Region 1

Waterfowl numbers

No Snow Geese

Mallard Migration Rank 4 (1=worst 10=best)

Water level

Reservoir is 21 ft. low.

Hunting conditions

Expected hunting success

Comments

Land Refuge Closed Sept. 1 thru Jan. 31.

Water Refuge Closed Nov.1 Thru Jan. 31.

Land in the North Shore State Park is Closed to Hunting all year.

Youth/Mentor Hunting Areas are available. Check website or contact the Area Office for changes.

Contact Area Manager Kent Hensley at the Cedar Bluff Area Office for additional information 785-726-3212 or Email

Waterfowl numbers

Snow geese (15,000)

Mallard Migration Index = 1

Water level

Water level is 2.2 feet below conservation (normal) slowly increasing.

Hunting conditions

No ice. Hardly any shoreline cover or food for the birds, but lots of attractive mud flats.

Expected hunting success

Goose hunting continues to be good. One large flock remains on the area.

Comments

Light goose conservation order season is open Feb. 11 - April 30, 2013.

Check Area News for updates.

Both Cawker City and Granite Creek Refuge dates are November 1st - January 31st.

Mentor/Novice Area is no longer in effect on Walnut Creek. The Walnut Creek area is now open for all hunting. The new Youth/ Mentor hunting area is now located in the Granite Creek Refuge. If hunting with a youth 17 years and younger, hunting for all species (including shoreline hunting for waterfowl) will be allowed in the refuge area. Boats will still be prohibited in the Granite Creek Refuge.

Waterfowl numbers

5,000 light geese with numbers changing daily. 2,000 ducks and 1,000 dark geese . Sandhill cranes migrating through the area. Excellent spring waterfowl migration!

Mallard Migration Rank

Current Rating - 5 The rank is subjective and is from (0= No Mallards, 1=Very few Mallards, 5=Moderate numbers, 10= Peak numbers).

Water levels

All marshes are open. Gamekeeper Marsh is 1.5 ft low making access to huntable areas very difficult, even by boat. Gun Club East has an average depth of 15 inches, Gun Club West has an average depth of 18 to 24 inches. Marsh Creek Marsh has a little water in the creek channel only. The four (4) off channel pools pumped during Teal season have dried up. Buffalo Creek Marsh, Pintail Marsh, Ringneck Marsh and Puddler Marsh are all dry.

Hunting conditions

Snow of 1-3 inches melting. Good - Timely rains throughout the summer have provided water for hunting as well as excellent habitat conditions. The levels on all marshes is declining through evaporation.

Expected hunting success

Fair to poor on private land. Light geese are using the area for roosting and day loafing. Geese are moving in smaller groups. Hunters should have better luck decoying these birds.

Past Success - Hunters averaged 3.17 ducks per hunter throughout the season making 2012 the best early Teal season on record. Youth hunters averaged 4 birds per hunter during the LPEZ youth season. Hunters averaged 2.45 birds during the LPEZ opener. Hunters have averaged over two birds per hunter throughout the season.

Comments

THE LOW PLAINS EARLY ZONE IS CLOSED-

-Canada Goose season is CLOSED

-White-Fronted Goose season is CLOSED.

-Light Goose Conservation Order will remain open until April 30, 2013.

The Gamekeeper Dam structure was vandalized sometime between Monday, Oct. 22, after 6 pm and Tuesday, Oct. 27 before sunrise. Some water was released into Gun Club East Marsh resulting in a decrease in water on Gamekeeper Marsh. Vandalism will NOT be tolerated and anyone with any information is asked to please contact the area office. (785) 439-6243.

Marsh Creek Marsh is for non-gasoline powered boats only, this includes electric motor boats and boats with no motors. Gasoline engines are prohibited.

HUNTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO :

• MAINTAIN SAFE DISTANCES BETWEEN HUNTING PARTIES
• BE COURTEOUS OF OTHER HUNTERS
• KNOW THIER TARGET AND WHAT LIES BEYOND IT

FOLLOWING SAFE AND ETHICAL PRACTICES WILL ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HUNTING PUBLIC LANDS ENJOYS A HIGH QUALITY EXPERIENCE.

FREE DAILY HUNT PERMITS REQUIRED FOR ALL HUNTING ON THE AREA. PERMITS AVAILABLE AT THE INFORMATION CENTERS. Hunters will again be required to fill out a daily use permit to report their hunting activities while on the area. The top portion of the two-part permit must be filled out and returned to the survey station prior to hunting and the bottom portion kept with the hunter to record hunting activity. After the hunt the bottom portion is also returned to the survey station where the permits will be collected and information recorded to assist managers with improving the area. Managers are utilizing Gamekeeper Marsh as a water storage area. The water that is stored in Gamekeeper Marsh is used to flood the hunting pools of Gun Club and Marsh Creek Marshes. The water levels in Gamekeeper Marsh may drop throughout the fall in order to flood new habitat for migrating waterfowl. THEREFUGE IS CLOSED FROM OCTOBER 1 TO JANUARY 31 on the north half of Gamekeeper Marsh. Please introduce youth and novice hunters to the outdoors. Pass it on!

Waterfowl numbers

There are still, 8 to 10,000 light geese, 1,000 Dark Geese, 2,500 ducks and 10 Bald eagles. The geese are in the area but spread out over a 40 mile radius. Juvenile light geese are here in flocks of 10 to 300. Large counts of this past weeks are decreasing and moving north and spreading out into the Rainwater Basin of Nebraska.

All duck zones closed. Dark goose season closed. Light Goose Conservation Order OPEN through April 30, 2013.

Mallard Migration Ranking

Mallard Migration ranking = 6

Water level

Reservoir is 1.5 ft below conservation pool. Inflow from canal is 72 cfs.

Hunting condition

Snow, rain and falling temperatures expected through Sunday. Some county roads that just dried out will become impassable again and cropland fields will become muddy making it difficult for hunters to access most fields with vehicles. This all depends on the amount of precipitation.

Expected hunting success

Fair to poor on private land. Most hunting is taking place on crop fields on private land.

Comments

All boat ramps open.Refuge is open. Camping cabins are available in Lovewell State Park. Make reservations HERE

HUNTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO :

• MAINTAIN SAFE DISTANCES BETWEEN HUNTING PARTIES
• BE COURTEOUS OF OTHER HUNTERS
• KNOW THIER TARGET AND WHAT LIES BEYOND IT
• HUNTERS USING BOATS MUST EXERCISE EXTRA CARE WHEN BOATING IN COLD WATER AND NEED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH KANSAS BOATING REGULATIONS
• OBTAIN PERMISSION BEFORE HUNTING PRIVATE LAND. IF WRITTEN PERMISSION IS REQUIRED ALL HUNTERS IN THE PARTY MUST POSSESS WRITTEN PERMISSION.

FOLLOWING SAFE AND ETHICAL PRACTICES WILL ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HUNTING PUBLIC LANDS ENJOYS A HIGH QUALITY EXPERIENCE.

FREE DAILY HUNT PERMITS REQUIRED FOR ALL HUNTING ON THE AREA. PERMITS AVAILABLE AT THE INFORMATION CENTERS. Hunters will again be required to fill out a daily use permit to report their hunting activities while on the area. The top portion of the two-part permit must be filled out and returned to the survey station prior to hunting and the bottom portion kept with the hunter to record hunting activity. After the hunt the bottom portion is also returned to the survey station where the permits will be collected and information recorded to assist managers with improving the area. THEREFUGE IS CLOSED FROM NOVEMBER 1 TO JANUARY 31 on the NORTHEAST half of the reservoir and Wildlife Area from 1/8th mile west of the south end of the dam and following a buoy line northwest to the Cabin Area boat ramp. No hunting from the park shoreline. Please introduce youth and novice hunters to the outdoors. Pass it on!

Waterfowl numbers

No snow geese on the reservoir. Light goose conservation order closes on April 30.

Water level

Sebelius Reservoir is currently 9.85 feet below conservation pool.

Hunting conditions

No flooded vegetation.

Expected hunting success

Goose hunters are having some luck on private land and a few birds are being shot by pass-shooters on the Wildlife Area.

Comments

Light goose conservation order is open from Feb. 11 - April 30.

DARK GOOSE SEASON CLOSED

DUCK SEASON CLOSED

Mallard Migration Rank = 3

Waterfowl numbers

750 Canada geese

Low Plains Late Zone Duck Season CLOSES this Sunday, Dec. 30 and Re-opens Jan. 19-27.

Water level

6 ft below conservation pool. Releasing 16 cfs.

Mallard Migration Rank

Current rank is 3.

This Mallard Migration Rank is subjective and ranges from 0 (no mallards) to 10 (Peak mallard numbers).

Click here to learn more about the Mallard Migration Rank.

Hunting conditions

Low water conditions resulting in no flooded shoreline vegetation; backwaters on refuge dry; Boat ramps closed due to low water.

Expected hunting success

Poor; upper end of the lake is dry

Comments

Remember the refuge area on the northwest part of the lake is closed to hunting except by Special Hunt permit Oct 1-March 1.

To track this year's waterfowl migration and post your hunting results visit Ducks Unlimited's Waterfowl Migration Map by clicking the link below:

DU Migration Map

Waterfowl numbers

3,000 ducks, 3,000 Canada geese and 3,000 snow geese.

Light goose season open until April 30, 2013.

Mallard Migration Rank 1 (1 = Worst 10 = Best)

Water level

12.1 feet below conservation level.

Hunting conditions

Flooded timber is present along entire south side of reservoir but note the following. The area from the southeast corner of the reservoir west to 9 Road is designated as "No Motorized Boats" and is intended for use by walk-in hunters. The flooded timber west of 9 Road to the West end is available for all hunters. The north side has little flooded timber except in a few areas. Exposed mudflats will provide loafing areas.

Expected hunting success

Poor for light geese on surrounding private land (obtain permission prior to hunting) and on WIHA areas near reservoir.

Comments

ATTENTION HUNTERS: Daily Hunting Permits are no longer required. After 3 years of gathering survey information, the daily hunting permit system is no longer in effect at Webster.

2012 - 2013 WEBR Waterfowl Refuge Map

Refuge dates: Nov. 1 through Jan.31.

ICE CONDITIONS:

No ice as of 2-20-2013. Cold weather through the upcoming weekend may ice shallows and coves.

Waterfowl numbers

750-1000 Canadas

Low Plains Late Zone Duck CLOSES Sunday, Dec. 30 and Re-opens Jan. 19-27, 2013.

Mallard Migration Rank

Mallard Migration Rank = 9.

The Mallard Migration Rank is subjective and ranges from 0 (no mallards) to 10 (Peak Mallard Numbers)

Click here to learn more about the Mallard Migration Rank.

Water level

3.6 ft below normal pool.

Hunting conditions

Mostly Ice Covered. Fair along river channel, points from Spillway boat ramp to Pelican point, hell creek, and coves on north side near Lou's point

Expected hunting success

Fair

Comments

Cedar Creek boat ramp is NOT OPEN due to low water conditions

Elm Creek Boat Ramp is OPEN and accessible.

Refuge CLOSED NOV 1 through JAN 31

Contact Corps of Engineers at 785-658-2551 for hunting restrictions around Minooka, Lucas and Sylvan Parks

Contact Wilson State Park at 785-658-2465 ext. 1 for hunting restrictions around Hell Creek & Otoe Parks

To track the 2012-2013 waterfowl migration and post your hunting results visit Ducks Unlimited's Migration Map by clicking the link below:

Ducks Unlimited Waterfowl Migration Map