(Note: Wister Staff, which handles Sonny Bono’s hunting program, advised that they will be releasing the individual hunt day results until 1/1/23. After New Year’s Day, they will return to the once-a-week report on Sunday for the prior Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. They had originally advised that the once-a-week reporting would resume after Christmas Day).
The average waterfowl take for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge for Wednesday headed back upward compared to Saturday’s low average. Snow Geese were still in the first spot for most birds taken with Green Wing Teal taking over the second spot. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Wednesday, 12/28/22 were as follows:
14 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter bagged 2 Shovelers, 1 Pintail, 9 Green Wing Teal, and 2 Cinnamon Teal. 22 Snow Geese were downed at Sonny Bono on Wednesday. 2 Coots were checked in on Wednesday. This figured out to an average bag of 0.93 ducks per person and, with the Geese and Coots included, a 2.53 per hunter average. 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 30 came in on time for their spot.
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.
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