Jon,
Is a slide deck like a slide show?...They provided slides of the area and the work being done.
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OUTREACH MEETING FOR Wister and SJ - JUNE 12 4pm - PLEASE READ AND ATTEND ONLINE
- Thread starter Duckfan
- Start date
Jon,
Is a slide deck like a slide show?...They provided slides of the area and the work being done.
Yes. Last year they posted the presentation slides. I was hoping someone that attended could give some notes on what the crew has done or what is planned for this season.
I sound like a broken record but was anything said about the problem of ONLY islands blinds and access ? Every year the wading to an island gets so harder soNobody attended the meeting....It was a ZOOM get together..................
I pick crappy spots that are on the checks . I understand we had this conversation last year and yet it seems our friends at CWA prefer their model . I’m not ready to give up . Yet . Oldquack 49
There is an option to hunt the island or the dike at the sign directing you to the island. 4 lane highways for levees and 300 yard wide ponds are far from ideal for killing ducks but apparently optimum for durability and water control.
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Larry,
It was mentioned and there was conversation of gravel walk ways to some of the islands...I'm assuming, similar to San J................
I understand the gravel underwater walkways but as you know Wister mud is unlike anything at SJ and the gravel goes away . How about a few more dry walkways like 513B3 ? That doesn’t affect water control and it would throw us old dogs a bone . I do understand hunting the levee at the sign and have done that too . Thanks ! Another issue is the open water in front of the handicapped blinds . Overgrown with no open water isn’t conducive to a good time for those who need those blinds . I’m just getting old and cranky . Sorry for the rank , Oldquack 49Larry,
It was mentioned and there was conversation of gravel walk ways to some of the islands...I'm assuming, similar to San J................
Just way to many rules and control moves being put in place to manage people. if the habitat quality got as much attention as blind and levee placement gets we would shoot more ducks and geese!I Pond levees should never be big enough to drive a truck down and ponds 150 yds wide ridiculous but I guess thats what helps manage a waterfowl refuge in the desert. Long live Wister!
The 513A-3 handicap blind was mentioned and Chris said that Arundo and tules have been removed from in front of the blind site...The other handicap blinds, U10-2, 312B-3, and 115A-1 are status quo I guess....
I remember Chadd talking about the newly worked areas having peninsula blinds. I took that to mean an above ground walkway off the main dike ending a distance into the pond where a person could set up and hunt . Maybe I misunderstood. Planning a trip down there soon to see for myself.
I took a screen shot of 1 slide
Contact Scott and ask when and where his full presentation will be available. He did say the meeting was recorded. Be good for you all to hear it as well as see the slides
Contact Scott and ask when and where his full presentation will be available. He did say the meeting was recorded. Be good for you all to hear it as well as see the slides
Hog wire blind work party coming soon for San jacinto wildlife area in imperial County..
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again….
(Having no real knowledge of management)
I’ve hunted wister almost every Wednesday and a fair amount of saturdays for the last 12 years… pressured ducks don’t want wide open water! They want shelter/vegetation to feel protected! Take the Y15s and S ponds for example…Before they cleared those ponds out, ducks would actually work into the small pockets of water and if you knew where those small pockets were, you could have a good shoot on big ducks that actually “worked”.
Now, those blinds rarely get picked bc they don’t produce like they use to (maybe one or two spots might produce for those patient enough).
Ducks see the big bodies of water, minimal cover, and a blind that sticks out like a sore thumb, and fly right over and on to the next pond. Even when you drive by and no one is hunting those blinds, you hardly see any birds using the ponds.
I give CWA credit for putting the time and effort into Wister and using their resources to “improve” hunting sites. But in my honest opinion they aren’t “improving” them at all!
I hope I’m wrong when I say this. I’d love to see these ponds come to life in a near season once the new growth matures and fills in. But, I don’t think it will be the same. I think the days of the Y15 blinds being fully picked in the first 10 ressies are gone.
Now, they’re doing the same to the 315 blinds? And whatever other ponds they plan on redoing? Bigger ponds, no cover…. I can’t stand it.
CWA claims “millions” of dollars (I think I heard that amount) for these protects…
SO….IN MY OPINION
Leave all the vegetation in the ponds. Each season, clear out pockets of water around each blind stake. Let’s say, a 50yd X 50yd clearing on each side of the blind/levee. This way, ducks have all the cover and protection they want to hide in, and the hunter has a good pocket of water to set up in.
Wouldn’t this be cheaper, faster and easier than moonscaping an entire area? And could be quickly done before each season ?
(Having no real knowledge of management)
I’ve hunted wister almost every Wednesday and a fair amount of saturdays for the last 12 years… pressured ducks don’t want wide open water! They want shelter/vegetation to feel protected! Take the Y15s and S ponds for example…Before they cleared those ponds out, ducks would actually work into the small pockets of water and if you knew where those small pockets were, you could have a good shoot on big ducks that actually “worked”.
Now, those blinds rarely get picked bc they don’t produce like they use to (maybe one or two spots might produce for those patient enough).
Ducks see the big bodies of water, minimal cover, and a blind that sticks out like a sore thumb, and fly right over and on to the next pond. Even when you drive by and no one is hunting those blinds, you hardly see any birds using the ponds.
I give CWA credit for putting the time and effort into Wister and using their resources to “improve” hunting sites. But in my honest opinion they aren’t “improving” them at all!
I hope I’m wrong when I say this. I’d love to see these ponds come to life in a near season once the new growth matures and fills in. But, I don’t think it will be the same. I think the days of the Y15 blinds being fully picked in the first 10 ressies are gone.
Now, they’re doing the same to the 315 blinds? And whatever other ponds they plan on redoing? Bigger ponds, no cover…. I can’t stand it.
CWA claims “millions” of dollars (I think I heard that amount) for these protects…
SO….IN MY OPINION
Leave all the vegetation in the ponds. Each season, clear out pockets of water around each blind stake. Let’s say, a 50yd X 50yd clearing on each side of the blind/levee. This way, ducks have all the cover and protection they want to hide in, and the hunter has a good pocket of water to set up in.
Wouldn’t this be cheaper, faster and easier than moonscaping an entire area? And could be quickly done before each season ?
regarding moon scaping...
There are good reason why areas that have bene neglected need to be cleared and leveled. It has to happen at some point. Especially for water conveyance reasons: the ability to put water on and off as needed to manage the soil/plants. This state is prone to drought. Having a way to move water in the bets way possible allows for better flood up options in those dry years. And much more.
No one wants to see the Tule patches etc totally removed from an area...and lose that cover birds want and need. But there comes a time on all lands, where a clean out is warranted.
The plans used to work these properties (not just Wister) come after a lot of planning and concern for the overall health of the property for the future.
CWA works hard on writing and getting grant money for these projects. DU also does land work in the same way and also writes grants and then implements if given the contract.
There are good reason why areas that have bene neglected need to be cleared and leveled. It has to happen at some point. Especially for water conveyance reasons: the ability to put water on and off as needed to manage the soil/plants. This state is prone to drought. Having a way to move water in the bets way possible allows for better flood up options in those dry years. And much more.
No one wants to see the Tule patches etc totally removed from an area...and lose that cover birds want and need. But there comes a time on all lands, where a clean out is warranted.
The plans used to work these properties (not just Wister) come after a lot of planning and concern for the overall health of the property for the future.
CWA works hard on writing and getting grant money for these projects. DU also does land work in the same way and also writes grants and then implements if given the contract.
Les,
Do you ever say something constructive or positive?...The uniqueness and harsh conditions of Wister takes special procedures, of which, moon scaping is one...Between Tules, Arundo (bamboo), and Atriplex (quail bush). it's an never ending job/battle to control...You know this.
Bulrush, water grass, and timothy are all in the water...Depending on salt levels and probably other factors, some units grow these duck foods well, while others don't...Look at 413, it was lush with both timothy and bulrush...It took about 3 seasons after being "Moon scaped", before the salt cedar took over the entire unit and that lushness was gone.
W12 has been moon scaped again, but just a few years back it was moon scaped...In no time it was being taken over with tules and salt cedar...The units need this every few years and there's not much we can do about that...I can go right down the line on fields that have been worked, then recover...Unfortunately, it's just the way it is out there.
One other factor, when I worked at Wister...We had close to 15 employees...What do they have now, 5-6?...We also didn't have salt cedar and other invasion species of plants...We also never planted duck food, only feed for geese.
Again, why don't we work on the positive...Planting millet, winter wheat, rye, and keeping the blind sites huntable...If you have any good ideas, let's hear them...Better yet, let Chris and his crew hear them...There's still plenty of good waterfowling out there...
Not concern about the duck habitat. I haven't hunted a pond since the moon scaping of alkali bullrush in 312 bs & 312As - T10s -U10s .its rare to find-em roosting on the wildlife area. 413 was a management mistake calling it rail habitat for past 3 seasons birds dont go north anymore . wheat don't work for green feed .been asking for 15 years relocate alkali bullrush.. I'm Positive there will only be one green field the birds will be using most of the season again & again...
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