Seat. All the money raised by this raffle will go to purchase prizes for San Jacinto Wildlife Area’s Annual Junior Waterfowl Hunt. Tickets are only $5 each! The drawing for the prizes will be held on December 22nd, 2022, at 5:00 pm. Winners need not be present to win. All money from the raffle will be used to purchase prizes for the Junior Hunt giveaway.

In addition, if you’d like to support this great event for our Junior Hunters by donating prizes of your own you can do that by following the procedure laid out in the SoCalHunt post at the link below:

San Jacinto Wildlife Area’s 28th Annual Junior Waterfowl Hunt Giveaway – Donations Needed

If you’d like to donate a prize or two (or more) for the Junior Hunt don’t let a little paperwork scare you. It’s not that hard, I know, I’ve done it every year since this requirement was put in place.

So, here’s a great chance to get a nice shotgun or some other duck gear for a few bucks and support a great event for our Junior Hunters, the future of our sport.

Hunt Results for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area, Saturday – 10/22/22 and Sunday – 10/23/22

The 2022/23 season opener waterfowl take average for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area came in with a great average take for opening day about half a bird better than what last year’s opening day produced. Green Wing Teal came in far out front for first place for Saturday for number of birds bagged with Cinnamon Teal showing up in the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 10/22/22 were as follows:

358 adult and 20 junior hunters checked in with 19 Northern Shovelers, 43 Mallards, 3 Gadwall, 8 Widgeon, 131 Pintail, 828 Green Wing Teal, 579 Cinnamon Teal, 3 Redheads, 22 Ring Necks, 3 Blue Wing Teal, and 13 Ruddy Ducks. There were 2 Greater White Fronted Geese taken on Saturday. In addition, 19 Coots were brought in on Saturday. This resulted in an average harvest of 4.37 ducks per hunter or, with the Geese and Coots worked into the total, a 4.43 waterfowl average for per person. Out of 105 reservation cards issued 70 showed up on time for their spot.

The waterfowl take for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Sunday, dropped off quite a bit from Saturday’s great season opening averages. Green Wing Teal remained in the number one spot for most birds checked in with Cinnamon Teal holding on to the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sunday, 10/23/22 were as follows:

152 adult and 6 junior hunters bagged 7 Northern Shoveler, 3 Mallards, 28 Pintail, 148 Green Wing Teal, 100 Cinnamon Teal, 3 Redheads, 7 Ring Necks, 3 Blue Wing Teal, 2 Bufflehead, and 8 Ruddy Ducks. There were 2 Greater White Fronted Geese checked in at Wister on Sunday. There were also 7 coots brought in on Sunday. This resulted in a per person average of 1.96 ducks per gun and, with the Geese and Coots included, 2.01 waterfowl per hunter. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 61 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.

Also, just a reminder. Kern NWR has delayed their opener until Saturday, November 19, 2022, due to water issues so there will be no report on Kern’s results until after that date.

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Saturday – 10/22/22

The hunt results on opening day for the 2022/23 waterfowl season at San Jacinto Wildlife Area produced an average bag almost a bird and a half under the average for last year’s opener. The total bird count of 713 waterfowl was produced by the opening day hunters under mostly cloudy skies with temperatures that started out in the low 60s and didn’t quite make it to 70. Cinnamon Teal were the number one bird bagged on the opener with Green Wing Teal taking the second spot for number of birds checked in. Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Saturday, 10/22/22 were as follows:

230 adult and 6 junior hunters harvested 140 Northern Shovelers, 21 Mallards, 15 Gadwall, 22 Widgeon, 22 Pintail, 149 Green Wing Teal, 260 Cinnamon Teal, 1 Redhead, 1 Canvasback, 39 Ring Necks, 1 Merganser, and 8 Ruddy Ducks. There were 3 Greater White Fronted Geese and 1 Aleutian Goose taken at San Jacinto on Saturday. There were also 40 Coots checked in on Saturday. This resulted in an average bag of 2.88 ducks per hunter or, with the Geese and Coots figured in, 3.02 waterfowl per gun. Tom advised that out of 52 reservation cards issued 42 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/2022/10/19/san-jacinto-wildlife-areas-annual-bryant-park-head-start-preschool-toy-drive-begins-donations-needed/

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.

Also, just a reminder. Kern NWR has delayed their opener until Saturday, November 19, 2022, due to water issues so, obviously, there will be no report on Kern’s results until after that date.

‘Twas the morning of Duckmas

(with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore)

‘Twas the morning of Duckmas, when all through the marsh
All the creatures were stirring, especially the frogs;
The camo was hung by the salt cedar with care,
In hopes that the greenheads soon would be there;

The hunters were nestled all cramped in their blinds,
While visions of full straps danced in their heads;
And me and mom in her face paint, with the decoys all out,
Had just settled down to await the starting horn’s toot.

When out on the marsh there arose such a clatter,
I stood up in the blind to see what was the matter.
My marsh chair fell over as I flew like a flash,
Tore open the blind door and threw the camo cover back.

The moon on the breast of the marsh water below
Gave the lustre of mid-day to the motion decoys,
When, what to my wondering ears should hear,
But a several early shooters, blasting away in the dark,

With a few random divers, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment the greenheads would split.
More rapid than eagles they did fly,
And I used a whistle, and a call, to call to them back as they fly;

“Now, mallard! now, pintail! now, blue wing and green wing!
On, spoony! on cinnamon! on, blue bill and can!
To the top of the pond! Far away from the blind!
They flew away! Flew away! Out of range in no time!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
They climbed really fast, 100 yards high,
So up way past the tree-tops the waterflow flew,
With the skybusters slinging steel after them too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the pond
The whirring of wings and splash down of webbed feet.
As I shouldered my shotgun, and was turning around,
Out on the pond a duck came down.

He was dressed all in feathers, green on his head orange on his foot,
And his bill was all black like ashes and soot;
A couple of hens were just to his back,
And he looked like dinner if he’d just sit there a sec.

His eyes – they were yellow! His sides sort of brown!
His cheeks glistened as he sat there looking around!
His huge spoon-shaped bill looked like a smile,
And his head swiveled around to see if he could stay there a while;

The stump of a tree he swam by real fast,
And circled around it and hid behind a branch;
The hens followed him and were soon hidden too,
They sat there and sat there waiting on my next move.

He was skinny and slim like most spoonys look,
And I lined my shotgun up on the stump, hoping he’d jump;
In a wink of his eye he was back in the air,
and the hens followed him up, splitting up in the sky.

I lined up on the drake, at least I thought I did well,
And my shotgun barked three times but nothing fell,
And slapping my forehead, disgusted by my miss,
cussing under my breath about the range time I’d dissed.

As he flew higher above the pond, a passing widgon gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he flew out of sight,
HAPPY DUCKMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD HUNT!

Good luck to everyone on the opener and throughout the season. Stay safe out there.

San Jacinto Wildlife Area’s Annual Bryant Park Head Start Preschool Toy Drive Begins – Donations Needed

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. This year, with Covid winding down, there are more kids than ever at the Bryant Park Preschool, so San Jacinto is starting the toy drive earlier than usual to be sure there are enough toys for every child.

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 15th. 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!

Lake Perris Boat Blind Locations Posted

For the lucky ones that have pulled a reservation for the boat-based waterfowl hunting at Lake Perris for the 2022/2023 season, John Rowe of Lake Perris has posted the GPS locations of the boat-blind buoy locations along with a KLM file that can be used to mark the locations in apps like Google Maps, OnX, and other such apps. Here are the GPS numbers for the individual blind buoy locations:

Blind #1 33° 52′ 26.21″ N 117° 9′ 23.20″ W

Blind #2 33° 52′ 13.17″ N 117° 9′ 16.32″ W

Blind #3 33° 52′ 3.08″ N 117° 9′ 17.61″ W

Blind #4 33° 51′ 55.77″ N 117° 9′ 18.29″ W

Blind #5 33° 51′ 47.05″ N 117° 9′ 17.23″ W

Blind #6 33° 51′ 37.35″ N 117° 9′ 18.33″ W

Blind #7 33° 51′ 27.90″ N 117° 9′ 34.25″ W

Blind #8 33° 51′ 16.81″ N 117° 9′ 41.98″ W

Blind #9 33° 51′ 8.80″ N 117° 9′ 48.96″ W

A link to the KLM file can be found on the Perris Lake Hunting Program webpage at:

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24697&fbclid=IwAR37AHmXRdvoFE0iZsnxRXEwWtQztNCCZf6dJQdvu7XMXSjuxlR7fxzMZrg

…just scroll down until you see a link labeled “9 Buoy Locations for Waterfowl” and click on it to download the KLM file. I have attached a Google Maps ariel view screen capture here to give you an idea of where the blinds are (below).

Good luck to all the Lake Perris hunters and stay safe out there.

CDFW To Hold Online Public Outreach Meeting Regarding Southern California Wildlife Areas Thursday, Oct. 6, from 3 to 4 pm

From the DFW website post regarding the meeting:

“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will hold an online outreach meeting on Thursday, Oct. 6 to take comments and recommendations regarding hunting programs in Southern California wildlife areas, and to provide updates on habitat conditions and availability of water for wetlands during the drought. State wildlife areas to be discussed are the San Jacinto Wildlife Area in Riverside County, and the Imperial Wildlife Area and the Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge, both in Imperial County.
The meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 6, from 3 to 4 p.m. using Microsoft Teams(opens in new tab) https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=%2F_%23%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%3Ameeting_YTRjZWZiMjctNmU0Zi00Njk2LWI3YWItN2VlNzlhZDQ3MTdj%40thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%25224b633c25-efbf-4006-9f15-07442ba7aa0b%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%2522121f743c-b0e0-4191-8e32-45b17101bb5e%2522%257d%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meetup-join&deeplinkId=d0595a98-4ff1-4acb-a134-d2e5bd60112e&directDl=true&msLaunch=true&enableMobilePage=true&suppressPrompt=true .

Members of the public can join the meeting.
CDFW annually provides an opportunity for licensed hunters to comment and make recommendations on public hunting programs, including anticipated habitat conditions in the hunting areas on Type A wildlife areas through public meetings and outreach.”

If you’d like to listen in or join the meeting, click the link above in the DFW article or here >>> Microsoft Teams – https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=%2F_%23%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%3Ameeting_YTRjZWZiMjctNmU0Zi00Njk2LWI3YWItN2VlNzlhZDQ3MTdj%40thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%25224b633c25-efbf-4006-9f15-07442ba7aa0b%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%2522121f743c-b0e0-4191-8e32-45b17101bb5e%2522%257d%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meetup-join&deeplinkId=d0595a98-4ff1-4acb-a134-d2e5bd60112e&directDl=true&msLaunch=true&enableMobilePage=true&suppressPrompt=true .

Links below are to the two articles about this on the DFW website:

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Subscribe/c/469/ce/439977110/view/preview#lcpreview

https://wildlife.ca.gov/News/cdfw-to-hold-online-public-outreach-meeting-regarding-southern-california-wildlife-areas