(Note: Wister Staff 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 waterfowl average bag for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Wednesday dropped somewhat as compared to Saturday’s average. Green Wing Teal were still holding the first position for number of birds checked in with Cinnamon Teal taking over the second spot. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 12/28/22 were as follows:
148 adult and 12 junior hunters took home 29 Northern Shovelers, 9 Mallard, 27 Gadwall, 6 Widgeon, 42 Pintail, 96 Green Wing Teal, 47 Cinnamon Teal, 1 Redhead, 10 Bufflehead, 1 Merganser, and 9 Ruddy Duck. 39 Snow Geese and 1 Ross’ Goose were bagged at Wister on Wednesday. In addition, 3 Coots were also downed on Wednesday. This figured out to an average take of 1.73 ducks per hunter or, with the Geese and Coots added in, 2.00 waterfowl per person. Out of 105 reservation cards issued 30 arrived in time to claim their hunting 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 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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