spectr17
11-23-2005, 10:05 PM
WATERFOWL HUNTING UPDATE: Snow geese have started flooding into the Imperial Valley and hunters at the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area are seeing a steady increase in harvest of the big birds. The first birds were reported October 29 when a couple of snows and a Ross' goose were taken. But daily counts ranged from just two to a high of 17 birds on Nov. 12. But between that Saturday and the next shoot day, birds were pouring into the valley. Last Wednesday, Nov. 16, there were 66 snows and four Ross' geese taken. Then on Saturday, the harvest jumped to 153 snows and five Ross' geese. The average those two shoot days was a goose per hunter at Wister.
Even the harvest at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge jumped with the average ranging from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 birds per hunter, with 18 birds taken Saturday and 14 on Sunday.
At the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, the duck averages have dropped down to the more-normal 1 to 1 1/2 birds per hunter average for this time of year, but there were five honkers taken on Saturday this past weekend. Shovelers, greenwing teal, and wigeon are making up the bulk of the duck bag right now.
The Kern National Wildlife Refuge also saw its bird harvest drop this past week with averages of 1 1/2 birds per hunter on Saturday and just over two birds last Wednesday. Shovelers, gadwall, and cinnamon teal are top birds in the bag here.
Even the harvest at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge jumped with the average ranging from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 birds per hunter, with 18 birds taken Saturday and 14 on Sunday.
At the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, the duck averages have dropped down to the more-normal 1 to 1 1/2 birds per hunter average for this time of year, but there were five honkers taken on Saturday this past weekend. Shovelers, greenwing teal, and wigeon are making up the bulk of the duck bag right now.
The Kern National Wildlife Refuge also saw its bird harvest drop this past week with averages of 1 1/2 birds per hunter on Saturday and just over two birds last Wednesday. Shovelers, gadwall, and cinnamon teal are top birds in the bag here.