Wister CA Duck and Geese info?

[Jason]

I haven't been to Wister since I was 6. I don't remember much other than sitting in a blind with my corduroy pants and tennis shoes getting super muddy and freezing my ass off while my uncle shot 2 ducks for the day. I remember him wading out to get the duck he just sluested on the water and getting stuck. I had to run to another blind to get help because I didn't know what to do.

So... Now I'm all grown and have my own set of waders .

I have a reservation card #18 for this Sunday.
Marcus tells me Sundays suck as all the birds get shot up on Saturday. He says I need to shoot Geese instead as the Ducks have been slow.

Do I go out there blind without decoys and hope that something flys by shooting a full choke 30" 1100 at 75 yard birds like I have heard many do there? Or is it not worth my time.

I usually go north to shoot and have been spoiled...

[Sluester]

Sundays are fantastic there.

[gpomplin]

Originally Posted by Jason

I haven't been to Wister since I was 6. I don't remember much other than sitting in a blind with my corduroy pants and tennis shoes getting super muddy and freezing my ass off while my uncle shot 2 ducks for the day. I remember him wading out to get the duck he just sluested on the water and getting stuck. I had to run to another blind to get help because I didn't know what to do.

So... Now I'm all grown and have my own set of waders .

I have a reservation card #18 for this Sunday.
Marcus tells me Sundays suck as all the birds get shot up on Saturday. He says I need to shoot Geese instead as the Ducks have been slow.

Do I go out there blind without decoys and hope that something flys by shooting a full choke 30" 1100 at 75 yard birds like I have heard many do there? Or is it not worth my time.

I usually go north to shoot and have been spoiled...

now we have someone on here that knows what to use for a gun 1100, 30" I hope its a full choke too, mine was bought new in 1979 and using no tox bismuth or ITX it will have no problem at 75 yards, thats if your aim is on, go get em and kick their ass

[Jason]

How does the reservations work? Is this it for my reservation this year or will they keep sending them out?

[Jason]

Originally Posted by gpomplin

now we have someone on here that knows what to use for a gun 1100, 30" I hope its a full choke too, mine was bought new in 1979 and using no tox bismuth or ITX it will have no problem at 75 yards, thats if your aim is on, go get em and kick their ass

The gun is 30" full choke. Has 6 rounds through it for 6 Honkers. It's my fathers.
I'd imagine my 11-87 28" with a full choke could probably reach if I could aim. I just like to scare the shit out of birds so they don't land near me. Just ask my friends.

[gpomplin]

Originally Posted by Jason

The gun is 30" full choke. Has 6 rounds through it for 6 Honkers. It's my fathers.
I'd imagine my 11-87 28" with a full choke could probably reach if I could aim. I just like to scare the shit out of birds so they don't land near me. Just ask my friends.

just remember the more birds you shoot at the better you get

[Phat Boat]

Its very slow but there are some birds to be had. Sundays are best chasing geese, but there are not alot of them down yet. The best hunting sunday will be sunday afternoon. I will be there hunting a reservation saturday. We also have a reservation for sunday but probably wont hunt it.

You can be drawn for a reservation as many times as you put in. One per place per day. You can get as many draws and your lucky enough to get. You may or may not be drawn again this year.

Oh-ya, I would set some decoys for sure.

[sdhunter]

I think the general rule of thumb for Wister is that Sundays are typically slower for ducks. But, if you're in the areas that they want to be, Sundays can be decent. Also, a lot of folks leave early on Sundays, making it better to "work" the birds later in the day.

[One Track]

Jason:

An 18 on the goose opener probably won't get you in the right spot. But, if 12 other ressie holders follow that philosophy, you could end up in a nice field. Sundays suck for ducks, but it's not as bad for geese. You could pick a pond nearest a goose field and maybe shoot a few ducks and a few geese. Or, you could just go to Ballsac.

[sdbrewer]

Originally Posted by Jason

How does the reservations work? Is this it for my reservation this year or will they keep sending them out?

Did you put in a season long application? If so, you could get more reservations this year. Each day is independent of any other so getting drawn once does not preclude you from getting drawn again.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE SHOTS PAST 40 YARDS! It really screws up the hunting for those around you. You will likely be within 200 to 300 yards of several other groups of hunters. If everyone lets the birds work, generally, everyone is more successful. If someone has worked very hard putting out 100 plus goose decoys, they aren't going to be very happy with a guy next to them taking 75 yard shots at geese headed for their spread. If they get a big wad into they're spread (and you let that wad come in) you will likely get better and lower shots on the geese as they leave.

As stated in my PM to you, your best bet would be to hook up with someone who knows the refuge and has decoys.

In case you don't here is how the system works:

They start calling reservations at 3 a.m. You will see a big map of the refuge with tags hanging on it. Each tag represents a blind site. When a site is picked, the tag is removed from the board. To the left is a white board with the conditions of each of the sites noted on it (flooded or dry, cover or not, overgrown or not, etc.). They call disabled sites first (doesn't take long) then reservations. When your number is called (sometimes they will call "Reservations 10-20" so keep your ears open), you step up to the podium and pick a site that has a tag hanging. You may need to show your drivers license and you should have your res card. The DFG guy will ask how many in your party, wite the info on a card and give you the card. Take the card to one of the two windows to the right. Give them the card, your license and your entry fee (about $17 for the day). They will give you your daily permit. Keep that with you. That's it for the paperwork. Hop in your car and head to the parking area for your blind. If you don't know where it is, ask someone. Each parking lot should have a row of signs with the blind numbers marked on the sign. Park in front of the sign with your blind site on it. Get your stuff and start walking down the road in the direction of your blind (as shown on the map). There should be a second sign with the blind number on it at the intersection of the levy (dike) and the road. The actual blind site will be designated by a third sign on that levy away from the road (sometimes it can seem like quite a long walk along the levy in the dark). You must hunt within 100 yards of that sign (the one on the levy away from the road, not the one at the intersection of the road and the levy) if at Wister or 100 feet of the blind if at Hazard. If you're unsure which direction your blind is from the parking lot, you can either ask someone else in the lot (who may or may not know) or you can walk without your stuff until you come to a blind marker that gets you oriented. Depending on which site you pick, there may or may not be natural cover around to hide in. If there is not, the concession trailer at the check station where you pick your blind site sells bundles of arrow weed for $3 per bundle. Buy yourself a couple of bundles and take them out to your blind. When you figure out where you want to sit (be mindful of sun and wind direction and decoy spread configuration), stick the arrow weed into the mud to make a blind. Build up the south wall the most so that you will be in the shade all day. 2-3 bundles for one person and an additional bundle for each additional person is about right to make a nice looking blind.

Good luck!

[Rubberhook2]

Hunt results get posted on the bulletin board on a blind by blind basis for the previous days hunt. Study what areas produced and when your number gets called try to get into those areas. An 18 out of a possible 100 reservations is not bad. I had an 86 for this past Wednesday and passed but my son drew # 4 for the Kern 2nd half opener on the 14th which we will be using.

If you don't have one get a map for the hunting sites at Wister to get an idea where things are.

You can find one here...

2009 Wister map and rules - Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors Forum

[gpomplin]

Originally Posted by sdbrewer

Did you put in a season long application? If so, you could get more reservations this year. Each day is independent of any other so getting drawn once does not preclude you from getting drawn again.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE SHOTS PAST 40 YARDS! It really screws up the hunting for those around you. You will likely be within 200 to 300 yards of several other groups of hunters. If everyone lets the birds work, generally, everyone is more successful. If someone has worked very hard putting out 100 plus goose decoys, they aren't going to be very happy with a guy next to them taking 75 yard shots at geese headed for their spread. If they get a big wad into they're spread (and you let that wad come in) you will likely get better and lower shots on the geese as they leave.

As stated in my PM to you, your best bet would be to hook up with someone who knows the refuge and has decoys.

In case you don't here is how the system works:

They start calling reservations at 3 a.m. You will see a big map of the refuge with tags hanging on it. Each tag represents a blind site. When a site is picked, the tag is removed from the board. To the left is a white board with the conditions of each of the sites noted on it (flooded or dry, cover or not, overgrown or not, etc.). They call disabled sites first (doesn't take long) then reservations. When your number is called (sometimes they will call "Reservations 10-20" so keep your ears open), you step up to the podium and pick a site that has a tag hanging. You may need to show your drivers license and you should have your res card. The DFG guy will ask how many in your party, wite the info on a card and give you the card. Take the card to one of the two windows to the right. Give them the card, your license and your entry fee (about $17 for the day). They will give you your daily permit. Keep that with you. That's it for the paperwork. Hop in your car and head to the parking area for your blind. If you don't know where it is, ask someone. Each parking lot should have a row of signs with the blind numbers marked on the sign. Park in front of the sign with your blind site on it. Get your stuff and start walking down the road in the direction of your blind (as shown on the map). There should be a second sign with the blind number on it at the intersection of the levy (dike) and the road. The actual blind site will be designated by a third sign on that levy away from the road (sometimes it can seem like quite a long walk along the levy in the dark). You must hunt within 100 yards of that sign (the one on the levy away from the road, not the one at the intersection of the road and the levy) if at Wister or 100 feet of the blind if at Hazard. If you're unsure which direction your blind is from the parking lot, you can either ask someone else in the lot (who may or may not know) or you can walk without your stuff until you come to a blind marker that gets you oriented. Depending on which site you pick, there may or may not be natural cover around to hide in. If there is not, the concession trailer at the check station where you pick your blind site sells bundles of arrow weed for $3 per bundle. Buy yourself a couple of bundles and take them out to your blind. When you figure out where you want to sit (be mindful of sun and wind direction and decoy spread configuration), stick the arrow weed into the mud to make a blind. Build up the south wall the most so that you will be in the shade all day. 2-3 bundles for one person and an additional bundle for each additional person is about right to make a nice looking blind.

Good luck!

their system hasent changed much in 30 years, maybe only the tules and weeds...