Region 1

Waterfowl numbers

2,500 canada geese 50 snows

35,000 Mallards - Duck Season is CLOSED and Does Not Reopen

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

Water level

Reservoir is 17.3 ft. low.

Hunting conditions

Fair. Backs of coves and west end are froze.

Expected hunting success

Light hunting pressure and good success expected.

Comments

NEW! Youth/Mentor Areas opened on prior year refuges areas. Check website or contact the Area Office for changes.

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.

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

Waterfowl numbers

Numbers are increasing again this week. Canada geese - 24,000, Whitefronts - 900, Snow and light geese - 320,000.

Mallard Migration Index = 9

Water level

Water level is .9' below conservation (normal) pool and slowly declining .

Hunting conditions

The reservoir is 5% frozen over, warm weather this week has melted most of the ice . Most boat ramps are free of ice. Waterfowl are everywhere, light geese are rafting up on the main lake.

Expected hunting success

Good. A large numbers of geese are using the area. Most species have been very actively flying out to surrounding feed fields on public and private land.

Comments

Duck season closed.

White-fronted goose season reopens Feb. 4 - Feb.12.

All other goose seasons are open until Feb. 12.

Light goose conservation order open Feb. 13 - April 30.

Check Area News for updates.

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

Mentor/Novice Area remains in effect on Walnut Creek. Beginning hunters (Novice), are any persons 18 years old or younger or who have not previously purchased a hunting permit for the game that they are pursuing in any state. Waterfowl hunters MAY access the area by boat and hunt the shoreline.

Waterfowl numbers

2,500 dark geese; 3,000 snow geese; 8,000 ducks, mostly Mallard and Pintail, observed 2/2/2012. --DUCK SEASON IS CLOSED, WHITE FRONTED GOOSE SEASON IS CURRENTLY CLOSED AND WILL OPEN BACK UP ON FEBRUARY 4TH THROUGH THE END OF THE SEASON.

Mallard Migration Rank

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

Water levels

The area is 99% open. All boat ramps are open. All marshes are 4 inches to a foot below full pool. Gamekeeper Marsh is eight inches low. Gun Club Marsh West is a foot low (avg. depth is 24 to 42 inches). Six flood events over the summer has left Gun Club with little food and a large area of open water. Gun Club East is a foot low (avg. depth is 24 to 42 inches). Marsh Creek Marsh is a foot low with pockets of flooded, shallow vegetation. Buffalo Creek and Pintail marshes have excellent stands of Japanese millet and will provide excellent hunting if the area recieves local, heavy rain. Puddler and Rigneck Marshes are dry.

Hunting conditions

Good The LPEZ duck season is closed. Marsh Creek Marsh is fornon-gasoline powered boats only, this includes electric motor boats and boats with no motors. Gasoline engines are prohibited.

Expected hunting success

Good. There are large numbers of geese using the area and the birds are feeding around the area on private ground. The early zone regular duck season is closed. Canada Goose season closes Feb. 12, 2012. White Fronted Goose season is currently closed and will open again Feb. 4 through Feb. 12, 2012. Hunters need to take caution as White Fronted Geese are mixed in with small Canada Geese.

Comments

THE BIRDS ARE IN THIER SPRING PLUMAGE AND ARE EASY TO OBSERVE FROM PARKING AREAS AND ROADSIDES.

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 NOW OPEN on the north half of Gamekeeper Marsh. Please introduce youth and novice hunters to the outdoors. Pass it on!

Waterfowl numbers

3,000 ducks, mostly mallards but also gadwall, wigeon, teal and divers. 400 Canada, 300 white-fronted geese and 3,500 light geese. Most waterfowl are roosting in the refuge and flying out to private cropland to feed.

Mallard Migration Ranking

Mallard Migration ranking = 8

Water level

Reservoir is 1.5 ft below conservation pool.

Hunting conditions

10% frozen. All boat ramps open except White Rock Creek. There was little food produced on the shoreline this year but there is vegetation close to the water to hide hunters. Some mudflats are exposed.

Expected hunting success

Fair. Most hunters are on private land.

Comments

The refuge is in effect October 1. All boating waterfowlers need to be safe by having PFD's accessible. All boating regulations strictly enforced.

Waterfowl numbers

35,000 Mallards; 5,000 Canada geese.

Mallard Migration Rank = 10

Water level

Sebelius Reservoir is currently 5.68 feet below conservation pool, which is 1.55 feet higher than this same time one year ago.

Hunting conditions

Reservoir is approximately 50% ice covered. Boat ramps are unusable due to ice conditions.

Expected hunting success

HP Duck is CLOSED. Light hunting pressure for geese.

Comments

High Plains Duck Season: CLOSED.

Canada Geese: Open through Feb. 12.

White-Fronted Geese: Feb. 4 - Feb. 12.

Light Geese: Open through Feb. 12.

Light Geese Conservation Order: Feb. 13 - April 30.

* *REFUGE IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF SEASON* *

Waterfowl numbers

550 ducks, 750 Canada geese

Water level

1462.42; 1/2 ft below conservation pool

Mallard Migration Rank

Current rank is 8.

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

poor

Expected hunting success

poor - no shoreline vegetation; backwaters on refuge 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.

Teal Season (Low Plains): Sept 10-25

Youth Duck Season (Late Zone): Oct 22-23

Regular Duck Season (Late Zone): Oct 29 - Jan 1 AND Jan 21 - 29

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

10,000 ducks, primarily mallards, 10,000 Canada geese, and a few snow geese are on the Area.

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

Water level

6.1 feet below conservation level.

Hunting conditions

ICE CONDITIONS:

Coves and shorelines are still covered with ice.

RESERVOIR: 20% COVERED WITH ICE.

Expected hunting success

Poor on the reservoir. Fair to good for geese on surrounding private lands.

Comments

Teal Season September 10 - 25

All season dates for LATE ZONE

Youth Season: Oct. 22 - 23.

Duck seasons: Oct. 29 - Jan 1 & January 21 - 29.

Canada and Light geese (Ross', Snow, Blue): Oct 29 - Nov 6 & Nov 9 - Feb 12.

White-fronted geese, Oct. 29 - Jan. 1 & Feb 4 - 12.

Light geese Conservation Order; Feb. 13 - Apr. 30.

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.

2010 - 2011 WEBR Waterfowl Refuge Map

Refuge dates: Nov. 1 through Jan.31.

Waterfowl numbers

2000 ducks; 600 geese;

Mallard Migration Rank

Mallard Migration Rank = 8.

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

1/2 ft below normal pool

Hunting conditions

Good - water is just into vegetation - good shoreline vegetation.

Expected hunting success

Fair from Horseshoe Bend to Elm Creek Bluffs in flooded vegetation along shorelines; Spillway ramp to Pelican Point; and coves along north side from Duvall to Lou's Point

Comments

Teal Season: Sept. 10 - 25

Youth Duck Season (Late Zone): Oct. 22-23

Regular Duck (Late Zone): Oct. 29-Jan. 1 AND Jan. 21-29

White-fronted Geese: Oct. 29 - Jan. 1 AND Feb. 4 - 12

Canada Geese & Light Geese: Oct. 29 - Nov. 6 AND Nov. 9 - Feb. 12

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 20010-2011 waterfowl migration and post your hunting results visit Ducks Unlimited's Migration Map by clicking the link below:

Ducks Unlimited Waterfowl Migration Map