Has Anyone Hunted Fern Ridge This Year?

[Flathead]

Has anybody done any duck hunting at Fern Ridge Wild Life Area this year? I haven't heard any report yet and my normal duck hunting haunts have been pretty slow.

[birdhunter]

From ODFW:

Fern Ridge Cancels November Waterfowl Hunts

PORTLAND —The first seven waterfowl reservation hunts at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area were cancelled due to drought conditions that have left fields dry and creeks too low for pumping, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Wednesday. Waterfowl hunting opportunities are expected to be poor as a result.
Hunts from Nov. 7 through Nov. 21 are affected by the cancellation, including a youth waterfowl hunt. No other hunts are scheduled to be cancelled, but hunters who obtain reservations for late November or early December at Fern Ridge should call the wildlife area at (541) 935-2591 and ask about water levels and hunting conditions, said Brad Bales, ODFW game bird program manager.

Fern Ridge Wildlife Area requires a reservation permit to hunt waterfowl in the East Coyote and West Coyote hunt units from Nov. 7, 2001 — Jan. 19, 2002. Reservations are obtained through an application and lottery draw process. The deadline to apply is Oct. 17, 2001. Hunters who have already applied for a Fern Ridge hunt in November will be contacted by ODFW and given until Oct. 24 to change their application.

[Flathead]

Thanks Bird Hunter, I hadn't caught that announcment. I've never hunted down there and wanted to take my boys someplace local this weekend.

[Thick-N-Thin]

Yep Fernridge has been bone dry. I hunted the Willamette between Coburg and Harrisburg 2 weeks ago and it was very slow. More geese than ducks! I have heard from a friend that lives next to the Willamette near Harrisburg that the ducks have been flying more with the latest rain. Hope the rain and wind picks up for this weekend.

Good Luck!

[Flathead]

Yah, lots of geese around but the weather the past couple of weekends hasn't been very conducive to calling birds into the set. Did manage to scrape down one cackler last sunday. Maybe this storm front will open things up. Well, I guess we'll try some Willamette back eddies around Peoria this weekend for ducks. Can't wait for the second period NW Goose.