California's public lands offer low or no cost recreation for hunters and anglers

By Martin E. Guidel, OJ Staff

Most waterfowlers have heard the boast, "My club shot limits every day last week," from a well-heeled shotgunner. But how does the unattached hunter tap into this kind of a shoot?

Last year, towards the end of the season, all he had to do was get on Sutter National Wildlife Refuge on one of their hunt days.

Normally not a tough task, the area nestled in the Sutter Bypass got more attention than normal when a hard freeze moved ducks and geese down to the lower end of the Sacramento Valley. For a few glorious days, hunters on Sutter NWR shot limits of ducks and most also had a few geese.

To hunters used to watching the bird count on the public areas, seeing a three or four bird per hunter day means some good shooting. Generally speaking, a hunter with a decent spread of decoys, a passing ability with calls, and fair aim with a shotgun can usually scratch out a limit on such days.

There are many hunters who gain access to these areas without the basic requirements for a good day of hunting. I'm reminded of my teen pal Harold Scosuetti, who went duck hunting at Gray Lodge State Wildlife Area for the first time when he was 16 years old. For waders, he used big garbage bags. He sat on a main levee and finally got a shot at a "duck" flying by. The duck had a white bill, long gangly leggs and lobed toes, and was grey on the belly and black on the back. He said it didn't eat well. His slightly more experienced pals who brought him along never bothered to explain the difference between a coot and a duck.

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California DFG publication, "Hunting on state and federal areas, waterfowl and upland game booklet 07"