Refuge Blinds - Do they change year to year?

[ksberry209]

I was out at Sacto refuge on Saturday and thinking that it was going to be windy and wet I was ready for a great day of hunting but the weather never materialized...well that is until Sunday when I was home cleaning my gear. Anyways.....<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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I have started making notes on the blinds at the refuges for future hunts and I was wondering if they change locations of the blinds during the summer months. I was in blind 43 at sacto on Sat and there was absolutely no cover. The blind was a barrel in the ground but no tules or anything to hide in. Just a hole in the ground in the middle of the pond. I made notes of a few other blinds in "better" locations with cover for next year but are they subject to change? I know vegetation can change throughout the year and if there is a patch of tules this year they could be gone next year but there are a few blinds covered in tules that I want to hunt next year if things dont change too much.<o:p></o:p>

Just courious. I have only been hunting refuges for a few years now and this year I figured out that I should start making notes which I hope will improve my hunts for the years to come.

[sfbayman]

The majority of blinds at Sac are pit blinds. Some do change from time to time in terms of position but the vast majority do not. It's one of the reasons why Sac does not shoot as well as Delevan and Colusa, and certainly not better than LDC. Delevan's "blinds" are mostly in ponds with tules and they are not pit blinds. I'm looking forward to hunting Delevan tomorrow btw. A lucky draw in the middle of this stormy weather. Better get them quick though because after the storm on Thursday, ducks will probably be hanging around the bypasses.

[mallarditis]

Most all of the blinds at Sac have zero cover - just a dirt island with a pit blind. I would strongly disagree though about sac blinds not shooting as good as colusa or delevan - that's just not true, look at the averages. Sac has typically higher averages than both of those refuges. The important thing is to understand the advantages of taking a blind over free roam. Less pressure beiong the biggest. If you want to hunt in a blind, bring your own cover with you or if you take a blind and don't want to hunt "in" the blind hunt in a tule patch within the allowed proximity to the blind. Delevan doesn't even have blinds - they have spaced units. And as for LDC, I just hunted blind 3 on Sunday and it looked exactly like the blinds at Sac - ZERO cover! Just a mound of dirt and a blind. The thing is, know what your working with. The cover on the blind isn't as important as the location. You can always bring out tules to create cover on the blind.

[coothunter]

+1 mallarditis

We always bring cover out to the blinds. If you watch the blind areas when nobody is hunting them, the birds will land right on the island. Most guys don't cover up enough out there. I've seen guys sticking out of the blind or have their dog sitting up on the island.

[sfbayman]

Well not to argue but you proved my point. Check out the averages over the years between Sac, Delevan, and Colusa: Welcome To Sacramento NWR Complex (http://www.fws.gov/sacramentovalleyrefuges/ht_results.html). You'll find the averages are lower at Sac. That said, there are great blinds throughout Sac and some are just awful. Blind 43 is usually a pretty good blind shooting better than average. And Delevan aren't really blinds which is why I used quotes on the word blind. You'll have to construct your own but the designated "blind" area usually has the spot from which you can create one or already have one.

[steinysstooges]

KSBerry,

We ended up shooting pond #43 Sat afternoon. You not kidding when you said no cover!! Finished the day with seven ducks and two geese.

Stooges

[ksberry209]

at least you got a few birds. I had to leave the blind early because my buddies had to be back home early...dam wives!!!!!!

We had 1 duck in 5 hours.

[Litch]

The majority of blinds at Sac are pit blinds. Some do change from time to time in terms of position but the vast majority do not. It's one of the reasons why Sac does not shoot as well as Delevan and Colusa, and certainly not better than LDC. Delevan's "blinds" are mostly in ponds with tules and they are not pit blinds. I'm looking forward to hunting Delevan tomorrow btw. A lucky draw in the middle of this stormy weather. Better get them quick though because after the storm on Thursday, ducks will probably be hanging around the bypasses.

Delevan closed yesterday due to flooding. Many roads in the area are closed as well such as 4 Mile Rd.
I sure hope you found that out before driving all the way up there.

[Kentuck]

We were at Sac on Sat. and had a great blind. Just a mud mound with a pit blind. We had camo burlap that we used to build a little bit of a short wall around the blind plus we piled what cover was there on the burlap; mostly dead tulies and a little brush that had been carried out there. We had 13 ducks and 8 geese.

[Duck Fan]

Both Sac and Delevan are great. There are many reasons why Delevan can have a better overall average..... Including a closed zone on the north AND south of the hunt zone. Takes advantage of north or south winds.

I know I will take a Reservation at either .... Bring some cover and enjoy a great public hunt opportunity. Cover is beat up at all refuges - almost right after the opener. Hunters are their own worst enemy.