Drive about at "Winster"

[ilovesprig]

Drove out to the valley and met up with Rick (wildlife area manager)......Started our drive at the top end and finished over at Hazard......Overall the area looks great and no major work has been done since the end of the season.....Mostly irrigating the fields, mowing tulies around hunt sites, cleaning drains, and fixing stuff.....CWA's project of 413A & B is incredible looking. They will finish the eastern portion this summer (this used to be the old fish hatchery)......It will be called 413 West & 413 East.....Really big and should accommodate 10 hunt sites.

All the hard work that the staff has done along with CWA is really starting to show......Moonscapeing fields is never popular, but it's just something that has to be done every few years out there.....Next on the list from CWA are the W11A & W11C fields......They need it.

Also something that has really enhanced the waterfowling out there is the great production of mallards......Nesting mallards, gadwalls, cinnamon teal, and redheads were seen.....Year around flooded ponds for clapper rails have been a blessing.

This summer there will be a work party to build a kiosk for the overnight campground. Friends of Wister will provide materials.....Starting this year (waterfowl season), overnighters will need to check in at the kiosk and fill out the appropriate form......No charge for anyone owning a hunting or fishing license.

Always great going out to "The Wis".......Oh yeah, lots of doves seen (all 3 species) with a lot of wheat in the valley......And remember.....STEEL SHOT ONLY STARTING THIS YEAR ON ALL STATE WILDLIFE AREAS FOR DOVES...... :-*

ps......And yes, that's 18" high swamp timothy....... :-\

.

 

[Gspman]

Looks great. I'm sure you will keep us informed of any work days? I'm hoping to have a work schedule so I can attend

I do have a question about steel fr dove this year. Does that included the heritage fields?

 

[ilovesprig]

GSP,

I actually asked that question......Right now it appears that the Heritage fields will still be OK with lead.....But, Finney/Ramer would not.....This decision is not official yet.

I'm actually making signs right now for Wister.....Don't want anyone not to know the new rule.

 

[8SteelTown]

GSP,

I actually asked that question......Right now it appears that the Heritage fields will still be OK with lead.....But, Finney/Ramer would not.....This decision is not official yet.

I'm actually making signs right now for Wister.....Don't want anyone not to know the new rule.

Off topic, but refuge related: Went to San J last weekend to have a look around. They're flooding the field to the Southeast of the ponds... like across Davis, over by the upland check in station. They were filling quite a bit of ponds in the duck area too. Probably half of the ponds are holding water and half are completely dry. Saw probably 50 green heads, 10 mallard hens, some coots, some cranes, and some deerkill/snipe. Also saw a monster skunk that got my trigger finger itchy!

 

[slinky_70]

Steve,

Do you know if the steel shot will apply for the DFG fields off of the wildlife area? An example would be the fields that will also be planted with pheasant.

 

[Gspman]

Steve,

Do you know if the steel shot will apply for the DFG fields off of the wildlife area? An example would be the fields that will also be planted with pheasant.

Those are called heritage fields that's what I asked about he said above so far we are still good with lead. We will have to wait and see

 

[ilovesprig]

Steve,

Do you know if the steel shot will apply for the DFG fields off of the wildlife area? An example would be the fields that will also be planted with pheasant.

Mike,

My understanding it's ONLY wildlife areas (national wildlife refuges have already had this law in place).......Which those fields are not.......In fact, they (DFG) don't even do the work on them now.