Hunt Results for Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Wednesday – 1/11/23

The waterfowl average bag at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge for Wednesday ticked upward a bit as compared to Saturday’s average. Shovelers remained in the first spot for number of birds taken with Green Wing Teal likewise retaining the second position. The Kern NWR Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 1/11/23 were as follows:

49 adult and no junior hunters took home 90 Northern Shovelers, 2 Mallards, 12 Gadwall, 6 Widgeon, 8 Pintail, 46 Green Wing Teal, 2 Redheads, 7 Ring Necks, and 11 Bufflehead. 2 Greater White Fronted Geese were checked in at Kern on Wednesday. No Coots were downed at Kern on Wednesday. This came out to an average harvest of 3.76 ducks per gun or, with the Geese figured into the total, 3.80 waterfowl per person. Out of 9 reservation cards issued 5 arrived in time to claim their hunting area.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. At this point in the season, except for the Junior and Veterans’ hunts, it is too late to put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS). You can still get in on the daily “sweat line” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of. 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 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 – 1/11/23

The waterfowl average bag for Wednesday at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area jumped upward a bit as compared to Saturday’s average under cloudy skies and temperatures ranging from right at 40 into the high 50s. Shovelers again, were found in the first spot for number of birds harvested with Green Wing Teal, also again, holding on to second place. Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Wednesday, 1/11/23 were as follows:

130 adult and no junior hunters took home 141 Northern Shovelers, 3 Mallards, 44 Gadwall, 4 Widgeon, 11 Pintail, 79 Green Wing Teal, 19 Cinnamon Teal, 3 Ring Necks, 1 Scaup, 9 Bufflehead, 1 Goldeneye, and 10 Ruddy Ducks. No Geese were taken at San Jacinto on Wednesday. 15 Coots were taken at San Jacinto on Wednesday. This came out to an average take of 2.50 ducks per hunter or, with the Coots worked into the total, 2.62 waterfowl per hunter. Tom advised that out of 52 reservation cards issued 27 arrived in time to claim their spot.

Donations are needed for the Junior Hunt giveaway. If you are inclined to make a prize or other donation towards the event, which will be on February 4th, 2023, California State procedures for donating are detailed here (and it’s really not that tough, I’ve done it every year since the procedures were implemented):

New Procedures for Donations for the Annual Junior Hunt at San Jacinto Wildlife Area

San Jacinto is open for waterfowl hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. At this point in the season, except for the Junior and Veterans’ hunts, it is too late to put in for reservations online through the DFW Automated License Data System (ALDS). You can still get in on the daily “sweat line” drawing for the remaining blinds after the reservations are taken care of. Reservation spots are given out starting at 3 AM and the “sweat line” drawing is at 3:30 AM. 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, Saturday – 1/7/23

The waterfowl average harvest at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge for Saturday Stayed pretty close to the same as compared to Wednesday’s average. Shovelers held on to the first position for number of birds bagged with Green Wing Teal retaining the second spot. The Kern NWR Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 1/7/23 were as follows:

54 adult and no junior hunters came away with 75 Northern Shovelers, 6 Mallards, 6 Gadwall, 5 Widgeon, 7 Pintail, 57 Green Wing Teal, 1 Cinnamon Teal, 1 Ring Neck, 7 Bufflehead, and 1 Rudy Duck. No Geese were taken at Kern on Saturday. 3 Coots were checked in at Kern on Saturday. This figured out to an average bag of 3.07 ducks per hunter or, with the Coots worked into the total, 3.13 waterfowl per person. Out of 9 reservation cards issued 3 showed up on time to claim their hunting 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 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 – 1/4/23, Saturday – 1/7/23, and Sunday – 1/8/23

The average waterfowl bag for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Wednesday jumped back upward from Sunday’s averages. Green Wing Teal had the first spot, exclusively this time, for most birds downed with Snow Geese found in the second position. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 1/4/23 were as follows:

97 adult and 4 junior hunters checked in with 31 Northern Shovelers, 8 Mallards, 10 Gadwall, 10 Widgeon, 32 Pintail, 73 Green Wing Teal, 19 Cinnamon Teal, 3 Ring Necks, 8 Bufflehead, and 3 Ruddy Ducks. Also, 64 Snow Geese and 1 Ross’ Goose were checked in at Wister on Wednesday. 6 Coots were also taken at Wister on Wednesday. This resulted in an average harvest of 1.95 ducks per gun or, with the Geese and Coots considered in the total, 2.65 waterfowl per person. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 23 arrived on time to get their spot.

The waterfowl average bag for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Saturday dropped somewhat as compared to Wednesday’s average. Green Wing Teal held on to the first position for most birds taken with Pintail showing up in the second spot. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Wister for Saturday, 1/7/23 were as follows:

176 adult hunters and 7 junior hunters came away with 30 Northern Shovelers, 14 Mallards, 12 Gadwall, 7 Widgeon, 39 Pintail, 127 Green Wing Teal, 34 Cinnamon Teal, 24 Bufflehead, 2 Goldeneye, and 2 Ruddy Ducks. 2 Snow Geese were bagged at Wister on Saturday. 2 Coots were taken at Wister on Saturday. This came out to an average take of 1.59 ducks per gun or, with the Geese and Coots added in, 1.61 waterfowl per person. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 29 showed up on time to get their spots.

The waterfowl average harvest for the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area for Sunday dropped back some more as compared to Saturday’s averages. Shovelers took over first position for most birds turned in with Green Wing Teal sliding back to second place. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Wister for Sunday, 1/8/23 were as follows:

81 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter downed 15 Northern Shovelers, 9 Gadwall, 3 Widgeon, 8 Pintail, 13 Green Wing Teal, 1 Cinnamon Teal, 8 Bufflehead, and 3 Ruddy Ducks. 11 Snow Geese were brought in on Sunday. There were 14 Coots checked in at Wister on Sunday. This worked out to an average bag of 0.73 ducks per person and, with the Geese and Coots figured into the total, 1.04 waterfowl per gun. Out of 104 reservation cards issued 14 hunters made it on time to get 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 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 Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, Wednesday – 1/4/23, Saturday – 1/7/23, and Sunday – 1/8/23

The average waterfowl take for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge for Wednesday dropped a little when only the duck were considered but rocketed way up when the geese were added in compared to Sunday’s average. Snow Geese took over the first spot for most birds taken with (a) Gadwall in the second spot. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Wednesday, 1/4/23 were as follows:

9 adult and no junior hunters bagged 1 Gadwall. 48 Snow Geese were downed at Sonny Bono on Wednesday. No Coots were checked in on Wednesday. This figured out to an average bag of 0.11 ducks per person and, with the Geese included, a 5.44 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 23 came in on time for their spot.

The waterfowl average bag for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge for Saturday rose a little for the ducks but slipped back some when the geese were added in as compared to Wednesday’s average. Snow Geese were again in the first position for most birds taken with Shovelers found in the second spot. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Saturday, 1/7/23 were as follows:

21 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter came away with 5 Northern Shovelers, 1 Pintail, and 3 Green Wing Teal. 45 Snow Geese were also harvested at Sonny Bono on Saturday. No Coots were bagged at Sonny Bono on Saturday. This came out to an average take of 0.41 ducks per gun or, with the Geese added in, 2.45 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 29 showed up on time to get their spots.

The waterfowl average harvest for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge for Sunday tanked all the way around as compared to Saturday’s averages. Snow Geese and Ross’ Geese (or I should say Goose in both cases) came in tied for the first position for most birds turned in with no other birds taken. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Sunday, 1/8/23 were as follows:

10 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter downed no ducks. A lone Snow Goose and a single Ross’ Goose were brought in on Sunday. There were no Coots checked in at Sonny Bono on Sunday. This worked out to an average bag of 0.00 on the ducks per person and, with the Geese figured into the total, 0.18 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 14 hunters made it on time to get 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.

Tom Trakes Retiring – Let’s Write Some Letters!

Many of you already know this, but I’m sure some haven’t heard yet. The Veterans’ Waterfowl Hunt at San Jacinto Wildlife Area on February 11th will be the last hunt day with Tom Trakes in charge of San Jacinto Wildlife Area. Tom is, as they say, “pullin’ the pin”, and is retiring shortly after the end of this waterfowl season.

Tom has had a long run a San Jacinto Wildlife Area and has, in effect, become the face of SJWA. You almost can’t think of San Jac without thinking of Tom Trakes. The Southern California hunting community owes him a big debt of gratitude for running SJWA as a well-oiled machine (given the state limitation he has had to work with). With very few exceptions Tom has been the one to step out of the check station at 0300 and give his “welcome speech” running over the rules and anything else hunters need to know for the day. He organized and run all the volunteer clean-up and brush-up days, the hunter’s education class each year, and the ever-popular Junior and Veterans’ waterfowl hunts, just to name a few activities. He’s also gone above and beyond running SJWA’s toy drive each Christmas.

I think many of us have ended up with our pictures, along with our straps of ducks, on the “Fans of SJWA” Facebook page thanks to Tom’s quick camera shutter finger.

So, what can we all do for him? I think one of the biggest things we can do is write letters (via email) about our thoughts on how Tom runs and manages San Jacinto. Tom has been involved in an out of class grievance with the DFW and they are fighting it. Just write up a few short lines and how Tom runs things at SJWA. If he’s helped you out, some of the work and the extra work you’ve seen Tom do, and anything else Tom’s done that you think is noteworthy. Just a little atta boy on how well he runs the place. As I’ve said many a time, if the rest of the state employees were like Tom, we’d have a lot fewer problems in this state. (Can you imagine how well run a DMV full of Tom Trakeses would be? Well, maybe that’s TOO much to wish for). If you are so inclined to write an email letter for Tom, send it directly to him at Tom4huck@hotmail.com to make sure he sees every one of them. He’ll forward them to the DFW people that need to know.

Another thing we can all chip in on for Tom is his daughter has started a GoFundMe to buy Tom his dream camera. Tom has come a long way with his photography since the first pictures he posted online many years ago. We can all pitch in to get Tom the next step in photography equipment to “play with” for his retirement. If you are of a mind to donate here’s the GoFundMe link…

https://gofund.me/d662d47a

The third thing we can do is attend Tom’s retirement party on March 18th at 4pm at The Ramona Event Center in Hemet (the old bowling alley) at 42151 E. Florida Ave. There’s a Facebook invite out on this which you can find at…

https://fb.me/e/2VUk06Bzz

…February 18th is the last day to RSVP to this invite, so they know how many people are going to attend. I’ll not rehash all the party details here, just click on the link and you’ll have all the info.

So, Tom is leaving us for a better life in Idaho, (who can blame him?). Those will be big shoes to fill. Adios, my friend.

San Jacinto Wildlife Area’s Annual Bryant Park Preschool Toy Drive a Big Success Again!

Once again the San Jacinto Wildlife Area Staff is putting out A BIG THANKS to all the hunters who, as usual, came through BIG TIME to donate toys for the Annual Bryant Park Head Start Preschool Toy Drive. And this year SJWA Bird Watchers joined in and donated quite a few toys too. The San Jacinto hunters and birders came through overwhelmingly and provided the toys needed to make this event a big success for the kids.

The preschool’s kids were presented toys by Santa, (played by SJWA’s own Ricky Gardenias), and it was a wonderful time for the kids and the adults in attendance with some great food and desserts were brought in by the parents and Bryant Park Staff too!

There were 33 Bryant Park Students in attendance and each one got to take home four toys and some even had siblings in attendance that got toys too!
Once again, the Staff at San Jacinto Wildlife Area (and I as well) would like to extend a big THANK YOU to the San Jacinto hunters and birders for their very generous toy donations to make this all possible. SJ hunters, as they always do, have proved they have a heart and really care. This also goes for the SJWA birders who generously joined in on the donations this year too.

Thanks once more for all the generous toy donations!

Here’s a few pictures from the event to tell the story:

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Saturday – 1/7/23 (corrected)

(Note: the results sheet sent to SoCalHunt by the SJWA yesterday contained several errors. Disregard yesterday’s post regarding SJWA’s hunt results. Below are the corrected numbers)

The average waterfowl take for Saturday at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area went up a bit as compared to Wednesday’s average under cloudy skies with temperatures ranging from the low-40s to the mid-60s. Shovelers remained in first place for number of birds bagged with Green Wing Teal retaining the second position. Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Saturday, 1/7/23 were as follows:

151 adult and 12 junior hunters harvested 167 Northern Shovelers, 2 Mallards, 22 Gadwall, 16 Widgeon, 10 Pintail, 68 Green Wing Teal, 5 Cinnamon Teal, 3 Ring Necks, 7 Bufflehead, 1 Merganser, and 13 Ruddy Ducks. No Geese were checked in at San Jacinto on Saturday. 18 Coots were downed at San Jacinto on Saturday. This figured out to an average bag of 1.93 ducks per gun or, with the Coots worked into the total, 2.04 waterfowl per hunter. Tom advised that out of 52 reservation cards issued 31 arrived in time to claim their spot.

Donations are needed for the Junior Hunt giveaway. If you are inclined to make a prize or other donation towards the event, which will be on February 4th, 2023, California State procedures for donating are detailed here (and it’s really not that tough, I’ve done it every year since the procedures were implemented):

New Procedures for Donations for the Annual Junior Hunt at San Jacinto Wildlife Area

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.

Hunt Results for Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Wednesday – 1/4/23

The average waterfowl bag at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge for Wednesday stayed almost the same as compared to Saturday’s average. Shovelers and Green Wing Teal swapped places with the Spoonies taking over the first place for number of birds checked in with the Green Wings sliding back to the second position. The Kern NWR Staff reported that the results for Wednesday, 1/4/23 were as follows:

67 adult hunters and 1 junior hunter harvested 104 Northern Shovelers, 2 Mallards, 6 Gadwall, 13 Widgeon, 9 Pintail, 67 Green Wing Teal, 6 Canvasbacks, and 6 Bufflehead. 1 Greater White Fronted Goose and 4 Snow Geese were downed at Kern on Wednesday. 7 Coots were also bagged at Kern on Wednesday. This came out to an average take of 3.13 ducks per person or, with the Geese and Coots added into the total, 3.31 waterfowl per gun. Out of 9 reservation cards issued 7 came in on time to claim 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 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 Lake Perris, Wednesday – 1/4/23

The waterfowl average take for the boat hunters at Lake Perris, logically, could only go up compared to last Wednesday’s average since no one showed up. However…although there was 1 reservation out of 9 claimed, with 2 hunters in attendance, the birds forgot to show up and no waterfowl were harvested. At least someone tried…

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.

Hunt Results for San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Wednesday – 1/4/23

The waterfowl average bag for Wednesday at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area stayed almost exactly the same as Saturday’s average under cloudy conditions and temperatures that ranged from the low-50s to the high-50s. Shovelers swapped places with Green Wing Teal taking over first place for number of birds taken pushing the Green Wings back to the second spot. Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, reported that the results for Wednesday, 1/4/23 were as follows:

151 adult and 8 junior hunters took home 100 Northern Shovelers, 5 Mallards, 44 Gadwall, 4 Widgeon, 9 Pintail, 56 Green Wing Teal, 8 Cinnamon Teal, 8 Ring Necks, 3 Bufflehead, and 9 Ruddy Ducks. No Geese were taken at San Jacinto on Wednesday. 17 Coots were also bagged at San Jacinto on Wednesday. This worked out to an average harvest of 1.55 ducks per hunter or, with the Coots figured into the total, 1.65 waterfowl per person. Tom advised that out of 52 reservation cards issued 31 arrived on time to claim their hunting spot.

Donations are needed for the Junior Hunt giveaway. If you are inclined to make a prize or other donation towards the event, which will be on February 4th, 2023, California State procedures for donating are detailed here (and it’s really not that tough, I’ve done it every year since the procedures were implemented):

New Procedures for Donations for the Annual Junior Hunt at San Jacinto Wildlife Area

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.

Hunt Results for Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Saturday – 12/31/22

The waterfowl average take at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge for Saturday dropped slightly as compared to Wednesday’s average. Green Wing Teal remained in first place for number of birds bagged with Shovelers likewise keeping their second spot. The Kern NWR Staff reported that the results for Saturday, 12/31/22 were as follows:

59 adult and 4 junior hunters came away with 60 Northern Shovelers, 1 Mallard, 6 Gadwall, 19 Widgeon, 19 Pintail, 84 Green Wing Teal, 7 Cinnamon Teal, 2 Redheads, 1 Ring Neck, 1 Merganser, and 1 Ruddy Duck. A single Greater White Fronted Goose was checked in at Kern on Saturday. No Coots were taken at Kern on Saturday. This figured out to an average bag of 3.19 ducks per hunter or, with the Goose added in, 3.21 waterfowl per gun. Out of 9 reservation cards issued 5 arrived in time to claim their hunting 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 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 – 1/1/23

(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 Sunday dropped back some as compared to Saturday’s average. Green Wing Teal and Pintail came in tied for the first spot for number of birds taken with Gadwall found in second place. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sunday, 1/1/23 were as follows:

52 adult and 4 junior hunters came away with 5 Northern Shovelers, 2 Mallard, 7 Gadwall, 2 Widgeon, 11 Pintail, 11 Green Wing Teal, and 2 Cinnamon Teal. 5 Snow Geese and 1 Ross’ Goose were taken at Wister on Sunday. 1 Coot was also checked in on Sunday. This came out to an average take of 0.71 ducks per hunter or, with the Geese and Coot added in, 0.84 waterfowl per gun. Out of 105 reservation cards issued 13 arrived in time to claim 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 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 Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, Sunday – 1/1/23

(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 Sunday stayed the same for the ducks but dropped a bit when the Geese were added in compared to Saturday’s average. Green Wing Teal swapped places with Snow Geese, taking over the first spot for most birds checked in with Snow Geese sliding back to second place. The Wister Staff reported that the results for Sonny Bono for Sunday, 1/1/23 were as follows:

8 adult and no junior hunter took home 4 Green Wing Teal. 3 Snow Geese were also bagged at Sonny Bono on Sunday. No Coots were downed at Sonny Bono on Sunday. This figured out to an average bag of 0.50 ducks per hunter or, with the Geese added in, 0.88 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 13 came in on time to claim 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.